Needs power to use -Relatively expensive When it comes to UHS-I SD cards, maximum sustained transfer speeds of 96MB/s read and 83MB/s write aren't quite class-leading, but not to the extent that you’d really notice in real-world use. 202MB/s read and 107MB/s write figures in our testing when shifting images are also superb. Testing with a UHS-II SD card yielded highly respectable video transfer speeds of 252MB/s read and 210MB/s write - not far off the much more expensive ProGrade Digital USB 3.1 Gen 2 Dual-Slot Card Reader. A detachable USB Type-A cable is provided, so you will need an adapter if you intend to plug in to a USB-C port. And this is where it belongs, as at 122 x 58 x 17mm, it’s big by card reader standards.Ī trio of card slots are spread neatly across the front, with CF, UHS-II SD, and MicroSD to choose from.

It may be a fairly cheap card reader, but the ImageMate Pro feels like a quality product, as it’s well built and weighty enough to sit securely on a desk. Slightly bulky for mobile use -Not USB 3.1 Gen 2 or Type-C But we've also included some more affordable options, and some that offer different functionality we're particularly impressed by the Kingston Workflow Station, a desktop dock that's modular, meaning you can customise it to suit your card/device setup. While it's on the expensive side, it provides extremely fast transfer speeds, and is also compatible with the most important current card formats: CFexpress and SD. The best memory card readers in 2021Ĭurrently, we think the best overall memory card reader is ProGrade Digital's CFexpress Type B & SD Reader.

Different cameras use different card formats, so whether you use a standard SD card, microSD cards, CompactFlash, CFexpress or XQD, there should be a reader on this list for you. On this list, we've made sure to include memory card readers that run the gamut in terms of price, but are all of good quality. It's undoubtedly a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your card speeds, especially if you've paid a premium for one of the best memory cards. These can be a really good way to streamline intense workflows, particularly as they tend to have really fast transfer speeds. Alternatively, there are chunkier readers that basically function as desktop docking stations. Some are small, basically the size of USB flash drive (remember those?) and are priced as such indeed, you can pick up a good card reader for very little in the way of cash outlay. There are absolutely loads of USB card readers out there.

Internal card reader for desktop pc