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Memory Card Readers. SanDisk ImageMate Pro USB 3.0 Reader. B&H # SAIPMCRW MFR # SDDR-489-A47. Top Highlights. USB 3.0 Interface Compatible with SD & microSD Cards. Memory Stick / Compact Flash Cards Windows / Mac / Linux Compatible In Stock. 1 product rating - Type-C Hub Adapter With 2 USB 3.0 Ports CF/SD/TF Card Reader For Phone Mac $11.99 Trending at $15.89 Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. Amazon.com: mac cf card reader. From The Community. EC Technology SD Card Reader Aluminum Superspeed USB 3.0 Multi-In-1 Card Reader for SD Card/CF Card/Micro SD Card and More for MacBook Pro Air, iMac, Mac Mini, Microsoft Surface Pro, Lenovo Yoga. By EC Technology. $13.99 $ 13 99 Prime.
The camera industry is moving toward SD and microSD cards for storing images, but there are still some holdouts, especially at the high end of the market, that use larger CompactFlash (CF) cards. For the ability to read those cards with the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models, which use only USB-C ports, we tested the Iogear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer ($20 MSRP; $16 on Amazon).
Set up outlook fir mac for webmail and cac reader. The adapter includes three ports to accommodate SD cards, microSD cards, and CF cards, with a single USB-C plug at the end of a short (3-inch) cable for connecting with the laptop. We found it to be a perfectly capable and affordable accessory, with a few quirks.
Speed
The primary function of an adapter like this is to transfer image and video files from a memory card to the computer. One of the selling points of Iogear’s accessory is that it supports USB 3.1 Generation 1 SuperSpeed mode, allowing data throughput of up to 5 Gbps, or about 625 MBps.
That’s great, but it’s also overkill: The fastest CompactFlash cards, rated as UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory Access) 7, read data at a maximum of 166 MBps. (A newer specification, CFast 2.0, can achieve up to a theoretical 600 MBps speed, but it’s not interchangeable with CompactFlash cards or readers.)
On the SD and microSD side, the Iogear adapter supports only UHS-I cards, which max out at a theoretical 104 MBps. Faster UHS-II cards include a second row of pins on the back that triple the throughput, but only work with UHS-II adapters that can read both rows.
That said, we found the Iogear’s performance to be solidly in the middle of the pack of other adapters we tested, which included the Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Slot Card Reader and SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader.
To gauge read speeds, we copied 12.9GB of photos (684 JPEG and raw files) from a SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card rated at 95 MBps to a 2016 MacBook Pro in three passes. That resulted in an average time of 2 minutes 47 seconds, or a rate of 77.25 MBps.
We also copied 32GB of video (9 files) in three passes, occupying an average of 5 minutes 59 seconds, or a rate of about 89.5 MBps.
For the CompactFlash card, we copied the same 12.9GB of photos from a SanDisk Extreme 16GB card rated at 120 MBps (UDMA 7), which took an average of 2 minutes 14 seconds, or about 94.9 MBps. To test video copying speeds, we transferred 12.9GB (3 files, since this 16GB card was the only one available for testing), which took an average of 1 minute 46 seconds, or an impressive 121.7 MBps.
Benchmarks: USB-C memory card readersQuirks
One downside to the Iogear adapter is that it’s somewhat bulky for what it offers, and its rounded design feels like an effort to make a utilitarian tool more friendly.
More surprising, in our tests we weren’t able to read more than one inserted card at a time. Mounting an SD card and then inserting a CompactFlash card would force-eject both of them, for instance.
Bottom line
If you need to transfer data from CompactFlash memory cards, or a mix of CompactFlash and SD or microSD cards, to your USB-C equipped MacBook or MacBook Pro, the Iogear USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer handles it with good speeds in a single package.
Read our roundup of USB-C memory card readers
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The lack of an SD card slot on the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro is an inconvenience for photographers of all stripes who shoot with cameras other than the iPhone. The answer—as with everything else that needs to connect to the USB-C–only MacBook Pro—is an external USB-C SD card reader.
Cf Card Reader To Usb
But which one? As you would expect, third parties have rushed to create adapters for everything, including memory card readers. And to no one’s surprise, the quality, specifications, and prices are all over the map.
We tested six adapters that stood out among the field based on online reviews, word of mouth, and design. All of the adapters read and write to SD cards, and we tested one model—the IOGEAR USB-C 3-Slot Card Reader/Writer—that also accepts larger CompactFlash (CF) cards still used by some high-end cameras. Choosing which reader is best for you depends a lot on what you need and how much you’re willing to spend. For most people, that could turn out to be one of the least expensive of the bunch.
Before you view the picks, you may want to consult our SD Card explainer to understand the stew of acronyms and jargon the industry uses to describe memory card storage and speed.
Best card reader for speed
The SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader is pricey ($49 on Amazon, and unlike the other adapters we tested, it has just a single SD card slot—no microSD, CF, or USB-A ports to extend its versatility.
But it’s fast.
On one hand, the speed is due to its UHS-II compatibility, transferring up to a theoretical 312 MBps from UHS-II memory cards that include a second row of contacts from which to read data. In our real-world tests, we recorded an average throughput of 195.45 MBps for photos and 267.67 MBps for video; the latter’s increase is due to the reduced amount of overhead needed to copy nine files versus 684 files.
That said, even when copying from more common UHS-I cards, which top out at a theoretical speed of 104 MBps, the SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader bested the other adapters we tested. It copied our suite of photos at a rate of 86.68 MBps and video at 101 MBps.
We also liked the fairly compact design, with its bendy neck and minimal footprint, although the angle of the case where you insert the SD card makes extracting a card less elegant than needed.
But if you’re shooting with a camera that works with UHS-II cards and you need the fastest copy turnaround, the cost is worth it.
Best value for UHS-II cards
If you’re willing to give up a few seconds and don’t want to pay a premium for speed, the Verbatim USB-C Pocket Card Reader is nearly as fast as the SanDisk Extreme Pro when copying from UHS-II cards and costs just $17 on Amazon.
In our testing, we found an average throughput of 179.36 MBps for photos and 221.89 MBps when transferring video files. The Verbatim reader is a little more bulky, and sports a short cable for the USB-C plug, but it also features slots for SD and Micro SD cards.
Best combination of price and performance
What if, like most current photographers, you’re not yet capturing to UHS-II cards? For an adapter that has a great combination of price and performance, we like the Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Slot Card Reader ($12 on Amazon).
We expected to run into tradeoffs at this price, but the Cable Matters adapter was almost as fast as the SanDisk adapter. Our photos transferred at 82.17 MBps, while videos zipped along at 95.6 MBps.
The adapter has dedicated SD and microSD card slots that can be used simultaneously, and a discrete LED to indicate the adapter is getting power. With dimensions of just 2.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches and a 6-inch cable, it doesn’t add bulk to any bag.
If you don’t need UHS-II compatibility, the Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Slot Card Reader is the one to get.
How we tested
We copied two sets of photos and videos from a SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC card rated at 95 megabytes per second (MBps). For photos, we timed three transfers of 12.9GB of JPEG and raw images (684 files) and averaged the results. For video transfer, we copied 31GB (9 files) from the same card.
We also copied the same files using a SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-II card rated at 280 MBps to test the difference that UHS II compatibility affords. And for the CF reader, we used a SanDisk Extreme CF card rated at 120 MBps (UDMA 7) to copy 7.7GB of JPEGS (402 files), since that card’s capacity maxed out at 16GB.
All of the testing was done on a 2016 MacBook Pro with TouchBar equipped with a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. We used the Image Capture utility to facilitate the transfer of photos, and copied the video files using the Finder.
Bottom line
If you really need the top speeds afforded by UHS-II cards and devices that read them, we recommend the SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II USB-C Reader. For everyone else, however, our favorite USB-C memory card reader is the Cable Matters USB 3.1 Type-C Dual Slot Card Reader. It’s fast, small, and inexpensive—the attributes you want so you can spend your time and money on capturing photos.
Usb Card Readers
To read the full reviews of each product we tested, click the product name in the list below, and then click the “Read the full review” link that appears.
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