8 Best USB-C SD Card Readers for Ultra-Fast Transfers
Card readers are the best friends of the photographers
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Key notes
- USB-C card readers are extremely helpful because they offer high-speed data transfer.
- You should look for one that offers all the ports needed for your memory cards.
An SD (Secure Digital) card is a little gadget that is used to increase the storage capacity for different digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and others.
The benefits that make an SD card popular include portability, fast data transfers, and hot-swapping functionality.
In order to access any files on the SD card, you need an SD card reader, and with technological advancements, today’s market is warming up to the type-C connector or port, so you will need the best USB-C SD card readers to access files on modern devices.
Card readers come in different sizes, shapes, colors, and builds so that they can be easily carried wherever you go, and add convenience to your life.
When looking for the best USB-C SD card reader, you need to consider factors such as speed, portability, aesthetics, compatibility with other devices and operating systems, multiple functionalities such as extra ports for charging your phone or other tasks, and multiple slots to cater for different card storage capacities.
What are the best USB-C SD card readers to use?
uni SD card reader
- Up to 5 Gbps transfer rate
- USB 3.0, USB 2.0
- Simultaneous read & write on two cards
- Functionality issues with iPad Pro although it's advertised as fully compatible
What you’ll get with this SD card reader mainly is On the Go, plug-and-play card access to all your media in just a matter of seconds, wherever you are.
The device is sturdy, made of aluminum, tested for repeated outdoor use, and doesn’t compromise data transfer speeds.
The two card slots can take SD, SDHC, SDXC, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, MicroSDXC cards of up to 2TB, and can be used simultaneously to read and write information.
The Type-C USB connection ensures wide compatibility with most laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Besides, the device also has backward compatibility with USB 2.0 ports, in which case it only runs at 480Mbps, reading UHS-II cards at UHS-I speed.
Vanja
- 3-in-1 USB port compatibility
- Compact design
- Runs on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP, macOS 10.4.6 and above, Android OS.
- Not compatible with iOS
This comes as the second-best USB-C SD card reader in terms of user reviews and popularity. It has a USB 2.0 SD/micro SD card reader for data transmission, and management of all your data from, to, or on different devices and across multiple platforms. This means you can create, copy, edit, move, delete, rename, and open in among other tasks.
This USB-C SD card reader is compatible with all USB Type-C devices and tablets or smartphones that support the OTG function.
While trying to access your files, you can also connect your devices and playback videos or music from external memory without taking up so much space, and it doesn’t need more power supply, nor does it need additional software installation.
Read your memory cards with the speed and convenience you desire using this excellent quality, durable, and high-grade USB-C SD card reader. Back up your important media and digital files, and carry it around wherever you want – that’s the convenience that comes with it.
It also has a document viewer for all major file formats, and you can store and share all your digital content securely.
Lention
- Transfer speed of up to 95MB/s
- Three colors
- Can take up to 3 USB simultaneous devices
- Users reported interference with the Wi-Fi adapter/router
If you want the best USB-C SD card reader but with added functionality, this is your best bet. This card reader features a multi-port hub with one SD card reader, micro SD/TF card reader, and three USB 3.0 ports with high-speed data transfers of up to 5 Gbps.
You can also connect a maximum of three USB devices at the same time while you transfer data from your SD card.
Its benefits include its lightweight, portability, plug and play so you don’t need external drivers or power before using it, plus it is widely compatible with most major devices and computers.
With a sleek unibody, aluminum alloy exterior, ionized finish, reinforced TPE cable coating, and EMI protection to prevent interference with wireless devices, there’s no betting on this one – it’s a sure winner.
It comes in three colors: Rose Gold, Silver, and Space Gray.
Cable Matters USB-C SD card reader
- USB 3.1 data transfer rate of 5 Gbps
- Dual slots that can be used simultaneously
- 6-inch cable tail
- Reportedly disconnects and corrupts SD saved files
This is one of the top brands when it comes to the best USB-C SD card reader and other useful USB-C devices such as the USB-C Gigabit Ethernet adapter and many others.
Features include a dual-slot USB-C SD card reader with convenient access to SD, SDHC, SDXC, and micro SD cards from your computer or smart device that also has a Type-C port. The card reader can access data from two cards at the same time to download files from your video camera to your computer, at fast speeds and a transfer rate of up to 5 Gbps.
It is ideal for an OTG-enabled smartphone that doesn’t have a micro SD card slot.
Other features include a 6-inch cable tail for easy access to insert and remove SD cards, hot swap support on the SD adapter to eliminate the need for unplugging and/or re-plugging when switching cards, a portable bus-powered card reader, and portable memory expansion.
It is your best companion for all your essential data storage needs and is compatible with a wide variety of smart devices and computers.
The advantages of having this USB-C SD card reader include twice the memory migration, multi-tasking for data migration, and can download more data to save time. It is also lightweight, cute, and portable so you can go with it anywhere.
It is available in black and white color options.
uni USB C card reader & adapter
- Backward compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1
- Simultaneous double microSD/SD card access
- Wide compatibility with most USB-C / A devices
- Functionality issues reported with various SD cards
Yet another excellent card reader from uni, this time in a different design, but equally reliable.
First of all, the design looks very slick, and the fact that it’s so compact makes it extremely easy to carry in your pocket, thus enabling very good portability.
Users have highly appreciated the compact design that allows for an easy carry-around and prevents blocking other ports.
With this small card reader, you can store, view, edit, and transfer files with your USB-C and USB-A laptops in standard UHS-I, on the go or whenever it’s convenient for you.
Just as it was the case with the first card reader, this one too supports simultaneous management of two cards, to save you repeated plugging/unplugging.
Satechi is another known brand when it comes to gadgets. In this best USB-C SD card reader category, Satechi doesn’t disappoint.
It features an SD card slot, Micro SD card slot, aluminum design, and a compact size for portability. It is also compatible with most modern laptops and other type-C devices.
Besides file transfers and reading, you can also take advantage of the super-speed USB 3.0 ports that deliver maximum performance.
It comes in two color options: Silver and Space Gray and has a 1-year manufacturer warranty tagged to it.
⇒ Get Satechi USB-C SD Card Reader
STARWARE
Starware’s card reader boasts wide compatibility with most memory cards without transfer speed loss, among them SDXC/SDHC/SD/MMC/RS-MMC/Micro, SD/TF/Micro, SDXC/Micro, or SDHC/UHS-I cards.
The curved edges of this card reader make it look very slick, and the materials from which it is built offer a good feel, and fit any setting, no matter if you’re using it in the office or at home.
In terms of devices that can take it, we’re talking about most USB-C devices, including older macOS devices, iMac 2017, Mac mini 2018, iPad Pro 2020, as well as various smartphone models.
The high-level material (aluminum) ensures durability and resistance to repeated usage over years. As a matter of fact, this one detail is the most appreciated aspect of this device.
Anker
Our last pick is an ultra-compact SD/microSD card reader, compatible with most USB-C devices, and the design looks incredibly good.
The compact metal-finish casing offers a more professional look to this useful device, and the materials used to build it are clearly good quality.
It comes as an excellent choice for expanding your smartphone’s memory and getting access to large media or other important files.
Other perks of Anker’s card reader are the 18-month warranty in case something doesn’t work as it should and the friendly customer service.
So, have you found in this list the USB-C SD card reader that suits your needs?
To ensure you’ll make the best decision, make sure to read the description and information described above carefully.
Share with us more in the comments section. We’d also love to hear about your experience with any of these SD card readers, or if there’s one you feel should have made the list, tell us about it.
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