X-bit labs

Eleven Card Readers Roundup: Which One Is the Best?

Category: Storage

by Andrey Kuznetcov

[ 09/24/2004 | 09:20 AM ]

Memory cards of all kinds are becoming very widely spread nowadays. Cameras, players, storage devices use different types of storage cards such as SD or compact flash. But what about the card readers? Today we would like to offer you a detailed coverage of 11 brand name as well as widely spread noname products.

Table of contents:

• Testing Participants
  
• Apacer Mega Steno MG820 USB 2.0
  
• SanDisk ImageMate USB 2.0
  
• SanDisk Ultra ImageMate FireWire
  
• No-name Card Reader Writer 7 in 1 USB 2.0
  
• No-name Internal 7 in 1 Card Reader
  
• No-name Card Reader 9 in 1 USB 2.0
  
• No-name Reader/Writer for Multi-Card 12 in 1 "CD22" USB 2.0
  
• No-name Reader/Writer for Multi-Card 12 in 1 "CD20" USB 2.0
  
• No-name Internal Card Reader 10 in 1 USB 2.0
  
• No-name Internal Card Reader 11 in 1 USB 2.0
  
• No-name Card Reader/Writer 9 in 1 USB 2.0
  
• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance in FC Test
  
• Perfprmance in AIDA32
  
• Conclusion
  

It’s good when you’ve got a fast flash memory card. It’s even better when you’ve got a fast card-reader to plug this card into. Only then you will have the full satisfaction from the money you’ve invested into the storage medium. So, the problem reads as follows: a card-reader model is wanted, which would fully realize the speed potential of your memory cards.

This review is our report on the extended test session with eleven devices and four high-performance Compact Flash memory cards. Some of the card-readers had already participated in our tests, but according to a simpler methodology.

Testing Participants

Apacer Mega Steno MG820 USB 2.0

This “eight-in-one” product from Apacer supports Compact Flash type I/II, MicroDrive, Smart Media Card, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, and Secure Digital Card. Besides the slots, the silvery case of the card-reader has a combined work/power indicator on its front panel. The dimensions of the Mega Steno are 98x64x15mm. The device comes with a drivers CD and a USB cable. Its average retail price is $18.

SanDisk ImageMate USB 2.0

Four externally similar devices hide under the common name, but we’ll discuss only on of them. It supports CompactFlash, xD/SmartMedia, SD/MultiMedia and Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro media. The card-reader boasts a modern compact design and supports the USB 2.0 interface. The accessories to the reader are a USB cable, a brief user manual, a CD with drivers and an electronic version of the manual. The average retail price of the device is $26.

SanDisk Ultra ImageMate FireWire

This “flying saucer” supports exclusively CompactFlash media and works across the FireWire interface. It comes with a synthetic bag, an IEEE 1394 cable and a short installation guide. The average retail price of the device is $64.