Every creative professional needs this multi-card reader that’s fast, reliable, and easy to travel with

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• It handles each generally used storage card at the moment in use
• It will probably deal with information switch speeds as much as 10Gbps, so shifting huge information is easy
• The cardboard reader additionally doubles as a storage card holder, holding playing cards that aren’t at the moment in use protected.

There are tens of millions upon tens of millions of individuals taking pictures and movies on their telephones and sharing them on social media who won’t ever want a card reader. However should you’re an expert photographer, videographer, or drone operator, a card reader is probably going a part of your equipment. And since that is one thing that straight touches your information, I am a fan of getting a good one.

An incredible little bit of equipment

Over the previous few weeks, I have been utilizing the Freewell Pro Reader, a mix card reader and storage field, and it is turned out to be an incredible little bit of equipment.

The Professional Reader actually lives as much as its identify, able to studying CF Express A and CF Express B, UHS-I and UHS-II SD playing cards, and SDXC and SDHC microSD cards. That covers each storage card you are going to discover in use, from drones to mirrorless cameras to high-end video cameras.

Additionally: How to choose the right microSD card – and what all those numbers and letters mean

The Professional Reader has a built-in USB-C cable and makes use of USB 3.2 Gen 1 and Gen 2, which permit switch speeds as much as 10Gbps, so you are not left twiddling your thumbs for too lengthy.

Storage field for as much as 13 playing cards

One other cool function of the Professional Reader setup is that it additionally acts as a storage field for playing cards, able to holding one CF Specific Sort A and one CF Specific Sort B card, three SD playing cards, six microSD playing cards, and two nano SIM playing cards for cell telephones.

That is a complete of 13 playing cards.

Additionally: The best microSD cards you can buy

There’s additionally a SIM-eject instrument, which will be helpful for worldwide vacationers nonetheless switching SIM playing cards in units.

The cardboard reader/holder is housed in a contact aluminum and glass outer shell that protects the reader — and your treasured storage playing cards — from loss or harm. The outer clips on securely, and there is a carabiner loop on one finish for attaching the Professional Reader to one thing like a backpack or digital camera bag.

The unit is fairly cumbersome (roughly 5 x 2 x 1 inches) and heavy (a 3rd of a pound) however nothing that was a deal-breaker for me.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Card readers fall into two classes: low-cost or costly. 

At $99, the Freewell Pro Reader is certainly not on the low-cost finish. However it’s a professional little bit of equipment, due to its skill to work with a variety of storage media, its efficiency, and the truth that it may be dwelling to a handful of playing cards.

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