SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II USB-C Reader Review

Introduction

The SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II USB-C Reader is a high-speed USB 3.1 Type-C SD card reader. It is compatible with full size SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and supports both UHS-I and UHS-II. The reader will also work with microSD cards when used in a microSD to SD adapter. This USB-C reader can be used in Thunderbolt 3 ports.

SanDisk advertises this reader with speeds up to 312 MB/s which is the maximum bus speed provided by UHS-II.

The outer case of the Extreme Pro UHS-II Reader is made from combination of plastic, rubber and brushed metal. The card slot is located on the end of the reader and surrounded by high gloss plastic that extends under the reader where it changes to a textured surface. The sides of the case which extend out to the connector are made from flexible rubber that bends up-and-down easily but has more resistance side-to-side. This helps protect the USB-C connector if the reader is bumped.

A card access light is located on the top of the reader between the brushed metal and rubber case. The light illuminates when a card is inserted and flashes while the card is accessed.

The USB Type-C plug is on a long stalk that extends about 1.5-inches (38mm) from the main body of the reader. This provides clearance and prevents blocking adjacent ports. One major advantage of the USB-C connector is that it is reversible so the reader is never up-side-down. The reader is about 5/16-inch (8mm) thick and just under 1 3/8-inch wide (35mm). Total length is 3 3/8-inches (86mm) not including the USB connector.

The reader works with Mac OS 10.4+, Windows and Linux and requires a USB-C port. SanDisk covers the card reader a 2-year warranty. The reader tested is made in China. The packaging has model number SDDR-389-GA46 (UPC 619659154028) which is sold by Apple. The same reader is also available from retailers in America as model SDDR-389-A46 and in Europe as model SDDR-389-G46, with the packaging differing by region.

Performance

The SanDisk SD UHS-II USB-C reader delivered excellent read and write speeds. The fastest card benchmarked as of the time of review was the SanDisk Extreme Pro 300MB/s UHS-II 64GB which reached 299.6 MB/s sequential read speed. Write speed reached up to 267.2 MB/s with the Lexar 2000x UHS-II 32GB card.

The Extreme Pro UHS-II Reader also provided good speed with UHS-I cards. The reader topped out around 99.3 MB/s sequential read with UHS-I cards. Write speeds with UHS-I cards hit 92.0 MB/s.

Reader: SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II USB-C Reader
Benchmark: CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3 x64
Program settings: 1000 MB, 5 passes, random test data
Operating system: Windows 10 Pro
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K @ 4.40GHz
RAM: 32GB DDR3 1600

Recommendation

Those with USB 3.1 Type-C ports such as the Apple MacBook will appreciate the SanDisk Extreme Pro SD UHS-II USB-C Reader. It is one of only a few USB-C card readers that supports UHS-II. Its compact size makes it convenient to transport, although its overall length may be a slight disadvantage especially for those who do not need the extra clearance provided by its design. Its read and write speed capabilities are among the top of all SD card readers.

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