Review: Transcend USB 3.0 Multi-Card Reader RDF8

Introduction

The Transcend USB 3.0 Multi-Card Reader RDF8 is an inexpensive multi-format memory card reader. It features independent slots for Secure Digital, CompactFlash and Memory Stick. It is the smallest and lightest multi-format reader we have tested.

Transcend was founded in 1988 in Taiwan and produces a range of computer memory products and related devices.

A bright blue LED shines through the top of the translucent black case when the reader is connected to a USB cable. The light blinks when the card is being accessed.

The RDF8 reader is very compact, measuring only 2 5/8 x 1 3/4 x 5/8 inches (67.6 x 45 x 15.2 mm). The dedicated Memory Stick slot is positioned on the back of the reader to conserve space. The case is made entirely of plastic resulting in an overall weight of only 32 grams (not including USB cable). The case lacks any sort of rubber pads to hold it in place which results in it sliding around when inserting and removing cards.

The supplied USB cable did not fit securely in the connector on the card reader. In addition, the unusually short short 15-inch cable exacerbated the issue. The connector could be inadvertently dislodged and even when it appeared to be connected correctly it would sometimes cause read and write errors. Swapping a different USB 3.0 cable provided a more secure connection.

Even with its small overall size, the RDF8 has a deep CF card slot taking in nearly 7/8 inch depth of card in total. There is little up-and-down play however the card is able to move excessively side-to-side when inserting. The fit is looser than necessary and extra care should be taken when inserting cards to avoid bent pins.

Performance

Transcend prominently displays 130 MB/s read and 95 MB/s write speeds on the front of its packaging. Upon closer inspection, the fine print disclaims "Performance with Transcend 128GB CF1000x card." In Windows 8, we tested the Transcend 1000X 32GB CF card and it reached 154.3 MB/s read and 132.8 MB/s write, well above the claimed speeds.

SD card speed was a different issue. Using Windows 7, benchmark testing using SD cards achieved a maximum sequential read of 86 MB/s and 74 MB/s write. Several cards tested 10-20MB/s slower read speeds in the RDF8 compared with other USB 3.0 card readers. The normally fast Lexar 600x performed much worse (45.7 MB/s read, 34.8 MB/s write) while the normally "slower" Lexar 400x performed as it normally should (72.4 MB/s read, 43.6 write). The RDF8 reader had the latest firmware version TS22 already installed from the factory.

Changing to Windows 8 we found improved read and write speeds, however the Lexar 600x card read speed was still abnormally slow.

Reader: Transcend Multi-Card Reader RDF8 Black
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

Conclusion

The Transcend RDF8 card reader is a popular card reader due to its low price and small size, but it had a few issues. It was not quite as fast as other readers when tested in Windows 7, but Windows 8 provided better performance. USB cable issues were another concern but can be remedied by using a different USB cable. Mediocre read speed when using the Lexar 600X 32GB was another strike against it. Overall there were simply too many issues to recommend it.

Compare prices on the Transcend Multi-Card Reader RDF8 reader. The lowest prices are highlighted in the table below.

Formats supported: Secure Digital (up to UHS-I) SD, SDHC, SDXC, Compact Flash (up to UDMA 7), micro SD (UHS-I) microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC and Memory Stick MSXC.

The RDF8 is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5+ as well as Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8 with the latest service packs.

The Transcend RDF8 reader has a 2 year warranty.

Made in China.