Best USB-C Card Readers for Mac iMore 2020

USB-C is becoming the new standard connector and Apple is jumping on board in a big way. All the new Mac laptops (both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro) only have Thunderbolt 3 (A.K.A USB-C) ports, and that left a lot of people scrambling for dongles, including card readers. Whether you just bought a new Apple product that only supports USB-C or you're doing a little future-proofing, here's a list of our favorite USB-C card readers for Mac.

Compact and affordable: Cable Matters USB 3.1 type-C dual slot card reader

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With no need to install any drivers, and a handy LED indicator light, the Cable Matters USB 3.1 type-C dual-slot card reader is as simple and straightforward as it gets. Due to the lack of Compact Flash slot, the Cable Matters USB 3.1 type-C dual-slot card reader is smaller than other readers, making it even easier to carry around!

$10 at Amazon

Great for photographers: IOGEAR USB-C 3-Slot card reader

Just like the name suggests, the IOGEAR USB-C 3-slot card reader can accommodate three different types of cards; SD, microSD, and Compact Flash. No drivers, updates, or software need to be installed to use the IOGEAR USB-C 3-slot card reader, making it easy to use with all your devices at will.

$16 at Amazon

Legacy tech compatible: Transcend USB 3.1 Type-C multi-card reader

All three types of cards are supported, SD, microSD, and Compact Flash, and it even has a Memory Stick slot on the back. For most people that will mean nothing, but for the select few who use the older technology, it may be a welcome surprise. The Transcend USB 3.1 Type-C multi-card reader also comes with a LED indicator light to let you know when your cards connected and being read.

$20 at Amazon

Super fast read speed: SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II

If you are constantly transferring big files and need fast read and write speeds, the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II can achieve a 500MB/s data transfer speeds. The downside is this reader only supports SD cards or microSD cards that have an SD card adapter.

$25 at Amazon

An entire hub: Satechi Multi-port adapter

Satechi's multi-port adapter doesn't support high-speed data transfer or dual-4K displays, but it does have just about everything else you'd need to run your peripherals with your MacBook Pro, like SD and microSD card readers, 4K HDMI, Gigabit, and three USB-A ports.

$80 at Amazon

Portable versatility: Twelve South StayGo

This eight-port hub makes it super easy to transfer photos, video, audio recordings, and more from an SD or microSD card to your Mac. It's also got three USB-A ports, and HDMI port, and a USB-C power delivery port.

$100 at Twelve South

All-in-one solutions are more versatile

When it comes to getting the most out of a single USB-C port on your Mac, you're going to want as many connections as possible, which is we we suggest getting the Cable Matters USB 3.1 type-C dual-slot card reader. It has both a SD and microSD card slot, so you don't need to fool around with microSD card adpaters, and its very affordable. It really is the best buy for most people.

If you're a photographer and you have cameras that use Compact Flash cards, you're probably going to want IOGEAR USB-C 3-Slot card reader to ensure you can get all your photos regardless of what camera you use.

Lastly, if speed is of the utmost importance to you and you don't mind having to use microSD card adapter, the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II is the faster card reader around!

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