StarTech USB 3.0 UHS-II SD Card Slot and Other Format Reader Overview
Today I want to talk about a piece of hardware that became a bit of a keystone for my new computer build back in December: the StarTech USB 3.0 Multi-Card Memory Reader. The big deal with this one, and the main reason I picked it up, is that it was the only UHS-II SD card reader I could find that fits in a PC expansion bay.
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The StarTech USB 3.0 Multi-Card Memory Reader box.
Why This Reader? The UHS-II Advantage
For those who might not be familiar, UHS-II (Ultra High Speed II) is a faster standard for SD cards. It features an additional row of pins on the card, allowing for significantly higher read and write speeds compared to older UHS-I cards.
A comparison showing the extra row of pins on a UHS-II SD card (right) versus a UHS-I card (left).
I've been wanting to build a new computer for a long time, and having a built-in UHS-II SD card slot in the computer was kind of a keystone idea for the build. This is the only one I could find.
Installation: Adapters and Connections
This particular reader is a 3.5-inch device. My computer case only has 5.25-inch bays, so I also needed an adapter to fit it.
The StarTech card reader being installed into a 3.5-inch to 5.25-inch bay adapter.
The adapter I got, also from StarTech, is all plastic. It comes with a few screws, but I found I had to use some of my own to have 4 screws in each side of the adapter when connecting it to the case, as I like to use all possible screw holes.
The adapter came with 4 silver screws. I used 8 black screws I had on-hand instead.
Getting the reader to sit flush within this plastic adapter took a bit of effort. The connector holes on the adapter for mounting the reader itself wouldn't line up properly unless the reader was perfectly flush at the front. Since they're both from the same company, I'd hoped for a slightly better fit, but it works.
The adapter itself has various mounting holes, some of which seem intended for SSDs or other devices, but for this 3.5-inch card reader, you'll be using the side screw holes on the reader to attach to the corresponding ones on the adapter. You will need a thin enough screwdriver to connect the two.
Pointing out the screw holes on the adapter used to mount the 3.5-inch card reader.
Internally, the card reader connects to the motherboard via a standard 20-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 header. This is a fairly common blue connector on modern motherboards.
I tried adapting the USB 3.1 Gen1 20-pin header to the newer format but there is a downside.
It's important to use this specific header. I did try an adapter to go from this 20-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 header to a newer USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-E Key-A header that my motherboard also has. While some functions like card reading seemed to work, the USB pass-through port on the reader lost its data transfer capability; it would provide power (my game controller vibrated when plugged in), but it wasn't recognized by the system for data. So, stick to the intended 20-pin header for full functionality. Make certain your motherboard has the correct header.
Holding an adapter cable: USB 3.1 Gen 1 20-pin (blue) to USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-E Key-A (black).
Card Slots and Performance Tests
This reader boasts a variety of slots:
SD UHS-II Slot: This is the star of this card reader. It's spring-loaded, which is nice. I tested it with a Lexar Professional 1000x 64GB V60 UHS-II card. I was able to transfer files at around 140-145 megabytes per second, which is pretty good and close to the card's rated speed.
CompactFlash Slot (CF I/II / CF 6.0): I don't use CompactFlash much these days, but I tested it with an old Kingston Elite Pro 133x 16GB card. I was getting speeds around 60-70 megabytes per second. An odd quirk here: you have to insert the CompactFlash card upside down for it to be read. If you put it in what seems like the "right way up," it might even get stuck, as there's an open area on the bottom inside the slot.
Standard SDXC / MSPro HG Slot: There's an additional standard SD card slot. I tested this with a SanDisk Ultra Plus 128GB card rated for 150 MB/s. With this slot, I was limited to around 90 megabytes per second, hitting that cap consistently.
MicroSDXC Slot: I used a SanDisk Ultra 200GB microSD card here. Performance was also limited to around 90 megabytes per second.
MS/MS Pro Duo Slot: There's also a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo slot. I don't have any of these cards to test, but it's there if you need it and should work at the same time as the other slots that are not combined.
USB 3.0 Pass-through Port: This is a very handy addition giving you another USB port on the front of the computer. I've used it with multiple devices, including a SATA SSD via a USB adapter, and got speeds around 400 megabytes per second. I also connected a game controller, and it worked fine. Again, when connected to the proper motherboard header.
Compact Flash cards have to be inserted upside down. Especially awkward because I have my PC case on its side.
The SDXC / MSPRO HG slot is somehow combined with the MicroSDXC slot.
Take note about the standard SD slot and the Micro SDXC slot: they share resources. You can only use one of these two slots at a time. If you insert cards into both, only the first one inserted will likely be recognized.
Simultaneous Use and Quirks
The reader allows up to four different slot types to be read simultaneously. For instance, I successfully transferred files from the UHS-II SD card, a CompactFlash card, a MicroSD card, and a device connected to the USB 3.0 pass-through port, all at the same time. The speeds for each seemed to be maintained at their individual maximums. From what I can tell, the MS/MS Pro Duo slot should work at the same time as the others because it does get a separate drive letter in Windows.
Windows File Explorer showing multiple simultaneous file transfers from different cards in the reader.
When using multiple cards, it is easier if you insert them in a certain order due to how close the slots are. For example, if using the UHS-II card and the CompactFlash card, it seemed to work best if I put the UHS-II SD card in first, then the CF card. It's just a little bit quirky.
Positives and Negatives
Negatives:
No CFExpress Support: This is a newer and faster card format that would have been great to see, especially for future-proofing. I don't currently have a camera with this format, but more and more cameras are including the B-type slot and some other like Sony use the A-type.
CFExpress is a standard for high-speed removable memory cards, typically using PCIe and NVMe protocols for performance that can exceed SD UHS-II and older CompactFlash cards. It comes in different form factors (Type A, B, C).
No older formats like xD-Picture Card: A very old and rare format now, but some might still have these. I used to have a Fujifilm camera with this format.
Adapter Quirks: The plastic 5.25-inch adapter isn't the highest quality, and fitment can be imperfect.
Motherboard Header Sensitivity: The USB pass-through functionality is dependent on using the correct 20-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 header; adapting to other internal USB headers may cause issues.
Shared SD/MicroSD Slot: You can't use the standard SD slot and the MicroSD slot simultaneously, but with the UHS-II SD slot available it doesn't seem like an issue.
Positives:
UHS-II SD Card Slot: This is the main draw for me and performs well.
Convenience: Having a built-in reader has been faster to use in practice compared to the external USB reader I used in the past.
Reliability: So far, the device has been very reliable for me, with no major issues in reading cards or the USB port (when configured correctly).
Multiple Simultaneous Transfers: The ability to read from up to four slots at once is a good productivity feature.
USB 3.0 Pass-through: A very useful extra USB port right on the front of your PC.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this StarTech USB 3.0 Multi-Card Memory Reader with UHS-II support is a niche but very functional device. If you're building a PC and work with various memory card formats, or specifically want an SD card slot with UHS-II support, it's a great addition for instant convenience.
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