What is a card reader and how to use it? What is a card reader, types, description of card reader, prices

Understanding computer technologies, the question often arises: what is a card reader for? To answer this, it is worth understanding this topic in more detail. This item has been popular for quite some time. It is used by professionals and ordinary amateurs who often have to transfer information from one place to another.

What is it

A card reader is a device designed to read various information from memory cards on a computer. It's convenient and quick way data transfer. A similar thing could work with a large number various formats of memory cards that are used in phones, cameras, and video cameras.

Reading information in in this case carried out faster than through external usb, which usually comes with digital technology. In addition, in this case, no special software installation is required. The inserted card is displayed as a removable disk.

Card readers have different sizes and shapes. They can be portable or built-in. For each specialist there is an option that is most convenient for him. Everything will depend on its purpose and the functions assigned to it.

Portable devices

Portable devices are considered the most in demand and popular. They are made in the form of a flash drive. They have the same light weight and dimensions. The external design of such things can be different, bright and interesting. For some this has significant meaning.

The main features of portable devices include:

support from 1 to 5 formats;
low cost;
various materials of manufacture (leather, metal, plastic, etc.);
Data transfer speed is within USB 2.0.

Selecting a specific portable device will primarily depend on what format it should support. Most often the product is chosen for microsd cards, because they are the most common. This format is found in most phones and some cameras.

Video: card reader, which one to buy

Selection criteria

Before choosing equipment and making a purchase, you should consider the basic criteria.

These include:

purpose of the product;
variety of support for card types;
speed of work;
additions to modern devices;
combine with OS.

Each of the criteria has its own characteristics. If you make the right choice, such a product will be useful and serve its intended purpose.

Purpose

According to their purpose, card readers are primarily divided into external and internal. The first of them are portable. They can be easily connected to and disconnected from your computer. However, they may take extra space. The second ones are built into system unit. You won't be able to carry them, but they are convenient because they don't take up extra space.

The choice of one or another equipment depends on the basic needs for it. If you need to constantly transfer information from one computer to another, then it is better to choose a universal card reader that can be easily removed. Otherwise, a built-in product will suffice.

Regardless of the purpose, the connection is always made via the USB connector. If needed good speed work, then it’s better to choose internal structure, because Due to the absence of a USB cable, there will be no voltage attenuation.

Variety of card type support

Any card reader contains a hole for a memory card. There may be several of them. The total number depends on how many formats your specific hardware supports.

It could be:

mini;
microSD;
SD, Memory Stick;
SDHC;
Compact Flash and many others. etc.

Every year this list is supplemented, because technical progress does not stand still - new models appear.

When purchasing a certain type of card reader, you should first take into account the need and expediency of its use. You should not buy a product that will work with a large number various media if you do not intend to use them. It is necessary to evaluate which of them are most in demand and which ones are expected to interact with.

Please note that the cost of the product depends entirely on the number of supported formats. The more there are, the higher the price. You can save money by purchasing a small product with a minimum number of connectors. This is why card readers are popular today micro usb, which are designed for one card and have no large sizes.

Operation speed

Many people pay attention to speed and data transfer when choosing. This is another criterion that has a certain meaning. On most media of this type you can see the inscription 480 or 500 Mbit/s. However, these speed limits apply to a USB 2.0 port.

The latest computers are released with USB ports 3.0. In this case, the card reader will be able to maintain a speed of about 5 Gbps. This is quite a big value.

Photo: USB 3.0 card reader with dual SD slot

In order for it to be supported, it is necessary to pay attention to new models of reading devices. The card reader must also be high-speed. Otherwise, despite the USB 3.0 port, the values will not exceed 500 Mbit/s.

In the case when the product is required for work, and each time you have to carry it large number information and various data on the computer, it is worth thinking about products with high speed. Otherwise, a regular element with average speed values is sufficient.

Add-ons for modern devices

Today you can purchase equipment that is equipped additional functions. First of all, this is a USB port. It can be one or several at once. In some cases, this is very convenient, because you can simultaneously use the equipment as a storage device. You can purchase a product that, in your own way, appearance looks like a regular flash drive.

There is also a drawback to this addition. First of all, this is a reduction in data transfer speed. The fewer additions in this case there are, the faster the work will be done. Despite this, this option is quite convenient, which is why it is popular.

Video: Kingston Media Reader

Compatibility

When choosing, be sure to look at compatibility with operating system. The card reader usually has its own software. With its help, equipment is configured and synchronized. It is enough to do this once, after which you can use any memory cards without any settings.

Photo: LogiLink Cardreader USB 3.0 All-in-One

Modern products are synchronized with the most popular operating systems. If Windows is installed on your computer, then most likely the drivers will already be included. Things are much more complicated with Macintosh system. It is not very popular, so drivers for it may not be included in the kit. All this needs to be clarified before purchasing.

What does a card reader look like?

The appearance of the card reader will entirely depend on its purpose. It can be internal, external or compact. Each of them has its own design features.

Interior

The built-in card reader is large in size. It is installed in a computer bay that has dimensions of 2.5 and 5.25 inches. It has several slots various sizes. You can see what it looks like here:

Buying new computer, you can pay attention to the fact that many models already have built-in slots for flash drives different formats. If they are not available, you can purchase this functional part separately and insert it into your computer. At the same time, outwardly they will look quite compact.

It all depends on how many sockets are included in the kit.

External

External products are located separately from the body. They can be transported to any place, and they are connected to USB port. That is why they can have different shapes and sizes. You can see how they look in the picture:

This type has a large number of connectors, so its dimensions are quite large. You can also choose a less functional thing, which will have only 1 or 2 connectors for a flash drive. In this case, more compact dimensions can be observed. There will be no problems during transportation, because this option can be stored in a bag with a laptop.

Compact

There is also a more compact option, which looks like a small flash drive. You can simply carry it in your pocket. It looks quite simple and can have different designs. Similar option:

Compact sizes are possible using a minimum number of cards. In this case, 1 or 2 can be used various formats. In most cases, this may be enough, because often such a thing is purchased for a specific flash drive, which is found in a camera, video camera, phone and any other device.

Having considered what a card reader is and what it is needed for, it becomes clear that this thing is really useful. Without her professional photographers, programmers and people working with a lot of information cannot quickly cope with their work.

Taking into account all the features of the selection criteria discussed above, you can choose for yourself something that will really help in your work.

Buy a card reader for regular card memory is a great way to get rid of the use of annoying wires forever, having obtained a high-speed method of transferring any information from external media to a computer and back. Compared to a regular USB cable, the device provides many advantages, while at the same time solving a number of problems associated with writing and reading data. But this can only be achieved if you know how to choose a good card reader for a memory card. In order to make such a choice, even before buying a device, you should familiarize yourself with important parameters, find out the pros and cons of this useful device.

Different types of connection

Many people constantly use a large number of gadgets - tablets, smartphones, digital cameras, e-books and much more. Each of these devices is equipped with a connector that allows you to connect it to a computer. Often, each such port uses its own cable. Carrying a lot of wires for each device with you at all times is not good idea. Therefore, having at your disposal a special device that allows you to connect a card with data to a computer is a good way out of this situation. Today, portable storage devices have become widespread, as a result of which the need to use a reliable card reader has grown.

Internal reader

Such devices may be intended for internal or external connection. The first ones are installed directly inside the equipment body, so it is not even visible. This determines the most important advantage of the adapter - saving space on the table. The downside is that you have to open the PC case, which sometimes voids your warranty.

External reader

A reliable card reader for external connection is similar in appearance to a regular flash drive. This adapter is inserted into the USB connector of the computer; no action is required for its operation. This type of device easily fits even in your pocket. There are no differences between these two types of devices, so which will be the best is up to each buyer to decide. What other parameters should you pay attention to when choosing a good memory card reader? Among the most important properties are the speed with which information is read and written, the formats of data storage devices that are supported, and compatibility with the system. Some users are also interested in the shape and appearance of the device, but this does not affect its operation, so what is the best choice to make from this point of view is up to the consumer.

Card format support

Most important advice When choosing a reliable card reader for a memory card, you need to pay attention to the number of card formats that it supports. Inexpensive, but good adapter usually equipped with support for 5 types of drives. The most popular among them is the SD standard in its various modifications. Before choosing a card reader for a memory card, you should decide which format of memory module it should support in the first place and, based on this, make a purchase. But given the large number of devices used by humans, it would be useful to pay attention to those models that work with many storage standards, and not just one specific one. Even if a consumer does not have a Compact Flash flash drive or some other standard, this does not mean that it will not be needed after a while. Therefore, another important tip for choosing a reliable card reader for a memory card becomes obvious - it must support different card formats. Usually the cost of the device does not depend very much on this.

Information transfer rate

The next property by which a good card reader for a memory card is selected is the speed with which it is capable of transferring data. It should immediately be noted that this feature directly depends on the method of connecting the device to the computer. It would be useful to find out whether the device model you like has a USB port. If it is present, there is a great opportunity to save on purchasing an additional USB controller. If the device will be used only for certain memory card formats, then you should choose models with a limited number of connectors - this will give you the opportunity to win in all respects. It is also important to make sure before purchasing that the device does not require special software—drivers—to operate, or that it is included in the package. The vast majority modern models Devices for connecting memory cards to a computer do this via the USB interface. The most best choice There will be a purchase of a device that can work with a USB 3.0 port, but is also compatible with the previous standard – USB 2.0. In this case, the buyer has the opportunity to receive high speed transmission data on a PC with USB 3.0, but will also be able to work with those devices that only have USB 2.0.

Operating system compatibility

Before choosing a card reader for a memory card, it is also useful to determine its compatibility with different operating systems. At first glance, this question may not seem the most important considering compatibility USB standard with the most popular platforms. But you should still clarify whether such compatibility extends to the system used. Especially if the card reader will be used on devices with different platforms– Windows, Mac OS or Linux. Most of the models that are on at the moment present on the market, have technology support - Plug and Play, as a result of which they do not need to install any drivers. But choosing some specific model card reader, it is worth asking whether it supports such technology, which will make it possible to avoid problems with starting the device in the system. You can find out this directly from the seller, by visiting any forum, of which there are a sufficient number on the Internet, or by looking at the ratings of devices of this type.

Memory card reader mobility

Despite the importance of all the parameters listed above, as well as the price-quality ratio, another piece of advice for choosing a reliable card reader for a memory card is quite important - this is where and how the device will be used. So, if using external drives implies the need to always have a device for reading them with you, then the best choice is a small USB reader that has high class protection from damage, moisture and dust.

External stationary reader

If the device will be used at home or in the office, then it is more preferable to buy a built-in gadget or an external one, which is intended for stationary use. Such models may be relatively large in size, but the variety of appearance designs is simply amazing. The differences between external and internal card readers lie only in appearance and size; all other features, including the functionality of the devices, are almost identical.

Readers in the form of a flash drive

The most popular models accessories for connection external media data to a PC - readers, which are made in the form of a regular USB flash drive. The main advantage of models of this variety is ergonomics, low weight and size. And it doesn’t matter whether the card reader is intended for external or internal installation, this is an extremely useful device, since it is what allows you to successfully solve the transfer problem important information from micro flash drive to portable or desktop computer. Having familiarized yourself with the most important parameters of the gadget, you can easily navigate in choosing the right one for specific case models.

Very often, specialists from electronics stores, and even users themselves, advise buying a card reader for a computer.

In fact, this is a really useful thing that will definitely be useful to every person who at least sometimes sits down at a computer.

Among them are flash drives familiar to all of us, SD, Memory Stick, SDHC, Compact Flash and others.

And often computer developers do not have the opportunity to install connectors for all this variety in their machines.

Card readers are designed to solve this problem.

General information

So, the card reader is universal device, which has connectors for the most different cards memory and devices where information can be stored. This is to put it simply.

There are internal and external such devices.

The internal card reader is installed in the computer system unit itself, to be precise, in the 3.5 slot.

It looks something like what is shown in Figure 1.

As you can see, this sample has everything so that it can be inserted into the 3.5 connector.

Reference: The 3.5 connector is located on the front side of the system unit; usually, one of these connectors contains a disk drive.

An external card reader may look almost the same as an internal one, but it is connected to the computer separately using a cable.

In most cases this is the most common USB cable. Here, by the way, developers have a huge field for imagination.

The very first external card readers looked almost the same as internal ones, that is, like an ordinary box with a wire. An example of this is shown in Figure 2.

However, even now the most inexpensive representatives of this class devices look exactly like this. But over time, developers began to make the most various modifications such devices.

They wanted to ensure that the external card reader was as easy to use as possible.

Therefore, they repeatedly changed the shape of such devices. Now you can find, for example, such a sample as shown in Figure No. 3.

In fact, such devices are very similar to external hard drives in terms of connection method. True, the tasks of these devices are radically different.

How to connect such a device to a computer

As for the use of such devices, everything is extremely simple. It is enough to take any storage device and insert it into the appropriate slot of the card reader.

Most likely, this drive will be an SD memory card or a regular flash drive. So you need to find the connectors where they will fit.

Most often with outside On the card reader, next to each connector it is written what devices it is intended for. This can be clearly seen in Figure 2.

The second side is connected to the corresponding computer connector, most likely USB.

No drivers or additional programs- everything works in automatic mode.

As for the internal device, you need to insert it into the 3.5 connector and use a wire coming from the card reader to connect it to the so-called USB contact group (it is located on the motherboard).

Users often have difficulties with this connection.

But these same contact groups are usually highlighted in a special color - yellow or blue. A version of the motherboard with blue contact groups is shown in Figure 4.

The option with a yellow contact group can be seen in Figure No. 5.

Accordingly, the connection process comes down to simply connecting one end of the cable to the card reader, and the other to the contact group. Everything is extremely simple!

Possible problems

Often, users are faced with the fact that their brand new card reader does not work on their computer. Moreover, this problem can be expressed in several forms.

For example, some write that their machine does not see the connected device. Others complain that the data transfer speed is too slow.

It is also a common phenomenon when the card reader works freely on some devices, but flatly refuses on others.

If you encounter one of the problems associated with card readers, even one that is not described in this paragraph, you should do the following:

Check whether the connection is correct. Sometimes it is enough to simply reinsert the wire into the contact group, if this device internal type or into the USB connector, if external.

You can also try to put pressure on the ends of the wire, so to speak - perhaps the signal is not perceived in some place.

It may be better to invite a friend who knows how to connect various devices to computers and work with him to reconnect.

Try connecting the card reader using a different wire. On the market you can find a huge number of such wires that connect the device we are considering to a computer.

To know for sure whether the problem is really in the wire, you can take a test screwdriver and see if there is a signal on one side or the other.

You may have to strip the wire insulation in some places and find the place where the signal is lost. But it’s still easier to buy a new wire on the market.

Check compatibility with the operating system. Usually such problems arise in Linux users and Ubuntu. Although you can also find “unique” models that will not work on new versions of Windows. To be sure that the problem lies in compatibility, you can try connecting the card reader to another machine.
Problems with card reader connectors. Perhaps something happened to the contact group, if we are talking about connecting an internal device, or with the USB connector itself, if external. Again, to test this option, you should connect the card reader to another computer.

You can also try to connect another device in the same contact group or USB connector.

Contact the store for warranty. If the card reader you purchased was covered by a warranty from the manufacturer, it is better not to even do all the steps described above. Instead, you should go straight to the store and take the device in for repair.

And in general, you can go to a workshop for repairing various electronic devices.

The internal structure of the card reader is not that complicated from the point of view of a person who understands it, so it can be repaired.

But you should resort to going to the workshop only when the first 4 tips did not help.

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Regarding selection

So, now we know what a card reader is and how to connect such a device to a computer.

But, as is the case with all types modern technology, there are now a huge number of similar devices. All of them have their own characteristics.

Therefore, it would be useful to understand how to choose a card reader and what characteristics you should pay attention to.

In general, the most important selection criterion is why you need a card reader.

If you want to work with one memory card, it is enough to take the cheapest sample, which accepts several types of storage media.

Especially if you have an operating room Windows system and you are going to transfer photographs, documents Microsoft Word and other non-heavy files.

Otherwise, you should pay attention to the following characteristics of card readers:

Variety – internal or external;
A set of slots for memory cards;
Reading and data transfer speed;
Operating system compatibility.

Now let's talk about each of the above characteristics.

Variety

If you work with several computers, you should definitely buy an external card reader, because otherwise you will only have to use one computer.

The fact is that, as mentioned above, internal card readers are connected directly to motherboard.

And if you need to use such a device on another machine, it will be very inconvenient to remove it and connect it to another computer.

On the other hand, such internal devices are more reliable and will probably last much longer than their external counterparts.

Also, the internal type of card readers have significant advantage in the form of greater speed.

Therefore, if you are ready to sacrifice convenience in the form of the ability to use a card reader on several computers, be sure to choose an internal device.

As users write on the forums, this choice really has a significant advantage in the form of reliability and speed.

Set of connectors

As for this criterion, we can only say that it is better to understand what storage media you are going to work with before going to the store.

Depending on this set, you will choose a card reader with a certain set of connectors.

You can also take a card reader with a universal set. This set will include those connectors that are most popular.

These will be connectors for microSD, Memory Stick, SDHC and some other types of storage media.

Everything else can be classified as rarely used. In any case, you should not be guided by the principle “the more, the better.”

In this case it is not applicable. It's better to buy what you really need.

This statement is also supported by the fact that connectors affect reading speed, making it much slower.

Clue: The more connectors, the less speed reading.

Reading speed

Here you should also look at where the card reader will be used. If it is intended for transferring small files, high speed will not be needed.

For such users, 500 Mbit/s will be enough. This is even more than they need.

In principle, most modern card readers support speeds of 500 Mbps.

Latest models, which use USB 3.0 communication, operate at a speed of 3 Gbit/s, which is more than enough even for transferring movies and “heavy” files.

To find out the speed of a card reader, you need to look at its characteristics. In the description this characteristic is the main one and must always be specified.

Figure 6 shows an example of the characteristics of one of the models in the online store.

As you can see, it indicates the set of cards that it perceives this device and the data transfer speed on it.

Compatibility

As mentioned above, sometimes card readers refuse to work on a particular operating system.

Of course, now developers are trying to do everything possible to ensure that their devices work on all possible operating systems.

But sometimes compatibility problems still arise.

It’s interesting that in the specifications they usually don’t write anything about this parameter.

Although, you can also find samples whose characteristics say that, for example, “incompatible with Windows 10” or something similar.

But this is extremely rare.

In any case, when purchasing, it is better to check with a store representative whether the model you have chosen is compatible with the operating systems on which it will be used.

Interesting fact: Some of the most expensive models are not compatible with some operating systems, while almost all of the cheapest card readers work fine on a wide variety of OSes.

To summarize, we can say that when choosing a card reader you should not immediately pay attention to the most expensive model– choose what you really need.

Some more tips on this topic are outlined in the video below.

Card reader for computer: Description of internal and external models

Hello everyone, my dear friends and readers of my blog! Today I want to tell you what a card reader is and how to use it on computers or laptops. Yes, I know very well that today almost every PC user knows what it is, but keyword here it is “Practically”. Still, a significant number of people still do not know what it is. In general, without further ado.

What is it?

A Cardreader is a special adapter device that allows you to connect simple map memory from your phone or camera to your computer or laptop.

Card readers are divided into 2 types:

External devices are a kind of small container into which, in fact, the card is inserted. This device is connected to a computer via a USB port. In general, the output you get is a thing that is a regular USB flash drive. Well, of course, they come not only in the form of flash drives, but still the principle of operation is the same: connect - work.
The built-in readers speak for themselves. Today the majority modern computers are already equipped in the case with appropriate slots for memory cards. So you don't even need to purchase additional devices and occupy USB ports. But the essence remains the same as that of a flash drive.

Advantages of a card reader

Many people are interested in a reasonable question: “Why do we need card readers if modern phones, tablets and cameras have their own USB interface and can these gadgets be connected directly?”

Not all devices are recognized when direct connection. Sometimes you have to install additional drivers to interact, which causes a certain feeling of hostility among many. With card readers everything is simple. You just need to insert and work without any drivers. Everything is recognized automatically.
Also, in some cases, gadgets are so power-consuming that a regular USB cable is not enough for recognition. There just won't be enough power and your computer won't even see the device as a separate drive. The maximum charging function will be performed. In these cases it is usually used special cables with two USB connectors. But it's easier to use a card reader.
When connecting the device directly to the computer, the battery wears out faster. Of course, this is not particularly significant, but it is still an obvious advantage.
Also, with a direct connection, some gadgets transmit information at such a low speed that by the time everything is over, you can simply fall asleep. Therefore, a card reader is simply necessary here.
Well, we must not forget that there are ordinary glitches. My previous phone I kept cutting out about 3 minutes after connecting to the computer. I don’t know why this happened, but it certainly wasn’t because of the cable. Cardreader saved me here too.

So, as you can see, this is a really necessary thing, and, as they say, it doesn’t pinch your pocket. Therefore, I believe that every person should have a cardreader in their arsenal).

I hope that now you will not have any questions about this. Therefore, do not forget to subscribe to my blog updates, and also share the article materials in social networks. Good luck to you. Bye bye!

Best regards, Dmitry Kostin.

Understanding computer technology, the question often arises: what is a card reader for? To answer this, it is worth understanding this topic in more detail. This item has been popular for quite some time. It is used by professionals and ordinary amateurs who often have to transfer information from one place to another.

What is it

A card reader is a device designed to read various information from memory cards on a computer. This is a convenient and fast way to transfer data. A similar thing can work with a large number of different formats of memory cards that are used in phones, cameras, and camcorders.

Reading information in this case is faster than through an external USB, which usually comes with digital technologies. In addition, in this case, no special software installation is required. The inserted card is displayed as a removable disk.

Card readers come in different sizes and shapes. They can be portable or built-in. For each specialist there is an option that is most convenient for him. Everything will depend on its purpose and the functions assigned to it.

Portable devices

The main features of portable devices include:

support from 1 to 5 formats;
low cost;
various materials of manufacture (leather, metal, plastic, etc.);
Data transfer speed is within USB 2.0.

The choice of a specific portable device will primarily depend on what format it should support. Most often, a product is chosen for microSD cards, because they are the most common. This format is found in most phones and some cameras.

Video: card reader, which one to buy

Selection criteria

Before choosing equipment and making a purchase, you should consider the basic criteria.

These include:

purpose of the product;
variety of support for card types;
speed of work;
additions to modern devices;
combine with OS.

Each of the criteria has its own characteristics. If you make the right choice, such a product will be useful and serve its intended purpose.

Purpose

According to their purpose, card readers are primarily divided into external and internal. The first of them are portable. They can be easily connected to and disconnected from your computer. However, they may take up unnecessary space. The second ones are built into the system unit. You won't be able to carry them, but they are convenient because they don't take up extra space.

Regardless of the purpose, the connection is always made via the USB connector. If you need good speed, then it is better to choose an internal device, because Due to the absence of a USB cable, there will be no voltage attenuation.

Variety of card type support

Any card reader contains a hole for a memory card. There may be several of them. The total number depends on how many formats your specific hardware supports.

It could be:

mini;
microSD;
SD, Memory Stick;
SDHC;
Compact Flash and many others. etc.

Every year this list is supplemented, because technological progress does not stand still - new models appear.

When purchasing a certain type of card reader, you should first take into account the need and expediency of its use. You should not buy a product that will work with a large number of different media if you do not intend to use them. It is necessary to evaluate which of them are most in demand and which ones are expected to interact with.

Please note that the cost of the product depends entirely on the number of supported formats. The more there are, the higher the price. You can save money by purchasing a small product with a minimum number of connectors. This is why micro usb card readers, which are designed for one card and are small in size, are popular today.

Operation speed

The latest computers come with USB 3.0 ports. In this case, the card reader will be able to maintain a speed of about 5 Gbps. This is quite a big value.

In the case where a product is required for work, and each time you have to transfer a large amount of information and various data to a computer, you should think about high-speed products. Otherwise, a regular element with average speed values is sufficient.

Add-ons for modern devices

Today you can purchase equipment that is equipped with additional functions. First of all, this is a USB port. It can be one or several at once. In some cases, this is very convenient, because you can simultaneously use the equipment as a storage device. You can purchase a product that looks like a regular flash drive in appearance.

Video: Kingston Media Reader

Compatibility

When choosing, be sure to look at compatibility with the operating system. The card reader usually has its own software. With its help, equipment is configured and synchronized. It is enough to do this once, after which you can use any memory cards without any settings.

Modern products are synchronized with the most popular operating systems. If Windows is installed on your computer, then most likely the drivers will already be included. Things are much more complicated with the Macintosh system. It is not very popular, so drivers for it may not be included in the kit. All this needs to be clarified before purchasing.

What does a card reader look like?

The appearance of the card reader will entirely depend on its purpose. It can be internal, external or compact. Each of them has its own design features.

Interior

The built-in card reader is large in size. It is installed in a computer bay that has dimensions of 2.5 and 5.25 inches. It has several nests of different sizes. You can see what it looks like here:

When buying a new computer, you can pay attention to the fact that many models already have built-in slots for flash drives of different formats. If they are not available, you can purchase this functional part separately and insert it into your computer. At the same time, outwardly they will look quite compact.

It all depends on how many sockets are included in the kit.

External

External products are located separately from the body. They can be transported to any place, and they are connected to a USB port. That is why they can have different shapes and sizes. You can see how they look in the picture:

Compact

There is also a more compact option, which looks like a small flash drive. You can simply carry it in your pocket. It looks quite simple and can have different designs. Similar option:

Compact sizes are possible using a minimum number of cards. In this case, 1 or 2 different formats can be used. In most cases, this may be enough, because often such a thing is purchased for a specific flash drive, which is found in a camera, video camera, phone and any other device.

Having considered what a card reader is and what it is needed for, it becomes clear that this thing is really useful. Without it, professional photographers, programmers and people working with a lot of information cannot quickly cope with their work.

Taking into account all the features of the selection criteria discussed above, you can choose for yourself something that will really help in your work.