Roundup: CompactFlash Cards For Professionals

Comparison Table, Test Setup, Card Reader

Test Setup

Card Reader: Addonics ADSACFW

Since USB 2.0 card readers aren’t fast enough to support the high throughput of the tested CompactFlash cards, we decided to use a reader device that is based on a SATA interface. USB 2.0 devices typically max out at a bit more than 30 MB/s, while this device supports SATA 1.0a at 150 MB/s. Even though fast hard drives and flash SSDs are faster than this, the bandwidth is enough to test CompactFlash cards, which reached up to 47 MB/s in our tests (for the Kingston Ultimate).

The device, an Addonics ADSACFW, comes installed into a 3.5” drive bay, but Addonics also adds standard and low profile slot covers, which means that the reader can also be installed at the rear of your PC. Of course, it can be hooked up to SATA/300 controllers, it supports hot swapping, and you can boot from CF cards as well. Hot swapping, however, requires controller support.