The elago High Speed Memory Card Reader is one of the choice products for external card readers. The all-in-one reader doesn’t offer the largest variety in compatibility and can only read four cards; however, it provides users with high transfer speeds, an excellent design and a compact, lightweight build. The flash card reader became one of our favorites after using it and comparing it with other less functional designs.
One of the design features that we liked most about the elago memory card reader was the caps that were placed on both ends. Each cap covers a delicate part of the external card reader: the card slot and the USB plug. The protective encasing reassured us that the external card reader is safe for travel and can be carried in a pocket or bag without being harmed.
Made of hard plastic, the flash card reader provides an LED light that flashes when the device is in use. Many users appreciated that function and knowing when a transfer was processing or complete. The external card reader is also a plug-and-play device; there is no software required and once plugged into their computer’s USB port users have complete access to all data inserted into the card reader.
elago’s external card reader is compatible with the following card types:
- MultiMediaCards (MMC)
- Reduced-Size MultiMediaCards (RS-MMC)
- Secure Digital (SD) Cards
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Cards
There is one card slot on the flash card reader to read all four card types. We appreciated that the card slot was on the back of the card reader instead of on the side because it made it more functional when plugged into laptops or other computers with side-by-side USB ports. The external card reader worked quickly, even with large files or full cards.
As mentioned above, the elago flash card reader is a plug-and-play card reader; this means that there is no software required for it to work with a computer. The single slot for memory cards in the back of the reader also adds to the ease because you don’t have to test cards on each slot to see if it’s the right one – it has to be the right one because there is only one. The only thing elago could have done to provide additional ease is to attach the caps to the card reader somehow.
It was somewhat difficult to get in touch with the elago customer support team. Through their website we were able to locate an email address, but there was no telephone number to get in touch with them. We sent them an email and weeks later have still not received a reply. The company does offer a one-year warranty for the flash card reader, and although we didn’t require the warranty benefits, we are worried about getting in touch with them if it becomes necessary.
Overall, we had no problems with the elago High Speed Memory Card Reader itself. It is a great little device. It's portable, versatile and well built. It worked as promised and provides a great value for such a low price. We also recommend looking into flash card readers that maintain the ability to read a wider variety of flash cards for a comparable price. Despite the fact that we weren’t able to get in touch with elago, we still believe that this is a great product that will deliver everything it promises.
