Reddit reviews Kingston Digital USB 3.0 Portable Card Reader for SD, SDXC, SDHC, MMC, RS-MMC, microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC Card UHS-I and UHS-II, Class 4, 6, and 10 Memory Cards. MobileLite G4 (FCR-MLG4)
We found 12 Reddit comments about Kingston Digital USB 3.0 Portable Card Reader for SD, SDXC, SDHC, MMC, RS-MMC, microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC Card UHS-I and UHS-II, Class 4, 6, and 10 Memory Cards. MobileLite G4 (FCR-MLG4). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
USB 3.0 Compliant. Up to blazing fast 5Gbps transfer speedVersatile use. This handy device reads SD, SDHC, SDXC and microSD/SDHC/SDXC cards and supports the latest card speeds, UHS-I and UHS-II. Backwards compatible with USB 2.0Twice the performance - Read and write on two cards at the same timeSleek Design - Small metallic form factor that’s rugged and easy to transportProtected - 2 year warranty with free technical supportData transfer rates are subject to the speed of the memory card itself and your computer's USB ports
No. USB 2.0 only via microusb. Also, the internal card write speed is limited to USB 2.0 speeds.
Edit: Get a fast card and one of these. Kingston Digital MobileLite G4 USB 3.0 Multi-Function Card Reader (FCR-MLG4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KX4TORI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_vMa2xb9N11GGW
(https://github.com/BiTinerary/PocketServerPi)
2xAA to 5v Boost or 9v to 5v Buck.
i use this one. it's fast and reasonably priced
https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Digital-MobileLite-Multi-Function-FCR-MLG4/dp/B00KX4TORI/
This Kingston has treated me well for years, it's pretty old but it's a sturdier revision of an even older and more plastic-y one that had some useless sliding caps, it supported my UHS-II cards just fine:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KX4TORI/
There's some curious reviews seemingly suggesting there was a silent rev or something, I wouldn't know since I bought it forever ago. I think my brother in law bought one like two years ago so I could ask him how it's working but he has an A7R II so might not even have UHS-II cards...
I recently bought this Sony since I wanted another one to leave in my bag w/a Surface Go I also recently got, seemed like the next best thing if a little pricier. I figured I'd try a different one just to see if it works any better, tho my cards top out at 150MB/s so it might be a wash. Arrived yesterday, haven't had time to try it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071FJRXGX/
There's a bunch of readers on Amazon that try to coyly claim UHS-II support, but only because the cards are backwards compatible and when you dig into the reviews or questions they're just UHS-I readers... Like the built in reader on the USB-C hub I bought last year with Ethernet, HDMI, and USB-PD pass thru.🤦🏽♂️
Oh well, everything about it seems to work great and it does have a micro SD reader that works fine w/my GX850's micro SD card; but yeah pinning down actual UHS-II support can take a little reading.
It depends on what you need for when you transfer files to your computer. Some computers have the full size SD card reader so the adapter would be good for that. The reader is a usb stick that you put the microSD card into. You can buy a good reader for less than $15 so go with the cheaper option and buy the reader separate if you need it. I use this reader and it has worked very well. It is a little larger since it also reads full size SD cards. Whatever you purchase make sure it's USB3.0 so you can get fast transfer speeds (as long as you have a USB3.0 port on your computer).
I would actually recommend buying the pen, or rather, buy the Surface Pro 4 pen to use with your Surface Pro 3. At least, if you have any desire or need to draw or highlight/make notes in reading materials, then get the pen.
The Arc Touch mouse is very nice in that it's quite small when flattened, and packed in a bag. I like it with my SP3 as an extremely portable little kit. No need to purchase the "Surface edition", the regular Arc Touch mouse is often available cheaper, and is essentially identical.
If you find yourself in need of a new type cover at some point, the Surface Pro 4 type cover is a nice little upgrade, and is sized perfectly/works perfectly.
Most sleeves sold for the Surface Pro 3/Surface Pro 4 do not fit well. Most are a little too long. I do find the sleeves by "Snugg" to be pretty nice. They aren't really padded, but will protect your tablet from scratches if you throw it into a larger bag.
A micro-SD card can expand your storage, as others suggest. Depending what other devices you use, you might also want a small USB card reader for full-sized SD cards. I use one with my camera. I've found this one to be reliable, and it looks nice enough next to the SP3.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KX4TORI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also found a second-hand SP3 dock via Amazon Marketplace. It's quite a nice device to have, if you need to be able to dock the tablet.
I don't use mine with a screen protector, so cannot recommend one. Enjoy your new device!
This is what a usb 3 header looks like fyi. (facepalm) then you don't want an internal one, then do you? here's an external one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KX4TORI
For USB SD card readers, you have hundreds of options. As a brand, I trust Kingston, Sandisk, Tanscend, and Anker:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker%C2%AE-Reader-RS-MMC-Support-Warranty/dp/B00LFIXC8I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1426553480&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+sd
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-Technology-MobileLite-Multi-Reader/dp/B00KX4TORI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1426553480&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+sd
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcend-High-Speed-USB3-0-microSDHC-microSDXC/dp/B009D79VH4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1426553480&sr=8-8&keywords=usb+sd
I can vouch for this little guy, cheap and compact.
I bought this one. Works fine and is tiny. It'll depend on what cards you need to read, of course.
I went looking for decent SD card readers recently as I wanted to speed up Raspberry Pi card flashing...
If all he wants is SD cards, I'd take a look at something like a Kingston MobileLite G4. Yes, this is not an internal card reader - but most internal card readers that exist are of rather low quality. For example, they aren't UHS-I/-II compatible to read faster cards. It's around $10.
If your father wants CF cards or MicroSD without hunting for an adapter, take a look at this Kingston Reader. It's around $18.
I haven't used these readers; I'm planning on snagging one in the near future, but hopefully someone else can pop in with experience with them. The Wirecutter really likes the all-in-one; meanwhile, Legit Reviews liked the MobileLite G4.
I'm suggesting these two because reviews seem to hold that they're fast, cheap, and at least a recognizable brand. I have no idea how fragile or reliable they are. That said, they're the way I would go.
Also, to echo some of the other comments on here: Get your Dad an SSD at least for the OS and some programs. It doesn't have to be big - 128GB is absolutely safe, 60 can be really crowded. You can snag a bunch of 120GB SATA SSDs for around $55-$60. Another option is an NVMe SSD, since your MSI motherboard supports it - see port 10 in the diagram. I've been happy with a MyDigitalSSD BP NVMe SSD - and 128GB of REALLY fast SSD for $70 is a steal. (As a guideline, SATA top out around 540Mb/s ideal, while NVMe are often 1500Mb/s or higher.)
Around $40 for both of these. If you already have a card reader laying around then that one should work.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07B984HJ5/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fYd0CbTQMWQ0A
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00KX4TORI/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_vVd0Cb0CA9BBT