Sabrent CFExpress B Reader Review

The Sabrent CFExpress B Reader has been designed to work with the latest high-speed CFExpress Type B cards and uses a USB 3.2 connection to provide ultra-fast transfer speeds of up to 950MB/s. As well as enabling the movement of files from a CFExpress card to a computer or hard drive, this reader has also been designed to be compatible with USB Type-C OTG-enabled smartphones.

The construction is solid, with the lightweight aluminium case reinforced by the ABS internal framework. ABS is the same plastic used for Lego bricks, incredibly tough and durable, and an ideal material choice to ensure a long-lasting product.

In this test, we used a series of different CFExpress cards connected to firstly a MacBook Pro M1 Max and then Intel Ghost Canyon by means of the intergrated Thunderbolt ports. Although both machines offer Thunderbolt ports rather than USB 3.2 these are fully compatible with USB 3.2 devices.
On plugging in the card reader and cards were instantly recognised by the machines and software.

Copying files proved that Sabrent’s stated max transfer speed for the card reader were close. Using Sabrent’s own CFExpress 512GB card and testing using the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test the reader and card combo put in a solid performance offering fast read speeds and decent write speeds. However, to test the drive’s performance, I tested the reader with a high-speed CFExpress card that offered transfer speeds that far exceeded the transfer speeds of USB 3.2.

Here the results were excellent, with the reader and card providing transfer speeds of 905MB/s, a little shy of the max 950MB/s but still not at all bad. In real terms, that enables the transfer of 140GB of data to the computer in around four and a half minutes.

Away from the speed, the other major point of the Sabrent CFExpress B Reader is the build quality. The aluminium case and tough frame that supports the construction, along with the minimalistic black finish, make this reader feel like a device that will be with you for years.

There isn’t usually much to a memory card reader, nor should there be. This is one device where you want to plug it into your machine, insert the memory card and be done with it. The Sabrent CFExpress B Reader does exactly that. There is no fanfare about features; it just provides good solid performance.

The price at a touch under £50/$50 is high for this type of device, but then you are paying for the quality of build, performance and reliability. If you’re looking for a high-quality CFExpress reader, you cannot go wrong with the Sabrent CFExpress B Reader.