Kingston is the "world's largest independent manufacturer of memory products", and we have grown very fond of their flash memory, system memory, and solid state drives over the years. As a complimentary product to their flash memory cards they also produce some pretty nice card readers. In this review we're going to take a look at a new card reader from them - the FCR-HS4. A shown in the promotional image below, this card reader seems like less of a portable device and more like a device you would leave on your desktop for quick access to all your memory cards.



Before taking a look at the FCR-HS4 provided for review, let's take a look at some published information on the device, as taken from the Kingston website.

Features:

» Ultra-portable â€" small size makes it an easy and convenient travel accessory
» Versatile â€" supports major types of memory cards and the latest speed standards (UHS-I and UHS-II)
» Fast â€" USB 3.0 performance for efficient and effortless data transfer
» Compliant â€" with USB 3.0 specifications, backwards compatible with USB 2.0
» Guaranteed â€" two-year warranty, free technical support

Specifications:

» Dimensions: 93.3mm x 52.68mm x 16mm
» Operating temperature: 0º to 60ºC
» Storage temperature: -20º to 85ºC
» Supported card formats:
   Â» CompactFlash: CF Type I & II (UDMA 0-7)
   Â» Secure Digital: SD/SDHC UHS I-II/SDXC UHS I-II
   Â» microSD: microSD/microSDHC UHS-I/microSDXC UHS-I
   Â» Memory Stick: Memory Stick PRO/Duo/PRO Duo/ PRO-HG Duo
» Requirements: system with USB 3.0
» Built-in LED indicator
» USB 3.0 cable included
» Speed Rating: up to 5Gb/s data transfer speed
» Compatible with:
   Â» Windows® 8.1
   Â» Windows 8
   Â» Windows 7 (SP1)
   Â» Windows Vista® (SP2)
   Â» Mac OS X v. 10.7.x +
   Â» Linux v.2.6.x +
   Â» Chrome OSTM

Packaging and Accessories:

The packaging is fairly simple - a clear plastic shell that gives you a good look at the actual product, and just a few details about it on the front. Around back you get much more information, as well as a look at the 36 inch long USB 3.0 cable that has been included. So many USB 3.0 cables are so short that they are almost useless, so it is nice to see one that might actually reach from your computer to your desktop.



Inside the package you have the card reader and the USB 3.0 cable - which is all you need.