Kingston MobileLite G3 USB 3.0 Memory Card Reader Review

Speed Testing & Final Thoughts

To try out the Kingston MobileLite G3 we will be using a SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDHC UHS-I 16GB memory card on an Intel Z77 platform using the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. If you would like to know more about this mini-ITX test system you can read an article on how to build it yourself here. We used the Intel USB 3.0 integrated controller with driver version 1.0.5.235 for testing.

Legit Reviews Intel Z77 Test System Parts List:

• Intel Core i7-3770K Ivy Bridge Processor – $349.99
• ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe mini-ITX Z77 Motherboard – $199.99
• EVGA GeForce GTX 670 SuperClocked – $419.99
• Cubitek Mini ICE ITX Case – $169.99
• Kingston HyperX 480GB SSD – $669.99
• Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB Hard Drive – $214.00
• CoolIT Eco II 140 Liquid Cooler (thanks to Maingear)
• Samsung Slimline 8x DVD Burner – $23.99
• StarTech Slim Optical 5.25″ Drive Bay Adapter – $26.99
• StarTech Slimline SATA to SATA Adapter Cable – $8.99
• 2 x 140mm High Static Pressure Fans – $30
• AFT PRO-37U USB 3.0 3.5″ Media Card Reader – $54.99
• Corsair AX 650W Gold PSU – $149.99
• Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit – $189.99

The SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDHC UHS-I 16GB memory card is speed rated at 633x or 95MB/s read, which is crazy fast. The write performance isn’t much slower at 90MB/s. Let’s see how this memory card reader performed when put to the test.

With the SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDHC UHS-I 16GB memory card in the Kingston MobileLite G3 we were getting some great performance numbers! This drive is rated at 95MB/s read and 90MB/s write speeds and we were hitting 94MB/s read and 82MB/s write speeds! These are just shy of the cards rated speeds and nothing to complain about!

We also ran the ATTO disk benchmark and hit 95MB/s read and 83MB/s write. These performance numbers are a little better than we saw with CrystalDiskMark. As you can see if you invest in a high-speed card like the SanDisk Extreme Pro you need to make sure that you are using a system with a USB 3.0 port and with a memory card reader that properly supports UHS-I memory cards. The Kingston MobileLite G3 looks like it was easily up to the task!

Final Thoughts & Conclusions:

The Kingston MobileLite G3 memory card reader left us impressed by what this little device could do for under $20 shipped! If you have a computer that uses USB 3.0 and use a fast memory card then you really do need a memory card reader like this. Even if you don’t have a fast memory card right now you might as well get a reader like this one as memory card speeds keep getting faster. You’ll likely upgrade your memory card down the road and have the peace of mind that your memory card reader is up for the task. We were able to run a really fast microSDHC card that was UHS-104 rated at 95MB/s read on the MobileLite G3 and that is pretty impressive.

The MobileLite G3 is small can can easily fit in your pocket, which makes it ideal for those on the go. The plastic housing keeps costs and the weight down, but the retractable ends do feel a bit cheap and the build quality could be a little tighter on the end caps. If you look in the image below the left side retractable cover looks ‘limp’ as there is that much slop in the mechanism. The LED activity light was pretty much useless as it was so dim we couldn’t even tell it was on during the day. No big deal, but we don’t expect to see things like that from Kingston.

At the end of the day the Kingston Mobile Lite G3 is a superb USB 3.0 memory card reader. You can’t really complain about some minor fit and finish gripes when the performance and price are right. At $11.74 plus shipping we can ignore those issues. The Kingston MobileLite G3 is backed by a two-year warranty and free technical support. Kingston has one of the best warranty departments in the business, so we know they will stand behind this reader if something should happen during the warranty period. For the price and how well the Mobile Lite G3 perform we easily give this memory card reader our Value Award!

Legit Bottom Line: The Kingston MobileLite G3 USB 3.0 memory card reader supports the fastest UHS-104 memory cards on the market and is rather inexpensive.