Kingston Digital Workflow Station

£100/$135 www.kingston.com

Kingston Digital’s new Workflow Station is a modular desktop card reader dock that connects to a selection of compatible card reader modules. The aim is to speed up your file transfers by enabling multiple memory cards or USB storage devices to simultaneously transfer content to a PC or Mac.

It connects to your computer via a 10GB/S USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-c connection, and each card reader module slots into one of the dock’s four bays, each of which contains its own USB Type-c plug. This enables you to use the reader modules as conventional standalone card readers linked via a Type-c cable, though each individual reader module can only transfer at 5GB/S USB 3.2 Gen 1 speed.

At launch, three types of Workflow modules are available: an SD reader containing two UHS-II SD card slots, a microsd reader – also with dual slots – and a USB minihub featuring one USB-A and one USB-C port, which could be useful for adding to the USB ports on a laptop.

The Workflow Station dock measures 160x70x56mm, so is best suited to desktop use rather than life on the go, but at 63x17x50mm, each reader module is much more portable.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

This modular/dock concept isn’t new – Lexar’s Professional Workflow card reader ecosystem launched back in 2013 with many more types of reader modules in addition to SD and microsd, expanding its appeal to photographers. We can only hope Kingston releases Cfexpress/xqd modules in due course to extend the Workflow Station’s versatility for Nikon users.