FIELD GUIDESource-led reference

Storage and memory cards question

What do UDMA, UHS and USB mean on a multi-card reader?

Keep each card slot’s interface separate from the computer connection.

The answer

Short answer They label different parts: UDMA for CompactFlash, UHS-I for SD cards and USB for the link to the computer. None is a measured transfer speed.

They describe different parts of the path. In the cited Transcend RDF8 documents, UDMA7 belongs to CompactFlash support, UHS-I belongs to SD/microSD support, and USB 3.1 Gen1 describes the computer-side interface. None of these labels alone supplies a measured card-to-computer transfer rate.

CompactFlash Type I card interfaceComputer-generated illustration, not a photograph
Full-size SD card form — original, not-to-scale identification schematic; drawing review pending
Full-size SD card formOriginal identification schematic · not to scale · review pending

Why the simple answer is not enough

Keep the evidence layers separate

1Reasoning step

Legacy CompactFlash, CFast and CFexpress are not three names for one card interface. CFA distinguishes PATA CompactFlash, SATA CFast and PCIe/NVMe CFexpress.

2Reasoning step

Transcend’s RDF8 references name CompactFlash UDMA7 and SD/microSD UHS-I. Do not transfer the CompactFlash mode to the SD slot or assume that a CFexpress card is covered by “CF.”

3Reasoning step

The cited RDF8 sheet says UHS-II cards can operate only at UHS-I speeds in this reader. This does not promise a particular sustained file-copy speed.

4Reasoning step

The USB interface is another limit to check, alongside the card, host and workload. The public RDF8 sheet’s generic “micro USB” label is not used here to invent a precisely typed USB connector.

Named RDF8 modes are not interchangeable performance labels
Label or exampleWhat is documentedWhat still needs checkingEvidence
CompactFlash slotThe RDF8 references list CompactFlash UDMA7.The exact card; this does not include CFast or CFexpress by shared wording.C119C (private workspace)
SD / microSD slotsThe RDF8 references list UHS-I; the cited sheet limits UHS-II operation to UHS-I speeds.Actual performance, exact card compatibility and the host path.C119C (private workspace) · C137D (private workspace)
Computer connectionThe cited RDF8 specification labels USB 3.1 Gen1 and notes performance variation.Exact connector subtype, cable and measured file-copy throughput.C137E (private workspace)

Scroll horizontally on narrow screens. These are bounded references, not tested-card approvals, measured transfer rates or a complete licensed-standard extract.

What to check next

  1. Identify the card family before comparing speed labels.
  2. Read the mode documented for that particular slot.
  3. Check the USB connection and host separately from card-side support.
  4. Check concurrent-slot access in the exact hardware documentation; the cited RDF8 documents conflict.

Canonical connector and cable notes

Related permanent comparisons

Your next step

Continue with the relevant reference.

Question pages do not create compatibility verdicts.

They reorganize facts and uncertainty already represented in the atlas. Exact-device, cable, protocol, power, safety and performance requirements remain separate where the evidence says they are separate.

Evidence behind this page

Scope first. Source second. Approval separate.

17 linked sources · 24 scoped claims · 0 sources with inspection/access flags.

Page scope: Evidence attached to records and cable profiles referenced by this guide; not a sentence-by-sentence editorial approval.

Assessment 2026-10-22 · earliest scheduled source review 2026-12-30. This is a recorded-date assessment, not a live source check. Page-level independent review is not established by this panel.

Inspect 17 source scopes, access limits and dates

S041 · SD Standard Overview

SD Association · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: SD/microSD physical-form and generation-specific contact-count distinctions; no numbered assignments or fabrication drawing.

Not established / limitations: Counts are scoped to named modes. The overview does not identify an exact card or host, and extra-row count does not establish implemented protocol.

Locator: Conventional-card paragraph and form-factor table: first-row counts and UHS-II / SD Express count ranges

S042 · Capacity: SD, SDHC, SDXC and SDUC

SD Association · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: SD capacity/file-system classes and nominal full-size SD and microSD envelopes; not host capacity approval.

Not established / limitations: Nominal card envelopes are identification aids, not mechanical tolerances, socket footprints, pad positions or formatting instructions.

Locator: Capacity ranges, file-system table and Form Factor Size rows

S045 · SD Express implementation overview

SD Association · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-01 · due 2026-12-30

Within inspection window

Scoped support: PCIe/NVMe transport and explicit host capability verification.

Not established / limitations: PCIe/NVMe transport and explicit host capability verification.

Locator: Host implementation overview and PCIe-only host distinction

S096 · Card types and form-factor distinctions

CompactFlash Association · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-03 · due 2027-01-01

Within inspection window

Scoped support: CF uses PATA; CFast uses SATA; CFexpress uses PCIe/NVMe; Type B and XQD share a form factor but camera support is conditional.

Not established / limitations: No copied tables, logos, numeric throughput promises, exhaustive market status or licensed normative specification. Text-only scope.

Locator: CFexpress Form Factors; Type A versus Type B; Legacy Standards

S098 · CFexpress Type B CEB-G support — interface identity

Sony · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-03 · due 2027-01-01

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Sony CEB-G examples explicitly identify CFexpress Type B and PCI Express.

Not established / limitations: Japanese primary text inspected. Model-specific performance and dimensions are not transferred to every card.

Locator: CEB-G product information; interface row

S105 · MRW-G2 card reader

Sony · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-03 · due 2027-01-01

Within inspection window

Scoped support: MRW-G2: CFexpress Type A and SD; USB Type-C computer interface, SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps; supplied Type-C and Standard-A connection cables.

Not established / limitations: Documentation-only family and port scope; no physical test, current stock or price check, measured performance, complete card list, or independent approval.

Locator: Product overview and connection features

S106 · MRW-G1 card reader

Sony · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-03 · due 2027-01-01

Within inspection window

Scoped support: MRW-G1: CFexpress Type B and Sony XQD G- and M-series cards; USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C computer interface. Other XQD cards are not established by this scope.

Not established / limitations: Documentation-only family and port scope; no physical test, current stock or price check, measured performance, complete card list, or independent approval.

Locator: Product overview and supported media

S109 · ImageMate PRO USB-C multi-card reader

SanDisk · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-03 · due 2027-01-01

Within inspection window

Scoped support: USB-C interface; SD and microSD UHS-II, UHS-I and non-UHS families, plus CompactFlash up to UDMA 7. CFast and CFexpress are not established by this CompactFlash statement.

Not established / limitations: Documentation-only family and port scope; no physical test, current stock or price check, measured performance, complete card list, or independent approval.

Locator: Specifications and compatibility; model SDDR-A631-GNGNN

S391 · S-46u Industrial MICRO SD/SDHC Memory Card — Revision 1.00

Swissbit AG (manufacturer document hosted by Farnell) · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Exact Swissbit S-46u conventional microSD pin-label example; native SD-mode assignment and orientation.

Not established / limitations: Distributor-hosted manufacturer PDF, not an independently authenticated original. No universal SPI, SD Express or UHS-II pinout; original 19-page document is linked, not redistributed.

Locator: Page 8, Figure 2 bottom view and Table 11 native SD / SPI pad assignments

S392 · SD Express (SD7.x–SD8.0) Host Implementation Guideline, Version 2 — May 2025

SD Association · Standards-organization domain · inspected 2026-10-07 · due 2027-01-05

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Named-version SD Express connector/host context, particularly the different microSD Express and microSD UHS-II second-row geometry.

Not established / limitations: Targeted sections only, not a full licensed specification review. No claim that every legacy, Express or multi-mode host supports another card; no fabrication approval.

Locator: Page 13, sections 4.10.1 and 4.10.2; context in pages 7–8

S438 · MRW-G2 Operating Instructions — 5-019-283-B1 (1)

Sony · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: MRW-G2 shared-slot alternatives, Sony card-family wording, USB interface and supplied-cable limitations.

Not established / limitations: All cards and computers are not guaranteed. Drawing interpreted for this reader only; no manufacturer artwork copied, no card geometry or current OS certification adopted.

Locator: PDF page 1, English compatible cards, precautions, specifications and illustrations A–C; printed identifier 5-019-283-B1 (1).

S439 · RDF8 product sheet — Transcend-RDF8.pdf

Transcend · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: TS-RDF8K2 / TS-RDF8W2 selected media slots, CompactFlash UDMA7, SD/microSD UHS-I, USB 3.1 Gen 1 description.

Not established / limitations: Concurrent-operation wording is compared with S440 and remains unresolved. Document age or hardware revision is not inferred from a filename. No measured aggregate transfer, exact-card or OS certification.

Locator: PDF pages 1–2 visually inspected; card slots, Compatibility, Performance, Ordering Information and three-card insertion wording. No printed revision identifier.

S440 · RDF8 product sheet — EN_RDF8_PS_1905.pdf

Transcend · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-08 · due 2027-01-06

Within inspection window

Scoped support: TS-RDF8K2 / TS-RDF8W2 UHS-II cards at UHS-I speeds and contradictory simultaneous-insertion wording.

Not established / limitations: Page 1 allows two-card insertion while page 2 says it is unsupported. Kept as an unresolved documentation conflict, not a chosen device capability. Filename is not treated as a verified revision date.

Locator: PDF pages 1–2 visually inspected: page 1 Additional Features, page 2 Operating Environment Note and Compatibility. Page 3 multi-product comparison not adopted.

S495 · MRW-G1 CFexpress Type B / XQD reader supported cards

Sony · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-11 · due 2027-01-09

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Named reader support only, not all XQD readers, all camera slots or all brands.

Not established / limitations: Named example only. No universal compatibility or publication approval. Raw-byte acquisition status is recorded separately.

Locator: Product description and FAQ: supported Sony CFexpress Type B and Sony XQD G/M series cards.

S641 · FAQs About the Industrial CFast Card — interface distinction

Delkin Devices · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-14 · due 2027-01-12

Within inspection window

Scoped support: Manufacturer explanation identifying a 24-pin SATA connector/interface for industrial CFast.

Not established / limitations: Only interface/contact-count distinction adopted. No precise dimensions, universal flash technology, uptime, security, speed or card/device compatibility claims adopted.

Locator: Article dated 2022-05-06; What is the difference between CF and CFast?

S847 · PCMCIA CompactFlash Adapter TS0MCF2PC

Transcend Information, Inc. · Manufacturer / product-owner domain · inspected 2026-10-21 · due 2027-01-19

Within inspection window

Scoped support: The full manufacturer product page explicitly states the50-pin CompactFlash card interface and TypeI support for this adapter.

Not established / limitations: Adapter's documented support only; no arbitrary device/OS/slot approval, card pinout, measured tolerance, or broad compatibility guarantee. Product photos and certification marks were not copied.

Locator: Key Features:50-pin CompactFlash to68-pin PCMCIA and TypeI; Compatibility: CompactFlash(TypeI); Order Information:TS0MCF2PC.

S985 · 3M CFast connector N7G24-A0B2RA-00-0HT specification

3M · Unclassified publisher domain · inspected 2026-10-22 · due 2027-01-20

Within inspection window

Scoped support: ExactN7G24-A0B2RA-00-0HT host plug contact-row property only.

Not established / limitations: Contact rows is the explicit manufacturer property; PCB tail description kept separate. No pitch transferred from Kingconn or other3M part; TypeI/II host acceptance is not a CFast-to-CF compatibility approval.

Locator: Full exact part page: NumberofContacts24,ConnectorStylePlug,Number of Contact Rows1,CardTypeI/II. TS2329 technicalPDF link retrieved as text-reference only; direct acquisition403, no drawing pixels claimed.

Trace 24 claims to their source records

C061A · P061

SD and microSD are distinct physical card forms. The form-factor label does not by itself establish capacity class, bus mode or recording performance.

Claim scope: Named standard or manufacturer description only; procedural checks are editorial recommendations, not hardware tests.

Source links: S041 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C061B · P061

The SD Association lists a nominal full-size SD card envelope of 32 × 24 × 2.1 mm. Conventional single-row cards for Default Speed, High Speed and UHS-I use nine contacts.

Claim scope: Nominal card identification and conventional first-row contact count only; not a socket footprint, pad drawing, tolerance specification or all-generation pin count.

Source links: S041 · S042 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C061C · P061

The SD Association overview distinguishes full-size SD contact counts by interface: High Speed/UHS-I nine, UHS-II seventeen, one-lane SD Express seventeen to nineteen, and two-lane SD Express twenty-five to twenty-seven.

Claim scope: Published overview categories inspected 2026-10-07; count ranges retain implementation variation and do not assign individual pins or identify a host controller.

Source links: S041 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C062A · P062

The SD Association treats microSD as a separate, smaller form factor from full-size SD. Capacity, bus interface and speed-class support remain additional distinctions.

Claim scope: Named standard or manufacturer description only; procedural checks are editorial recommendations, not hardware tests.

Source links: S041 · S045 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C062B · P062

The SD Association lists a nominal microSD envelope of 15 × 11 × 1.0 mm (length × width × thickness). Conventional single-row cards for Default Speed, High Speed and UHS-I use eight contacts.

Claim scope: Nominal microSD card identification and conventional first-row count; no inference about extra contacts, exact host support or fabrication dimensions.

Source links: S041 · S042 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C062C · P062

The SD Association overview distinguishes microSD contact counts by interface: High Speed/UHS-I eight, UHS-II sixteen, and one-lane microSD Express sixteen to seventeen.

Claim scope: Published overview categories inspected 2026-10-07, not an exhaustive identification method; physical contacts do not establish active bus support.

Source links: S041 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C062D · P062

Swissbit S-46u Revision 1.00, page 8, gives this native SD-mode assignment in Figure 2 bottom-view numbering: 1 DAT2, 2 CD/DAT3, 3 CMD, 4 VDD, 5 CLK, 6 VSS, 7 DAT0, 8 DAT1. The same table gives different SPI-mode functions on several pads.

Claim scope: Exact manufacturer-documented conventional microSD example; native SD-mode column only. Not a UHS-II/Express extra-row pinout, socket-terminal map, startup sequence or universal SPI wiring guide.

Source links: S391 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C062E · P062

The SD Association SD Express Host Implementation Guideline Version 2 (May 2025), section 4.10.2, states that microSD Express needs different connectors because the second-row pad location and size differ from microSD UHS-II.

Claim scope: microSD second-row mechanical distinction in the named guideline; not proof of compatibility or incompatibility of any complete multi-mode host product.

Source links: S392 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C119A · P119

Transcend describes a 50-pin CompactFlash card and explicitly lists Type I support.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S847 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C119B · P119

The CompactFlash Association identifies CompactFlash with the PATA interface.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S096 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C119C · P119

The RDF8 sheets list CompactFlash UDMA7 separately from SD and microSD UHS-I. The named TS-RDF8K2 / TS-RDF8W2 reader examples do not establish CFast or CFexpress support.

Claim scope: Both sheets PDF page 2 Compatibility and Ordering Information; no Type I/II thickness or electrical assignment adopted.

Source links: S439 · S440 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C120A · P120

The CompactFlash Association identifies CFast as a Serial ATA card family.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S096 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C120B · P120

The same association lists CompactFlash and CFexpress as separate card standards.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S096 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C120C · P120

Delkin identifies a 24-pin SATA connector and SATA interface as a distinction of its industrial CFast description.

Claim scope: Manufacturer interface-identification passage only. No pin assignment, exact mating dimensions or card-reader support inferred.

Source links: S641 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C120W · P120

3M specifies N7G24-A0B2RA-00-0HT as a 24-contact CFast host plug with one contact row. The source separately describes its single-row SMT solder tails.

Claim scope: Exact 3M N7G24-A0B2RA-00-0HT CFast host plug for Type I/II cards; explicit Number of Contact Rows property only.

Source links: S985 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C122A · P122

The CompactFlash Association states that Type B and XQD share a form factor and connector, with camera support conditional on implementation.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S096 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C122B · P122

Sony labels its CEB-G card examples CFexpress Type B with a PCI Express interface.

Claim scope: Identification and explicitly scoped documentation only; not an end-to-end connection approval

Source links: S098 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C122C · P122

CFA describes CFexpress Type B as using two PCIe lanes and retaining the same dimensions and connector as XQD. It separately makes camera support conditional on implementation or a manufacturer update.

Claim scope: Card Types public text: form-factor footnote and A/B FAQ; no dimensions or speed table transcribed.

Source links: S096 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C122D · P122

Sony lists its CFexpress Type B memory cards for the MRW-G1 reader.

Claim scope: Sony MRW-G1 and the specified Sony card family only. No camera or other reader approval.

Source links: S495 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C137A · P137

Sony MRW-G2 documentation lists CFexpress Type A and SD, while MRW-G1 lists CFexpress Type B and selected Sony XQD series.

Claim scope: Exact documented product and family scope; no physical test, exact-card certification or end-to-end approval.

Source links: S105 · S106 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C137B · P137

SanDisk ImageMate PRO USB-C lists SD, microSD and CompactFlash; those names must not be collapsed into one card family.

Claim scope: Exact documented product and family scope; no physical test, exact-card certification or end-to-end approval.

Source links: S109 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C137C · P137

Sony specifies the MRW-G2 computer interface as SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 2), supplies USB-C–USB-C and USB-C–USB-A cables, and limits its function guarantee to the supplied cable. This interface label is not a measured card-to-computer copy speed.

Claim scope: PDF page 1 English Specifications, connecting instructions and supplied-cable precaution.

Source links: S438 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C137D · P137

The RDF8 EN_RDF8_PS_1905 sheet says that UHS-II cards work only at UHS-I speeds in that reader. Reading a card therefore does not establish use of its fastest bus mode.

Claim scope: PDF page 2 Compatibility note; named RDF8 scope, not a rule about all USB readers.

Source links: S440 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

C137E · P137

Transcend describes RDF8 with a USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface and states that speed varies with host hardware, software, use and storage capacity. No measured read, write or multi-card aggregate rate is adopted here.

Claim scope: PDF page 2 Interface and Performance note; the USB connector subtype is deliberately not assigned in the new device profile.

Source links: S439 · Evidence trail → (private workspace)

Prepare this page for review → (private workspace)Read the evidence method →

Recorded evidence only. An inspection date, publisher label, source link or generated packet is not independent technical review, hardware testing, fabrication approval or a compatibility verdict.