What's the fastest way to transfer data from a microSD card to a PC

[nE0n1nja]

I regularly transfer around 32 GB of video files from a microSD card to an external HDD connected to my PC via USB 3.0 port. The microSD card is also connected to the PC through a USB 3.0 card reader that goes into a USB 3.0 port. I'm wondering if there's a faster way to do this?
My mobo has some USB 3.1 Gen2 ports on the back but I'm not sure if I'd also need adequate cable and card reader to be able to use the speed they offer?

So basically my main question is in the title, what would be THE fastest way to do this 
 

[kelvinhall05]

That's the fastest way afaik.

[FloRolf]

Standard USB 3.0 is 4,8gbit/s. That's 600mbyte/s, or basically SSD Speeds. 

So yes, the way you do it is the fastest and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Port will not change that. 

[HanZie82]

The only thing that can improve speeds is either the card reader they can be somewhat limited the cheaper ones.

Or get a faster SD card.

[fordy_rounds]

Keep in mind that at some point you'll be limited by the microSD card's speeds rather than the USB speeds. Right now, as you say, you have a USB 3.0 reader and port; that limits you to (theoretically) 500MB/s (it's ~1/10, not 1/8, of the spec'd 5Gb/s, because there's overhead, parity bits, etc.) That's already faster than all but a UHS-III card (UHS-II caps out at 312 MB/s). If you have a UHS-III card, you could see a minor improvement if you upgrade to a 3.1 reader and port, which is 1.2GB/s, but not much, since UHS-III caps out at 624MB/s. Not sure that the speed increase is worth the cost, though. From 312 to 500, sure, but from 500 to 624, maybe not.

 

Also keep in mind that you're transferring to an HDD. That's going to limit your speed more than anything else.... Most HDDs cap out at around 100MB/s, which is equivalent to a UHS-I SD card.

 

When it comes to file transfer speeds, remember: the slowest speed is always your determining factor. If your microSD card can do 624MB/s, the reader can do 500, the port can do 500, the port/cable going to the HDD can do 500, and the HDD can do 100... you'll be doing 100MB/s at most.

[SupaKomputa]

40 minutes ago, fordy_rounds said:

remember: the slowest speed is always your determining factor. 

This is correct. Since both use the same USB3 bandwidth, it will be limited to the transfer speed of the lowest.

Your 32gb sdcard probably has a UHS1 (100mb/s) or slower, and the external HDD probably averaging at 150mb/s.

If this the case, no matter what you do it will always transfer at 100mb/s.

[Slayerking92]

copy/paste

[nE0n1nja]

1 hour ago, fordy_rounds said:

Keep in mind that at some point you'll be limited by the microSD card's speeds rather than the USB speeds. Right now, as you say, you have a USB 3.0 reader and port; that limits you to (theoretically) 500MB/s (it's ~1/10, not 1/8, of the spec'd 5Gb/s, because there's overhead, parity bits, etc.) That's already faster than all but a UHS-III card (UHS-II caps out at 312 MB/s). If you have a UHS-III card, you could see a minor improvement if you upgrade to a 3.1 reader and port, which is 1.2GB/s, but not much, since UHS-III caps out at 624MB/s. Not sure that the speed increase is worth the cost, though. From 312 to 500, sure, but from 500 to 624, maybe not.

 

Also keep in mind that you're transferring to an HDD. That's going to limit your speed more than anything else.... Most HDDs cap out at around 100MB/s, which is equivalent to a UHS-I SD card.

 

When it comes to file transfer speeds, remember: the slowest speed is always your determining factor. If your microSD card can do 624MB/s, the reader can do 500, the port can do 500, the port/cable going to the HDD can do 500, and the HDD can do 100... you'll be doing 100MB/s at most.

I feel dumb for totally overlooking that. 

Thank you everyone for the great answers