OWCs HighSpeed Atlas Readers And Memory Cards Make The Grade

OWC manufactures a variety of hardware and software for computer users in the creative industries. At NAB 2023 in April, the company announced new dual-slot memory card readers aimed at video, audio and photo professionals.

Transferring large amounts of data after taking a photo or video can be a huge problem if you work in the creative industries. A lot of time is wasted waiting for slow card readers and memory cards to download photo or video files to your Mac or PC. To address this limitation, OWC has developed two new high-speed card readers as part of its Atlas system.

The OWC Atlas system combines hardware and software to simplify the process from recording to finalizing audio and video content. To check the status of commercial Atlas memory cards from OWC, OWC has a software package called Innergize. This application monitors the status of Atlas memory cards and includes tools to clean the cards and update the firmware.

Energize Digital training ensures your Atlas memory cards are compatible and up-to-date for maximum camera speed and keyframe photo or video capture. Innergize is free to download and use with any Atlas memory card or card reader.

Professional card readers must meet the needs of professional broadcasters, filmmakers and videographers, wherever they are. For example, news gathering in the field requires the transfer of video recordings from a memory card to a laptop computer so that the report can be edited and transferred to the database. Depending on the camera you are using, this will be a CFexpress Type B or SDXC UHS-II memory card.

To use these two types of cards, OWC will develop the Atlas Dual Slot CFexpress Type B, SDXC UHS-II reader and the new Atlas SDXC UHS-II dual slot reader. Dual slot readers have a throughput of up to 600MB/s and are ideal for capturing large scale images such as weddings or large events. Speed ​​is critical when delivery times are tight.

I reviewed the Atlas SDXC UHS-II dual-slot reader. A well thought out kit is a short USB-C cable for field use based on a card reader. There's also a USB-C port for connecting a long cable to a desktop computer for studio use. It's a nice touch.

Card readers are equipped with a small write-protect switch. This switch is located on the back of the card reader and prevents cards from being copied or formatted while the power is on. This basic emergency device prevents important photos or images from being accidentally deleted. I wish more card readers had such a key. My only criticism is that the switch is hard to get to if you have short nails, but this is probably more of a feature than a bug.

There are two slots on the front of the card reader, each with an LED to indicate when the card is being written or read. For those worried about losing photos in the process of transferring, OWC has cut a small hole in the back of the card reader above the USB-C port. This small slot houses OWC Cling-On cable anchors, which ensure that the cable stays in place and cannot be accidentally pulled out during reading or writing, which could damage the card. It may sound strange, but OWC is best to assume that it is.

To get the most out of OWC card readers, the company recommends Atlas branded CFexpress Type B and SDXC UHS-II memory cards up to 1TB for SD card and 2TB for CFexpress. Atlas cards can be managed with Innergize, which updates the Atlas card driver and cleans it of viruses or digital parasites on the host computer. Unfortunately, Innergize is currently only available for Windows, but OWC promises a Mac version is coming soon.

Verdict: OWC card readers are well designed and developed with photo and video creators in the field and in the studio in mind. Dual-slot readers make data collection easy with 600MB/s throughput, and OWC Innergize software cards are clean and up-to-date. Too bad Innergize isn't available for macOS, but hopefully it will be soon. These new card readers are a great option and compete with the best Lexar and Kingston card readers. OWC Atlas card readers are the smart choice for professional photographers and videographers.

Prices and availability. The Atlas Dual CFexpress and SD card readers are available now at macsales.com for a starting price of $79.99. Innergize for Windows is free and available for download from OWC. A version of Innergize for macOS is in preparation.

More information : www.owc.com

Specifications:

• Compatibility: Plug and play with USB-C Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Chromebook.
• Speed: Two SDXC UHS-II memory cards can store up to 300MB/s on one card.
• Power supply: Cable built-in transmission.
• Connectivity: Second USB-C port for longer cables.
• Protection: The write-protect switch prevents unwanted file deletion and formatting.
• LED: Independent activity indicators for each slot.
• Software: Health, performance and memory map updates for OWC Atlas
• Warranty: OWC 2 year limited warranty.

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