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SxS Pro Card Reader with MacBook Pro (Thunderbolt 3)

Superior Performance

Thunderbolt LogoFor years, pro digital video camera pioneers Sony and ARRI have used SxS professional memory cards for capturing footage on select cameras, relying on the cards for their durability and speed. With the move to shooting in 4K and higher frame rates, cards fill up faster than ever, and the need for a truly high-speed card reader with the fastest interface available is undeniable.

Sonnet’s SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader fills the bill. Featuring a 40Gbps Thunderbolt™ 3 interface, this device quickly ingests footage from SxS memory cards to any Mac® or Windows®(1) computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports—on location, in the studio, or in the edit suite—at the fastest speeds the cards will support.

Key Features

Superior Performance—Ingests files from two SxS cards at maximum speed

Dual SxS Slots—Enable simultaneous ingest of files from two cards for greater efficiency

40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Interface—Features dual Thunderbolt 3 ports; second port supports daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices(2)

Broad Card Support—Supports all SxS media, including SxS PRO+ E Series cards; XQD™ and SDHD™ cards supported when used with adapters(3)

Compact, Rugged, Stackable—Aluminum enclosure for rugged and reliable operation. Stackable design enables multiple SF3 Series card readers to occupy same footprint.

Thunderbolt 3 Cable & ThunderLok 3 Included—Includes 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable and ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip to secure cable from accidental disconnections

Backward Compatible with Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt Macs—When used with an Apple® Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

macOS and Windows Compatible

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More Than Two Times the Average Ingest Speed of USB  3.0 Readers

Productivity Enhancer

The SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader is the industry’s first SxS card reader for Thunderbolt 3. This dual-slot reader takes advantage of Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gbps bandwidth to ingest files simultaneously from two cards at maximum speed—more than double the average ingest speed of USB 3.0 card readers. Using the Sonnet SxS reader enables you to ingest footage from multiple cards in much less time for a significantly more efficient workflow.

Thunderbolt 3 —
The USB-C That Does It All

The SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader includes two Thunderbolt 3 ports; the first connects it to your computer, while the second supports daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices(2) to a single port on your computer. The reader includes 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, meaning you can connect a USB device to the second port using the proper cable or adapter. The SxS reader also provides full support for connecting up to two 4K displays @ 60Hz or one 5K display @ 60Hz(4). For connected devices requiring extra power, 15 watts is provided to bus-powered other devices, such as the SF3 Series – CFast 2.0 Pro Card Reader.


Thunderbolt 3 Computer Connected to SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader

 

Broad Card Support —
Including XQD & SDXC

The SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader supports all generations of SxS media, up to the latest E Series cards. When used with the Sony ExpressCard Adapter for XQD Memory Card (QDA-EX1) adapter or the Sonnet SDHC Adapter for SxS Camera Slot (SD-SXS-E34) adapter, you can even use XQD and SD cards, respectively, with this reader.

SxS Pro, XQD and SDXC Cards

Rugged Aluminum and Dimensions Icons

Compact, Rugged, and Stackable —
Ingest Four or More Cards Simultaneously

The SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader—measuring a compact 5.75 inches wide by 1 inch high by 5.1 inches deep—is suitable for use in any workspace. The reader’s extruded aluminum shell makes it lightweight, yet rugged enough to be transported in an equipment bag without fear of damaging the case. SF3 Series card readers are designed to be stacked, allowing multiple readers such as additional SxS Pro Card Readers and Sonnet's CFast 2.0 Pro Card Readers to occupy the same footprint. The SxS reader enables you to daisy chain multiple readers to ingest four, six or more cards simultaneously, taking advantage of Thunderbolt 3’s 2,750 MB/s bandwidth.

 

Stacked Sonnet SxS and CFast 2.0 Pro Card Readers


Stackable for Customizing Your Workflow with Additional Sonnet SxS or CFast 2.0 Pro Card Readers



Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) Cable and ThunderLok 3 Included

Sonnet includes a 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable to connect the SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader to your computer, and a Sonnet ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip(5) to secure the cable to the reader. Accidentl cable disconnect can lead to data loss. Sonnet’s ThunderLok 3 secures the Thunderbolt cable to the SxS reader, and is easy to install and use—just slide it over one end of the cable, and then plug in the connector and secure it to the reader by turning a thumbscrew. Because of its unique design, ThunderLok does not attach to the connector, but remains on the cable so it won’t get lost when not in use.

Thunderbolt 3 Cable and ThunderLok 3

SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader


 Computer hardware shown in photos for illustration purposes; items sold separately.
See Tech Specs Tab for footnotes
Part No.  
SF3-2SXS Discontinued
Hardware  
Warranty 2-year
Form Factor Portable card reader
Bus Interface 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3
External Connector
  • Two SxS slots
  • Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • Power port
Power Adapter Universal 60W, 100-240V AC, 50-60 Hz
Supported Media
Dimensions (WxDxH) 5.75 x 5.1 x 1 in. (144.8 x 129.5 x 25.4 mm)
RoHS Compliant Yes
Package Contents
  • SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader
  • Power adapter
  • Power cable
  • 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable
  • ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt Connector Retainer Clip(4)
  • Documentation
Mounting Instructions PDF Download

 

Specifications subject to change without notice.

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Mac Compatibility

Mac (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max)

Mac (Intel®) with Thunderbolt 3 ports

Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

macOS® 10.12.6+

macOS Ventura compatible

Windows Compatibility

Computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports

Windows 11, 10

Technical Notes

  1. Second Thunderbolt 3 port supports Thunderbolt 3 devices natively. Also supports Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 devices on Macs when used with the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter, sold separately.
  2. XQD and SDXC card adapters sold separately. XQD not compatible with M1 Macs.
  3. One 4K monitor directly supported. Two 4K monitors require a Thunderbolt Dual DisplayPort adapter.
  4. ThunderLok 3 compatible specifically with Sonnet 0.5- and 0.7-meter Thunderbolt 3 cables; Sonnet 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 cables require ThunderLok 3L.

 

Mac OS LogoWindows Logo RoHS Compliant Logo

Accessories Part No. Description
ThunderLok 3L (2-Pack) ThunderLok 3L Thunderbolt 3 Connector Retainer Clip (2-Pack) TB3-LOK2L Secures Sonnet 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) active cables with ThunderLok 3L-compatible products; not compatible with Sonnet 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) passive cables
ThunderLok 3 (2-Pack) ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt 3 Connector Retainer Clip (2-Pack) TB3-LOK2 Secures Sonnet 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) passive cables with ThunderLok 3-compatible products; not compatible with Sonnet 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) active cables
Thunderbolt 3 Cable Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) Cable TCB-TB3-07M 0.7-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable
 

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Product Quick Overview - SF3 Series - SxS Pro Card Reader (2:42 mins)


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