JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Same difference.

Hamltnblue Loc: Springfield PA

One thing to consider you use an external card reader is the type of reader and the port you plug it into.
If the card is high speed, you should use a usb 3.0 or higher reader and plug it into a usb3.0 or higher plug on the computer to get the maximum speed.
If you plug the reader into a USB 2.0 port it will work but the speed will be noticeably much slower.

11bravo

My refurbished Lenovo T430 (travel) has a card slot but likes to hold onto a card. The push in to release doesn't. PITA, had to Google for a trick to get the card out.

My solution is the
Transcend USB 3.0 SDHC / SDXC / microSDHC / SDXC Card Reader, TS-RDF5W
from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FJRS8F8

Cheap enough to have several, one for each computer.

While it can plug into a USB3 port, no cable required, for my laptop, I have several SHORT USB extension cables given the USB ports are on the downslope of its side. Besides a "straight" cable connector, there are also "oriented" ones: left, right, up, down.
Also use cables for its docking station.

For my desktop, just use a hub connected to a front USB3 port.