The new MacBook Pro's SD card reader is reported as dysfunctional in some units

Apple may have come in for quite some acclaim for simply launching new MacBook Pros with input types besides USB type-C for the first time in years in 2021. These resurrected options extend to a full-sized SD card slot, thereby potentially fulfilling the wishes of many creators and prosumers out there. However, it now seems that for some of these users, the dream has now turned into more of a nightmare.

These individuals assert that SD-card use in their new MacBook Pros has not exactly gone as smoothly as perhaps suggested during the launch for these PCs. Some users have reported reduced read-speeds, whereas others allege poor write speeds as well. For others, the issue is that files on the card in question do not show up anywhere, whether in Finder or apps such as Photos or Lightroom.

A number of these reports - found either on Reddit or on a by-now 4-page strong thread on the MacRumors forum - also observe that the issues in question are alleviated through the use of a type-C or Thunderbolt SD-card adapter instead with the same machine. Formatting does act as a solution in some cases, but not in others.

These new deficiencies reportedly arise with the use of a number of file formats, such as .raf (used in Fuji cameras), but disappear in the presence of some others (such as Nikon's .nef).

These SD card-reading issues apparently affect both the 14- and 16-inch versions of the new MacBook Pro, date from late October 2021 onward, and might escalate in proportion to the capacity of the card in question. On the other hand, some other users assert that the problem is much more random and inconsistent in their case.

Apple has yet to respond publicly to these issues, and the only viable solution to date appears to involve a complete replacement of the machine in question.

Thanks to Andreas Schlüter for this tip!

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