Introduction

Kingston Digital is the flash memory business unit of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., and has been the source for several retail products we have covered in the past, including internal NVME SSDs and encrypted USB drives. What we do not necessarily recognize is that a lot of flash memory sales are in the form of eMMC and memory cards, with the latter having become invaluable for content creators, as well as portable storage to carry around or use in mobile devices. Today, we take a look at a brand-new device from Kingston Digital that aims to streamline the workflow of content creators, and it is quite aptly named. Thanks again to the company for sending a review sample to TechPowerUp!


The Kingston Workflow Station is a hub that is part of a new family of products from the company. It includes a base station with four receptacles that can be occupied by different reader hubs, including USB (Type-A and Type-C), full-size SD cards, and microSD cards. The station comes with the USB reader hub—the others are optional extras. Kingston sent along the whole package, so we will take a look at everything, but begin with the specifications for these products in the tables below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

At my request, Kingston shipped the Workflow Station in addition to the SD and microSD card reader units, and they decided to send it all inside a large black box. The Kingston logo and marketing lingo adorn the sides of the box, opening which we see the various products in their individual packaging, as well as air pillows and some random swag that is appreciated but irrelevant to this review. What is relevant is the Workflow Station product box, which is quite decorative in comparison to your average Kingston product. They make it quite clear that this product is targeting content creators, including photographers and video makers, and there is a lot of information here on all sides.


The box uses a two-piece design with an outer sleeve over an inner box, and seals on both ends that need to be removed to access the box, which is in turn equally detailed with renders and specifications alike. Side flaps help keep the contents inside in place during transit, and opening the box, we see cardboard layers that keep the Workflow Station and other accessories separate and intact during transit. Underneath the station is documentation, including a warranty manual and quick start guide, both of which are in multiple languages.


The accessories here are the USB hub unit, which we will take a look at on the next page, and the power and data connectivity for the station. Kingston includes a universal power adapter from Powertron which supports 100–240 V across 50–60 Hz. It is capable of providing up to 60 W to the station (12 V DC at 5 A), meaning it can power everything fit inside it as a true hub. As an essential component for any work-related travel, a set of four AC mains connectors have been placed on the other end. These fit in solidly and do not come loose accidentally either, while their removable nature allows for more compact travel as well. The other provided cable is a male USB Type-C to male USB Type-C cable, so you need a spare Type-C port on your PC/laptop or at least an adapter that goes to a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port.