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I am looking at getting a CF card reader for a laptop. Whilst I would like a
cardbus reader (like Delkin's) it is a little expensive; being 10 times the
cost of PCMCIA (16bit, aka PC Card) and USB2 readers.

Anyway, of the three, how do the three compare for power consumption. I will
run a fair bit of the time on batteries, so this is an important factor.

(I am aware that the speed in decreasing order is Cardbus, USB2, PCMCIA. )

USB2 is as fast as it gets for real world use.
Be prepared: I have purchased more than one CF reader that was DOA.