Lots of ports
Reduces desk clutter
Affordable
Poor quality control
Cheap construction
Design
Setup Process
Connectivity
Performance
Price
Competition
Final Verdict
Specs
Design: A clean look, with some awkward ports
This design makes it a little awkward to connect your devices to it initially, but ultimately gives your desk a much cleaner look, and lets you drape your cables off the back of your desk, minimizing eyesores.
Plastic is used throughout the hub for its construction, including the front plate, which is designed to resemble brushed metal. This keeps the unit very light, which we’re sure is good for shipping purposes, but it also makes it feel a bit cheap and makes it easier to slide accidentally off your desk.
This design makes it a little awkward to connect your devices to it initially, but ultimately gives your desk a much cleaner look, and lets you drape your cables off the back of your desk, minimizing eyesores.
There were two quality control mishaps on the particular unit we tested. First, the internal ports were somewhat misaligned with the outer casing, making it difficult to plug in some devices. Second, the labels that should be printed around the ports didn’t make it onto this particular unit, despite all the product page images showing this feature. Not a huge deal, but also not a ringing endorsement for the device’s quality.
Setup Process: No trouble at all
Connectivity: A sufficient number of options
The hub provides seven USB 3.0 Gen 1 ports, offering a maximum transfer speed of 5Gbps. The two ports on the right side offer the same connectivity, but are capable of supplying more power.
Performance: Just what you’d expect
Price: You get what you pay for
The five ports in the back supply the standard 0.9A of power, whereas the ports on the side, designed for fast charging, can supply up to 1.5A.
Take a peek at some of the other best USB hubs you can buy.
A capable hub with some quality control issues.
