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With many of today’s laptops you get a limited number of USB ports. Some of the lower budget computers come with only one USB port. With only one or two USB ports you are limited on the types of input devices and USB storage you can add to the computer. For those that are looking for a way to expand their laptop’s USB ports, you need to take a look at the Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub. This little USB hub is Anker’s solution to a small portable USB hub. Its not only the perfect size to toss in your travel gear or laptop bag, but it looks good connecting your devices to your computer.
Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub – Features
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Taken directly from the Amazon Sales page.
- The Anker Advantage: Join the 20 million+ powered by our leading technology.
- Super Speed: Save on syncing time with data transfer rates of up to 5Gpbs. Transfer HD movies in seconds.
- Versatile and Portable: Easily pocketable, smaller than a deck of cards. Secures to your desk with the included hook-and-loop strap.
- Sleek and Sturdy: The aluminum alloy shell is shiny and eye-catching, though surprisingly resistant to wear from repeated use. Plug in, again and again.
- What You Get: Anker USB 3.0 4-Port Aluminum Hub, 2ft USB 3.0 cable, hook-and-loop installation strip, welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.
Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub – The Review
I received the Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub (I was able to select the product) as part of a gift pack from Anker for being one of their active contributors and I’ve been using this USB hub as part of my travel gear to connect my external hard drive and USB Flash drives. Today I wanted to share my long term review of Anker’s 4-Port USB Hub.
First Impressions
The Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub comes in Anker’s standard blue and white box. Once opened, The hub is displayed but covered in frosted plastic protective bag.
After removing the Hub from the box, you will find the USB cord isn’t removable. The cord is thick and the areas of the cable that tend to bend are reinforced and should give you years of use. The cable may even outlive the hub.
The hub is a long aluminum 4-port hub with a small green status LED and the old Anker Logo at the other end of the hub. This hub is one their earlier products. Its been available on Amazon since 2014. There are some newer options on the market, but I prefer this model over their other options. It a solid made product built to last. But it is still lite enough not to make much of difference your gear bag overall weight.
The Test
I’ve been using this hub for almost a year and I love it. I’ve use it to connect my storage drives and to stream movies from (external hard drive connected to the hub) and never had any issues. I also use the hub connected to my portable hard drive where my images are stored for image editing.
Just a few weeks ago I connect two hard drives (one powered via a power cord and the other USB powered) to sync data and transfer large amounts of data. I found that during the file transfer and syncing of files that I transferred almost a terabyte of data. All files were quickly transferred and no issues. So much faster than USB 2.0
Some of the Amazon reviewers reported issues when using Bluetooth Wireless mice, keyboards and headphones. I’ve connected both USB wireless devices and built in Bluetooth devices and have never had any issues.
Final Thoughts
Overall I love the hub and use it everyday. When I work from my laptop at home or on the go, the hub is with me. It works great and its fast when used with 3.0 devices and ports. Using 2.0 ports work great transfer files or access files, its just a little slower.
If you edit images or keep your movie collection on an external drive and want to connect your portable drives via this hub, then this is a great option. I do a lot of my image editing from my laptop lately and the hard drive is always connected with no issues.
When I first was looking at the Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub I was hesitant because it doesn’t come with the option to add additional power and the cable wasn’t removable. But trusting in Anker’s brand and its high rating on Amazon I decided to give it a try.
Now I have to say I am glad I decided to give the Anker Aluminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub a try and I highly recommend this Hub if you need a travel USB hub. Just keep in mind, your computers can only hand a small amount of USB powered devices. If you over power the hub, then the devices may not work. If you need to connect several USB portable hard drives that do have their own power supplies, I would suggest purchasing one of Anker’s powered USB hubs.
You can purchase Anker ALuminum 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub from Amazon in Aluminum or back. If you prefer you can also purchase the hub directly from Anker.
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