For the next few weeks, I will be using an HP Chromebook 14a for some of my text-and web-based tasks and the Anker 4 USB 3.0 Port Hub will help me address the ports issue. First, it’s thin and very light, and costs a fraction of other ultraportables on the market, but it has a fairly significant flaw: I can’t connect all my peripherals at once.
Its connectivity is limited to just a few, daily-use ports: one USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, and a single HDMI. For Apple fans who have recently bought MacBooks, the problem of a single USB-C port is all-familiar.
In my case, this is where the Anker 4-port USB 3.0 Hub comes in. It’s much cheaper than many USB 3.0 adapters and hubs, it’s also much more functional and reliable. It’s an excellent pick for those in need of a more robust set of ports for their laptops with limited I/O options.
Anker 4 USB 3.0 Port Hub Review : Design
Measuring 3.0 by 1.03 by 1.0 inches (HWD), the Anker USB 3.0 port hub is a black-colored box with an 8.4-inch extending from the left edge and terminating in a USB 3.0 connector. All four USB 3.0 ports sit on the from side alongside a power icon indicating pass-through charging.
That’s all, it just works as it is supposed to, with no extra ports like HDMI, USB-C, or SD card slot – sometimes you need it this simple. It has the looks of an expensive USB hub, but in real sense, it costs less than it peers. The extra USB ports make it a perfect travel companion for anyone who is always on the move.
Works with Notebook PCs, MacBooks, Chromebooks, and more
I needed to connect my camera, and transfer some projects from an external HDD and a flash drive all from my Chromebook, all I did was plug the cable into the USB 3.0 and I was sorted. Each of the four USB 3.0 ports work simultaneously and perfectly. The external drive and camera showed up as external storage, and I even connected an external mouse that worked as soon as it was plugged in, and the flash drive was also detected.
The Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub doesn’t require external power to function, so you really don’t need to keep it plugged into your charger if the powering device has enough power to run. It still outputs enough power over the USB 3.0 port and all slots stay active running just from the USB connection to your device. It’s impressive to see a decent hub that doesn’t cost much but delivers good connectivity over pricey headphones.
Apart from the Chromebook, I tested it over an iMac and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. It works just as reliably, detecting a wired mouse and three storage devices I connected to the hub. I didn’t experience any hiccups with everything hooked, and the MacBook was responsive as usual. The Anker works with Windows laptops as well. You can comfortably use this hub with any gadget ranging from a notebook, a desktop PC, or even digital camera with ease.
Anker 4 USB 3.0 Port Hub Review | Verdict
The Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub is thin, usable, functional, and very reliable. It is very inexpensive compared with most USB 3.0 hubs available online, but those hubs have very short connector cables, and more importantly aren’t nearly as reliable based on the ones we’ve tested, especially those with individual switches that sometimes fail.
The Anker 4 USB 3.0 Port Hub works exactly as it should, a channel for managing external storage, peripherals, and data transfers from notebooks, desktops, MacBooks, and Chromebooks with ease. If you pack light enough that your notebook doesn’t offer the full array of ports for your taste, the Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub can sit alongside an external battery pack as your best itinerary for traveling.
That said, there is a newer model of our favorite USB 3.0 Hub, the Anker USB C Hub, that’s basically a PowerExpand 6-in-1 USB-C Adapter for MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, XPS, and More
Our Pick
