Amazon Users Call This $8 USB Accessory 'Exactly What They Needed'
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Truly, it's the most modern of tech dilemmas. While everyone seems to have a wild abundance of USB cables, as though they're breeding in the dark recesses of your desks and junk drawers, it's becoming increasingly rare that there are enough ports to plug them into. Whether for space, design, or aesthetic reasons, laptop manufacturers especially seem to be slashing the number of ports on their machines (making USB slots one of the key ports you should check for before committing to a purchase), so it's never been a better time to capitalize on a great Amazon deal on a USB hub.
Luckily, there's a sale happening now on a USB hub that's currently sitting at a 4.7-star rating with an impressive 134,050 user reviews. It's available in a number of configurations, and all of them are currently on deep discount, with price cuts approaching 50% off. If you're like me and constantly have to juggle devices because of a dearth of USB ports, now's the time to pull the trigger on Anker's bargain-basement-priced hub.
How it works
As the name suggests, a USB hub takes a single USB port and effectively splits it, in this case, into four discrete ports. It transforms a single slot into a full mecca of connections, allowing you to hook up all the devices you need simultaneously, without having to resort to the sort of port juggling I mentioned above (though beware, there are a number of things you should never plug into a USB hub).
This specific hub from Anker comes in a couple of different configurations/SKUs on the Amazon listing. The cheapest listing is for a hub that splits a USB-A port into four USB-A slots, and is currently 47% off at $7.98. It's available with either a two-foot or 0.7-foot long cable, though, oddly, the shorter cable model is more expensive at $9.98. You can also get a USB-C to USB-A version in either the 0.7- or 2-foot lengths for $9.98. If you really want to splurge, there are also two-packs available for $19.97 (44% off MSRP).
Why it's a user favorite
As I called out in the intro, this Anker hub is very highly rated on Amazon, holding a 4.7 on over 134,000 reviews. Users praise it for its compact design, ease of use, and affordability, saying it's a quick and easy fix for devices with only a single USB port by default. One Amazon user says that only after he purchased a laptop cooling pad for his son did he realize the laptop in question only had a single USB port, meaning his son couldn't plug in both the cooling pad and mouse. The Anker instantly solved the problem with "no issues" and also provides additional ports for charging stuff like his smartphone.
Others praise how lightweight the hub is, so it's easy to stash in a backpack and take on the go, and it will fit in your laptop bag without crowding. One review calls out how plug-and-play the Anker hub is, and how it works without any "connection drops or issues." It is important to note, however, that even the USB-C version doesn't split into USB-C ports, so it'll only work if you've got an excess of USB-A devices to hook up. That said, for under $10, it's a perfect fit for anyone who relies on a number of older or legacy devices as part of their daily setup.