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Indeed, it is a very modern technological problem. While everyone seems to have a wild pile of USB cables, seemingly nesting in the dark recesses of your desks and junk drawers, it’s increasingly rare that there are enough ports to plug them in. Whether it’s for space, design, or aesthetic reasons, laptop manufacturers in particular seem to be reducing the number of ports on their devices (making USB ports one of the most important ports to check before buying), so there’s never been a better time to cash in on Amazon’s big deal on a USB hub.
Fortunately, there is a sale happening right now on the USB hub which currently sits at a 4.7 star rating with an impressive 134,050 user reviews. It’s available in many configurations, and all are currently deeply discounted, with price reductions approaching 50% off. If you’re like me and have to keep switching devices due to a lack of USB ports, now’s the time to pull out Anker’s low-cost hub.
How does this work
As the name suggests, a USB hub takes a single USB port and effectively splits it, in this case, into four separate ports. It turns a single slot into a complete mecca of connectivity, allowing you to connect all the devices you need at once, without having to resort to the kind of port juggling I mentioned above (although be careful, there are a few things you should never connect to a USB hub).
This particular hub from Anker comes in a few different configurations/SKUs in the Amazon listing. The cheapest listing is for a hub that splits a USB-A port into four USB-A slots, and it’s currently 47% off at $7.98. It’s available with either a two-foot or a 0.7-foot cable, but, oddly enough, the shorter cable model is more expensive at $9.98. You can also get a USB-C to USB-A version in 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 mentioned in the introduction, this Anker hub is highly rated on Amazon, holding a 4.7 from over 134,000 reviews. Users praise it for its compact design, ease of use, and accessibility, saying it’s a quick and easy fix for devices that only have one USB port by default. One Amazon user says it was after he bought a laptop for his son that he realized the laptop in question only had one USB port, meaning his son couldn’t connect both a cooling pad and a mouse. Anker quickly solved the problem “without problems” and provides additional ports for charging things like his smartphone.
Some praise how light the hub is, so it’s easy to hide in a backpack and go, and it will fit in your laptop bag without clutter. One review calls out how plug-and-play Anker’s hub is, and how it works without “connection drops or issues.” It’s important to note, however, that even the USB-C version doesn’t split into USB-C ports, so it will only work if you have a bunch of USB-A devices to connect to. That said, at under $10, it’s a good fit for anyone who relies on a lot of old or valuable devices as part of their everyday setup.