There are some gadgets out there that make a great impact to our day to day tech needs. One such device is a multiple USB port hub from Sabrent that let’s you charge and transfer data between multiple devices at the same time. It’s rated up to 5 Gbps transfer speeds and offers a total of 36W of power delivery.
Sabrent’s commitment is to offer the latest technology and the highest quality consumer electronic products at an affordable cost to everyone. Since its founding, Sabrent has consistently delivered to market a full line of computer peripherals and accessories that incorporate style, quality and the latest technologies available.
Prices and Availability
Sabrent’s hub lineup consists of multiple variants and our test sample is the 7-port one.
Highlights and Specification
*Courtesy of their website.
SABRENT 36W 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs Includes 36W 12V/3A Power Adapter (HB-BUP7)
* The SABRENT USB 3.0 7-Port Hub With Power Switches allows users to attach their collection of USB devices to one Super-Speed hub.
* Effortlessly expand an available USB 3.0 port on a computer into seven USB 3.0 ports by plugging the Hub into an unused USB interface on the computer.
* The SABRENT 7-port Hub’s sleek design and durable build provide it with a long lifespan and make it the perfect travel companion.
* Plug and play installation makes the hub easy to set up.
* There are no drivers or software to install, making the process quick and easy.
* Individual power switches provide device independence and allow you to preserve power and prolong the lifespan of your various devices by not overusing them while they are plugged into the hub.
* Seven USB 3.0 ports allow data transfer speeds up to 5Gbps
* Power switches with blue LED lights to indicate power status for each port
* Plug & Play: No driver installation required
* Backward compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1
What’s in the box?
* 7 USB 3.0 Port
* 4.25ft 12V 3A Power Adapter
* 2 ft USB 3.0 Cable
* User Manual
Visual Inspection
As per any Sabrent product, the branding is on point with plenty of important details on all sides of the packaging.
Just slide off the outer shell to reveal the main box. This houses in a dual compartment layout the hub and the accessories.
You receive, besides the hub:
* One 13cm long 12V 3A Power Adapter (US plug with a removable top)
* One detailed user’s manual
* One 6cm long USB 3.0 Cable
The Sabrent hub offers, as you can see, 7x Type-A USB ports with individual switches and status blue LEDs. The front has a glossy finish and a protective film that can be peeled off.
On the back it features a highly useful anti-slip low profile pad.
This side houses self-explanatory ports, as in the USB 3.0 and the power one.
Let’s go back inside and test it out!
Testing methodology
* The Sabrent hub was connected to the front USB Type-A which is also USB 3.0 5Gbps compatible
* Real life file transfer tests
* (SATA SSDs only) Make sure you use a SATA 6Gbps capable motherboard and a matching cable to avoid bottle-necking. Then double check in the BIOS that you have the AHCI mode activated
Hardware used:
– CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600x
– CPU Cooling: SilentiumPC Navis F240 AIO
– Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B550-i Gaming mITX @ BIOS 2803
– Boot SSD: Samung 970 PRO 1TB M.2 Gen3x4 MLC PCIe NVMe 1.3
– Video card: ASUS GTX 1080 STRIX A8G
– PSU: Corsair SF750 SFX Platinum
– Case: Phanteks Evolv Shift XT ARGB mITX
Testing, Results and Analysis
As for build construction, the Sabrent hub is build from plastic with a glossy finish to the front side. The power buttons have a satisfying click to them while all of the ports and plugs offer a snug fit.
We highly appreciate the separate power delivery white LED so you know the hub is operational, besides the USB ports’ individual blue LEDs.
This 7-Port hub, as you can see, is compatible with pretty much a wide array of USB devices from hard drives, USB sticks to power banks. All of this is happening without the need of any drivers whatsoever.
The hub is USB 3.0 compatible which means it will offer up to 5 Gbps of bandwidth which is sufficient for external HDDs and SATA SSDs. This is a quick transfer of a folder containing mixed files with different sizes and the hub offered plenty of bandwidth in order for the HDD to achieve its maximum write speed.
Conclusion
The Sabrent 7-port USB hub delivers as promised, a highly practical gadget that let’s you connect multiple devices at the same time, reliably and without any hassle. It missed an opportunity to offer fast/smart charging and Type-C ports as well but for the asking price, it’s still a great buy. Alas, its plug and play nature combined with the individual ON/OFF ‘clicky’ switches makes it a must have gadget!
The good:
+ Highly practical hub
+ Perfect for charging and connecting multiple devices at the same time
+ 7 ports with individual LED and ON/OFF switches
+ Plug and play, no drivers required
+ Anti-slip low profile pad
The bad:
– Missed opportunity for Type-C ports and fast charging
– Might benefit from a slightly less clunky USB 3.0 cable
Glob3trotters “Must Have” Award 4.5 out of 5
A lot of thanks to Sabrent for supplying us with this great gadget!
