USB Hub Buying Guide

The word USB is an acronym for the Universal Serial Bus and a USB hub is one sure way to add additional USB ports to your computer. Old computers usually come with one or two USB ports on the back of the tower. The newer models are a bit different. They have more ports located on the sides and some on the front. While having more than two ports would be quite enough for some people, others may need more than double that. Therefore, if you need to connect several computer peripherals such as camera, keyboard, mouse, network hub, printer, and much more, then you really need a USB hub. Before you buy a USB hub, there are four things you must consider: operating system, number of ports, speed, and price.

Speed

In the market presently, there are two versions of the USB technology, USB 1.1 and USB 2.0. The difference between these two is the speed. USB 1.1 has a lower data transfer speed compared to USB 2.0. USB 2.0 offers data transfer at as much as 480 mbps, whereas, USB 1.1 transfers data at the rate of 12 mbps. Now, a USB hub that uses 2.0 technologies can accommodate 1.1 devices without hassle. On the other hand, a USB hub that supports 1.1 may not be compatible with 2.0 devices. You should note that the speed is greatly reduced when using a 2.0 hub with a USB 1.1 port.

Operating System

Some USB hubs are built for specific operating systems. Therefore, you have to check to see that the USB hub you want to buy supports the operating system. To put shortly, always check to see if it is Mac OX, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Linux compatible.

Number of Ports

Some USB hub comes with 3 ports, some have 4, and others could be as much as 15 ports or more. Looking for a USB hub that has a specific number of ports should depend on the number of peripherals you intend to run at the same time with your machine. It is easy to buy another USB hub if your need increases.

Price

The very best of electronic machines, gadgets, and computer peripherals cost more. The same is true with the USB hub. Nonetheless, we can still save few bucks by comparing prices online and at stores. First, figure out exactly which USB hub you would like to buy and compare the prices. Prices differ, at least slightly, from store to store.

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-By Dominic

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