Why a USB hub can be slower than the port it plugs into

Adding a hub multiplies the number of sockets on a desk but it does not multiply the bandwidth behind them. Everything plugged into a hub shares the single connection back to the computer, which is fine for a keyboard and a mouse and immediately noticeable if you attach two external drives and start copying.

Shared bandwidth, shared power

A bus-powered hub also splits the available current between its ports. A portable hard drive that spins up fine on its own can fail to mount behind a hub that is already running a webcam and a light. If the devices you are attaching have their own power draw, a hub with a dedicated power input stops that problem before it starts.

Where to put the slow things

Keyboards, mice, dongles and card readers barely use any bandwidth and belong on the hub. Drives, capture devices and anything carrying video belong directly on the machine. Sorting devices that way costs nothing and removes most hub complaints.

Cable length between hub and computer

A hub on a long cable is convenient because it can sit at the front edge of the desk. It is also the point where marginal cables show up, since the hub is doing all its work through that one run. Where a hub comes with a captive cable, its length and quality are effectively part of the product.

What we have on the shelf for this

Everything below is in the USB Cables and Hubs section at HnH Tech right now, listed newest price first. Stock moves, so the page is the authority.

• Tether Tools TetherPro USB-C to USB 3.0 Micro-B Cable — $49.99
• UGREEN USB C 240W Cable with Digital Display, PD 100W Fast Charging, 10FT — $21.99
• ABFCRTTW 4Ft 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub for Desktop — $19.99
• 140W USB-C to Magnetic 3 Cable 6.6ft, for MacBook Pro/Air M2-M5, White — $19.79
• Sokelinn-six USB Data Transfer Cable, USB to USB PC to PC High Speed Datas File Document Pic — $17.99
• USB 2.0 High Speed Laptop USB to USB PC Data File Transfer Cable Link Direct Copy Between 2 — $17.99

What it costs

Across usb cables and hubs at HnH Tech prices currently run from $17.99 to $49.99. In usb cables and hubs that spread is mostly build quality and pack size rather than brand name: the cheapest option on this shelf is a reasonable place to start, and the dearest earns the difference in daily use rather than on the specification sheet.

Questions we get at the counter

Can I pick up in the store?

Yes. Order online and call us on the number in the footer to arrange collection at 15 Eldridge St. We will tell you whether the item is on the shelf before you make the trip.

What if the cable is the wrong length?

Return it within 30 days, unused and in its original packaging, and we will refund the item price.

Related parts of the shop

If this was not quite what you were looking for, the neighbouring sections are Cable Management, Display and Monitor, Power Cords. They are all listed on the shop page.

Buying from HnH Tech

United States orders of $39 and over ship free, and a flat $5.95 applies below that. Everything is packed at 15 Eldridge St in New York and we ship within the United States only. HnH Tech takes returns for 30 days from delivery on unused items in their original packaging, and the full terms are on the HnH Tech return policy page. If a specification you need is missing from a product page, call +1 212-202-2629 during opening hours — Mon-Sun: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM — and we will check the item physically rather than guess.

Side by side

The table below pulls the published figures off the 6 usb cables and hubs listings above so they can be compared without opening six tabs. A dash means the manufacturer of that usb cables and hub did not state the figure, not that the item lacks it, because HnH Tech does not fill those gaps with estimates. Where a number matters to your decision and the table shows a dash, call +1 212-202-2629 and we will measure the item at the 15 Eldridge St counter in about a minute.

How the rest of the shop is laid out

HnH Tech keeps a deliberately narrow computer cables and desk cable management range, split into the sections below. The counts and price bands are read from the live hnhtech.shop catalogue at the moment this page was built, so they show the actual shape of the the Lower East Side shelf rather than a marketing summary of it. If a section looks small, that is because HnH Tech would rather stock a few things we can answer questions about than list everything a distributor offers.