Plugable Releases Two New USB Hubs For Hybrid Workers

The two new four-port USB 3.0 hubs from Plugable are available in USB-C and USB-A flavours.

Much of my time as a technology reviewer is spent looking at sophisticated peripherals such as Thunderbolt hubs and multi-monitor docking stations. However, for most of us, those devices are overkill and all many of us need is a simple and affordable way to get a few more USB ports for our laptops.

It's been quite a while since I received a press release about such a humble accessory, but one has finally turned up. Plugable is a US company that makes all manner of handy accessories for extending the usefulness of laptop and desktop computers. Now that many more of us are working from home, a mini-boom in tech gadgets has made our computers more flexible.

Plugable has announced a brace of compact and portable USB hubs, each featuring four extra USB ports. These two new hubs are bus-powered and offer a simple and effective way of expanding any laptop at a very sensible price and would make an ideal Father's Day gift. The two new models are the Plugable USB-C hub (USBC-HUB4A) and the USB 3.0 (Type A) version (USB3-HUB4A). Each hub has a launch pr at $12.95 with a $3 discount coupon.

Depending on the vintage of your computer, you'll want the USB-C or USB-A version of Plugable's new ... [+] four-port, bus-powered hubs.

Each hub has four high-speed USB 3.0 ports with data transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. That's not entirely up to the top speed of 10Gbps that some hubs offer, but indeed fine for most uses with a laptop or desktop computer. The hubs are ideal for adding peripherals such as keyboards, mice, webcams, gaming controllers and RF dongles for mice and keyboards.

Featuring a small-scale, lightweight and durable design made from a matte plastic finish, users can throw the hubs in their computer bag without worrying about the hubs scratching a laptop's casing, as can sometimes happen with metal hubs.

Both hubs are universally compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and Linux, making them easy to use and switch between many devices.

Pricing & Availability: Plugable's USB-C hub (USBC-HUB4A) is available now and costs $12.95 with a $3 launch coupon. The USB A version (USB3-HUB4A) is also available now and will sell for $12.95 with a $3 launch coupon. Both are globally available from Amazon.com.

More info: plugable.com