Introduction
Founded in 2003, Silicon Power Computer & Communications Inc. is a company which manufactures and sells flash memory cards, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, solid state drives, DRAM modules and industrial-grade products. The company is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, and has offices around the world.
Official product link:
https://sabrent.com/products/hb-u930
Packaging and accessories
The USB hub is delivered in a regular cardboard made box. The front of the box has a color image of the USB hub and its main features.
The back part of the box has a diagram with all the ports available on the hub. This includes both the front and back sides.
The complete technical specifications for this product are listed on the side of the box. Here we have the serial number, product number and the transfer speeds offered by each USB port.
The protection offered by the packaging is average, with a cardboard tray holding everything in position.
Accessories
USB 3.0 hub
12V/4A power adapter
USB cable
User Manual
Specifications
Model: HB-U930
Form Factor: Vertical Hub;
Input: 12V/4A via the included power supply;
Output:
1.5A per USB port;
2.4 amps from the two USB charging ports;
Weight: 170g
Dimensions: 15 x 10 x 15cm
Interface:
AC – USB
Warranty: 3 years
Features:
Instantly Add Seven USB 3.0 Ports + 2 Charging Ports to Any Compatible Device
Supports Transfer Speeds up to 5Gbps (USB 3.0), 480Mbps (USB 2.0), 12Mbps (USB 1.1)
Features Over-Current Protection Safeguards When Equipment is Connected From Over-Voltages
12V 4 Amp Power Adapter Included to Power up Your Devices
Easy to set up, Plug & Play, Hot Swappable
Visual inspection
The Sabrent 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub has a simple design, with a rectangular shape and a black plastic body. There isn’t much in terms of graphics or design elements, nor should they be for a product of this type.
The USB hub has no less than seven data transfer USB 3.0 ports. Two at the front, the blue ones, and five at the back of the unit.
The red USB ports are made for high-speed USB charging and are directly connected to the power AC system of the hub, just so you know.
At the back and lower part of the hub you have the main usb transfer port in the shape of a USB Type-B connector and above it you have a round AC power slot and that’s about it for ports.
The disassembly procedure for this little USB hub is easy, you just pry the case open and it will snap out. Be careful when you do this because the side panel is only held in place by plastic clips and doing this one too many times will break them.
With the case opened, we are welcomed by a clean layout PCB and some average soldering quality.
There’s also some residue left from the manufacturing process or perhaps some type of adhesive meant to keep the PCB attached to the casing.
The hub uses not one but two USB 3.0 controllers, made by Genesys Logic and with the model number: GL3510. This is not a new controller as it has been with us for a while now. But it has seen a wide use for USB hubs and thus it has a proven record of reliability and performance.
This USB hub has an activity LED and it’s blue, and quite bright and it cannot be turned off. Another thing to keep in mind is that you need to have this USB hub plugged into a power outlet, otherwise no USB port works.
Final thoughts
The Sabrent 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub is a good USB hub that is clearly well-made and it offers USB 3.0 speeds plus two dedicated USB charging ports.
The performance is as good as it gets, you won’t win any transfer speed races with this hub as you are being limited by the controller and of course, by the USB 3.0 device you will be using. So don’t bother with high-speed USB Type-C adapters because you won’t get much that way.
The installation is simple; you just plug the power cable and brick into your power outlet and the USB Type-B cable into the back of the hub and the PC or notebook and that’s about it.
The blue status light can be intrusive, but it can always be covered by some tape. What I don’t like about this hub is the requirement to have it plugged into a power outlet to work, a thing which other USB hubs do not need. However, the logic behind it is good, you want fast charging, you need an AC connection.
In conclusion, The Sabrent 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub is a good option for those that need more USB ports for data transfers and for charging. It offers ample speed and power for charging and transfer while taking little real estate on your desk. The build quality is good as well, with no complaints to be had.
