RSHTECH USB Hub Powered 7 Port USB 3.0 Data Hub Aluminum USB Extension Splitter with Individual On/Off Switch Universal AC to DC 5V Power Adapter (RSH-518)

Having used RSTech hubs in the past and found them to be well made and reliable, I had high expectations for this 7 Port USB 3.0 Hub and I wasn't disappointed.First impressions were very good. This is available from Amazon - I don't think I shop anywhere else these days so availability on this platform is important - and at a good price.The packaging is mainly recyclable which is really imnportant - just a couple of plastic slips for the unit and mains adapter - and is neat and attractive.This is a great example of "you get what you pay for" and for around £30 on a deal at Amazon, the unit is really well made with nice lines, a mirror-shine top and metallic trim. RSTech have gone for a less angular approach to this unit that ones I have owned in the past and it's an improvement - neat and functional. And it feels strong and well made.This version has touch on/off buttons for each port, which is great, plus really bright LED indicator lights for when a port is on - something I have found to be a bit lacking in older models.The addition of a 14 mode RGB light strip around the edge of the base of the unit doesn't add to the functionality (although it makes it easy to find in a dark room perhaps!) but it certainly adds to the fun and aesthetic of this hub - I like this feature.In use, it does exactly what it is meant to do; be a good quality USB hub, efficiently and competently. As this is a new unit, I don't know how long it will last for, but if my other RSTech hubs are anything to go by, it will be a very long time - I have confidence in this brand's build quality.There are a couple of improvements I think RS Tech could still make to this and other similar units.Although reassuringly weighty, the USB and 5v adapter wires are stronger can tend to "steer" the hub where I don't want it to go either on my desk or on top of my computer meaning that it slides around a little. The addition of some self adhesive hook & loop tape as a fixing option would be a nice touch.The other change I would make is in the plug type (UK). This unit has one of those plugs that seems to be upside down and too big, so if it is being used with a block adapter in the wall it is quite tricky to get it to fit - a much smaller plug would be welcome.On balance though, these minor downsides are made up for several times over by the quality and utility of this hub - it has already become a very welcome addition to my computer setup. I have a lot of peripherals that plug into this hub - drawing tablet, Streamdeck, extra tablet (as a second screen), wireless mouse and keyboard, a card reader and an external hard drive - all work flawlessly through it - I am a happy customer.

The USB hub was very easy to install. It replaced a USB3.0 hub which still worked. However, with this hub my Bluetooth adapter range has increased from 20cm to 200cm, my scanner always starts up properly and my wireless network adapter works! It was a bit of a random guess that a replacement hub would be better but I couldn't think what else was causing my issues!

Only powered-hubs seem to work, and not all those, in my experience. This does OK, the individual power switches for each outlet are useful, best switched off when not needed. It works less efficiently the more it is asked to do at once. These hubs seem to affect any other USB outlet on the laptop, so the wireless keyboard and mouse USB dongle runs better from this hub. But unless it is quite close by, the mouse gets troublesome, if there's a lot going on. The hub powers an external hard drive carrying music and pictures, also linked to the cloud, which it handles effectively. It also runs an external CD drive when needed (otherwise switched off) and copes with eg ripping CDs effectively. When the cloud is synchronizing a lot of files, things tend to slow up. The laptop has only two USB ports (why?), and this is a £30 fix - not ideal but a lot cheaper than getting rid of an otherwise decent computer. I think worth a try for the money.

Have had this now for a little while and still verey pleased with it. Works very well, I love the individual on/off buttons for each USB connection. Can recommend

This USB hub works exactly as it should. It is sturdily made, with a metal case and good, solid sockets. Since the sockets are switched, it's easy to leave HDDs or other hardware unconnected when not needed, rather than unplugging them as would be otherwise necessary. (I have three HDDs and if they were all connected all the time, startup and shutdown would be slowed.) The indicator lights next to the switches for each socket are fairly dim, but visible, and when data transfer is in progress, the light flickers, which is a plus. Data transfer is quick and clean. While recently copying nearly 100Gb of video from one hard drive (not SSD) to another, the transfer rate as shown on the Windows pane remained at a constant 21 Mb/s, which is fair. (It depends on the devices, not the hub) .All in all, I can recommend this unit.

I've only had it a few days, but it seems to work just fine. I like this style of hub because it sits down nicely on a table and doesn't fall over as some models do. And each socket has its own switch, so you can turn off the ones you're not using.

pretty good value, and having the switches is a nice touch to turn off devices. worked fine (as you'd expect) on ubuntu running on a mac mini

I purchased this hub mainly because it's powered, so I can use it to connect and charge many devices at once while not having a mess of cables near my laptop. Works decently with most devices, as long as they don't need too much power. When charging an iPad and powering an external HDD, for example, it would often disconnect. The individual switches are really useful to enable devices only when needed (like the external HDD, or some USB-powered accessories). When powered, a small led next to the USB port lights up. They're quite bright but it doesn't bother me as it's tucked under my monitor. If you have it on your desk and work in the dark, it may be a little distracting.Aesthetically it's a black block with a chrome rim, I prefer more subtle designs but for this price you can't pretend a red dot award. Overall a good accessory with some minor flaws, balanced by the good price.Pros:- not too bulky- good number of ports- individual switches for each port- powered- quite cheapCons:- some reliability issues when multiple power-hungry devices are connected- loud "buzzing" sound at times, quite annoying if, like me, your home office is in the bedroom. I just unplug it at night.