Inateck’s back with a new USB 3.0 hub that’s perfect for anyone who needs a hub that can travel with them. The HB4012 Ultra-Slim 4-port USB 3.0 hub is not only inexpensive ($9.99 on Amazon, affiliate link), but extremely lightweight and small.
Design
For a 4-port USB 3.0 hub, the HB4012 is tiny at just 3.74 x 1.18 x .35 inches (95 x 30 x 9 mm) and weighs a featherweight 1 ounce (28.35 grams). There’s a USB cable for connecting to your device that’s approximately 6 inches (152.4 mm) long, and the four USB 3.0 ports are located with three on one side and one on the opposite side of the connecting cable. A tiny blue LED indicates that the hub is powered up and ready to go.
Function
All four of the ports are USB 3.0 SuperSpeed compatible, and as such support data transfer speeds up to 5 Gigabits/second. Since this is not a powered hub, it’s best to use it to connect to devices that don’t have much of a power draw. I was able to connect two small wearable cameras via micro-USB cables and two USB Flash drives with no problems, but I wouldn’t suggest trying more than one bus-powered USB 3.0 hard drive. Surprisingly for such a small package, the HB4012 includes built-in overvoltage / overcurrent / leakage and short-circuit protection to keep your devices safe.
While the HB4012 might not stand up to long-term use due to its plastic shell, the low price and high-performance of the hub make it perfect for just about anyone considering a USB 3.0 hub for mobile use.
Conclusion
Tiny, fast, and inexpensive — that’s the Inateck HB4012 Ultra-Slim 4-port USB 3.0 hub. If the plastic shell has you worried about durability, consider the $11.99 aluminum-encased HB4102 instead.
