My workstation has three USB-C ports, which sounds like a lot, but it's not enough with how many newer accessories now rely on USB-C. I connected this Acer hub to my fastest port, and it immediately gave me four extra USB 3.2 Gen 2 connections to work with. That's about the number of ports I need day-to-day, so it fit my setup well.Most of my use is attaching external drives for backups. I connected a 5-drive USB JBOD tower, and the hub transferred files at about the same speed as my motherboard's native ports. With large files on mechanical drives, I averaged around 135 MBps, and with my Corsair external SSD I saw closer to 155 MBps. That's not the maximum that SSD can do, but it's consistent and reliable for backups and transfers.The hub also includes a 100W PD port for charging a laptop while adding USB-C expansion. This only works if your laptop supports charging over USB-C, but if it does, you can run power through the hub and still gain four more ports at the same time. I tested this with a Dell laptop, and the setup worked fine. For my desktop PC, I don't use the PD port, but it's a handy feature for travel or portable work setups.The aluminum case feels sturdy, doesn't get hot under load, and the hub is small enough to tuck into a laptop bag if needed. It's plug and play, no setup required, and just works as expected.Overall, if you're short on USB-C ports and need extra connections for drives or accessories, this hub delivers good performance at a fair price.
