USB Hub

Hello all, I need to get a USB hub for my macbook and was hoping to get some input from others about good and bad ones.

1-Powered USB Hub
2-Non Powered USB Hub
3-Max Ports


thanks

I also just started looking for hubs. The one I have is only USB 1.2 and slows things down.

I think you only need powered if you are plugging high-need things (printers, external drives) into them. I've seen 2 port versions out there, but don't see the point... for the price and space on your desk at least 4 seems best.

Thinkgeek has fun ones but I've been shopping at newegg. Any brands to recommend?

I bought a 4 port D-Link, powered, USB2 hub several years ago for about $20 at my local Office Depot. I strongly recommend a powered one and at least USB 2 for speed. I use external, USB powered portable disks (Transcend Storjet) that are happy with it.
sam

4 ports is the biggest you can get for an unpowered USB 2.0 hub and stay within spec, so it is a common size. Many 4 port hubs are either powered or unpowered, with an optional AC adapter. 7 is a common size for powered hubs, but there are even bigger ones. I have one 7 port powered hub, plus the one in the keyboard.

USB 3.0 really made this much more complicated, but basically, it works like this: If you want to plug in things that get their power from USB, ie do not have a power plug of their own, get a powered hub. Printers, scanners and 3.5" HDDs generally have external power and can be plugged in to anything. Smaller 2.5" HDDs, opticals and anything that is charging generally draws power from the port, and should be plugged in to a powered hub or directly to the computer. It CAN work to plug them in to an unpowered hub, especially if not everything is used at once, but it will also lead to strange errors from time to time.

Great help thanks guys, I will go to my local MicroCenter and see what they have to offer, I think I will stay away from the thinkGeek place they seem more pretty and fun than functional, and I want to use it for a while so I will look for a name brand. Again thanks

Microcenter? Wow I thought they were out of business.

Steve

There's one in MA too that still seems to be functioning, despite being surrounded by Apple stores.