Atari Cave

Computer Accessories & Peripherals

Computer accessories & peripherals compared on the specs makers publish, with who each pick suits and who should skip it.

30 articles

  1. Best Powered USB Hub for Writers Who Plug In a Lot

    Which powered USB hub belongs on a writing desk? Four switched ports, a 9-port monster, and a card reader combo, compared by ports, power and switches.

    12 min read

  2. Best Silent UPS Battery Backup by Runtime and Watts

    Five UPS units compared on runtime, wattage and noise for a design desk. What actually keeps a workstation quiet during an outage, and which unit fits under a monitor stand without fan hum.

    13 min read

  3. Best Portable USB Hub for Graphic Designers at Your Desk

    Bus power keeps you light; a wall adapter keeps a drawing tablet steady. Here's which USB hub matches your desk, from the 1.28 oz Anker to an 8-port atolla.

    16 min read

  4. Best Compact USB Hub for Engineers Who Travel Light

    Seven USB hubs lined up on the specifications that decide a cramped bench: port count, weight, cord length, whether they carry their own power adapter, and what the warranty actually says.

    18 min read

  5. Best Portable UPS Battery Backup: APC BE600M1 Wins

    A dropped file at 2% render progress is the failure mode nobody plans for. Here's how six UPS units compare on wattage, outlet count and weight, and which one belongs under a working desk.

    16 min read

  6. Best Powered USB Hub for Graphic Designers: intpw Wins

    A working desk needs ports that hold up under a Wacom, two drives, a card reader and a phone on charge. Six powered hubs, ranked for design work.

    15 min read

  7. Best SDR Receiver by Frequency Range and Bandwidth

    Six SDR receivers compared by frequency range, tuner accuracy and bandwidth, with the Nooelec NESDR v5 leading on coverage and the RTL-SDR Blog V3 close behind.

    16 min read

  8. Best Compact UPS Battery Backup for a Dorm Desk

    Six small UPS units compared on runtime, outlet count and weight, with a clear winner for a cramped dorm desk and honest picks for anyone who runs a desktop tower.

    14 min read

  9. Best RGB Powered USB Hub for a Crowded Desk

    Seven RGB powered USB hubs, ranked by port count, wattage, and lighting control. The ZIUMIER L100 leads for busy USB 3.0 desks; a Sabrent stays cleaner.

    16 min read

  10. Best Budget USB Hub for Programmers: TP-Link Wins

    A working programmer's desk needs more USB ports than any laptop ships with. Here are six hubs ranked by what a coder actually plugs into them.

    16 min read

  11. Best USB Hub When One Laptop Port Is All You Get

    Five USB hubs compared on ports, switches, weight and published warranty terms, with clear advice on which one suits a shared family laptop and which one belongs on a desk that never moves.

    15 min read

  12. Best Budget USB Hub for Students: Picks by Profile

    One free port on a student laptop is never enough. Here's which cheap USB hub actually earns its spot in a backpack, and which pick fits which setup.

    18 min read

  13. Best Budget Powered USB Hub for a Home Desk

    A cost-conscious guide to picking a powered USB hub that actually keeps your peripherals fed, with six ranked picks from 4 to 10 ports.

    16 min read

  14. Best Powered USB Hub for CAD Workstations

    Seven powered hubs compared for CAD workstations, ranked by port count, transfer speed and power budget. A 10Gbps 9-port model leads.

    16 min read

  15. Best Silent Powered USB Hub for a Cluttered Desk

    The intpw 9-Port 10Gbps hub wins on port mix and adapter headroom, but four other picks earn a place depending on what you plug in.

    16 min read

  16. Best UPS Battery Backup When Desk Space Is Tight

    Five UPS units compared on published capacity, runtime claims, outlet counts and footprint, with a named winner for desk-side use and clear thresholds for when a 1500VA tower makes more sense.

    15 min read

  17. Best RGB USB Hub for Graphic Designers' Desk Setups

    Port count is not what decides an RGB USB hub. Power delivery and cable reach are, and only two of these six publish a wall adapter figure. Here is how the six compare, and which one belongs under a designer's monitor arm.

    17 min read

  18. Best Premium USB Hub for Writers: Atolla 8-Port

    A writer's desk fills up fast: keyboard, backup drive, card reader, headset, phone on charge. I lined up seven hubs and named the one that actually holds a working setup together.

    18 min read

  19. Best USB Hub for Remote Workers: Anker Wins

    Six USB hubs compared for home-office use. The winner weighs 1.28 oz and carries an 18-month warranty. The runner-up adds 4K HDMI and 100W passthrough.

    15 min read

  20. Best RGB USB Hub: ZIUMIER L90 Leads the Field

    Port count is the wrong thing to compare on an RGB USB hub. Whether the hub carries its own power supply is what actually decides it, and only two of these seven do.

    18 min read