frontAny computer enthusiast will tell you the two things you can never have enough of: USB ports and cooling. Having finally moved into an office that will hopefully survive the summer with me, I was ready to make my desktop as practicle as it could be comfortable. A combination of great timing, psychic abilities, and a few hundred emails to Artic Cooling resulted in them sending us a care package to help.

Product Name: Breeze Pro & Arctic Hub

Review Sample Provided by: Arctic Cooling

Review by: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Specifications (Breeze Pro)
Limited Warranty 2 years
Dimensions (Packaging) 130 L x 96 W x 223 H mm
Dimensions (Product) 104 L x 95 W x 197 H mm
Compatibility USB 2.0
Fan (mm) 92
Rated Fan Speed 800 - 1800 RPM, ()
Cable (m) 1.8
itemnumber ABACO-BZP01-01000
UPC 0872767003446
Weight 0.42

Specifications (Arctic Hub)
Dimensions (Packaging) 123 L x 95 W x 29 H mm
Limited Warranty 2 years
Host Interface USB 2.0
Ports 4 x Type A nUSB 2.0 for devices
Indicator 1 x green LED
Net Weight 24g
itemnumber ORACO-HUB01-CSA01
UPC 087276700299
Weight 0.07 kg

Packaging
Both the Breeze Pro and the Arctic Hub are packaged fairly simply, consisting mostly of a clear plastic allowing a direct view of the enclosed product against a cardboard insert. The plastic is crimped in a few places along the sides, allowing consumers to pop the front and the back apart and access the product quickly and without wounds.

1a

8a

2a

Set-Up
Getting both accessories ready to use requires only enough effort to break the plastic and plug into an open USB port. From there, the Breeze Pro features can be set from the minimum RPM of 800 to 1800 via the knob outlined in blue, which also indicates power. Likewise, the hub will show a green LED indicator on the top.

4a

Performance
The four port USB hub is a nice little design, with three ports in each rivet of a fan shape. The final port rests on top, which is probably my favorite since plugging devices in vertically is usually quicker. At $9.90 it holds some great value, with competitor's standing at about five dollars more MSRP.

The Breeze Pro also features a built-in 4-port USB hub, two to the right and two to the left of the speed adjust knob. The base is made of solid material and is heavy enough to hold it's own regardless of how you twist or turn the flexible neck. Hidden in the base is a circular rivet which can be used to wind and store excess cable (at full extension the cord is almost 2 meters).

6a

3a

As mentioned before, the fan speed can be adjusted anywhere between 800 and 1800RPM, which is just under what a 120mm case fan can achieve. Even at its lowest setting a slight breeze can be felt at a normal desk distance if the fan is next to the monitor. At full blast, there have been several times I've turned the speed down because my face gets chilly. The Breeze Pro is also dead silent, regardless of what speed it is set to.

5a

7a

Overall
The Arctic hub is probably one of the best values you can find for USB 2.0 expansion, and has a design that doesn't hurt to look at. The Breeze Pro, admittedly, may seem a little luxurious at first, but I found myself sacrificing that wind-in-you-hair feeling for more practicle uses, such as keeping my mouse hand free of sweat while gaming. The fan does MSRP a bit high in my opinion at $29.99, a good ten to fifteen dollars more than competitors. If you sacrifice one USB port and the ability to adjust speeds, the same set-up can be assembled by purchasing AC's own portable USB fan and plugging it into the aforemention Arctic hub for about ten dollars less.

fvrecomended

Author Bio
Lersar
Author: Lersar
Contributing Editor / Event Staff
Adam is a big proponent of LAN parties, esports and speed-running, and helps organize our semi-annual LAN events. He has covered hardware and software reviews of a wide variety, but most content these days come from event coverage, such as other LAN parties.

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Myndmelt's Avatar
Myndmelt replied the topic: #19528 02 Sep 2011 02:55
I like this, I think i want get one of these. The fan I have on my desk now is LOUD and doesn't even put out much air, and there are no friggin usb ports on it. I'ts just a fan LOL
garfi3ld's Avatar
garfi3ld replied the topic: #19529 02 Sep 2011 03:03
I want one of these and multiple silverstone fans to keep myself cool at lans
Nacelle's Avatar
Nacelle replied the topic: #19535 02 Sep 2011 14:44
Doesn't look very cat friendly. I can see my cat trying to figure out what it is and getting whacked in the face.
garfi3ld's Avatar
garfi3ld replied the topic: #19538 02 Sep 2011 18:17

Nacelle wrote: Doesn't look very cat friendly. I can see my cat trying to figure out what it is and getting whacked in the face.


he will only do it once lol
Arxon's Avatar
Arxon replied the topic: #19539 02 Sep 2011 18:30

garfi3ld wrote:

Nacelle wrote: Doesn't look very cat friendly. I can see my cat trying to figure out what it is and getting whacked in the face.


he will only do it once lol

y

Unless he is one of those cats that goes back for seconds.
Nacelle's Avatar
Nacelle replied the topic: #19541 02 Sep 2011 20:22
Yea, my cat's aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. They'd look like Rocky after one of his fights.
garfi3ld's Avatar
garfi3ld replied the topic: #19542 02 Sep 2011 20:24
lol
Myndmelt's Avatar
Myndmelt replied the topic: #19544 02 Sep 2011 20:32
Good call about about the cats, my little buddy would probably put his nose right into that, then hed probably be scared any time I turned it on. Lol :lol:
Arxon's Avatar
Arxon replied the topic: #19546 02 Sep 2011 21:06
Haha

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
THUMPer's Avatar
THUMPer replied the topic: #19662 07 Sep 2011 23:07
i need one that i can put in my pants for LANs. my balls get really sweaty.
garfi3ld's Avatar
garfi3ld replied the topic: #19663 07 Sep 2011 23:08
without a fan gaurd it might get a little painful!
THUMPer's Avatar
THUMPer replied the topic: #19664 07 Sep 2011 23:14
water cool my pants

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