I absolutely hate using the USB ports on the back of my PC. It’s inconvenient having to get under a desk with a flashlight to find the ports, bang my head on the desk, and resume whatever it was I was doing (sometimes my head gets hit hard). The few USB ports on top of the case are almost always in use by something. Most USB hubs are annoying since they take up room on the desk, taking away valuable writing or mouse space. Thankfully, NZXT has a solution in their Bunker.
The NZXT Bunker installs in a 5.25″ bay and plugs into a 9-pin USB header on your motherboard (the same connector is on the Bunker itself). Four retracting USB 2.0 ports reside behind a lockable plastic door that provides enough clearance to pass a USB cable through, securing peripherals while in public locations such as LAN parties. It’s secure enough to prevent the casual thief from easily removing your keyboard/mouse/memory stick. I tried to force the door open by hand and couldn’t get a good enough grip to do anything. Tools would be far more effective, but far more conspicuous at the same time. Pulling on a USB cord extending beneath the door allowed the device to disconnect—a hard pull would probably break either the door or the USB plug. Tough to tell which would go first (I’m not fond of intentionally breaking things), but the noise would probably get some unwanted attention.
Install and usage
What can I say? Plug it in and it just works. No drivers, no software, no nothing.
If your case has a door covering the 5.25″ bays and you like to keep that door closed, this device will foil those plans if there are cables extending. Otherwise it’s no big deal.
Long USB sticks may not be a good idea if the door needs to be secured. Measuring beyond the USB connector, the right-most port will allow up to a one-inch device and the left-most connector will allow a two-inch device with the door closed. This is due to the retracting USB panel and the point at which it begins retracting as the door closes. The panel doesn’t start retracting immediately as the door closes, causing just enough contact between the door and USB stick to prevent the retraction mechanism from working correctly.
To test USB performance, Atto was run on the same hard drive plugged into USB 2.0 ports on the motherboard I/O panel and the Bunker.
NZXT Bunker and rear USB ports, respectively
No big surprises here. Performance is close, with the Bunker and rear USB ports trading the lead at various data sizes.
Conclusion
When looked at strictly as a USB hub, the NZXT Bunker might seem a little costly. After all it’s a four port hub that costs $25. Quality USB hubs can be obtained for a bit less, but the benefits of a reasonably secure, bay-mounted hub certainly make up for the cost. If you’re looking for a convenient USB hub that stays out of the way, the NZXT Bunker is a good pick and is deserving of the Icrontic Stamp of Approval.
The NZXT Bunker is available from Amazon
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