The Cheap Amazon Gadget That Converts Your USB Port To HDMI For Only $13
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Running out of HDMI ports in your laptop or PC? It happens, especially if you have multiple displays or other gear plugged in. Fortunately, you can use a USB to HDMI converter, like the fairly cheap $13 adapter from Reborn, to turn one of your compatible USB ports into a video-friendly outlet. It's pretty straightforward to use.
Plug the adapter into an available USB port and it effectively becomes an HDMI port, so you can tie in external displays with full support for mirroring and extended visual modes. This also works with devices like projectors, monitors, and TVs. The ports being used have to be USB Type-A 3.0 to work correctly. Also, note that the adapter requires installation of an included driver and the output is limited to 1080P Full HD.
From over 400 reviews, the Reborn HDMI adapter has a 4.1 out of 5 star rating with nearly 80% coming in at four or above. Several commenters noted its ease of installation and how it works great as long as you install the driver. A couple of negative reviews call out those software drivers, though, and report that the adapter doesn't work as intended, like offering extended display modes. So, your mileage may vary. On the plus side, this Amazon gadget is quite a bit cheaper than, say, spending $120 for an HDMI device to turn your smart TV into a PC.
Why would you want this USB to HDMI adapter?
Typically, laptops only come with a single HDMI port, while they may have two or more USB ports. You could use an HDMI splitter to send data to multiple monitors from that single port, but this doesn't allow you to benefit from extended displays — they simply mirror the main output signal. With this Reborn HDMI adapter, however, you could turn one of the USB ports (provided it's USB 3.0), into a video output. Several reviewers even mention adding second or third monitors to their setups.
For $13, it's a relatively cheap way to extend your laptop or desktop setup, making it a contender for our list of the most useful USB gadgets under $40. It's no portable fan or vacuum cleaner, but this USB-to-HDMI device certainly improves the experience of using external displays, projectors or TVs. While you're at it, consider upgrading any old HDMI cables.