Overwhelmed with choice for 4-port USB 2.0 hubs. It looks like they only differ in the looks and probably have the same chips inside.

Are there any real internal differences that make some better than others?

Ie faster/more reliable/longer lasting?

Please notice the number of ports wanted (4) and the version (2.0).

I have never seen any tests to tell us speeds. My guess is they are one of a number of chips but basically all do the same. All this stuff is junk for the most part. I've never even seen an industrial hub that seems to do better than home use ones.

The only major difference I know of is extra power as in powered hub. It may be useful.

I have several of those old hubs, and they mostly work about the same. The one I use regularly is a powered hub, because unpowered hubs don't provide enough power to run even one newer HDD, nevermind multiple drives. It's worth getting a powered hub. My main hub is a USB 3.0 version, and it's far better in every way than any 2.0 hub I've used. As long as the hub conforms to the USB 2.0 standard, it should do the job it's designed for. Just don't try attaching devices that require a lot of power, because the 2.0 standard doesn't require it to provide much. The actual numbers escape me, and I don't have the incentive to Google for them.

I will second the suggestion to get a powered hub, but, beyond that, I have not observed any significant differences amongst hubs manufactured by reputable vendors.

If a device works connected directly to a usb port but not through the hub, and I have seen this many times, is it always the device not being compatible and standard?

Or might the hub be to blame too, if it only works with some devices? The hub I had was powered, so power must not have been the issue.

Usually power issue. Only on some odd situations would it be usb versions.

You'd have to tell us exact situation. Too many variables to guess.

Situation was years ago, can't remember which specific device refused to work with that hub and that hub is now gone. I think it was a keyboard. But the device wouldn't even work alone with nothing else connected to the hub so it must not have been a power issue.

Hoping to buy a hub that makes the above less likely, if such a thing exists.

I use common hubs in industrial machines and they seem to work in them for years.

I have 3 powered 4 port usb hubs. And they have their quirks. But it could be as much the devices that connect to them as the hubs themselves. My usb webcam which I've been trying to setup as a poor mans security camera. Or maybe I'm just too lazy to go to the window and look out it. Anyway it was disconnecting and killing the mpv playing of the webcam. Ultimately jiggling the cord at the hub connection point tamed the disruptive behavior.

And other disconnection issues for anything ethernet or HDD plugged into any of my hubs that are plugged into a usb 3 port. When said devices plugged directly into the usb 3 port without a hub are stable. And the hub on the usb 2 port are more reliable. Perhaps just an issue in the 3.16.x kernel that is debian stable. I just know that if I need to rely on usb to ethernet or usb storage when writing, don't use a hub, even a powered one. Then again, laptop to laptop, and the most expensive of which was $200 when it was new. I think my next hub will be one that gets plugging into vertically so gravity doesn't favor certain stresses for connected devices. Maybe then I could remove a few bandaids, clamps, and tiki dolls that seem to get me confused with a religious type.

I would say if you find a USB3 hub cheaper or the same price as USB2 (and it's good quality), you should go for it. It won't cause any compatibility problems (or it shouldn't) but you'll be future-proofed.

they will and can never go faster then the USB port you plug them into. its called "bottle necking". Meaning "the chain is only as strong as the weakest link".

more reliable/longer lasting?

maybe: due to what they used to make them with, all depends on the integrity of the material used.