Resolution and refresh rate are one figure, and the switching method is the other
A KVM switch lets one screen, one keyboard and one mouse drive several computers, and the specification that decides everything is the video path. Most models publish a maximum resolution and refresh rate together, and the pairing matters: a switch quoted at a high resolution only at a low refresh rate is a different object from one quoted at both. Four of the listings here publish a resolution and no rate at all, which leaves half the pair missing. It also names the socket it carries — DisplayPort, USB-C, or an HDMI output on many models. That figure is a ceiling for the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own. Count the ports, which is to say how many computers it accepts, and the number of screens per computer, since dual-screen models exist and are not reliably dearer than single-screen ones. The switching method is the second decision: a button on the front, a wired remote on the desk, a keyboard shortcut, a touchscreen on the unit itself, or a browser session reached over the network. Peripherals come next. USB sockets on the switch are shared between the computers and some are reserved for keyboard and mouse; models stating a USB 3.x generation on the shared sockets are the ones that will carry a fast drive between machines. Audio is the least documented row on this shelf: one listing here carries a single headset socket, one names the audio formats its video path carries, one says the sound is synchronised with the picture, and the rest name no audio connection at all. Finally, read what is in the box, because a switch without the right leads is a switch plus a shopping list. We compare port count, maximum resolution and refresh rate, video connector type, screens per computer, USB port count and generation, switching method, audio support and cables supplied.
two computers · one screen · 4K at 60 Hz · HDMI · two USB 2.0 at 480 Mbps · button or desk controller · no hotkey
The cheapest American listing on this shelf, publishing its resolution and rate as a pair and stating outright the three things it will not do: hotkeys, Mac machines, and an HDMI lead in the box.
Best for: Two Windows machines on one HDMI screen, where the switch should cost less than the cable and stay out of sight.
≈ $17
four computers · one VGA screen · 1920 by 1440 · three USB 2.0 sockets · button or wired controller · four combined leads supplied
A four-computer VGA switch supplied with four combined leads and a desk controller, quoting a resolution above the usual 1080p ceiling and no refresh rate at all.
Best for: A desk running three or four machines on one screen where the switching should happen from the hand rather than from the unit, and where the keyboard is a plain one.
≈ $33
two computers · two DisplayPort screens each · 8K at 60 Hz · DisplayPort 1.4, no HDMI socket · four USB 3.0 at 5 Gbps · button or desk controller
A two-computer switch that carries two DisplayPort screens for each machine, states plainly that it has no HDMI socket, and names the machines it will not drive in pairs.
Best for: A two-machine desk with two DisplayPort screens, where the peripherals should follow whichever machine is in use and the picture never passes through an HDMI socket.
≈ $90
two computers · one screen · 3840 by 2160 at 60 Hz · HDMI · button, wired remote, web or app · every lead in the box
A two-computer switch whose packing list is the only complete one on this shelf, down to the HDMI lead and the jumper wires for remote power, and whose web access and app are given two different reaches in one bullet.
Best for: A pair of desktop machines that have to be reached, switched and powered on from somewhere else, with nothing left to buy.
≈ $140
two laptops · two HDMI screens each · 4K over USB-C · seven USB sockets · Ethernet, SD and headset · 60 W charging each
A docking station that switches as well, carrying two screens, Ethernet, an SD slot, a headset jack and 60 W of charging for each laptop, and publishing no refresh rate at all.
Best for: A desk where a work laptop and a personal one share two screens, the network, the card reader and a charger as well as the keyboard.
≈ $260
three computers · two DisplayPort screens each · 8K at 30 Hz and 4K at 144 Hz · DisplayPort 1.4 · four USB 3.0 at 5 Gbps · nine leads needed
The only three-computer unit on this shelf, carrying two DisplayPort screens for each machine, and the DisplayPort twin of the same maker’s HDMI model with a lower 8K ceiling and the same 4K one.
Best for: Three machines that have to share the same pair of DisplayPort screens, where the eight-K line matters less than the socket.
≈ $86
four computers · one screen · 4K at 30 FPS on the loop-out · four HDMI inputs · touchscreen, button or browser · powered over Ethernet
A four-computer switch driven from a touchscreen or a browser as well as a button, powered over its network lead, whose only video figure belongs to the local loop-out rather than to the four inputs.
Best for: A rack where the switch has to be reached from a browser and powered from the same cable that carries the network.
≈ $280
four computers · one VGA screen · 1920 by 1080 · push button only · a hub of uncounted sockets · no refresh rate printed
A four-computer VGA switch worked by a button on the front, whose resolution is printed in a form that leaves no room for a refresh rate.
Best for: A workshop or a back office keeping several older machines on one VGA screen, where a button on the front is the whole interface that is wanted.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
four computers · one screen · 4K at 60 Hz and 2K at 100 Hz · one DisplayPort, one USB-C and two HDMI inputs · four USB 3.0 at 5 Gbps · button or wired remote
A four-computer switch whose inputs are of three different kinds, quoting its resolutions and refresh rates as pairs and never listing what is in the box.
Best for: A desk where the four machines do not share a video socket between them, and where a drive has to follow whichever one is in use.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
four computers · one screen · 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 144 Hz · HDMI 2.1 · four USB 3.0 at 5 Gbps · panel button or wired controller · four USB leads and an adapter supplied
A four-computer HDMI switch that publishes two resolution and rate pairs, supplies its USB leads and a power adapter, and says outright that the final figure depends on the machines.
Best for: A desk of four machines on one screen where fast peripherals move between them, and where the window arrangement has to survive every change of machine.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
four computers · two HDMI screens each · 4K at 60 Hz · four USB 3.0 at 5 Gbit/s · buttons, wired remote or RS232 · four USB leads supplied
A four-computer HDMI switch carrying two screens for each machine, switchable three ways including over a serial line, whose packing list opens with a different maker name.
Best for: A control desk or a small studio running four machines across two screens, where a serial line is already available to switch them.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
four computers · one VGA screen · 1080p · three USB 2.0 sockets at 480 Mbps · one button with an indicator · two combined leads stated
A four-computer VGA switch with three USB 2.0 sockets and a single button, whose fourth bullet describes two computers and a different eight-port model.
Best for: A desk with three or four older machines on one VGA screen, where a printer and a flash drive should follow whichever machine is in use.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
four computers · one screen · 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 120 Hz · HDMI 2.1 · hotkey, infrared remote or button · four USB 3.0 leads supplied · bandwidth stated two ways
A four-computer HDMI switch offering three ways to change machine, including a keyboard shortcut, whose own page gives its bandwidth and content protection two different values.
Best for: A four-machine desk where switching should happen from the keyboard, and where the buyer is willing to confirm the bandwidth figure with the seller first.
No Amazon.com offer on October 26, 2026
Maximum resolution is what the switch passes through. Above it, the screen no longer gets its native format.
Refresh rate is published apart from resolution, because the two do not always come together.
A device that shares one keyboard, screen and mouse between several computers.
Not always. Both are published separately, because the advertised combination is not always the best of each.
Screens per computer is published. It separates a plain model from a dual-display one.
The published switching method says: button, keyboard shortcut, remote. It changes daily comfort.
USB port count and USB generation are published. They decide what switches along with the keyboard.
Video connector type is published. It should match the machines and the screen without an adapter if possible.
It adds electronics along the path. This site publishes stated characteristics, not latency measurements.
That depends on the model; some ship with their own cables. The point appears in the published characteristics.
Resolution and refresh rate are published separately because they are not always obtained together. The switching method is what you will live with a hundred times a day.
The table shows only the data published by four devices in five. Under that threshold, a column compares empty fields.
| Model | Price | Maximum resolution | Port count | Screens per computer | Switching method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMSTEDCD GMXUS-SW219S | $17 | 4K — stated in the title and in the second bullet as up to 4K at 60 Hz, backwards compatible with 3840 by 2160 at 30 Hz, 1920 by 1080 at 60 Hz and 1920 by 1080 at 30 Hz. The same bullet requires that the computers and the screen support 4K themselves | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet as two computers sharing one monitor and one keyboard and mouse set | One — stated in the title as two computers sharing a single monitor | Two, both physical — a button on the body and a wired desk controller, stated in the third bullet, which also states plainly that this switch does not support hotkey switching |
| DGODRT KS204V | $33 | 1920 by 1440 — stated in the second bullet, which adds that a very wide screen is also supported. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own | Four — stated in the title and in the first bullet as four computers or laptops managed from one place | One — stated in the title as four computers sharing one screen | Two — a wired desk controller and a button on the front panel, stated in the fourth bullet, with an indicator light showing which computer is under control |
| DXchip KVM302DP-02 | $86 | 8K, given as 7680 by 4320 — stated in the title and in the second bullet at 30 Hz, with 3840 by 2160 at 144 Hz also named and lower resolutions supported. The same bullet states that the sources, the monitors and the DisplayPort leads must all support the figure to reach it | Three — stated in the title and in the first bullet as three computers sharing two DisplayPort monitors and four USB 3.0 devices. It is the only three-computer unit on this shelf | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet, where three machines share two DisplayPort monitors. The sixth bullet asks that each computer be connected to the two screens directly first, to confirm multi-screen output is supported | Two — a physical button and a wired controller of 1.5 m (5 ft), stated in the fourth bullet, with indicator lights showing the active computer. The fifth bullet adds a separate power switch for restarting the unit when the signal needs recognizing again |
| UGREEN AK700 | $90 | 8K — stated in the title and in the second bullet as up to 8K at 60 Hz, backwards compatible with 8K at 30 Hz, 4K, 1080p, 720p and 480p. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screens each impose their own | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet as two desktop computers | Two — stated in the first bullet, where two DisplayPort screens are shared by the two machines, in either a copying or an extending arrangement | Two — a button on the unit and a desk controller, stated in the fourth bullet as a single press to change machine |
| ANGEET ONE-KVM 2-port IP KVM switch | $140 | 3840 by 2160 — stated in the ninth bullet together with its rate. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet as two controlled computers, with remote switching between the two hosts | One — stated throughout, where two machines share a single screen with a local loop-out for keyboard, mouse and monitor | Four — a physical button, a wired remote, a browser on the local network and the ONE KVM application, stated in the third and fifth bullets. The third states that the application reaches both the local network and the wider internet while browser access is local only |
| AV Access iDock C20 | $260 | 4K UHD — stated in the third bullet for video arriving over the full-featured USB-C ports. The last bullet limits a 49-inch ultrawide screen to 3840 by 1080, and states that macOS machines mirror the two displays rather than extending them | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet as two laptops controlled through one dual-monitor setup, keyboard, mouse and set of peripherals | Two — stated in the title and in the first bullet. The last bullet requires a laptop supporting DP Alt Mode and DP MST for both to extend, and states that macOS mirrors only | One in the box — a button on the front, stated in the fourth bullet as a two-to-three-second change with EDID emulation and automatic wake-up of the machine. A wired remote controller is named in the same bullet as sold separately, with its ASIN printed on the page |
| GL.iNet Comet X GL-RM4PE | $280 | 4K on the loop-out — stated in the third bullet as up to 4K@30FPS for the HDMI loop-out that feeds a local monitor. No resolution is published anywhere on the page for the four inputs themselves | Four — stated in the title and in the second bullet as up to four host systems, through four HDMI inputs and four dedicated USB Type-C device ports | One — stated in the third bullet, where a single monitor on the loop-out serves the four machines alongside the remote session | Three — the front-panel button, the 3.69-inch TFT touchscreen and the browser-based interface over HTTPS, stated in the second, fourth and seventh bullets. The touchscreen and the browser are both new to this shelf |
| AOOCOO KC-401C-AO-DE | — | 4K — stated in the title and in the second bullet, quoted as 4K at 60 Hz with 2K at 100 Hz also named, and described as backwards compatible. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own | Four — stated in the title and in the first bullet as four computers, given as one laptop and three desktop machines | One — stated in the title and in the first bullet, where four machines share a single screen | Two — a select button on the unit and a wired remote of 1.5 m (5 ft), stated in the fifth bullet, with plug and play and no driver required |
| DUOBAGMA EB0864 | — | 1920 by 1080 — stated in the title and in the third bullet, both times written as 1920@1080P. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own | Four — stated in the title as four in, one out, and again in the first and second bullets as four VGA computers or laptops | One — stated in the second and fifth bullets, where four machines share a single VGA screen | A manual push button on the unit — stated in the first bullet as a manual push-button type and described in the third as a button that changes the input source without replugging anything. No remote control and no keyboard shortcut is named |
| DXchip ZX-KVM8401B002 | — | 8K — stated in the title and in the second bullet as 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 144 Hz, backwards compatible with 4K at 30 Hz, 1080p and below. It is the ceiling of the switch alone, and the second bullet says in as many words that the final figure depends on the graphics cards, the screens and the leads | Four — stated in the title and in the first bullet as four computers sharing one screen and one keyboard and mouse set | One — stated in the title and in the first bullet, where four machines share a single screen | Two — a panel button and a wired desk controller of 1.5 m (5 ft), stated in the fifth bullet, with indicator lights showing the active machine; the third bullet adds that holding the first button for three seconds turns the EDID emulation on or off |
| MLEEDA | — | 4K — stated in the title and in the third bullet as a maximum of 4K at 60 Hz, backwards compatible with 4K at 30 Hz, 2560 by 1440 at 120 Hz and below. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screens each impose their own | Four — stated in the title and in the first bullet as up to four computers | Two — stated in the first bullet, where four machines share two screens in either an extending or a mirroring arrangement | Three — panel buttons numbered 1 to 4, a wired remote of 1.5 m (5 ft), and RS232 at 115200 baud, stated in the fifth bullet, with an indicator light showing the active machine |
| ROFAVEZCO EZ-SW41H21-KVMU3P | — | 8K — stated in the title and in the second bullet as up to 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 120 Hz. It is the ceiling of the switch alone; the computers and the screen each impose their own | Four — stated in the title and in the first bullet as four computers controlled from one keyboard, mouse and screen | One — stated in the title as four computers sharing one screen | Three — a keyboard hotkey, an infrared remote and a button on the unit, stated in the fourth bullet |
| TCNEWCL VGA4P | — | 1080p, described as Full HD — stated in the title. It is the ceiling of the switch alone, and the computers and the screen each impose their own | Four — stated in the title and in the second bullet, which gives the input as a maximum of four computers | One — stated in the title as four computers to one screen | One button on the unit, with an indicator light showing which computer is active — stated in the fourth bullet. That bullet describes switching between two computers on a four-computer unit, and its closing note describes an eight-port model supplied with a wired and a wireless remote, which is not the product in this title |
$140 – $280
3 models
ANGEET ONE-KVM 2-port IP KVM switch, AV Access iDock C20, GL.iNet Comet X GL-RM4PE
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for network and storage gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 26, 2026.
Every price named in a summary was read on the date that review carries. What a shop asks today is shown beside the product, and it moves.
