I need to share one monitor, keyboard, and mouse between my gaming PC and work laptop because I don't have room for two complete setups. My current KVM switch occasionally causes the gaming PC to restart after it has been idle for around 30 minutes, so I'm also tired of manually swapping cables behind my desk. The monitor runs at 1440p and 120Hz. Can anyone recommend a dependable KVM switch for this setup, or suggest a better alternative?
3 Answers
A KVM normally shouldn’t make a computer restart, so the behavior may be caused by a faulty unit, a power or USB issue, or some kind of display handshake problem. I’ve used several inexpensive KVMs without that happening. When choosing one, check how many computers and monitors it supports, along with its maximum resolution and refresh rate.
A TESmart-style KVM with USB switching should work well for sharing the monitor, keyboard, and mouse between two systems. It costs more than a basic USB switch, but a suitable model can handle higher resolutions and refresh rates while avoiding the need to reconnect everything manually. If you can’t find one that supports 1440p at 120Hz reliably, another option is to use a USB sharing switch for the peripherals and change the monitor input separately.
The important specification is 1440p at 120Hz. Many cheaper KVMs are limited to 1080p or 4K at 60Hz, so make sure the switch explicitly supports your target refresh rate over the connection type you use. Higher-bandwidth DisplayPort KVMs are available, but they tend to cost considerably more.
It is definitely strange, but the restarts only happen when this particular KVM is connected. I’m testing a few workarounds to narrow down whether it’s the switch, USB power, or the display connection.