I recently started working from home and was given a Lenovo Legion 5 laptop for work. I'd like my personal desktop and the laptop to share two 24-inch Samsung monitors, a keyboard, mouse, and headset. My desktop is used for AutoCAD, Revit, rendering, and some gaming. The laptop has one HDMI port, three USB 3.2 ports, and USB-C ports that support DisplayPort 1.4, so I'm unsure whether I should use a dual-monitor KVM, an HDMI/DisplayPort switch, a docking station, or some combination. I'd prefer not to keep swapping several cables and want to understand exactly what equipment is required before buying anything.
5 Answers
A dual-monitor KVM can switch the video and USB devices together, but decent models are expensive. You’d want one that supports the resolution and refresh rate of both Samsung monitors, plus the correct DisplayPort or HDMI standards. The laptop would probably connect to a compatible dual-display dock, and that dock would feed both KVM inputs. Avoid the cheapest models if you need stable dual-screen output; budget units may cause flickering, black screens, limited refresh rates, or trouble waking the displays.
The most reliable and usually more affordable setup is a USB switch for the keyboard, mouse, and headset, while each computer stays connected directly to the monitors. Connect the desktop to both monitors and connect the laptop through its HDMI port plus a USB-C-to-DisplayPort adapter or dock. When switching computers, press the USB switch button and use each monitor’s input controls to select the desktop or laptop signal. This avoids many of the flickering and black-screen problems common with cheaper video KVMs.
Another option is to use Remote Desktop from the work laptop on the personal PC, if your employer allows it and Remote Desktop is enabled. That lets the personal PC drive both monitors and peripherals, but workplace security policies may prohibit this, and it may not be suitable for graphics-heavy work. It’s worth checking with your employer before relying on that approach.
If you want the fewest cable changes without buying an expensive KVM, a dock plus a single cable swap is a practical compromise. Keep the monitors, keyboard, mouse, and headset connected to the dock, then connect either the laptop or desktop to it as needed. However, the desktop may require a separate adapter or a dock that supports the appropriate video connections, and high-performance applications and gaming can work better when the desktop connects directly to the monitors.
A USB-C docking station that supports two monitors could handle the laptop side. You would connect the laptop to the dock with one cable, then connect the monitors and peripherals to the dock. For the desktop, you’d still need either a USB switch and separate monitor connections, or a dual-monitor KVM. First check that the laptop’s USB-C DisplayPort ports support video output, which the listed specifications suggest they do.
The monitor input control is usually a button or joystick on the monitor. Each monitor can remember that the desktop uses one input and the laptop uses another, so you select the matching input on both screens when changing systems.