TESmart CKS202-P23 KVM switch connected to two laptops in front of two monitors
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A KVM switch lets two or more computers share one keyboard, one mouse and one set of monitors. KVM stands for keyboard, video and mouse. Press a button or a keyboard shortcut and your screens, keyboard and mouse move to the other computer. It suits anyone with a work laptop and a personal desktop on the same desk.

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What a KVM switch does

Each computer connects to the switch with video cables and a USB cable. Your monitors, keyboard and mouse connect to the switch. Most also pass through other USB devices, such as a webcam or a drive. The AV Access 4KSW21-DM, for example, shares three USB 3.0 ports and switches video, audio, keyboard, mouse and USB at the same time.

What it does not do

A KVM does not let both computers use the screens at once in the usual setup; you see one computer at a time. Some switches offer a split mode: AV Access lists a USB mode that sends each computer to its own monitor while you switch only the keyboard and mouse. A KVM also does not add ports a computer lacks. A dual-monitor switch usually needs two video outputs from every computer.

Four things to check

  1. Computers. Two is most common. The TESmart HKS401-P23 handles four.
  2. Monitors. Single-monitor and dual-monitor switches are different products.
  3. Video port. HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C, matched to what each computer has.
  4. EDID emulation. TESmart explains that without it, icons shift and windows resize after a switch. With it, the computers keep seeing the monitors.
Black TESmart HKS401-P23 four-port KVM switch with four cable sets
TESmart HKS401-P23, a four-computer KVM. Image: TESmart

KVM switch vs docking station

A dock connects one laptop to your monitors and accessories. A KVM shares them between several computers. USB-C KVMs blur the line: the TESmart CKS202-P23 connects two laptops by USB-C, charges each at up to 60W and shares Ethernet. TESmart notes that macOS does not support MST, so Macs need two cables for two screens.

TESmart CKS202-P23 USB-C KVM switch with four USB-C cables
TESmart CKS202-P23, a USB-C KVM for two laptops. Image: TESmart

Where to go next

For specific picks, see the best KVM switches and our dual-monitor KVM guide.

Sources

All sources were checked on October 5, 2026.

Dual monitorsWindowsMac