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My limiting factor from a video perspective at home is now my KVM. It is DVI based and supports up to 1920x1200 resolution. If I want to move to 4k I am going to need a replacement. Can anyone give a specific recommendation in terms of a KVM used successfully with higher (4k) resolutions, or even pointers to ones with these capabilities?

Requirements:

  • 4 Ports minimum
  • 3840 x 2160 Resolution (or better) Supported @60Hz
  • USB/Audio switching supported (USB2.0+ preferred)

Besides that I have no preference for HDMI or DisplayPort, and I am happy with being able to switch audio as stereo (i.e. it does not have to be carried over the same cable as the video).

As an example of something that comes close, but not quite close enough, this KVM from Startech will only support 4k resolutions at reduced frame rates.

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3 Answers 3

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The ATEN CS1924 fits your requirements:

  • 4-port DisplayPort KVMP Switch with USB 3.1 Gen1 hub and 2.1 surround sound audio

  • Superior video quality – 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz) and 4K DCI (4096 x 2160 @ 60 Hz)

  • DisplayPort 1.2 compliant, HDCP compliant

  • Supports HD audio through DisplayPort

  • Full bass response for high-quality 2.1 channel surround sound systems

  • DisplayPort Dual–Mode technology (DP++) supports HDMI and DVI signals via a DisplayPort-to-HDMI/DVI DP++ adapter

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    going to accept this, though would be really nice to get some actual use feedback for something so pricey, thanks for the details
    – Adam Comerford
    Commented Oct 5, 2017 at 0:25
  • @AdamComerford, if you've now purchased it, it would be good to update here (or at least on Amazon or something) to say how well it worked out.
    – Wildcard
    Commented Apr 4, 2018 at 5:45
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    The price for this is so high, especially when you add the fact that I would be looking to buy a 4K display (this KVM is more expensive than most displays at 750 euro) that I have had to give up on the idea of having a KVM in my new set up and settle for virtual solutions for managing my other machines
    – Adam Comerford
    Commented Apr 4, 2018 at 10:14
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I waited for the price of these KVMs to fall (and managed without a KVM for a bit), eventually purchasing one of these TESMart KVMs on sale for approximately $90 in 2019 - a massive reduction in price versus the ATEN model suggested in the 2017 answer.

They support 4k@60Hz HDMI, have 4 port options, and there are even dual monitor options (though I went for single). I have used one for several years now and it has worked flawlessly - it switches my keyboard and wireless mouse, plugged into a USB hub with some other peripherals. Very satisfied overall.

There are now (several years on from that) even cheaper generic options available $40-$50 range on AliExpress, and I have also tested those out on less demanding setups and they have worked. I can even confirm that one worked (briefly) with a 4k display (the display was overkill and swapped for 1080p). The technology has matured a lot and reduced in cost a lot - you only really need to shell out big bucks for high refresh rates (say gaming) these days.

For those higher refresh rate scenarios there are now excellent options like the KVMs from Level One Techs:

https://store.level1techs.com/?category=Hardware

I have not personally used them, but they review extremely well, and you can support 4k at 120Hz on multiple monitors, not to mention high bandwidth USB, all for less than the price of that old ATEN KVM back in 2017

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In stead of getting KVM switches from L1T, you should get your KVM switch from other providers, if you decide to go for the high-end DisplayPort 1.4 KVM switch solution.

There is one very important spec. that all DP 1.4 KVM switches from L1T are missing - None of its DP 1.4 KVM switch models provide DisplayPort 1.4 EDID emulation and full-time EDID feeding to all connected systems/ laptops of the KVM switch. Some users said that feature is not important for DisplayPort KVM switch setups. If that is true then why the HDMI KVM switches from L1T are all come with standard EDID emulation and EDID feeding to the HDMI KVM switches they provided ? Also, why L1T want the users of their DP1.4 KVM switches to buy the external DisplayPort EDID emulator to solve the lack of built-in EDID emulation issue. For 2-port DisplayPort KVM switch, if you use L1T KVM switch, you need to buy 4 of them for dual-monitor sharing model. The cost of 4 external EDID emulator will be $420 ($105/each)+ 4 x DP-DP cables ($15x4)$60 = $480 for adding the EDID for 2-port DP KVM switch from L1T. For 4-port DP KVM switch, the cost for just adding EDID will be $960 (not including the 4-port KVM DP KVM switch and any other cables).

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