Best 8 port KVM switch, and which keyboards can switch all 8 PCs
Updated 2026-11-10 · Pick: TESmart HKS801-P23: $399 on tesmart.com (checked 2026-11-10): https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks801-p23
Short answer. For 8 PCs on one 4K HDMI monitor, the best 8 port KVM switch is the TESmart HKS801-P23 (HDMI 2.0 4K 60 Hz, USB 3.0). Its hotkeys work only from the dedicated keyboard port; a Logitech MX or Roccat keyboard may need a hub port, where you switch by remote, buttons or RS232.
Searched as: best 8 port KVM switch HDMI DisplayPort 2026 models comparison
How this table was made: each figure comes from the maker's own US product page or manual, or from the reviewer named next to it, checked 2026-11-10. Dealectric does not test units itself. Rows with a Buy link are products Dealectric lists: the links are affiliate links, and their codes are re-tested in the brand's own cart every day (last check 2026-11-13).
| Model | Video, as TESmart lists it | Switching without hotkeys | USB and other listed features | Best for | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TESmart HKS801-P23 | HDMI 2.0, up to 3840×2160 at 60 Hz | IR remote, front-panel buttons, RS232 port; LAN (TCP/IP) control | USB 3.0 (5 Gbps); EDID technology; auto-scan | A 4K 60 Hz monitor shared by up to 8 PCs, with USB 3.0 drives or webcams | $399 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| TESmart HKS801-L23 | 4K 30 Hz in TESmart's title (the body text says up to 3840×2160 at 60 Hz) | IR remote, front-panel buttons, RS232 port; LAN (TCP/IP) control | EDID emulator on every input; single-link DVI-D through HDMI-to-DVI adapters | Servers and lab boxes at 1080p or 4K 30 Hz | $143.99 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| TESmart HKS801-M24 | HDMI 2.1, 48 Gbps; 8K 60 Hz 4:4:4; 4K at 60/120/144 Hz | Front-panel buttons, mouse-wheel double-click, IR remote; LAN port for TCP/IP control | VRR (G-Sync, FreeSync), HDR10, Dolby Vision, HDCP 2.3, DSC 1.2a; 8 HDMI+USB KVM cables in the box | A 120/144 Hz or HDR monitor across 8 gaming or editing PCs | $599 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| TESmart HKS801-EB23 | 4K 30 Hz in TESmart's title (the body text says 4K 60 Hz 'on compatible devices') | IR remote, front buttons, RS232 port; LAN (TCP/IP) control | USB 2.0; EDID emulation; upgraded chip | Same use as the L23, at a higher price | $229 (maker, 2026-11-10) |
What the differences mean
- Price per computer. HKS801-L23: $143.99 / 8 = $18.00. HKS801-EB23: $229 / 8 = $28.63. HKS801-P23: $399 / 8 = $49.88. HKS801-M24: $599 / 8 = $74.88. All prices are from TESmart's US store on 2026-11-10.
- The 4K 60 Hz step. $399 − $143.99 = $255.01. That buys a switch TESmart lists as HDMI 2.0 4K 60 Hz with USB 3.0, in place of one whose own title says 4K 30 Hz.
- The HDMI 2.1 step. $599 − $399 = $200. That buys 4K at 120/144 Hz, VRR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It's worth paying only if the monitor goes above 60 Hz or shows HDR.
- The mid-price gap. The HKS801-E23 lists 3840×2160 at 60 Hz 4:4:4 at $309.99, but TESmart's store shows it as out of stock. That leaves no in-stock model among these five between the $229 EB23 and the $399 P23.
| Your setup | Fits |
|---|---|
| 8 servers or home-lab boxes on a 1080p or 4K 30 Hz screen | HKS801-L23 $143.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks801-l23 |
| 4K 60 Hz monitor, plus a USB 3.0 drive or webcam shared across PCs | HKS801-P23 $399: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks801-p23 |
| 120/144 Hz, VRR or HDR monitor | HKS801-M24 $599: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks801-m24 |
| DisplayPort-only computers in a rack | StarTech R8AD122-KVM-SWITCH (DisplayPort 1.2, 4K 60 Hz; budget for 8 DP and 8 USB cables) |
Hotkeys on an 8-port KVM: which keyboard port does the switching
With 8 computers, hotkeys are the quick way to move between them. On TESmart's switches they only work from one place. TESmart's support article says the switch "is designed to support the hotkey function only on these dedicated ports", meaning the keyboard and mouse ports. TESmart's January 2026 hotkey guide adds that standard USB ports "operate in passthrough mode and do not participate in hotkey detection". The trigger keys are Scroll Lock and Right-Ctrl, pressed twice and then followed by the port number.
The catch. TESmart lists keyboards that customers report fail on those dedicated ports: the Dell KB813 and similar keyboards with a card slot, the Logitech MX series, Roccat, and certain Microsoft models. Its guide also flags wireless, Bluetooth and macro-enabled keyboards. TESmart's fix is to plug the keyboard into one of the USB 2.0/3.0 hub ports, which "mimic a direct connection to the computer". The keyboard then types normally, but it can no longer switch computers.
What you switch with instead. The P23, L23 and EB23 all list an IR remote, front-panel buttons, an RS232 port and LAN (TCP/IP) control. RS232 or LAN lets a script or control system pick the port. The M24 lists front-panel buttons, mouse-wheel double-click and an IR remote, plus a LAN port for TCP/IP control. If you plan to keep a Logitech MX or Roccat keyboard, test it in the dedicated port first. If it fails there, plan on the remote or RS232/LAN for switching. The P23's hub is USB 3.0, and a TESmart blog post passes on USB-IF's warning that USB 3.0 can interfere with 2.4 GHz wireless keyboard and mouse receivers. TESmart suggests moving USB 3.0 devices to a port farther from the wireless receiver.
Not recommended
TESmart HKS801-EB23. At $229 it costs $85.01 more than the HKS801-L23 ($229 − $143.99). Its title still says 4K 30 Hz, its listing says USB 2.0, and its 4K 60 Hz claim is qualified with "on compatible devices". For 4K 30 Hz, buy the L23. For 4K 60 Hz, buy the P23.
StarTech R8AD122-KVM-SWITCH for a desk setup. Its spec sheet says "the KVM switch does not include cables". For 8 computers that means buying 8 DisplayPort and 8 USB cables on top of the switch, and its shared hub is USB 2.0. It makes sense only where every computer and the monitor use DisplayPort.
Sources
- HKS801-P23: $399, in stock (all 4 plug variants); title 'USB 3.0 (5Gbps), 4K60Hz, and RS232/LAN Control'; HDMI 2.0 4K@60Hz, 3840x2160@60Hz; EDID technology; front panel, hotkey, IR/remote, RS232 and LAN (TCP/IP) control (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-L23: single-link DVI-D through HDMI-to-DVI adapters (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-L23: $143.99 (US plug, out of stock; CA plug $239.99); title 4K30Hz vs body 3840x2160@60Hz; EDID emulators in each input port; front panel, hotkey, IR/remote, RS232 and LAN (TCP/IP) control (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-M24: $599; HDMI 2.1 48 Gbps, 8K60 4:4:4, 4K 60/120/144 Hz, VRR, HDR10/Dolby Vision, HDCP 2.3; 8 KVM cables included; 4 switching methods and LAN control (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-M24: $599, in stock; HDMI 2.1, 48Gbps, 8K60Hz; VRR (G-Sync, FreeSync); HDR10 and Dolby Vision (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-EB23: $229, in stock; USB 2.0; title 4K30Hz, body 4K@60Hz 'on compatible devices'; EDID emulation; 'upgraded chip'; front panel, hotkey, IR/remote, RS232 and LAN (TCP/IP) control (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- HKS801-E23: $309.99, all 4 variants out of stock; 3840x2160@60Hz 4:4:4 (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- Hotkeys only on dedicated K/M ports; keyboards reported incompatible (Dell KB813, Logitech MX, Roccat, some Microsoft); fix is the USB 2.0/3.0 ports; Scroll Lock and Right-Ctrl triggers (read 2026-11-10) — support.tesmart.com
- Standard USB ports are passthrough and skip hotkey detection; wireless, Bluetooth and macro keyboards cause hotkey problems; trigger key history (TESmart blog, 2026-01-16; read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- Hub ports mimic a direct connection; USB-IF says USB 3.0 can interfere with 2.4 GHz receivers; move USB 3.0 devices to a port farther from the wireless adapter (TESmart blog; read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- StarTech R8AD122-KVM-SWITCH: no cables included, 4-port USB 2.0 hub, DisplayPort 1.2 3840x2160 at 60 Hz, push-button or hotkey switching (read 2026-11-10) — www.pcnation.com
- StarTech R8AD122-KVM-SWITCH: up to eight USB and DisplayPort computers, 4K 60Hz DisplayPort monitor (read 2026-11-10) — www.startech.com
Published 2026-11-10; updated 2026-11-10. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.