Best KVM switch for 1 monitor and 2 computers: match it to your refresh rate
Updated 2026-11-10 · Pick: HKS201-P23: $129.99 on tesmart.com (checked 2026-11-10): https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks201-p23
Short answer. The best KVM switch for 1 monitor and 2 computers is the TESmart HKS201-P23 (HDMI, EDID emulation, hotkeys). Its 4K 60Hz rating carries 497.7 million pixels/s, so 1440p tops out at 120Hz; a 1440p 144Hz monitor needs 530.8 million and the HDMI 2.1 HKS201-M24.
Searched as: best 2 computer 1 monitor KVM switch 2026 reviews TESmart UGREEN Cable Matters
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 connection | Top modes the maker lists | Pixels per second it carries | EDID emulation | Shared USB | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HKS201-P23 | HDMI 2.0 | 4K @ 60 Hz; 3440×1440 @ 100 Hz; 1440p @ 120 Hz; 1080p @ 240 Hz | 497.7 million (4K 60 = 1080p 240) | Yes; hotkey, mouse-wheel, button and IR switching | USB 3.0 plus audio | $129.99 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| HKS201-M24 | HDMI 2.1 | 1440p @ 240 Hz; 3440×1440 @ 144 Hz; 4K @ 240 Hz and 8K @ 60 Hz with DSC | 884.7 million (1440p 240, no DSC) | Yes; VRR; hotkey, mouse-wheel, button and IR switching | USB 3.0 plus gigabit network | $269 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| HKS201-EB23 (B Series) | HDMI | 4K @ 60 Hz 4:4:4 | 497.7 million (4K 60) | Yes; hotkey, mouse, button and IR switching | USB 2.0 plus audio out | $43.99 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| CKS201-M23 | USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4 Alt Mode) from each laptop | 8K @ 60 Hz; 4K @ 144 Hz | 1,194.4 million (4K 144) | Yes; Auto Scan | USB 3.0, gigabit network, laptop charging | $475 on tesmart.com, 2026-11-10 | Buy |
| USB-C Switch, 2 computers, 4 ports | None: switches USB only (UGREEN: 'not a KVM switch') | Whatever your monitor's own two inputs take | No video passes through it | Not needed: each computer stays cabled to the monitor | 4× USB 3.2, 10 Gb/s | $40.99 on us.ugreen.com, 2026-11-03 | Buy |
What the differences mean
- The 4K 60 Hz budget: 3840 × 2160 × 60 = 497.7 million pixels/s, and 1920 × 1080 × 240 is exactly the same, 497.7 million. That is why the HKS201-P23 can list both.
- 1440p 144 Hz doesn't fit: 2560 × 1440 × 144 = 530.8 million pixels/s, and 530.8 ÷ 497.7 = 1.067, so 6.7% over the budget. At 165 Hz it's 608.3 million, 22% over. The P23's list stops at 1440p 120 Hz (442.4 million).
- Ultrawide: 3440 × 1440 × 100 = 495.4 million, just under the budget, so the P23 lists 100 Hz. The M24's 3440 × 1440 × 144 = 713.3 million.
- Price of the extra refresh: $269.00 − $129.99 = $139.01 moves you from the P23 to the M24, which lists 1440p at 240 Hz (884.7 million pixels/s, no DSC).
- Price of the P23 over the B Series: $129.99 − $43.99 = $86.00. It buys USB 3.0 instead of USB 2.0, mouse-wheel switching and a published 1440p 120 Hz / 1080p 240 Hz mode list. Both have EDID emulation and hotkeys.
| Your setup | Fits |
|---|---|
| 4K 60 Hz or 1080p 60 Hz office monitor, keyboard and mouse only | HKS201-EB23 B Series $43.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks201-eb23 |
| 1440p up to 120 Hz, 1080p up to 240 Hz, or 4K 60 Hz, plus a USB 3.0 drive or webcam | HKS201-P23 $129.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks201-p23 |
| 1440p 144/165/240 Hz or 3440×1440 144 Hz gaming monitor over HDMI | HKS201-M24 $269: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-hks201-m24 |
| Two USB-C laptops, one 4K 144 Hz monitor | CKS201-M23 $475: https://dealectric.com/go/tesmart-cks201-m23 |
| Monitor with two inputs, and you're happy to change input on the monitor | UGREEN USB-C Switch $40.99: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-usb-c-switch-2-computers-4-port-10gbps |
Why a 4K 60 Hz KVM caps a 1440p monitor at 120 Hz
A KVM's video rating is a pixel budget, not a list of separate features. Multiply each mode TESmart lists for the HKS201-P23 and the result never goes above 497.7 million pixels/s: 4K 60 (497.7), 1080p 240 (497.7), 3440×1440 100 (495.4), 1440p 120 (442.4). These counts are active pixels only. The real signal also carries blanking intervals, so the true load is higher still. A 1440p 144 Hz monitor needs 530.8 million and isn't on the list, so through this class of switch it runs at 120 Hz. UGREEN's one-monitor HDMI KVM (model B0CG1W5K7C) has the same ceiling. Its listing gives '4K@60Hz, also support 4K@30Hz, 2560*1440@120Hz or lower'.
To get past the budget over HDMI, you need an HDMI 2.1 switch such as the HKS201-M24. Each computer's HDMI port also has to output the mode itself. Over DisplayPort, StarTech's D86A2-2-PORT-8K-KVM shares '8K 60Hz DisplayPort between two DisplayPort enabled computers', and its listing adds 'DSC support required for maximum performance' and a 5120×1440 ultrawide limit of 60 Hz.
EDID emulation decides how a switch feels day to day. TESmart explains that without it 'the inactive computer may behave as if the monitor was unplugged', and windows 'may all move to one screen or shift to unexpected positions'. All four TESmart switches above list it.
Not recommended
UGREEN HDMI KVM Switch, 1 monitor, 2 computers (B0CG1W5K7C), if you keep windows open on both computers. Its listing says 'It does Not support EDID Emulation and Hotkey Switching'. You switch with a button or a desktop controller, and it is 'Not supported for use with docking station'. It tops out at 1440p 120 Hz like the others in its class. TESmart's $43.99 B Series has the same 4K 60 Hz class with both EDID emulation and hotkeys.
Sources
- TESmart HKS201-P23: $129.99, HDMI 2.0, listed modes, EDID emulation, four switching methods, USB 3.0 (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- TESmart HKS201-M24: $269.00, HDMI 2.1, 1440p 240 Hz / 3440×1440 144 Hz, DSC modes, VRR, EDID, gigabit network (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- TESmart HKS201-EB23 B Series: $43.99 (compare-at $109.99), 4K 60 Hz 4:4:4, EDID, hotkey/mouse/IR/button, USB 2.0 (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- TESmart CKS201-M23: $475.00, USB-C DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 8K 60 / 4K 144 Hz, EDID, 7.5 W charging note (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- TESmart refund policy: 30-day returns on tesmart.com orders in original packaging; 'Extended Warranty: 1+4 Years' with product registration (read 2026-11-10) — www.tesmart.com
- UGREEN USB-C Switch: $40.99, 4× USB 3.2 10 Gb/s, 'not a KVM switch and doesn't support a monitor' (read 2026-11-10) — us.ugreen.com
- UGREEN 1-monitor HDMI KVM B0CG1W5K7C: 4K 60 Hz, 1440p 120 Hz, no EDID emulation or hotkeys, no docking stations (retailer copy of UGREEN's listing, read 2026-11-10) — pacifiko.com
- What happens without EDID emulation (TESmart, May 14, 2026) — www.tesmart.com
- StarTech D86A2-2-PORT-8K-KVM: 8K 60 Hz DisplayPort between two DisplayPort computers (StarTech US page, read 2026-11-10) — www.startech.com
- StarTech D86A2: 'DSC support required for maximum performance', 5120×1440 at 60 Hz (StarTech copy on TeciSoft, read 2026-11-10) — www.tecisoft.ca
Published 2026-11-10; updated 2026-11-10. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.