Best USB switch for two computers sharing a keyboard, mouse and SSD (2026)
Updated 2026-11-12 · Pick: UGREEN USB-C Switch CM691 (2 computers, 4 devices): $40.99 on us.ugreen.com (checked 2026-11-03): https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-usb-c-switch-2-computers-4-port-10gbps
Short answer. The best USB switch for two computers sharing a keyboard, mouse and SSD is UGREEN's 10Gbps USB-C Switch (CM691). It runs on the active computer's power: up to 2.4 A over USB-C and 2 A over USB-A; USB 3 caps a bus-powered external SSD at 0.9 A.
Searched as: best USB 3.2 10Gbps sharing switch two computers SSD keyboard mouse UGREEN Cable Matters Sabrent specifications
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 2026-11-08. 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 | Computer side | Device ports | Link speed | Power for keyboard, mouse and SSD | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN USB-C Switch CM691 (2 computers, 4 devices) | 2× USB-C, 0.8 m C-to-C cables in the box; a USB-A computer needs your own A-to-C cable, 0.8 m or shorter (UGREEN) | 1× USB-C + 3× USB-A (UGREEN) | 10 Gbps, USB 3.2 Gen 2 | From the computer only: up to 2.4 A (12 W) over USB-C, 5 V 2 A (10 W) over USB-A (UGREEN) | $40.99 on us.ugreen.com, 2026-11-03 | Buy |
| Cable Matters 4-Port USB-A & USB-C Switch with Remote (201160) | Connect to the USB-C ports labeled 1 and 2 (Cable Matters); RF remote included | 2× USB-A + 2× USB-C | 10 Gbps | From the computer, plus an optional power port (adapter sold separately) that Cable Matters recommends for power-hungry devices | Out of stock at Cable Matters US (2026-11-08) | Cable Matters's page |
| ATEN US3342 2-Port USB-C Gen 2 Sharing Switch | 2× USB-C, C-to-C cables in the box; the computer must supply at least 5 V 3 A (ATEN) | 3× USB-A + 1× USB-C | 10 Gbps, USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 10 W (2 A) in total, shared by all device ports (ATEN manual); separate USB-C PD input charges the laptop at up to 85 W | $99.95 on Amazon (checked 2026-11-12) | Buy on Amazon |
What the differences mean
- Power left over on the CM691 from a USB-C computer: 1.3 A. The USB 3 limit for a high-power SSD is 0.9 A, and a keyboard and mouse at one USB 2.0 unit load each draw 0.1 A apiece: 2.4 − (0.9 + 0.1 + 0.1) = 1.3 A spare. A keyboard or mouse can declare up to 0.5 A, which would use up more of that margin.
- From a USB-A computer, power depends on the computer's port. UGREEN says the CM691 gives 5 V 2 A over USB-A, but a USB 3 port is only required to supply 0.9 A. A port that gives only the minimum leaves the switch 1.1 − 0.9 = 0.2 A short of a keyboard, mouse and SSD.
- The ATEN's device ports get less power than the CM691's. ATEN's manual caps all four ports at 10 W: 10 W ÷ 5 V = 2 A, which is 0.4 A less than the CM691 gets from a USB-C computer.
- 10 Gbps vs 5 Gbps, measured. ssd-tester.com measured 1,048 MB/s read on a 10Gbps link, and Binary Tides measured about 400 MB/s on a 5Gbps link. Copying 100 GB therefore takes 100,000 ÷ 1,048 ≈ 95 s at 10Gbps against 100,000 ÷ 400 = 250 s at 5Gbps. The two tests used different drives, so the comparison is between link speeds rather than drives.
- Cost per 10Gbps port on the CM691: $40.99 ÷ 4 = $10.25.
| Your desk | Fits |
|---|---|
| Both computers have USB-C; keyboard, mouse and one portable SSD | UGREEN CM691 $40.99: https://dealectric.com/go/ugreen-usb-c-switch-2-computers-4-port-10gbps |
| You want the switch to charge the laptop as well | ATEN US3342 with a USB-C PD adapter over 65 W (ATEN) |
USB-C or USB-A computer: how much power reaches the SSD
A sharing switch with no power jack passes on whatever the active computer's port supplies. UGREEN's manual lists the CM691's only supply as 'USB-C 5.0V 2.4A Max'. On its US store UGREEN says the switch can output up to 2.4 A when connected to a USB-C laptop port, and 5 V 2 A when connected to a USB-A port. A USB-C port gives a 900 mA baseline and supplies 1.5 A or 3 A only if it advertises that current, so a laptop that offers only the baseline gives the switch less than UGREEN's figure.
Other points from UGREEN for the CM691: with a USB-A computer, use your own USB-A-to-C data cable no longer than 0.8 m, because longer cables may lower the speed. If both computers are connected, PC 1 gets priority. On macOS 13.3 or later, set System Settings > Privacy & Security > 'Allow accessories to connect' to 'Always'. The switch carries data only, with no video and no charging.
ATEN asks for more from the computer: the US3342 needs a host that supplies at least 5 V 3 A for basic USB functions, and its manual says the four device ports share 10 W in total. Its USB-C PD input is for charging the laptop at up to 85 W. Cable Matters recommends using the 201160's optional power port so that power-hungry devices don't lose their connection when the host's power falls short.
Samsung says its T7 Shield complies with USB power specifications, so a USB-spec portable SSD of that kind stays within the 0.9 A ceiling used above. Eject the SSD before you switch: switching disconnects it from one computer and connects it to the other.
Not recommended
The UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch for two computers is a 5Gbps switch. It costs $35.99 at UGREEN US and was out of stock there on 2026-11-08. It saves only $40.99 − $35.99 = $5.00 over the CM691 but runs at half the link speed, which works out to about 400 MB/s against about 1,048 MB/s in the measurements above. UGREEN's USB 2.0 2-in-4-out switch ($23.99) runs at 480 Mbps, which slows any SSD.
Sources
- UGREEN CM691 price ($40.99, compare-at $69.99), power over USB-C and USB-A, USB-A cable note, 0.8 m cable note, PC 1 priority, macOS setting, data-only ports — us.ugreen.com
- UGREEN CM691 power supply input (USB-C 5.0 V 2.4 A max), 10 Gbps rating, 2-in-4-out with USB-C and USB-A device ports — www.manualslib.com
- Cable Matters 201160 ports, 10 Gbps, optional power port, RF remote, stock status — cablematters.com
- ATEN US3342 total output 10 W shared by all downstream ports — www.manualslib.com
- ATEN US3342 ports, 5 V 3 A host minimum, 85 W PD pass-through, cables, quote on request — www.aten.com
- USB 3 high-power device limit 900 mA (4.5 W); USB 2.0 unit load — en.wikipedia.org
- USB-C 900 mA baseline, 1.5 A / 3 A when advertised — en.wikipedia.org
- Samsung T7 Shield complies with USB power specifications, USB 3.2 Gen 2 — www.samsung.com
- Measured 1,048 MB/s read / 1,025 MB/s write on a 10Gbps link (ssd-tester.com) — ssd-tester.com
- Measured about 400 MB/s read / 360 MB/s write on a 5Gbps link (Binary Tides) — www.binarytides.com
- UGREEN USB 3.0 5Gbps switch $35.99, out of stock — us.ugreen.com
- UGREEN USB 2.0 2-in-4-out switch $23.99 — us.ugreen.com
Published 2026-11-03; updated 2026-11-12. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.