Introduction

A KVM switch is a blessing for those who are working on multiple computer systems at a time. One way to work in this situation is to use a separate set of peripherals and monitors with the systems which would be cumbersome or use a single set of peripherals for which every time user has to physically remove the cables from one system and connect to the other system., Either way, it is inconvenient and has cost considerations. A simple solution with a one-time cost is to buy a KVM switch. The peripherals and the display will be connected to the switch. The switch will be connected using single/double cables to the systems. All that the user would need to do is press the button on the switch and the control will be transferred to the desired PC.

We earlier tested a new KVM switch from Sabrent named 2-Port USB Type-C KVM Switch. This time we are taking a spin on HDMI only KVM switch. It is called 2-Port 4K HDMI Sharing Switch. The salient features are:

  • Use one display with two HDMI devices.
  • 4K, 2K, and 3D support.
  • HDMI 2.0, backward compatible.
  • Bi-directional HDMI connection.
  • Single button for swapping between HDMI sources.
  • Compatible with any HDMI device (PC/Mac, TV-stick, Blu-ray players, game consoles, etc.)
  • Hot plug Detection and Display Data channel (DDC) compatible.
  • Reduced Bit Rate (RBR), High Bit Rate 1 (HBR1), and High Bit Rate 2 (HBR2) compatible.
  • Platform independent.
  • No external power required.
  • Aluminum construction.
  • Tested Compatibility with: PS4, PS3, XBOX One, XBOX 360, Nintendo Switch, Blu-Ray/DVD players, Apple and Windows computers, and more.

 

Product:               Sabrent 2-Port 4K HDMI Sharing Switch

Price:                    $12.90 [At the time of the review]

 

Specifications

Specs

 

Closer Look

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The switch is shipped inside the Sabrent-themed smart packing box.

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The model of the switch is DA-HSW2.

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There is a Styrofoam pad with a paperboard cover on the top. The switch is tucked inside that. It is quite an effective presentation.

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The switch comes with one year warranty which can be extended to 2 years by registering the switch with Sabrent.

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There is a user guide in the box as well.

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The switch is encapsulated inside an aluminum shell which is in silver color. The dimension of the switch is 3.93×3.53×0.69in. We have a solid aluminum construction. There is a Sabrent branding on the top. A black color button is in the center. Pressing it once will switch the display output to the second source and vice versa.

There are two LED indicators on the left and right of the button. They are static blue backlit. The active display source LED will light up upon detection. Pressing the button to switch the display source and the other LED will light up and the current one will light off.

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There are two gold-plated HDMI ports on one side of the switch. The user can connect up to two HDMI devices with the switch like PS4, PS3, XBOX One, XBOX 360, Nintendo Switch, Blu-Ray/DVD players, and Apple and Windows computers, etc. The switch supports the resolution of up to 4K and a 3D as well.

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The other side of the switch has a single gold-plated HDMI port. This is the output port that connects the switch with the single display. Speaking of display this switch is capable of Reduced Bit Rate (RBR), High Bit Rate 1 (HBR1), and High Bit Rate 2 (HBR2). It has a hot plug detection and Display Data Channel (DDC) capability as well on HDMI 2.0. It is HDMI 2.0 backward compatible and supports bi-directional HDMI connectivity.

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the back side of the switch has a plain surface without any branding or text. the brushed aluminum finish is apparent.

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We have set up two PCs to be connected to a single monitor using an HDMI cable. We have used different HDMI 2.0 cables depending on the availability. The above picture shows that the PC1 is giving an active signal to the switch.

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The above picture shows that the PC2 is giving an active signal to the switch.

Conclusion

We earlier tested the Sabrent KVM Switch named 2-Port USB Type-C Switch. This time we have tested the HDMI sharing switch from Sabrent. This switch is called 2-Port 4K HDMI Sharing Switch. As the name suggests this switch utilized HDMI 2.0 and connects two devices to a single display with a supported resolution of up to 4K. It also has support for 3D.

The switch is sleek and smart standing at 3.93×3.53×0.69in. It has a solid aluminum construction and is finished in silver color. It has two HDMI ports on one end and a single HDMI port on the opposite end. The user can connect any two devices like two PCs for example with this switch while the switch is connected to a single display. With the press of a button, the display source is changed to the second device from the active one. This is a handy feature, particularly for the testes like us who are working at multiple systems at a time. By just pressing a single button, the display source is changed. The user would not need to use the monitor’s menu to change the input source or unplug and plug the cable.

This switch is capable of Reduced Bit Rate (RBR), High Bit Rate 1 (HBR1), and High Bit Rate 2 (HBR2). It has a hot plug detection and Display Data Channel (DDC) capability as well on HDMI 2.0. It is HDMI 2.0 backward compatible and supports bi-directional HDMI connectivity. This means that there is no longer a concern about disconnecting and reconnecting the devices.

We have used this switch with two desktop PCs using a single monitor. The switch was working flawlessly though during gaming, once the screen goes blank momentarily and comes back on. This was a single instance and it is hard to associate it with the switch without thorough and exhaustive troubleshooting. We have gamed at 1440P and 2160P resolution and the switch was able to handle the load. However, we can’t test the higher refresh rate using this switch due to hardware limitations at our end. Hence, we are not in a position to answer if this switch supports higher refresh rates on upper resolutions. One thing we note is that once one of two active display sources is shut down, the switch does not automatically change to the second active source.

The 2-port 4K HDMI Sharing switch is listed at $12.99 and offers a simple solution to the problem of using multiple devices with a single display at a time with the support of a 4K display and 3D. This switch comes recommended by us.

Thanks to Sabrent for the provision of the testing unit.

EnosTech Recommended Award