Your New Monitor Might Be Concealing a Multitasking Enhancement You Were Unaware of
If you regularly alternate between a work laptop and a gaming setup or a personal desktop, it’s easy to picture your workspace being overwhelmed with wires. Whether it’s the link between your laptop and monitor or the devices attached to your desktop, those cable connections can accumulate rapidly. Although you can tackle the mess using inexpensive tools or this stylish Amazon DIY kit, you won’t be able to lower the number of cables unless you utilize a concealed multitasking enhancement found in numerous contemporary monitors.
Today’s monitors frequently feature built-in support for a KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) Switch. While KVM switches are also available separately and enable you to effortlessly switch your monitor and peripheral connections among several computers, manufacturers have been incorporating them into monitors for some time to streamline things for users. Here’s how a KVM switch in your monitor can improve your setup and elevate your multitasking capabilities.
How does a KVM switch function?
A KVM switch fundamentally allows you to connect multiple computers using a single keyboard, mouse, and monitor, letting you toggle between them effortlessly. This is particularly useful if you wish to utilize the same set of monitors and peripherals with both your laptop and your desktop, or any mix of two or more computers, without needing to disconnect cables from one device and reconnect them to another every time you want to switch. Monitors with an integrated KVM switch simplify matters even further, as you can have all your peripherals plugged into your monitor, which is then connected to two different computers.
When it’s time to switch computers, you merely change the source on the monitor, and all connected peripherals and devices will seamlessly transition their connection to the second computer without needing manual changes. However, some monitors may require you to access an option in the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu or press a physical KVM switch button to alternate the connected USB devices. KVM-capable monitors usually accommodate two computers, though some may support more. Beyond making the switching of the monitor and peripherals more straightforward, the inclusion of the KVM switch keeps your desk arrangement neater, as you aren’t constantly relocating cables, and everything can be organized neatly.
Additional advantages of monitors with KVM switch support
While the name might imply that this feature is only usable with your keyboard, mouse, and monitor, you can actually utilize your monitor’s USB ports as part of the KVM to connect any peripherals, such as a webcam, microphone, and headphones, and toggle them between computers with a single button press. This is excellent for maintaining an orderly workspace and not complicating things when you suddenly need to use a dedicated webcam or USB microphone with your laptop.
Monitors that feature a built-in KVM switch sometimes include functions like picture-by-picture (PBP) or picture-in-picture (PIP), which let you view video input from both computers simultaneously. Some also support seamless input switching as you engage with different computers while using PBP. For instance, it will shift the mouse input from one computer to the other as you move the mouse across the “border” of the two distinct video outputs on the monitor, known as “mouse roaming.” All these functions can prove very useful during multitasking. So when you’re next in the market for a new monitor, remember to check the product listing to determine if it includes a KVM switch.