Pointless Review: 2-port HDMI KVM switch

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Your life, pinned to a singular reality, is lacking the ability to literally switch between HDMI-interfaced displays. The dimensional shift undercutting your daily routine can be reigned in, understood and at least for the purposes of your waking task-oriented hours, controlled.

This can be done with a 2-port HDMI KVM switch, a physical box with switches yes, but also a portal to alleviate your soul of the stress of a single operating system.

A KVM switch is a technical device that conjures feelings of walking into a Radio Shack in the middle of a weekday and perusing the objects of computer engineering desire. It is not as objectionably obvious and publicly known as a simple HDMI cable or even a splitter. Perhaps even an HDMI to USB converter (which I use for my third monitor, the one that is on the switch itself) is more obvious to the public than a KVM switch.

A KVM switch is necessary when you have two computers, running concurrently, but do not have the fortitude or space on your desk to carry two sets of peripherals. The switch enables you to plug in a monitor to be shared. A mouse, to be shared. A keyboard, to be shared (and assorted USB devices if you so desire).

This particular KVM switch does not support certain Mac peripherals, but Mac users are generally not the type to have ever walked into a Radio Shack. It supports DDC function, resolution up to 4Kx2K/30Hz(NOT 60HZ), and 2.55G of bandwidth. The four USB hubs do not demand drivers. All operating systems are welcome: DOS, Win3.X, Windows98 / 98SE / 2000 / 2003 / 2008 / ME / NT / XP / WIN7 / 8 / 10, Linux Unix, Netware and Mac.

Upon plugging your devices into this KVM switch you will feel a slight tugging on the part of your soul that is tied to your behavior in front of a screen

There is a particular freedom enjoyed when slipping seamlessly between tasks on an IT-secured laptop and your personal computer. Or perhaps a Linux server and a Windows PC. Whatever your switch, you can switch.

Similar to your sexuality, there is a fluidity here that can only be experienced by fully opening your eyes to the possibility that your loneliness is enhanced by the lack of switching between computers with dueling functionalities. The same keyboard and mouse represent your physical self, now able to float between parallel worlds thanks to a 2-port HDMI KVM switch.

Timothy Leary once proclaimed that the PC is the new LSD, reworking his famous counterculture phrase to say “turn on, boot up, jack in”. This was a reference to early KVM switches (probably) that enabled the user to experience multiple realities at nearly the same time (only requiring a flip of a switch), similar to the effects of LSD itself. While reality is not altered, there are choices. These choices are why you need a KVM switch for your workstation.

With it, we are able to move between workflows, engineer our own realities and use the entirely same keyboard and mouse

In this, time itself is split, at least, how we choose to experience it. Especially if the connected PCs are running different operating systems for different tasks that command, yet do not require, constant attention.

This particular 2-port HDMI KVM switch retails for $59.99, which is a small price to pay to be able to slide between conscious thought tied to several machines in your office.

There are other KVM switches with variable ports. This one comes with the required cables, including two HDMI cables. Considering what Best Buy charges for a single HDMI cable (still ripping off naive customers after all these years), $59.99 is a small price to pay.

Every day we sit down at our desks to work, to play, to engage with the virtual world as seen through our monitors and peripherals. A KVM switch opens up that world, your world in particular, to a functional dual reality that can be experienced, felt and simply enjoyed. How have we survived this long without the duality of a KVM switch? We may never know.

What do you think? Is this something you need in your life? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here for more. A sample unit was provided for the purpose of this review.