Belkin SOHO KVM Switch

The phrase ‘KVM switch' might sound like complicated jargon, but this product is fairly simple. It switches a single keyboard, screen and mouse between two or more computers (KVM stands for keyboard, video and mouse).

There are two models available, one for two computers and one for up to four.

Home users who have both a Windows PC and a Linux computer, or a Windows PC and a Mac, might want to control both without having to have a monitor, keyboard and mouse for each, while at work there might be a bank of computers which need to be accessed and controlled separately without loads of peripherals cluttering up the place.

There is a socket at the back for video (we tested the version with a DVI socket but VGA models are available if your computer uses that) and USB sockets for keyboard and mouse. There are also sockets for sound input and output.

The SOHO KVM comes with custom cables that are high quality, but they were also a bit thick, which made them inflexible. Connect them to the two or four computers and to the peripherals – wireless keyboards and mice worked fine – and you are ready to go.

Two large buttons on the device's up-turned front panel control peripherals and audio separately, each with illuminated white icons, so you can have one machine under control while another is providing sound, which is useful if your music is stored on one. The switch automatically detects if only one of the computers is switched on, and connects to that.

The only problem with this switch is its size. If you are using it in a computer room at work it won't be a problem, but for somebody using it in a small or home office the 33x10cm device will take up a lot of space. Given the number of sockets on the back panel and the sparse controls on the front, the size doesn't seem necessary.

Despite that, this really is a connect-and-forget product that does just what it's supposed to. It can save both space and the cost of extra screens, keyboards and mice.