Software KVM or hardware KVM switch?
Both let one keyboard and mouse drive two PCs. They solve different problems, and the wrong pick costs either cables or patience.
What each one does
A hardware KVM is a switch box: keyboard, video and mouse go in, one PC at a time comes out. Every PC needs a video cable per monitor and a USB cable to the box. A software KVM leaves every PC on its own monitors and sends keyboard and mouse input over the local network to whichever PC the cursor is on; there is no video switching at all.
Side by side
| Software KVM | Hardware KVM | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free to about 30 USD | From about 100 EUR for 4K at 60 Hz, more for 144 Hz |
| Cables | None | One video cable per PC per monitor, plus USB |
| Sees both PCs at once | Yes, each on its own screens | No, one PC per monitor at a time |
| Switch time | Instant, the cursor just crosses | About a second while monitors re-sync |
| Clipboard between PCs | Yes | No |
| Works in BIOS, at login, with a frozen PC | No, needs the OS running | Yes |
| Mixed resolutions | Depends on the tool: pixel-based tools get dead zones, DeskStitch places screens in millimetres | Not an issue, each PC drives the monitor directly |
| Gaming in exclusive full screen on the second PC | Usually not (injected input is ignored) | Yes |
Pick a hardware KVM if
- you need the second PC in the BIOS, at the login screen or when it hangs;
- you play exclusive-full-screen games on it;
- the PCs are not on the same network, or the network is locked down;
- you only have one set of monitors and no desk space for more.
Pick a software KVM if
- both PCs have their own screens and you want to see both at once;
- you copy and paste between the PCs;
- you switch dozens of times an hour and a one-second re-sync would drive you mad;
- you would rather not buy and route six cables.
For two Windows PCs with screens of different resolutions, DeskStitch is the software KVM that lines the screens up by their physical size. For other setups, see the comparison pages.
Try the software way
DeskStitch is free for 7 days on both PCs and needs no cables.