CKL KVM Switch DisplayPort 1.4 8K@30Hz 5K@60Hz 4K@144Hz(2 Computers 2 Monitors)

I bought this unit 3 years ago and came back to write a review because it’s worked well for me! I don’t understand some of the user complaints, especially those saying it is poorly built. This thing is a solid metal box with a nicely compact footprint, especially when compared with similar KVMs. The cables plug in firmly.I saw complaints about the loud beep when you switch devices; true, however it can easily be disabled by double-tapping Right-Ctrl then “b” then Enter (you must make sure hotkeys are enabled by pressing the button on the front of the unit!). That answer is also in the FAQ and in the instruction manual. I use the hotkey sequence to switch back and forth multiple times per day flawlessly.People have said that they are not getting 144Hz; I am getting 144Hz on both monitors using the cables that were included:LG UltraGear 34GP83A-B @ 3440x1440Asus TUF VG27B @ 2560x1440I'm driving them with an RTX 3070 video card.I’m using the KVM it to switch between my Mac laptop and my gaming PC, and have no issues going back and forth. The only time I see the USB not working: After the Mac goes to sleep completely the Kensington dock I’m using on the Mac loses comms with the KVM. I simply have to power cycle the dock and it works fine. The USB issues are NOT due to the CKL KVM. In the USB ports I use a keyboard, mouse, headset, and video camera back and forth with no problem.Also, on the Mac the secondary monitor maxes out at 100Hz due to the garbage DisplayLink software, but that has nothing to do with the CKL. Of course, my PC works perfectly 100% of the time.The power cord that is included with the KVM is optional because it gets power over USB, however the power cord is useful if you have devices that power down the USB during sleep mode. As long as one of your devices does not power down USB, then you do not need the power cord at all.In all I recommend this KVM! It has served me well!

The Good:The device itself feels high quality. Providing this many cables is nice (though I’ll get to this point later in “The Ugly”). The remote feels very cheap, but is useful. The device seems to work as described in the simplest case: powering 2 60Hz monitors for simple computer tasks and switching between two systems.The Bad:The provided power supply is very strange - a DC outlet on one end, and a USB port on the other. There is an included power brick for the USB port, but unplugging this brick also doesn’t seem to do anything. It seems the unit draws power over USB, and (maybe?) through the power supply. Very weird design.There is an extremely loud beep when switching systems. AFAICT, you cannot disable it.The USB ports for mouse and keyboard seem very old (USB1.0?). If you have anything besides the most basic keyboard, hotkeys will not function properly and the KVM will malfunction. Luckily, there is a button to disable the hotkeys, though you’ll see below why this is a sign of worse things to come.The Ugly:I bought this under the premise that it would work as described - supporting 2k resolution at 144hz (which isn’t even the maximum stated capacity).Unfortunately, there is something seriously wrong with the hardware and/or firmware of this device that prevents this from working properly. When gaming (thus, pushing lots of data through the KVM), the screen will repeatedly flicker 3 times every minute or so. This is likely because some part of the chain of components cannot handle that amount of data transfer. This is really annoying and makes gaming impossible.Secondly, this KVM only works with the cables provided. I have a higher quality DP 1.4 cable, and a slightly lower quality (though reliable) DP 1.2 cable. If I use any of these cables between my computer and the screen (either from the PC into the KVM, the KVM into the monitor, or both), the screen flickers on and off constantly. This indicates a hardware or device firmware issue. My guess - the company never tested their device with other cables.All the issues above (including the fact that hotkeys don’t work outside of the most basic keyboards) indicates that the hardware and/or firmware running on this device is very fragile and prone to breaking. The instructions themselves indicate this as well - if you don’t turn things on and off in the proper order, it sounds like this device simply won’t work.Verdict:If you have a very basic computer setup, this will likely work for you. However, people that need to switch this seamlessly between two computers will likely have something that causes some part of this KVM to not work as advertised. I’d steer clear of this device if you have:- A keyboard that has anything special about it: USB pass through, heck even LEDs- A mouse that has anything special about it: multiple custom buttons- A monitor that displays over 60Hz, and you want to use that extra refresh rate- A need to replace the DP cables in the future- I can’t test higher quality displays, though given my observation of 2k 144hz performance, I’d be wary if you want to power anything above 2k 60hz.I find it unfortunate that instead of making sure the basics of this device worked, time was spent adding hotkey support and other fancy niceties. This device fills a nice niche at a good price point, but simply doesn’t deliver on what it advertises.

Update: I've been using this for a couple of years now, and I'm finally replacing it. The screen flicker problem grew gradually worse over the last year, and it finally became bad enough that I was able to figure out the problem. The ports for the display port are loose, or poorly connected or something. If I tap the plugs, I lose my screens. It wasn't that bad at first, and messing with the plugs didn't helped, so I thought it was some sort of signal problem and not the physical connection. Over time as they got worse, it became clear that the problem is with the display port plugs. So today, I've ordered a replacement that will hopefully work a little better.I’ve been using this for a month, and I’m pretty happy with it. I have a pair of 1440p monitors that I like to run at 144hz, and it handles them just fine. My video cadd even recognizes that one of the monitors has g-syncAlso, I was bery pleased that it works with my gaming keyboard (though I had to plug it into a USB 3 slot). The keyboard is a logitech G-910, and most KVM’s don’t supply enough power and/or prevent the logitech software from recognizing the keyboard. No problem with this KVM.Only 1 holdback: since I’m running 2 monitors at high res, and high refresh, I can tell I’m pushing it a little. Every mow and then (maybe once every couple of days), my secondary monitor drops and comes back. It’s fairly rare, and otherwise the switch has been flawless, so I still give it high stars.