2 PCs 1 Monitor Need Advice

[JPHebert]

Hi everyone,

 

Looking for advice & suggestion for my wife's home office, where we wish to add her own PC to supplement her work laptop. Usage will be casual so MSOffice, browsing and maybe some light gaming like What Remains of Edith Finch (so no 3D intense FPS yada yada ). Looking at a NUC-format for cosmetic reasons.

 

Current setup:

• Samsung CH890 Monitor
• Microsoft Bluetooth Desktop

She just gets home, uses the USB-C cable from the monitor and voila: power & display. The kb/m just reconnect.

 

The goal is giver her simplicity without adding cables and gear as much as we can avoid it. So I was thinking to keep the USB-C for the laptop, using the DisplayPort for the new PC. The kb/m kit we can replace as it's not "multi-device" and re-pairing is annoying.  Was thinking a MS or Logitech kit with it's own adapter for both, connected to the back of the monitor, and when she powers one device on it takes over the peripherals.

 

Any blind spots in this gameplan? Any better ideas? Trying to avoid a KVM switch if I can really.

 

Thanks!

[Kobathor]

I have to do this for my home setup, but it does have a few extra cables and some extra steps for me. It's also kinda ugly. I just deal with it.

 

What I do is just plug both computers into the monitor into different inputs, and my peripherals plug into a USB switch (specifically this one)

 

I have to manually switch the monitor input using the button on the monitor, then press the button on the USB switch for my peripherals. It only takes a few seconds but it's not exactly elegant.

 

Honestly, a KVM switch is probably the most elegant solution. They are kind of expensive and not always beautiful, but they are (usually) a one-button-to-switch-everything solution.

Quote

connected to the back of the monitor, and when she powers one device on it takes over the peripherals.

I'm not sure if this will work, because usually the USB ports on a monitor are connected to the PC using a USB-B cable, so only the computer with the USB-B cable will be able to use those peripherals. Someone can correct me if this is outdated advice.

EDIT: Looking at this particular monitor, it supports data AND DP over one USB-C cable. But, I can't see if it has a USB-B as well. If that's the case, then you probably won't be able to use the USB ports on the monitor for the standalone PC.

[JPHebert]

12 hours ago, Kobathor said:

I have to do this for my home setup, but it does have a few extra cables and some extra steps for me. It's also kinda ugly. I just deal with it.

 

What I do is just plug both computers into the monitor into different inputs, and my peripherals plug into a USB switch (specifically this one)

 

I have to manually switch the monitor input using the button on the monitor, then press the button on the USB switch for my peripherals. It only takes a few seconds but it's not exactly elegant.

 

Honestly, a KVM switch is probably the most elegant solution. They are kind of expensive and not always beautiful, but they are (usually) a one-button-to-switch-everything solution.

I'm not sure if this will work, because usually the USB ports on a monitor are connected to the PC using a USB-B cable, so only the computer with the USB-B cable will be able to use those peripherals. Someone can correct me if this is outdated advice.

EDIT: Looking at this particular monitor, it supports data AND DP over one USB-C cable. But, I can't see if it has a USB-B as well. If that's the case, then you probably won't be able to use the USB ports on the monitor for the standalone PC.

Hi,

Read the manual and the USB hub built-in is USB-C only, so I'll need a kvm switch after all. Considering this device but barely scratched the surface of USB-C KVMs.

Thanks!!!