USB Switch and Gaming?

[Razor]

So I have been working from home for much longer than a year, about time I figure out a better way of switching peripherals between gaming PC and work laptop.

I have a Lenovo Think Pad with a stupid thunder bolt docking station thing and my gaming PC on my desk.
Every other day when I want to play a game I need to unplug my headset, keyboard and mouse and move from the laptop docking station to the gaming PC.

Aside from being a mission, it makes a neat desk impossible and will probably end up killing the USB cables on the expensive gaming peripherals.

Monitors are sorted, have multiple inputs, so Display Port for gaming PC and HDMI from work laptop.

Has anyone had any success or recommendations with a USB switch?

Something like this: takealot.com

Specifically concerned about latency when gaming?
Not sure if that is even a valid concern?

Software solutions are not an option due to latency and dev laptop is extremely locked down/only approved software can be installed/etc.

 

[P1000]

A USB switch like that should not add any discernible latency, it is as close as you can get to a silicon switch that switches between the cable. Usually the propagation delay is in the order of ¼ns.

 

[cmbekker]

@Razor Did you get that takealot switch box, if so how is it working for you?

 

[Razor]

@Razor Did you get that takealot switch box, if so how is it working for you?

I ended up buying the one linked above.
Works great from the keyboard and mouse… my Steelseries Arctis 5 headset doesn’t work via it though. Sound either doesn’t come through or there is bad distortion on the mic.

It’s good enough for me to hide most of the cables under my desk at the moment. Got both monitors, keyboard, mouse, router hooked up to both laptop thunder bolt docking station under the desk and gaming pc on the desk.

 

[cmbekker]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. I will definitely get one, also working from home and would like to connect my gaming mouse and mechanical keyboard to this USB switch, notebook HDMI and gaming PC Display Port to my single gaming monitor. Then just have to build a notebook stand so that I can use the notebook as a secondary screen.

 

[AndyPants]

I'm looking for a solution like this as well - I see the USB 3 version is available at Takealot as well (took me some searching to find it)

UGreen USB 3 Switch

 

[cmbekker]

I was also looking at that one, strange that they mention "Noise will occur when connected with Mechanical Keyboard and mouse" on the USB 3.0 one and not the 2.0 model...

 

[AndyPants]

I was also looking at that one, strange that they mention "Noise will occur when connected with Mechanical Keyboard and mouse" on the USB 3.0 one and not the 2.0 model...

Thanks for spotting that - luckily Takealot's 30 day no questions asked return policy makes this a zero risk buy to try

 

[AndyPants]

Also - have a look at the reviews on Amazon if in doubt

Amazon.com: Customer reviews: UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch Selector 2 Computers Share 4 USB 3.0 Ports KVM Switcher USB for PC Laptop Keyboard Mouse Printer Scanner One Button Switch Adapter with 2 Pack USB 3.0 Cables

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for UGREEN USB 3.0 Switch Selector 2 Computers Share 4 USB 3.0 Ports KVM Switcher USB for PC Laptop Keyboard Mouse Printer Scanner One Button Switch Adapter with 2 Pack USB 3.0 Cables at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from...

www.amazon.com

 

[Razor]

For now, moving my headset between my work laptop and gaming pc is an acceptable solution for me.
However, if anyone buys something that will work for all my peripherals, I will definitely buy it too.

Some before and after pictures of my WFH/Gaming setup:

https://imgur.com/a/qGI1vpd

The bar might have been low before, but super stoked with how much cleaner my desk is at the moment.

Disclaimer about the RGB: I haven't bothered to figure out how to control the RGB from Linux, boot into windows 99% of the time on the desktop.