Product Request: USB-C KVM / Display Port Dock
Current Setup
KVM Model: N/A (requesting new product)
USB Interface: 5-gigabit preferred
The Problem
The current KVM market forces users to choose between two incompatible choices:
- USB-C KVMs - Support power delivery, data, and display over a single cable
- DisplayPort + USB KVMs - Support traditional desktop computers with separate display and USB connections
But critically, no KVM supports both input types simultaneously without adding external USB-C combiners/docks.
The Workaround and Why It’s Insufficient
You can technically make this work by:
- Using a USB-C combiner to merge DisplayPort + USB-A into USB-C
- Feeding that combined signal into a USB-C KVM
- Connecting your desktop PCs this way alongside a native USB-C laptop
However, this approach completely misses a killer feature that nearly every USB-C docking station provides: a stable ethernet port that remains connected to the USB-C device regardless of KVM switching. It is also less elegant to have a separate expensive device to do something that wasn’t really needed in the first place.
I understand your position that ethernet switching is best handled by dedicated network devices and I agree. But this leaves laptop users in an awkward position:
- Rely on WiFi even when physically docked, or
- Manually plug/unplug an additional ethernet adapter every time they dock
The Solution
What’s needed is a KVM that combines:
- 1x USB-C input (with PD, data, and display)
- 2-3x DisplayPort + USB-B inputs (for traditional desktops)
- 1x stable USB-A port that only connects to the USB-C input (not switched)
- 3x USB-A HID ports (keyboard, mouse, etc. - these switch normally)
- DisplayPort output to monitor
- Audio I/O (mic in, speaker out)
- DC power input (for USB-C PD)
The stable USB-A port would allow a USB ethernet adapter to remain permanently connected to the laptop input, providing wired networking without manual intervention like a proper USB-C dock.
Current Market Gap
I’ve searched extensively and the only devices approaching this specification are extremely sketchy products from unknown manufacturers, like this one. There’s clearly demand for a professional-grade solution.
Diagram
Here’s what this KVM would look like architecturally:
The key innovation is that stable USB-A port that provides non-switched connectivity exclusively to the USB-C input, enabling proper docked laptop workflows without sacrificing the ability to also connect traditional desktop computers.
Would Level1Techs consider developing something like this? I suspect many users are in similar situations - wanting to KVM between a laptop and desktop(s) without losing ethernet connectivity or requiring manual cable swapping.
Thanks for considering this request!