Sabrent opts for Thunderbolt 4 with new KVM switch

Sabrent has introduced its Thunderbolt 4K KVM Switch, a handy tool for managing two Macs using the same desktop peripherals, with the new model including 8K display support and 60W of power delivery.

The Sabrent Thunderbolt 4 KVM Switch is a slim dock-like device that acts as the connection point for two Macs or PCs and the user's displays and peripherals. Unusually, Sabrent went for a Thunderbolt 4 version rather than a more conventional all USB-A version, making it a rarity on the market.

Using an aluminum casing to aid with cooling, the Thunderbolt 4 KVM has two USB-C ports on the rear for connecting to host Macs and PCs, as well as a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports that work at up to 10Gbps. At the front are another two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and a trio of 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports.

The switch includes Power Delivery 3.0 support up to 60W, with all ports also having Battery Charging 1.2 support. All ports can also charge at up to 5V 2.4A.

Video support is up to 8k at 60Hz with DisplayPort Alternate Mode-capable devices, though it can also manage 8K at 30Hz or 5K at 60Hz without DSC1.2 enabled.

While it takes up minimal space at 6.3 inches in length, 2.76 inches in width, and 0.71 inches in height, you can still hide the KVM switch out of view. A small button unit is connected to the switch, enabling users to change which host they're connected to while the main switch unit is hidden.

The Sabrent Thunderbolt 4 KVM Switch is available now, priced at $299.99 on the company's website and on Amazon.

2 Comments

TR[]N 1 Year · 1 comment

About 1 year ago

I ordered the Sabrent Thunderbolt 4 KVM switch from their website on 30 March 2023:

https://sabrent.com/products/sb-tb4k

However, the next day (and every day since then) it showed as “out of stock”. I think I got lucky and must’ve ordered it in the small window between when they added the product page but before they updated it to say “out of stock”.

Anyway, it cost $299 (plus tax), and it was delivered to me on 7 June 2023. So far, so good: I have my 2015 and 2022 MacBook Pros connected to the KVM and I use it to share my Apple Studio Display (which only provides a Thunderbolt connection to the source computer).

It’s the most stable setup for this configuration I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot), but it seemed to take a while for the display to initially recognize the sb-tb4k. Also, theres a 5-10 second lag between when I click the switch button and when the display and laptop connect. Regardless, I'm impressed enough with the stability of the connection that I’m going to keep it.

The power adapter for the sb-tb4k KVM is a five-pound brick; pretty ridiculous for how lightweight the switch is. But it also came with plug adapters for different regions. Unfortunately, from my use, the Sabrent sb-tb4k KVM does *not* charge the inactive computer. I’ve tried a few different cables to see if that makes a difference, but so far, no joy. If computer #1 is selected, computer #2 is not charged, and if computer #2 is selected, then computer #1 is not charged.

For some background, my previous setup for the two laptops to share the Apple Studio Display used the KCEVE USB-C switch and some third-party USB-C cables:

https://kceve.com/product/bi-directional-usb-c-switch/

There are several offerings for this device on Amazon (and elsewhere) for less than $100.

However, the KCEVE USBB-C connections weren't very tight, so I had to iterate through many different USB-C cables to find a stable configuration. Eventually, I found a set of right-angle USB-C cables from Tripp-Lite that worked pretty well:

https://tripplite.eaton.com/usb-c-cable-usb-3-thunderbolt-3-100w-charging-angled-plug-1-m~U42001MG25ARA

I had the right-angle end of the Tripp-Lite cables going into the laptops, the straight-end connecting to the KCEVE switch, then the KCEVE switch's built-in USB-C cable going to the Apple Studio Display, which has its own ports to attach the keyboard and mouse to. This configuration worked pretty well, and the switching lag wasn't too bad, but if anything got jostled, I might get some flicker, so I'd have to make sure all the connections were still tight.

Anyway, now I'm using the Sabrent sb-tb4k KVM as the switch and hub, and still use the Tripp-Lite right-angle cables to connect the laptops to the swtich. The Sabrent setup seems to be a more stable configuration, but the 5-10 second lag in switching on the Sabrent seems longer than the lag with the KCEVE, and the Sabrent swtich costs almost 4 times more than the KCEVE switch.

kurai_kage 5 Years · 115 comments

About 1 year ago

I have a Mac/PC setup sharing a display, and I'd love to use a KVM to handle switching place of the display controls. The thing tripping me up currently is the 60Hz limitation for the majority of switches. My current display is a 144Hz 3840x1600 LG UW with TB support. Previous switches I've tried that support this refresh rate drop the active connection, and then I find messy resized windows then I return to the other computer.