UGREEN USB Switch Selector 2 Computers Sharing 4 USB Devices USB 2.0 Peripheral Switcher Box Hub for Mouse Keyboard Scanner Printer PCs with One-Button Swapping and 2 Pack USB A to A Cable

A simple way to share USB peripherals between two machines

Sharing one keyboard and mouse between two computers shouldn’t require a full-blown KVM. That’s exactly the niche the UGREEN USB switch fills: it’s a small, no‑driver box that lets two computers share up to four USB 2.0 peripherals at the press of a button. After living with it on my desk for several weeks—connected to a work laptop on a dock and a personal desktop—I came away impressed by how reliably it handles the basics, and aware of its limits.

What it is—and isn’t

This is a 2-in/4-out USB 2.0 peripheral switch. Two computers (USB-A upstream) go in; up to four USB devices (USB-A downstream) plug in. A top-mounted button selects which computer owns all connected peripherals, and a small LED tells you who has control.

It is not a KVM. There’s no video, no audio switching, and no hotkey toggling. Think of it as the USB part of a KVM, minus everything else. For many setups—especially if you already have a monitor with multiple inputs or a separate display switch—that’s exactly what you need.

Setup and day-to-day use

Out of the box, it’s plug-and-play. UGREEN includes two USB‑A to USB‑A cables for the computer connections, and I appreciate not having to hunt for those. I connected the switch to a Windows desktop and to a MacBook Pro via a Thunderbolt dock. On the device side, I plugged in a mechanical keyboard, a wireless mouse receiver, and a USB printer. No drivers, no software—everything enumerated immediately.

Switching is as simple as tapping the button. In my setup, devices reattached to the other computer within two or three seconds. During that moment you’ll see the expected USB disconnect/reconnect notifications, but by the time I moved my hand from the button back to the mouse, the pointer was live. I noticed no added input lag or missed keystrokes; gaming and fast typing felt indistinguishable from a direct connection.

A couple of practical notes:

• The LED that indicates the active computer is small and a bit dim. It’s visible, but not a beacon. I relied more on whether my mouse moved than on the indicator.
• The switch is compact, with rubber feet and enough weight not to slide when I press the button. The ports are spaced sensibly so chunky dongles don’t block neighbors.

Power and stability

By default, the switch draws bus power from whichever computer is active. That’s fine for low-draw devices like a keyboard, mouse, and printer. When I added a backlit keyboard and a USB microphone, I hit the occasional disconnect as the combined draw spiked during mic activation. Connecting a 5V micro‑USB power cable to the switch (the port is on the side; cable and charger not included) solved it immediately. If your peripherals are even mildly power hungry—RGB keyboards, webcams, microphones—plan on powering the switch. A basic 5V USB charger and a micro‑USB cable do the trick.

If you need to attach even more gear, you can plug a powered USB hub into one of the four device ports. I tested a small powered hub with a webcam and card reader chained off the switch and had zero stability issues.

Performance with storage

This is a USB 2.0 device. That’s perfect for HID gear and printers, but it caps storage throughput. Copying a large archive from a USB 2.0 flash drive through the switch, I saw sustained transfers around 30–35 MB/s reads and roughly 25–30 MB/s writes—about what I’d expect for USB 2.0 and the media I used. Larger external SSDs connected through the switch will fall back to USB 2.0 speeds, which defeats their purpose. For frequent storage transfers (or webcams that demand high bandwidth), consider UGREEN’s USB 3.0 variant instead. For keyboards, mice, dongles, printers, and scanners, the 2.0 bandwidth is more than sufficient.

Sleep, wake, and BIOS behavior

Wake-from-sleep behavior can vary by machine and settings. On my Windows desktop, tapping a key on the shared keyboard woke the system reliably whether it was the active side or I switched to it while asleep. On a USB‑C laptop connected through a dock, I needed to tweak settings (enable “Allow this device to wake the computer,” disable aggressive USB selective suspend, and ensure BIOS “USB wake” was on) before wake via keyboard became consistent. If wake is important to you, plan to confirm your system’s USB wake settings—and note that some laptops simply won’t wake over USB when the lid is closed.

On the upside, I had no trouble using the shared keyboard in BIOS/UEFI on both machines. Switching while at the firmware screen worked as expected, which is handy for quick config changes without replugging cables.

Compatibility and cabling quirks

Across Windows 11, macOS, and a Linux box I briefly tested, the switch was driver-free and reliable. If your computer only has USB‑C ports, use a compact USB‑C to USB‑A adapter on the computer side; some direct C-to-A cables are charge-only or wired in ways that prevent proper enumeration as a host connection. That’s not the switch’s fault, but it’s worth calling out. Once I swapped a questionable C-to-A cable for a known-good C-to-A adapter plus the included A-to-A cable, everything was solid.

The switch supports most common USB 2.0 devices. I tried:

• Mechanical keyboard (wired), wireless mouse receiver
• Printer
• USB microphone
• Webcam (worked, but frame rate was limited on 1080p due to USB 2.0 bandwidth)
• USB flash drive

Everything functioned as if directly attached to the active computer, with the caveat about bandwidth for video and storage.

What I’d change

• Add a brighter or larger activity indicator. The current LED works, but a clearer at-a-glance indicator would be helpful.
• Offer an optional wired remote switch. If you like to tuck the box out of sight, a small desktop pusher would make switching more convenient.
• Include the 5V power cable. Many users won’t need it, but it would remove a common point of confusion when peripherals draw a bit too much power.

None of these are deal-breakers, and they’re easy to work around.

Who it’s for (and who should look elsewhere)

Pick this up if:

• You want one keyboard/mouse (and maybe a printer or scanner) to control two computers without installing software.
• Your peripherals are USB 2.0 or don’t need high bandwidth.
• You’re comfortable pressing a button to switch and don’t need hotkeys or video switching.

Consider the USB 3.0 version if:

• You regularly move files from external SSDs or high-speed flash drives across machines.
• You plan to run a 1080p webcam through the switch at high frame rates.
• You want more headroom for USB bus power before adding external power.

Look at a full KVM if:

• You need to switch monitors and audio alongside USB peripherals.
• You prefer keyboard shortcuts to toggle between machines.

Tips for a smoother experience

• Power it if you see any flakiness. A basic 5V micro‑USB supply stabilizes high-draw setups.
• Adjust sleep/wake settings. Enable USB wake in OS and BIOS for consistent behavior.
• Use a USB‑C to A adapter on USB‑C-only hosts, not a random C-to-A cable that might be charge-only.
• If you rely on a webcam or mic, test your exact configuration before a live call; two minutes of validation can save a meeting.

Recommendation

I recommend the UGREEN USB switch for anyone who wants a low-cost, reliable way to share a few USB peripherals between two computers without the complexity of a full KVM. It delivers the essentials—quick, driver-free switching; stable connections; compact design—and with optional 5V power it handles trickier, higher-draw setups as well. Its USB 2.0 limitation and modest LED indicator are the main trade-offs, but for keyboards, mice, printers, and similar gear, it’s a straightforward, effective solution. If your workflow leans heavily on high-speed storage or high-bandwidth webcams, step up to the USB 3.0 version; otherwise, this model hits the sweet spot for simplicity and value.