Best Products > Audio 116 116 people found this article helpful The Best HDMI Switchers of 2023 for Console Flexibility Don't let your TV limit your port selection By Adam S. Doud Adam S. Doud Twitter Writer Adam has been writing about mobile technology since 2011. He is the former host of the Android Authority podcast, and his work has appeared in numerous publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 16, 2023 We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Tweet Share Email Audio Home Theater Headphones Earbuds Speakers Instruments Accessories If you know you need an HDMI switcher but don't want to get bogged down in details, our experts think you should buy the Kinivo 550BN HDMI switcher: It has the right price, the right amount of inputs, and it just works. One of the most annoying things about TVs is the limited number of ports to connect things like streaming boxes and game consoles. An HDMI switcher gets around this, adding more ports by letting several devices share the same cable into your TV. One key thing to ensure when you buy is that you get a switch that supports the highest resolution you'll need. The two main options are HD, a little cheaper, and 4K, also known as ultra HD, which gives a sharper picture. The Rundown Best Overall: Kinivo HDMI Switch at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Power Users: Zettaguard 4K at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: Newcare HDMI Switch at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Multiple Displays: Cable Matters 4K 60 Hz Matrix Switch at Walmart Jump to Review Best Picture-in-Picture: Orei HD-201P 2 X 1 High Speed at Amazon Jump to Review Best for 1080p: IOGEAR 8-Port HDMI Switch at Amazon Jump to Review in this article Expand Our Picks What to Look for in an HDMI Switcher FAQ Best Overall Kinivo 550BN HDMI Switch 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon What We Like Five inputs/One output Supports 4K picture quality Included remote What We Don't Like No PIP Port placement Kinivo 550BN HDMI Switch Review The ability to connect multiple devices to one display is the biggest draw of an HDMI switch, and the Kinivo 550BN handles this task reliably. Designed with power users in mind, it supports up to five HDMI inputs for a single output. Our reviewer Emily Ramirez tested it for weeks with a BenQ HT3550 4K projector and felt like it was a match made in heaven. The Kinivo does come with some cable management issues. Since all the ports are lined up along one side, it's hard to organize the cables. That said, it's simple and pleasant to use, and competitively priced. Input/Output Ports: 5/1 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Tested by Lifewire While the Kinivio 550BN is slightly unattractive, it's packed with features. It can display 4K at 60Hz, comes with automatic switching, and supports Dolby digital encoding. It even has a two-year warranty. But it doesn't have an HDMI splitter built-in, so you need to use a 3rd party solution if your sound system is separate from your display. Overall, the Kinivo 550BN delivers on its promises. It takes about nine seconds to switch between inputs, which isn't fast, but videos played beautifully. Gaming was a seamless experience, with no noticeable lag between the controller input and the display. — Emily Ramirez, Product Tester Lifewire / Emily Ramirez Best for Power Users Zettaguard 4K HDMI Switcher 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart What We Like PiP, but only a preview Supports 4k picture quality Great build All ports in the rear What We Don't Like Cannot split audio Zettaguard Upgraded 4K 60Hz 4x1 HDMI Switcher Review If you're looking for a thoughtfully designed HDMI switcher with a premium look and feel, the Zettaguard 4K is worth some consideration. Our reviewer tested it for weeks and thought the 4K content she streamed on her PC looked great, with the HDR coloring making the videos pop. The Zettaguard 4K could've been our top pick. The picture-in-picture (PiP) preview mode alone almost had us, but the switcher is held back by having only four inputs and no HDMI audio splitter. The included remote has a dedicated PiP button that lets you view all active inputs simultaneously, along with a button for each HDMI input. Input/Output Ports: 4/1 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Tested by Lifewire The Zettaguard Upgraded 4K 60Hz 4x1 HDMI Switcher is a solid entry in the HDMI switcher market. The chassis is unassuming and sturdy, installation is straightforward, and the thoughtfully placed ports help with cable management. It took about nine seconds for the switcher to change inputs, putting it right in the middle of the products tested. Video games ran smoothly, with no noticeable latency, thanks to an 18Gbps transfer speed. — Emily Ramirez, Product Tester Lifewire / Emily Ramirez Best Budget Newcare HDMI Switch 3-in-1 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart What We Like Supports 4K video Included HDMI cable What We Don't Like Input and output on opposite side Three inputs Not everyone has a lot of devices they need to connect. Sometimes, three inputs are enough. We like the Newcare HDMI switch, but it is limited. You do pay less, sure, but with so few inputs (on opposite sides again, grrr) and the lack of a remote; this switch is best for smaller systems and small budgets. If that’s you, you won’t have any trouble with it. Input/Output Ports: 3/1 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: None Best for Multiple Displays Cable Matters 4K 60 Hz Matrix Switch Walmart View On Walmart What We Like 4 Inputs/2 Outputs Both 3.5mm (a headphone socket) and optical audio inputs What We Don't Like Included remote is bad Your choices are pretty limited if you have a multi-monitor setup and need four inputs and two outputs. However, the Cable Matters 4K 60 Hz Matrix Switch is the one we’d pick. It supports the proper protocols and even supports audio switching. Sure, it’s pretty niche, but we’re glad it’s out there. Input/Output Ports: 4/2 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Best Picture-in-Picture Orei HD-201P 2 X 1 High Speed Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart What We Like Comprehensive remote Four PiP size options What We Don't Like No auto-power off Can be confusing Does not support 4K One of the more common uses of an HDMI switcher is picture-in-picture, allowing you to watch two video sources simultaneously. If PiP functionality is a must for you, but 4K isn't, then we can recommend the Orei HD-201P. This switcher excels at advanced PiP (again, only in HD and specifically the 1080p/1080i formats) and supports a whole bunch of advanced audio formats, so if you've got a home cinema setup, you're good to go, with support for PCM2, 5.1, and 7.1 surround sound, Dolby 5.1, and DTS 5.1. This is another niche product, but like above, we're glad it's available. Input/Output Ports: 2/1 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Best for 1080p IOGEAR 8-Port HDMI Switch Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On B&H Photo Video What We Like Eight inputs Remote included What We Don't Like Pricey Does not support 4K Some home and professional theater setups require more inputs. This box has eight inputs and a single output for the largest systems. If you must have a lot of inputs, you'll have to deal with 1080p/1080i output. For the price, we'd like to see 4K support, especially in this day and age. But, with eight inputs, it's about the only game in town (and the only one we recommend). Input/Output Ports: 8/1 | HDMI Standard: 1.4 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Lifewire / Emily Ramirez What to Look for in an HDMI Switcher Output Resolution HDMI switchers available for consumers are at least 1080p and Dolby Digital/DTS compatible. If you have a 4K Ultra HD TV and 4K source components, the switcher must also be 4K compatible. If you need to pass HDR-encoded or 3D video signals, your HDMI switcher must have those capabilities. Key Features All HDMI switchers pass standard Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround audio signals. If you are routing the output of the switcher through a home theater receiver (instead of going directly to the TV) that provides decoding for advanced audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD, Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, you need to make sure that your HDMI switcher is compatible. The switcher also has to support HDMI handshake requirements implemented via either the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Copy Protection) or HDCP 2.2 for 4K devices protocol between source devices and the TV or video projector. This is important when switching between devices, as there is a temporary break in the handshake until the newly selected device locks in with a new handshake. HDMI Splitters Don't need an HDMI switcher but want to send the same HDMI signal to two TVs or a video projector and TV? As mentioned above, you can use an HDMI switcher with two HDMI outputs, but if you don't need a switcher, you can use an HDMI splitter. HDMI splitters that send two, three, four, or more signals from a single HDMI source are available, but for consumers, two is usually enough. Splitters with more outputs are primarily for business and commercial use, where one source needs to be sent to multiple TVs or projectors. Splitters can be powered or passive (no power needed). It is best to use powered splitters to avoid handshake or signal loss issues. The splitter must also be compatible with the video and audio signals you may need to pass through. Just as with a switcher, if one video display device is a lower resolution than the other, the output for both may default to a lower resolution. Lifewire / Emily Ramirez Using a Home Theater Receiver as an HDMI Switcher or Splitter Another option to consider that can add more HDMI inputs for TV viewing sources is a home theater receiver. Low-priced home theater receivers usually provide four HDMI inputs. As you go up in price, you will find receivers with up to six or eight HDMI inputs and two or three outputs, allowing you to connect to more than one TV or a TV and video projector similar to a splitter. FAQ What is a HDMI switcher? HDMI is the most common audio/video connection in use. However, TVs may have as few as one or two HDMI inputs.If you have a lot of HDMI-equipped source devices, such as an upscaling DVD/Blu-ray/Ultra HD Blu-ray player, cable/satellite box, media streamer, and game console that all need to be connected to your TV, there may not be enough HDMI inputs, but don't panic.Instead of buying a new TV just to get more HDMI inputs, consider getting an external HDMI switcher to fill the gap. Will using a HDMI switcher reduce image quality? HDMI is a digital signal and won't degrade in the same way as older analog signals even with the addition of a switcher. If you are experiencing a notable loss in signal quality it may be due to a faulty signal either from your switcher or a damaged cable. What's the difference between an HDMI switch and an HDMI splitter? An HDMI switch allows you to swap between inputs transmitted to a single screen, whereas an HDMI splitter takes a single signal and sends it to multiple screens. Can an HDMI switch transmit a 4K signal? Yes, as long as your HDMI cable and switcher support HDMI 2.0 you can transmit a 4K signal without any loss in quality. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit