Smartooo 23031 HDMI Switcher Review

The Smartooo 23031 HDMI switch is a phenomenal, reasonably priced product that offers all the features you want in a dedicated switch: three HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, 4K/60Hz display output, HDCP 2.2 compatibility, auto switching, and a simple-to-use remote. This switcher works as well as competitors from J-Tech and Zettaguard but costs about $10 to $15 less. It doesn’t include an integrated HDMI splitter, but it’s small enough to stand next to one on your console, desk, or table.

The Smartooo 23031 comes with three HDMI inputs and one HDMI output in a rugged black box. It is capable of running up to 4k video at 60Hz refresh rates. The box includes LED indicators for each input, and the remote has a button for each input as well as arrow buttons to cycle through the inputs. All connections are in the rear of the switch, which allows you to easily organize your cables. Thanks to its matte black finish and its one-inch profile, it blends in well with its surroundings.

The switch comes loaded with features, such as automatic switching, a dedicated AC adapter, and support for various codecs (Dolby Atmos, Dolby True HD, HDR, HDCP 2.2, etc.). That said, one feature we would have liked to see is a picture-in-picture mode to allow the user to preview the outputs of active devices. However, it’s a small feature to trade for a lower price and HDCP 2.2 compatibility. 

To set up the Smartooo 23031, we plugged the AC adapter into a free power outlet, connected our PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch into the HDMI inputs and connected our BenQ HT3550 into the HDMI output. Then we powered the switcher on. To swap between inputs we just have to press the corresponding number on the included remote. The setup was very standard for an HDMI switch.

The Smartooo switch lives up to its promise. Its auto-switch works seamlessly, taking about eight seconds to switch to a newly-activated input. While eight seconds isn’t exactly instant, it’s one of the faster sub-$50 switches on the market—its competitors tend to average nine to ten seconds. Once we had our desired active input locked in we tested its latency with a bit of gaming and typing. Across our three devices we didn’t detect any noticeable latency, but we wouldn’t trust it in competitive gaming where twitch reflexes are king. 

For film-watching, we played back 4K content from our PC. The Smartooo runs 4K video at 60Hz as advertised, with vivid colors and accurate sound. The HDR makes the colors pop, and the switcher works as intended.

This switch will set you back about $30 and for what it offers, it’s a good deal (the majority of 4k/60Hz capable switches are at least $40). The Smartooo provides the crucial HDCP 2.2 compatibility for all of your content, though we would like to see another input port on the Smartooo to really bump up its value.

The Smartooo 3-input 4k switch is very respectable—competition tends to cost at least $10 more. But for that ten bucks, the Zettaguard 4k @ 60Hz 4 input HDMI Switch offers an extra port, PIP, and a live preview of all input displays. If those are features you want out of an HDMI switcher, the extra ten dollars is definitely justified, but if you don’t need need those features (particularly the additional port), the Smartooo is a great choice for less.