StarTech.com 8 Port 1U Rackmount DVI USB KVM Switch

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

For £631.20 ex-VAT, the StarTech 8‑port 1U DVI USB rack KVM is a “pro infrastructure” kind of purchase, not something I’d casually drop into a small office. If you’ve got a datacentre-style rack, multiple DVI console targets, and you really need one set of keyboard/video/mouse per workstation without running separate monitors/USB peripherals, this makes sense. It’s also the right flavour of KVM when you care about tidy cabling, predictable mounting (1U), and keeping admin access central—e.g., server rooms, labs, or controlled environments where DVI is still perfectly fine.

The main reason to hesitate: you’re paying for a lot of ports and rack form factor, so you only win if you truly need the eight-way switching and aren’t going to end up with “unused capacity.” Also, DVI limits you compared with newer setups—if your estate has HDMI/DisplayPort-only kit or you need modern high-resolution/refresh behaviour, you may be forcing conversions that aren’t great value. If you’ve only got a couple of hosts, cheaper 2–4 port models will get you 80–90% of the benefit. Overall: buy it if you’re standardising on DVI and want a solid, rack-friendly multi-host console. Don’t buy it if you’re unsure you need eight ports, or you’re moving toward newer display outputs and would rather avoid adapter headaches.