StarTech.com Rackmount KVM Console HD 1080p - Single Port VGA KVM with 17" LCD Monitor for Server Rack - Fully Featured 1U LCD KVM Drawer w/Cables & Hardware - USB Support - 50,000 MTBF

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

If you’re looking at this, you’re probably trying to solve a very specific problem: needing a proper rack drawer KVM console that you can keep wired up and operational in a datacentre/IDF without relying on “someone will remote in” magic. For that use case, StarTech’s 1U LCD KVM drawers are genuinely practical—especially when you want consistent local access to a server even if the network is having a bad day. It’s the sort of purchase that IT managers make once, then quietly appreciate during outages, firmware updates, and edge-case troubleshooting.

That said, £836 ex-VAT is not pocket change, so I wouldn’t buy it unless you *know* you’ll benefit from a dedicated physical console in the rack. If you mainly manage servers over IP (or you’ve already got solid out-of-band tooling), this may be overkill versus cheaper remote console solutions or shared KVM infrastructure. Also, single-port setups can feel restrictive fast in real deployments—great for a “management node” or a small cluster, less great when you keep accumulating devices and end up wanting “just one more port” every month. Overall: a solid, dependable option for teams who need reliable local rack console access and can justify the cost; avoid it if your workflow is primarily remote and you don’t have a clear plan for port/coverage.