What to Buy > Audio 192 192 people found this article helpful The Best HDMI Switchers of 2024 Don't let your TV limit your port selection By Adam S. Doud Adam S. Doud 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 15, 2024 We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. In This Article View All In This Article Reviews What to Look For in an HDMI Switcher Frequently Asked Questions If you need an HDMI switcher but want to avoid getting bogged down in details, our experts suggest you buy the Kinivo 550BN HDMI switcher. It has the right price and 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, which is a little cheaper, and 4K, also known as ultra HD, which gives a sharper picture. Best Overall Kinivo HDMI Switch PHOTO: Amazon $55 at Amazon Pros Five inputs/One output Supports 4K picture quality Included remote Cons No PIP Port placement 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. It is designed with power users in mind and supports up to five HDMI inputs for a single output. We tested it for weeks with a BenQ HT3550 4K projector, and 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, organizing the cables is hard. 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 Lifewire / Emily Ramirez Best for Power Users Zettaguard 4K PHOTO: Amazon $28 at Amazon $37 at Walmart Pros PiP, but only a preview Supports 4k picture quality Great build All ports in the rear Cons 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 and a button for each HDMI input. Input/Output Ports: 4/1 | HDMI Standard: 2.0 | Remote/Voice Operation: Remote Lifewire / Emily Ramirez Best Budget Newcare HDMI Switch PHOTO: Amazon $16 at Amazon $27 at Walmart Pros Supports 4K video Included HDMI cable Cons Input and output on opposite side Three inputs 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 PHOTO: Walmart $168 at Amazon $168 at Walmart Pros 4 Inputs/2 Outputs 3.5mm headphone jack and optical audio inputs Cons Included remote is bad Your choices are 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. 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 PHOTO: Amazon $70 at Amazon $109 at Walmart Pros Comprehensive remote Four PiP size options Cons 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, 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 PHOTO: Amazon $120 at Amazon Pros Eight inputs Remote included Cons Pricey Does not support 4K This box has eight inputs and a single output to accommodate the largest home and professional theater setups. If you need a lot of inputs, you'll have to deal with 1080p/1080i output. For the price, we'd like to see 4K support, especially today. 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. Make sure that your HDMI switcher is compatible if you are routing the output of the switcher through a home theater receiver that provides decoding for advanced audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD, Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X. The switcher must also support HDMI handshake requirements implemented via 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 You can use an HDMI switcher with two HDMI outputs to send the same HDMI signal to two TVs or a video projector and TV, but you can use an HDMI splitter if you don't need a switcher. 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 with more HDMI inputs, consider getting an external 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 one 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