I tested every IP KVM in my Homelab

+1000 points for the PiKVM V4 Plus. We (Revise Robotics - a YC company!) refurbish laptops with robots and AI - as part of this, we (or rather, the AI) send(s) keyboard commands in software to the computers we're refurbishing.

How/why? The AI needs to navigate the BIOS among other tasks - so we need a KVM to send arrow down and enter, roughly speaking.

We were a GL.iNet KVM shop until we ran into a nasty issue with a specific ThinkPad - the GL.iNet would send an incorrect USB 0 byte which most laptops ignored, except this ThinkPad which was freaked out by it / beeped / wouldn't accept any key command.

I couldn't let this problem go, so I got a low level USB debugger [0] (which I extremely recommend) and wire-debugged the USB signal, A/B comparing the GL.iNet and the PiKVM. The PiKVM was doing things properly (usb-wise), so we swapped all (~10) of our KVMs for it.

I also remember that the GL.iNet was stranger/more difficult to customize (it's just running pikvm the software but doesn't let you customize it as much). The GL offers a nicer UI, but it doesn't matter that much (we drive it via API) and we're happy to support the actual PiKVM authors/company. It's a fantastic product. Not cheap, but truly truly great.

P.S. If someone from GL wants to reach out, I can offer you a lot of low-level debugging info -- fixing this issue would be great.

[0] https://greatscottgadgets.com/cynthion/

Hey Jeff, I did some research on the jetkvm after reading this as I was very impressed but wanted full scale hdmi + Poe and was going to pull the trigger on the clone you mentioned later, ArkKVM but felt like I’d rather support the main project if I could…

What I found seems to indicate that Jet fixed those two issues in a hardware revision but it’s really difficult to distinguish the new on from the old as they’ve seemingly kept the same name and not added a v2 or something like that to the naming. One of their vendors has a Poe va non poe sku, the other has a an emmc vs tf card sku. All seemingly without a name distinguishing them.

There’s also just chaos on Amazon as they are being sold in at least 4 separate listings with no name distinguishing which model is which, non of them mention poe and all claim full size hdmi.

In any case I thought you should know that your write up is out of date here but you probably need to do some digging to figure it out.

Not affiliated but I had good experience with GL.inet’s comet line [1]. They have one on kickstarter that’s the size of a google cast puck that uses purely usb-C. Though all my KVM do not have internet access (blocked at my gateway). I can only access it via tailscale externally.

[1] https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-rm1/

All of these support a single computer only, so if your home lab has multiple PCs you need a remote control KVM switch too. And separately a remote control power strip/outlet if you need that also.

KVM switches are relatively cheap[^1] so I'm surprised there isn't an integrated solution.

[^1]: e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Computers-Switches-Supports-switching...

Keep in mind you absolutely can DIY the PiKVM, it's supported in their docs. Buy the Pi, buy the extra hardware you may need for power splitting & video in, install PiKVM software (unfortunately it's a rather massive package of custom software), and it's probably around a hundred bucks cheaper than their cheapest product version.

The HP z2 mini g1a supports a BMC module that is a full redfish implementation, so it can do virtualmedia and UEFI configuration read/write.

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-anyware-remote-system-c...

I was pretty disappointed to discover DGX spark has no BMC. I was able to hook it up to pikvm by connecting leads to the power switch wires. It honestly works really well and I can provision it with MAAS

Shout-out to pikvm for their redfish support with the pikvm switch

Great writeup there are quite a few here that are new to me

Glad I bought a JetKVM, it's been great (other than the HDMI adapter, lol)

Okay, there were two things that bothered me with these KVM switches: the power adapters are massive so there's too many cables, and the cables don't go always in the same side of the thing. Your post covers both and I'm thrilled. The final thing I recognize is a bit of a nice to have but the only thing that I want to rack that doesn't have a BMC is my Mac Mini which I've hesitated to put in the Sonnet RackMac and run because I don't know how to KVM power it on/off. My cabinet is an hour away from me and the Mac Mini runs the family AI agent so I need it to be available all the time. So far, it hasn't ever needed any attention (it comes back on after power outages at home) but I'd prefer to be able to turn it on/off remotely ideally.

Do you know which one of these works well with that?

Neat, someone mentioned these when I proposed a ludicrous anti-fingerprinting strategy https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44549352

Jeff Geerling rocks

It will never make sense to me why KVMs are such a hard problem to solve. It seems like something we should have a good answer for by now but we still really just don't without dropping hundreds of dollars, and even then it still feels like a crap shoot.

I have a mild distrust of some of the cheap IP KVMs. I don't think vendors are malicious, but I don't expect they get it right every time either.

Admittedly, I haven't looked at any open-sourced firmwares either which could have improved things.

I have found the Sispeed USB KVM very useful, the convenience is well worth the $50 it cost me. The UX isn't great but you don't really need it to be. It works (most of the time) via WebUSB for the keyboard mouse.

The JetKVM picture is aggravating to look at. It shows IPv4 address in large print and the IPv6 address in small print. That’s fine, but the IPv6 address is truncated with an ellipsis. How is that useful? A truncated IP address doesn’t work. Do the developers expect autocomplete for IP addresses? (And the IPv6 address is a ULA, so it could have been much shorter if SLAAC was involved in creating the address. Otherwise blame the DHCPv6 server I guess.)

I deploy pikvm and I have been mostly happy. The tinypilot has a better feel to it. Something feels more polished.

I have a CSE847 and HP DL380 G10 that have gone down for me due to power outages. Many of these look complex, and I basically just need remote power-on/toggle capability. Should I be looking at something else?

There are certainly edge cases where you want native USB and display, but after initial bring up, the device is on the network, and can be managed over the network.

So, sure, nerd out and add more hardware to your rack, but I need a physical keyboard and mouse attached to a machine in my rack like once per year.

How's the video quality/latency on all of these? RDP or parsec are probably the gold standard, but I doubt cheap arm SOCs can implement either properly.

Radxa also released their ipkvm product last week called radxa linkr. It costs by $55

I'm running a PiKVM DIY on a pi02w. Adequate, but I'd like more functionality and performance.

I bought a SiPeed NanoKVM. It caught fire 15 minutes after being plugged in. Despite providing pictures of the charred PCB, they insisted I ship it back, costing me €20, and then tried 3 times during the transit to get AliExpress to void my return as fraudulent. I eventually provided proof of signed delivery to their people on the last possible day of my final appeal, and AliExpress ruled in my favor, refunding my purchase price but not the return shipping cost. Better some money back than none at all!

Maybe just buy the JetKVM. It looks nice!

Another vote for JetKVM. Tailscale support is great. I'm glad to see audio is in the works because a Mac mini screaming from separate room during a remote session is disappointing.

It’s bizarre that one needs to do all this via a keyboard/monitor interface.

Nearly thirty years ago when I used to work on Silicon Graphics kit everything from powering on and off a server to installing the OS from scratch over the network could be done out of band via serial - and automatically, using expect(1)

That’s progress, I guess.

They aren't a hard problem to solve. In the server market it's completely solved with a BMC. The problem being solved here is someone wants to make a product using some commodity product like a raspberry pi, perform video capture on a VGA/HMDI/DP port. This is not actually a problem end users have.

If you want to plug into a system that isn't server class, then they should be producing a video card that hooks into the USB bus, the always on rail of the power supply, the power switch pin of the power supply, and has an RJ45 jack. The contents of the card should be an off the shelf BMC chip.

But realistically if you want this kind of functionality, just buy server class systems that come with it.

Another vote for JetKVM. Tailscale support is great. I'm glad to see audio is in the works because a Mac mini screaming from separate room during a remote session is disappointing.

There are certainly edge cases where you want native USB and display, but after initial bring up, the device is on the network, and can be managed over the network.

So, sure, nerd out and add more hardware to your rack, but I need a physical keyboard and mouse attached to a machine in my rack like once per year.

The HP z2 mini g1a supports a BMC module that is a full redfish implementation, so it can do virtualmedia and UEFI configuration read/write.

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-anyware-remote-system-c...

Shout-out to pikvm for their redfish support with the pikvm switch

Great writeup there are quite a few here that are new to me

Glad I bought a JetKVM, it's been great (other than the HDMI adapter, lol)

All of these support a single computer only, so if your home lab has multiple PCs you need a remote control KVM switch too. And separately a remote control power strip/outlet if you need that also.

KVM switches are relatively cheap[^1] so I'm surprised there isn't an integrated solution.

[^1]: e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Computers-Switches-Supports-switching...

There are a few, like this add-on for PiKVM[1], a fully integrated version from Geekworm[2], and an as-yet unreleased 4-port IP KVM switcher from GL-iNet[3].

[1] https://technotim.com/posts/pikvm-at-scale/

[2] https://geekworm.com/products/pikvm-x680

[3] https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-rm4pe/

There’s also just chaos on Amazon as they are being sold in at least 4 separate listings with no name distinguishing which model is which, non of them mention poe and all claim full size hdmi.

In any case I thought you should know that your write up is out of date here but you probably need to do some digging to figure it out.

Do you know which one of these works well with that?

How/why? The AI needs to navigate the BIOS among other tasks - so we need a KVM to send arrow down and enter, roughly speaking.

P.S. If someone from GL wants to reach out, I can offer you a lot of low-level debugging info -- fixing this issue would be great.

[0] https://greatscottgadgets.com/cynthion/

Neat, someone mentioned these when I proposed a ludicrous anti-fingerprinting strategy https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44549352

Jeff Geerling rocks

I deploy pikvm and I have been mostly happy. The tinypilot has a better feel to it. Something feels more polished.

[1] https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-rm1/

Radxa also released their ipkvm product last week called radxa linkr. It costs by $55

I'm running a PiKVM DIY on a pi02w. Adequate, but I'd like more functionality and performance.

Maybe just buy the JetKVM. It looks nice!

But realistically if you want this kind of functionality, just buy server class systems that come with it.

Indeed, I will add a note in my blog post. They should've called it V2 or something.

Could you get a kvm connected to a networked PDU with per-outlet control? Then a power cycle on the plug for the mac would accomplish the same thing. Or just use the network port on the PDU directly w/o kvm.

Add a PoE switch and PoE splitters for IP-KVMs that don't already have PoE-in?

I think if you can afford it, the PiKVM is still the gold standard... and also one of the best engineered devices, with the most flexibility. It costs a lot because it's worth it.

They also have a nice (if messy) solution for multiple device management with an external box (TechnoTim had some good coverage on his channel/website[1]).

Most other Pi-based KVMs use PiKVM's software anyway, and I'm not sure if any directly support PiKVM upstream (they should, IMO).

The other class is the JetKVM and its derivatives (many forked JetKVM's snappier Go software), and that's another reason I've stuck with JetKVM itself. It seems to have a nice community around it for mounts in almost any situation, and hacks to get weird things working correctly with it. They're also going to have a PoE + full-size HDMI version soon, I think, with microSD for expanded ISO storage.

[1] https://technotim.com/posts/pikvm-at-scale/

Just wanted to give you kudos for having a hw company in nyc. You don't see to many of those around :p

I have a mild distrust of some of the cheap IP KVMs. I don't think vendors are malicious, but I don't expect they get it right every time either.

Admittedly, I haven't looked at any open-sourced firmwares either which could have improved things.

I went with Sipeed NanoKVM (PCIe) units across my homelab as well and I've also been happy with them. For a while it's been the best value option (not to mention the most consistently available option) cf. GL.iNet, PiKVM, and JetKVM. The PoE versions are great in a rack and the integrated ATX control is fully-featured (including the little power switch icon in the web UI turning green when the system is powered on). I set up an isolated OoBM VLAN with no Internet access and any switch ports assigned to it are isolated by default as well.

Part of the problem is the absolute crap that most vendors throw on an AST2600 is even worse.

I will say iDRAC has been a lot more reliable for me, but the chance I'll ever buy a Dell server for home use is basically 0.

How's the video quality/latency on all of these? RDP or parsec are probably the gold standard, but I doubt cheap arm SOCs can implement either properly.

On some the latency is within 45-60ms (that's the best I've tested, under pretty strict LAN conditions), but average is more like 100-200ms. Not good enough for gaming, but fine for things like watching video, if you really want to do that.

Most employ heavy compression by default, and it looks a little more pronounced with motion. A few have 'high quality' mode, but especially on the Pi-based KVMs this eats up more CPU, so I don't use that.

It's on the whole best for use cases where you just need to log into remote servers and check on things, or reinstall/re-image something. I don't think I'd like using any of these for a constant remote session for daily work. I do use Screen Sharing on macOS for that sometimes, and it works great in its low-latency mode. None of the KVMs I've tested are quite to that level.

You could configure BIOS/UEFI to power-on when power is restored (or return to last state). Or use wake-on-LAN, which quite a few consumer routers can send through their web interface.

Don't your servers already have BMCs supporting IPMI to provide full remote management? Often features like full KVM will require extra licensing, but remote power on is one of the most basic features and I've never encountered a BMC that didn't provide at least that much remote control.

Sounds like you might need a UPS/Battery backup for outages.

Some of those servers can have multiple power supplies for failover too. They also can have cards in them to power them on/off remotely as well as long as they have power.

They are not in a hurry to fix it: https://github.com/jetkvm/kvm/issues/1158

It’s bizarre that one needs to do all this via a keyboard/monitor interface.

That’s progress, I guess.

server ipmi includes serial over lan, which can work ... it's helpful if the console settings for early boot match the console settings for OS boot, and there's no standard for sharing them, so that's a bit of a mess... and then you have some where serial over lan drops out during boot, which is kind of terrible. :(

But, the devices here are geared towards people using consumer products as servers (which I do at home, not critizing), and serial console during early boot is not an option on those, and most boards don't even have a serial port anymore.

I will say, if you're presenting a usb keyboard, you might also be able to present usb storage which could be nice for booting off of.

There are a few, like this add-on for PiKVM[1], a fully integrated version from Geekworm[2], and an as-yet unreleased 4-port IP KVM switcher from GL-iNet[3].

[1] https://technotim.com/posts/pikvm-at-scale/

[2] https://geekworm.com/products/pikvm-x680

[3] https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-rm4pe/

PiKVM themselves offer a 4-port switch, which can be chained five times, giving 20 ports in total: <https://docs.pikvm.org/switch/>

It also looks like BliKVM is now making the BLiSwitch: https://blikvm.com/docs/device-guides/BliSwitch-v2-guide/

Indeed, I will add a note in my blog post. They should've called it V2 or something.

Sounds like you might need a UPS/Battery backup for outages.

Some of those servers can have multiple power supplies for failover too. They also can have cards in them to power them on/off remotely as well as long as they have power.

You could configure BIOS/UEFI to power-on when power is restored (or return to last state). Or use wake-on-LAN, which quite a few consumer routers can send through their web interface.

I think if you can afford it, the PiKVM is still the gold standard... and also one of the best engineered devices, with the most flexibility. It costs a lot because it's worth it.

They also have a nice (if messy) solution for multiple device management with an external box (TechnoTim had some good coverage on his channel/website[1]).

Most other Pi-based KVMs use PiKVM's software anyway, and I'm not sure if any directly support PiKVM upstream (they should, IMO).

[1] https://technotim.com/posts/pikvm-at-scale/

Add a PoE switch and PoE splitters for IP-KVMs that don't already have PoE-in?

Just wanted to give you kudos for having a hw company in nyc. You don't see to many of those around :p

I will say, if you're presenting a usb keyboard, you might also be able to present usb storage which could be nice for booting off of.

They are not in a hurry to fix it: https://github.com/jetkvm/kvm/issues/1158

PiKVM themselves offer a 4-port switch, which can be chained five times, giving 20 ports in total: <https://docs.pikvm.org/switch/>

It also looks like BliKVM is now making the BLiSwitch: https://blikvm.com/docs/device-guides/BliSwitch-v2-guide/

Part of the problem is the absolute crap that most vendors throw on an AST2600 is even worse.

I will say iDRAC has been a lot more reliable for me, but the chance I'll ever buy a Dell server for home use is basically 0.

Always a fun adventure when you buy an old server motherboard to see what state of disarray the BMC is in. Or if you have to patch the license on older boards just to get into it. Usually I just ignore the BMC on any hardware more than 5 years old.

You're right. I just need to upgrade my PDU. But as you can imagine, I'm hesitating because I don't want to power down the rest of the hardware either.

The annoying thing with Macs is they don't have the ability to 'Power on after clean shutdown and power cycle'. They can power on after a power fail, but that's not the same thing.

I want to be able to have power toggle on my Mac remotely, but without soldering in a jumper on the power button, AFAIK there's no way to do it :(

You're right. I just need to upgrade my PDU. But as you can imagine, I'm hesitating because I don't want to power down the rest of the hardware either.

Have you played around with OpenBMC or any of the open-sourced BMC firmware alternatives?

ETA: specifically on older server/workstation boards instead of the stock firwmare

The annoying thing with Macs is they don't have the ability to 'Power on after clean shutdown and power cycle'. They can power on after a power fail, but that's not the same thing.

I want to be able to have power toggle on my Mac remotely, but without soldering in a jumper on the power button, AFAIK there's no way to do it :(

That is frustrating. Sounds like no way forward w/o basically forcing a crash via hard shutdown from a PDU.

Have you played around with OpenBMC or any of the open-sourced BMC firmware alternatives?

ETA: specifically on older server/workstation boards instead of the stock firwmare

I've been interested but the idea of SPI flasher recovery has always meant I've not bothered actually trying. Maybe I will finally on one of these old boards I have lying around..

Jun 5, 2026

IP KVMs on desk

Since the PiKVM came out in 2017, there's been an explosion of IP KVMs. I've tested almost every one. But what are they good for?

You can use Remote Desktop, Screen Sharing, or VNC to remote control a computer from anywhere on a LAN. And if you don't have a private VPN, you could use RealVNC, Raspberry Pi Connect, or wire up Tailscale or Pangolin for fully remote access. Those solutions are great, and so is SSH if you don't need a full desktop.

But there are situations where you don't want to have remote control software running on the computer. When I'm benchmarking remotely, I don't want screen sharing using up any resources. Or what if you have a computer you want access remotely no matter what. Screen sharing and SSH don't work if the computer's locked up—or turned off!

Enter the IP KVM. High end server hardware has this feature built-in (HP's ILO, Dell's iDRAC, or IPMI), but not everyone has access to server motherboards. Even if you do, the BMC might be wildly out of date, or you might want to connect through a GPU, and not through the built-in VGA graphics.

IP KVM stands for "IP Keyboard Video and Mouse". Basically, these devices allow you to control of your computer over an IP network.

High-end IP KVMs have special features like PoE support, HDMI passthrough, and backup 5G modems. But sometimes you just want no frills remote KVM, and for that, there are even sub-$50 models you can buy.

In this post, I'll run through all the KVMs I've tested.

But before we get started, a word of caution:

One of these devices actually got me a visit from the FBI. And all these things can be security holes, just waiting to be exploited. Any form of remote control needs to be treated like an open door into your network—make sure you put a good lock on it.

Keep them updated, don't buy one if you don't trust the vendor, and firewall them off as much as you can. Using an IP KVM allows remote BIOS access, which can be pretty dangerous!

To see just how damaging things can be, check out this article about some pretty serious vulnerabilities some of the devices I'm about to review have run into.

But let's start with the PiKVM.

PiKVM

PiKVM v4

For me, this thing started it all. The folks at PiKVM built the open source software that was used in every first-generation clone, and cemented Raspberry Pi as the computer used in these things. My Dad and I tested all the PiKVM models, and I like everything but the price. I 100% recommend them, especially since you're directly supporting the folks who wrote the software. But I also know many people stop looking once they see the price tag.

Going from $275 to $400 bucks, they offer features like HDMI passthrough, two-way audio, power controls, addons for KVM switching, 5G backup, and a fully open source software stack. They even have instructions for building your own, if you have a Pi and you want to save some money!

Prices:
- PiKVM v4 Plus (with CM4): $400(ish) on PiShop.us
- PiKVM v4 Mini (sans-CM4): $270(ish) on CloudFree
- PiKVM v3 (with Pi 4): $275(ish) on PiShop.us
Chipset: BCM2711 (Raspberry Pi 4/CM4)
Topline features: 1080p at 60fps, HDMI passthrough, two-way audio support, ATX power control, multi-computer option with extra hardware, a PCI Express slot for 4G or 5G cards for redunant Internet, and uses around 3W of power
Open source: GPLv3 license, source is here, basis for almost all the Raspberry Pi-powered KVMs

BliKVM

Blicube BliKVM models

The BliKVM is basically a PiKVM, but cheaper, because the company benefitted from the software PiKVM already built. The hardware has the same benefits and tradeoffs. But on the software side, you're not putting money back into the open source project that started it all. They modified the software and UI a bit, and they acknowledge where they get the software, but honestly? Starting over over $200 for a cheaper Allwinner version, they're outclassed by newer KVMs. My favorite thing BliKVM did was their PCI Express version, that you can slot inside your computer.

$235 to $300 on AliExpress
Chipset: Allwinner H616 or Raspberry Pi CM4
Topline features: Versions with Pi or Allwinner chip, a PCIe card version you can stick inside a PC, and plenty of accessories if you need extra features like HDMI passthrough. A bit of a messy setup, but it has everything out of the box.
Open source: GPLv3 license, source is here

GL-iNet Comet

GL-iNet Comet KVM

GL-iNet is quickly expanding their IP KVM offering. They kicked off their KVM journey with the $99 Comet. Like BliKVM, their software is a fork of PiKVM. So between that and using a cheaper single-core Arm SoC instead of Raspberry Pi, they can cut down the cost a lot. They also bump the supported resolution up to 4K, and they have external options for ATX power control or even a cute little FingerBot add-on, for remotely pushing buttons.

$99.99 from GL-iNet
Chipset: RV1126
Topline features: 4K at 30fps, 8GB eMMC, option for ATX board and Fingerbot for remote power button pushes
Open source: Self-hosted cloud feature, KVM UI based on PiKVM, source is here

GL-iNet Comet Pro

GL-iNet Comet Pro KVM

The Comet is barebones, so they also sent me a Comet Pro to test.

Aside: Most of the KVMs I'm testing are review samples. Even though none of the companies paid any money or have a say in what I write, I want to be clear: I only paid for a few of the KVMs under test.

The Pro isn't quite double the cost, but it adds WiFi, 4x more onboard storage for bootable ISOs, a touchscreen, HDMI passthrough, and it still supports the FingerBot and ATX power control add-ons.

GL-iNet has a couple other unreleased KVMs which I hope to test out someday (one for USB control, the other for 4-computer switching).

$179.99 from GL-iNet
Chipset: RV1126B (unconfirmed)
Topline features: 4K at 30fps, built-in WiFi, 32GB eMMC, touchscreen, HDMI passthrough, option for ATX board and Fingerbot for remote power button pushes
Open source: Self-hosted cloud feature, KVM UI based on PiKVM, source is here

Sipeed NanoKVM Cube

This is the little guy that got me an FBI visit. The NanoKVM Cube is so cheap at $70, that apparently hackers were sending these to US workers to access corporate networks, in some espionage scheme. That doesn't mean the NanoKVM is 'bad', just that they're cheap and inconspicuous, and that made them great for North Korean spies.

Of course, Sipeed who makes these things didn't help the fact by including a tiny microphone. I made a short video about it. The problem is Sipeed built the NanoKVM with a RISC-V development board, that just so happens to include a tiny microphone.

But in general, if you're nervous about using hardware like this from China, then pick something else. Sipeed also took a while to open source their firmware, which also didn't help NanoKVM's trust level.

But I still like the Cube, if for no other reason than it showed manufacturers you could build tiny IP KVMs under $100.

$69 on AliExpress
Chipset: SG2002 (RISC-V)
Topline features: 1080p at 60fps, 32GB microSD, Comes with ATX breakout when buying full kit
Open source: KVM UI source

Sipeed NanoKVM PCIe

I haven't tested it, but Sipeed also makes the NanoKVM PCIe form factor, for installation inside a computer.

$73 on AliExpress
Chipset: SG2002 (RISC-V)
Topline features: 4K at 30fps, 32GB eMMC, HDMI passthrough, options for PoE, WiFi, ATX breakout adding on up to $120 total
Open source: KVM UI source

Sipeed NanoKVM Pro / Pro PCIe

Sipeed NanoKVM Pro

Sipeed also branched out like GL-iNet and made a Pro version with a touchscreen, a control wheel, WiFi, and HDMI passthrough.

And they made two PCI Express card versions. And all these things are pretty cheap still (under $100). The cheaper NanoKVMs are built around the Sophgo SG2002 RISC-V chip, and the Pro models use Axera's dual-core Arm AX630C chip.

I've tested all their different models, and they work great. Sipeed's UI is completely custom, too, and quite minimal. Availability at least in the US can be hit or miss, but I'm not sure if that's more from tariffs, production speed, or import restrictions.

$99 on AliExpress
Chipset: AX630C
Topline features: 4K at 30fps, 32GB eMMC, HDMI passthrough, PoE, built-in display with control wheel, options for WiFi, ATX breakout adding on up to $120 total
Open source: KVM UI source

JetKVM

I tested the JetKVM pre-launch, and I still enjoy the JetKVM's fast UI and clean aesthetic. The two little screws up top mean you can hard-mount these into rackmounts, like I'm using in my clock rack:

I don't know if it's just me, but this whole setup feels like one of the most polished. From the packaging, to the solid metal unit, to the snappy UI, I still use JetKVMs around the studio more than any other device.

These use a single core Arm SoC, which helps them stay around $100, but because of import issues, they never got to ship in quantity at the same low price I think they intended.

There are some quirks with the first version, like no built-in PoE, and a mini HDMI port on the back that needs an adapter, but overall this is one of my favorite little IP KVMs. There's apparently a new PoE version that also has full-size HDMI and a microSD card slot, but I haven't been able to buy one yet.

WisdPi makes a PoE splitter you can use to power it over Ethernet (that's how I'm powering it in my clock rack).

The JetKVM is a lot like the PiKVM in that the team behind it devoted a lot of time and resources to building an entirely new open source software stack...

Also like PiKVM, other companies quickly forked it and built their own tiny, cheap KVMs, diverting a portion of the potential market.

$103 on wisdPi
Chipset: RV1106G3
Topline features: 1080p at 60fps, 16GB eMMC, touchscreen, small zinc-alloy body, ATX, Serial, DC Power control attachments sold separately
Open source: KVM Go-based App (GPLv2), Firmware (upstream licenses)

LuckFox PicoKVM

Luckfox PicoKVM

One of the companies that cloned it is LuckFox. They're a newer embedded device manufacturer, and their PicoKVM is basically the JetKVM, but square, with the screen on top. The price is a bit lower, though, and if you don't need it rackmounted, I guess it's a viable option.

$61.99 on Waveshare
Chipset: RV1106G3
Topline features: 1080p at 60Hz, 8GB eMMC, Touchscreen, GPIO for ATX power, microSD expansion
Open source: KVM UI is a fork of JetKVM (GPLv2), and they provide hardware schematics

LeafKVM

Another KVM that built off JetKVM's software is the LeafKVM. Unlike the JetKVM, it built in a larger display, and added one feature I haven't seen anywhere else: a VGA adapter that doesn't need extra power. You have to buy their adapter, and it only works with the LeafKVM (for now), but it worked perfectly on my old Xserves. The Xserve only has two USB ports on the back, so using one for a VGA power adapter is wasteful.

The big problem I have with LeafKVM (at least for my rackmount use) is that ports go out both sides. It's like the Raspberry Pi: cables splayed out all over the place.

But it's just finishing up a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply, where it's $120 right now. The price will likely go up after the campaign is over.

$120 on CrowdSupply, price increase after campaign ends
Chipset: RV1126B
Topline features: 4K 30fps (or 1080p 90fps), microSD storage, IPS touchscreen, WiFi built in, HDMI preview on device, optional ATX power control, PoE support (option), special VGA to HDMI adapter that doesn't require extra power (when used with LeafKVM), as well as RustDesk support in software
Open Source: hardware planned on CERN-OHL-HW license, software build scripts "will be provided", UI forked from JetKVM

TinyPilot Voyager 3

TinyPilot Voyager 3 KVM

Now getting back to a PiKVM-style Pi-based device, TinyPilot is another box I've covered before, except they're up to the Voyager 3 now. Their 3rd generation hardware is even easier to set up, and it's even laid out in a more thoughtful box, compared to some other solutions.

TinyPilot targets more the business side users than a hobbyist looking to save a few bucks, judging by the price and how they have licensing and management set up. It's still good to see this thing kicking around after a few years, and I think features like RBAC and extended warranty options help.

They also partnered up with distributors in Canada, Europe and the US, meaning it's easier to get these units wherever you are, especially compared to some of the cheap Chinese options.

Finally, they're building out a central management system called TinyPilot Dashboard that you can self-host; it's still in beta, but I got it working through my Mac running in Docker.

$379.00 on TinyPilot Store ($499.00 for PoE + 2nd LAN)
Chipset: BCM2711 (Pi CM4)
Topline features: Web access, 1080p60, built-in status LCD, HDMI passthrough, metal case, rackmount options, RBAC with up to 8 simultaneous users, 1-year warranty (with options for extended warranties, up to 4 year), ships from North Carolina, USA, or Ontario Canada, available through CDW, Insight, SHI, DigiKey, Amazon Business, or in Europe through Welectron — bottom line, built for business use, probably not the best option for individuals running it in a homelab
Open source: Community version is free, MIT-licensed. Pro license is perpetual per device.

Openterface KVM-GO

At this point, all these KVMs have been 'traditional' IP KVMs, where you plug them into Ethernet and you can access a computer across your LAN.

Openterface's KVM-GO is not that. It's meant to just plug one computer into another, like if you're in front of a rack with a tablet, and want to jack in and control it.

I've used it a few times for interfacing with my older machines and some servers, because they sell a VGA model that's little bigger than a standard VGA plug itself. But it can be awkward getting their control software running. I also had trouble plugging it in on one machine, due to clearance issues.

My favorite feature is these are powered over the same USB-C connection you use for control, so you don't have to find an extra wall plug or even use PoE.

They have versions for direct connection to VGA, DisplayPort, or HDMI, and the kits cost about $120 each, or a little over $300 for all three.

They also make a more generic Mini KVM for $99, but I haven't tested that.

$119 for each kit, or $319 for full set on Crowd Supply
Chipset: Macro Silicon MS2130S
Topline features: 4K at 30fps (default 1080p), Bluetooth for iPad use, aluminum alloy case, USB-C powered, microSD storage
Open source: OSHWA Certified after Crowdfunding
Also have a Mini-KVM for $99 on Crowd Supply

Sipeed NanoKVM USB / Pro

Speaking of USB, Sipeed also makes USB versions of their NanoKVM, also for around $100.

$99 on AliExpress
Chipset: SG2002 (I think)
Topline features: 4K at 30fps (60fps Pro), Aluminum Alloy case, HDMI passthrough, browser and desktop apps available
Open source: KVM UI source is https://github.com/sipeed/NanoKVM-USB (GPLv3)

Pi-Cast

Pi-Cast USB-C KVM

I actually had some trouble getting the Pi-Cast working on my iPad. But basically, it's a PiKVM, but instead of accessing it over the LAN, you access it over a direct IP connection that's set up through the USB-C port you plug into your computer.

It's similar to the other USB KVMs I've mentioned, except it hosts its own webserver, so you don't have to run special software on your computer.

But because it runs on a Pi, it's a bit more expensive, coming in at $214.

$214 on CrowdSupply
Chipset: BCM2711 (Pi CM4)
Topline features: 1080p at 60Hz, OLED status display, OTG port for direct connection to iPad, WiFi AP built-in, options for ATX control, PoE, LTE/5G, Dual-ATX KVM switch control
Open source: Software is PiKVM-based, schematic available here

DezKVM-Go

On the opposite side of the pricing spectrum is the DezKVM-Go, the cheapest KVM of the bunch, which also works through USB.

It's made by Toby Chui, and it's an open source hardware design, with a little open source web app you can either run from GitHub or self-host.

That means you don't even need an app on your iPhone or whatever, you can just run it in the browser. Well, at least if your browser is Chrome, Edge, or a recent version of FireFox that support Webserial.

This thing is so cheap because it relies on a this little HDMI to USB adapter. It muxes in keyboard and mouse control over USB, and device control is handled through WebSerial.

It worked great on my Windows laptop, but I had trouble in Ubuntu 26.04. I'm not sure if it's a Linux permissions thing or what, but just something to keep in mind.

If this were $200 I'd complain, but not for $25. For that, it's a neat little box that maybe more people could contribute to, to make it the most handy way to jack in from a crash cart.

$24.99 on Tindie
Chipset: Uses 3rd party HDMI converter (MS2109), and generic USB chips
Topline features: Self-hosted or GitHub-hosted web UI, no app required; have to plug into a computer to use. WebSerial requires Chrome, Edge, or Firefox
- Can be extended with DezKVM software with an SBC or miniPC to manage one or multiple systems over IP
Open source: Software is custom Go and JS, licensed as GPLv3. Hardware is Creative Commons non-commercial. Toby Chui designed it.

ArkKVM

ArkKVM website

The crowdfunded ArkKVM looks like a JetKVM clone that fixes a few minor annoyances I had with the first-gen version by using full-size HDMI and including PoE support out of the box.

$99 on ArkKVM store
Chipset: RV1106B
Topline features: Almost a clone of the JetKVM, fixing a few shortcomings, but without any screws. Screws can be nice for hard mounting like in racks.
Open source: ArkKVM told me they'll be releasing the Rust code for the UI and the image sometime in June, but time will tell. I know some companies are better about it than others: https://github.com/arkkvm

Conclusion

If you have to choose an IP KVM, first start with your list of must-have features.

The main thing I want is having all the ports on one side, to make it easier to put in a rack or cable manage. That rules out a few units, but what I need is different than what you need.

I think we can all agree we want a good value, though; slapping a $400 remote control box on a $300 mini PC is a bit much—but maybe you need a special feature like backup 5G Internet.

The KVM I use the most around the Studio is the JetKVM. It's tiny, bus-powered, and simple. And most of the time, that's all I need.

A lot of features are still being actively developed, like on the JetKVM it looks like it's finally getting audio support a year after launch. So look at the links I put in the description for the latest specs.

Even while I was writing this post, GL-iNet announced more KVMs, the Comet Q for USB control, and Comet X with a built-in 4-computer switcher.

Bottom line: the market for these things is booming, and there are probably more IP KVMs on the market by the time you're watching this.

Hacker Times

Hacker Times

I tested every IP KVM in my Homelab

Discussion

Discussion

PiKVM

BliKVM

GL-iNet Comet

GL-iNet Comet Pro

Sipeed NanoKVM Cube

Sipeed NanoKVM PCIe

Sipeed NanoKVM Pro / Pro PCIe

JetKVM

LuckFox PicoKVM

LeafKVM

TinyPilot Voyager 3

Openterface KVM-GO

Sipeed NanoKVM USB / Pro

Pi-Cast

DezKVM-Go

ArkKVM

Conclusion