Review: Access Pro Lets You Share a Monitor, Keyboard & Mouse between Devices

Apple is making the iPad Pro look like a regular computer more and more every day. But if you are still using a computer and wish you could share your computer's accessories with your iPad Pro, you might need an accessory like the Access Pro ($199.95) from IOGear, I tried a review unit and it does what it promises. It acts as a KVM (keyboard, video, monitor) Switch, letting you share a keyboard, mouse and 4K UHD 3840x2160 at 30 Hz monitor among two devices. The Access Pro supports Windows, Mac or iPad Pro with USB-C.

The good news is that the Access Pro is plug and play; there is no software or driver to install. It's not cheap, especially since it doesn't include a power supply, so factor that in. I try to keep my power adapter in a go bag, so that would mean acquiring and using an additional USB-C power adapter and IOGear recommends a 100 watt charger. That way, one port can distribute 75 watts of power, suitable for most laptops, and the other puts out 10 watts, for a tablet. There's a six-foot wired receiver that can be plugged in so you can control the switching from far away.

Pros

• Supports 4K UHD 3840x2160 at 30 Hz
• Plug and play, no software or driver to install
• Works with iPad Pro, Mac and Windows

Cons

• Power supply not included
• Expensive

Final Verdict

If you want to share your monitor, keyboard, and mouse across Windows, Mac and iPad Pro, try the Access Pro from IOGear.