Dock for New MBP and PC...Is this possible?

Recently I posted and had some really helpful suggestions in this thread (What type of dock do you use?) about a dock for my MBP - thank you so much!

It got me to thinking…is it possible to have a dock and switch set up where I could use the same monitor for both my MBP (in this dock in closed-clamshell mode - https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/bookarc-for-macbook) and my work PC? Essentially switching which computer sees the monitor (note: My work PC is one of those all in one things, however I do also have a secondary monitor)?

Thinking I’d need to use two different keyboards and mice though so this could get complicated lol. Thanks for your thoughts! Right now I’m using both computers side by side at work so was wondering if I could save some desk real estate this way and to keep both of my computers in front of me. Right now my PC is directly in front of me and I’m constantly shifting to the left to use my Mac.

Hope I’m explaining this at least somewhat clearly! Thanks!

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I’ve done something similar in the past using the fact that most monitors have multiple inputs and using the controls on the monitor to switch between them.

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You need some variation of a “KVM Switch”. It allows using a single keyboard, video(display), and mouse with 2 or more computers at once. Exactly what you need depends on the interfaces (USB? HDMI?). Heres a starting point: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=KVM+switch

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If you can activate and allow Remote Desktop on the PC, you just download the Mac version of MS Remote Desktop to your MBP. Works great, no hardware required and you’ll just get a PC in your Mac.

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I use a variant of @katiefloyd 's solution which in my case is:

  • monitor that has 2 inputs as described above; VGA for the PC and HDMI for the Mac
  • Logitech K811 keyboard which has 3 inputs, switchable via F1, F2, F3; so you can use it for a phone or ipad as well as the 2 computers
  • 2 mice, one for the Mac, one for the PC. Although the PC one is a switchable Logitech as well.

Katie got a very low cost switch which only switches the keyboard and mouse, not the display. KVMs which switch the display can be troublesome - laggy, don’t have high enough resolution or may fail to work with some devices such as Wacom tablets due to mouse emulation mode.

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Thanks for the tips everyone! Forgot about Remote Desktop - that works quite well. I think I may start with just that as the lag time is minimal (though I think I need to learn how to use it better), and I have an Apple TV to project to my wall projector. May just set things up so I can extend to my second monitor or better yet eventually a better monitor. Anyone have any large ones they like that are under $300?