Although Microsoft concealed the exact capabilities of the Surface Connect port, there shouldn’t have been a reason why Microsoft couldn’t have taken the Dock to new heights, specifically gaming.

Surface Connect, the flat waferish-connector that provides both power and I/O capabilities to Surface devices, never felt quite properly taken advantage of. (Microsoft also shipped a snap-on dock for the Surface Pro 3 before that, as well as a docking solution for its Lumia phones.) The Surface Dock did what modern Thunderbolt docks do: provide power and legacy I/O expansion capabilities, including the ability to drive multiple high-resolution displays.īut the Surface Dock also used the Surface Connect port, both its boon and its downfall. Microsoft launched the original Surface Dock in 2015, well before Thunderbolt docks emerged as an I/O solution in 20. It was absolutely years ahead of its time, too. Yes, the Surface Dock cost about the same as a Thunderbolt dock - roughly $200 to $300 - and it also locked you in to the Surface ecosystem But convenience was the key. For more info, go to Troubleshoot connecting Surface to an external display.For years, however, the Surface Dock was to the Surface like IBM’s chargers were to its ThinkPad laptops of yesteryear: a consistent interface that you could keep from one generation to the next. When connecting your Surface to monitors through Surface Dock, the maximum refresh or screen resolution through the Mini DisplayPort will be 4096 x 2160 or 2960 x 1440 even if the device capabilities exceed this.

For information on how to find your Surface model, go to Find out which Surface model you have. The Surface Pro 1 and Surface Pro 2 are not compatible with this dock.

* Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock is optimized for devices with a USB4/Thunderbolt™ 4 port, including the following Surface devices:įront and back of Surface Dock 2-ports and featureĬheck your Surface model in the table below to see which dock features will be available. If your Surface isn't listed, it isn't compatible with this dock. Check your Surface model in the table below to see which dock features will be available.

Surface dock for business