Andrew Cunningham
Microsoft is introducing a new version of the first Surface Dock that relies on Thunderbolt 4 instead of Microsoft’s own Surface Connect port. The Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is priced at $300 ($40 more than the regular price of the previous generation Surface Dock 2) and is available today.
The new dock measures 5.91 x 2.95 x 0.84 inches, is slightly flatter, wider and deeper than the Dock 2, and offers a total of three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, three 5Gbps USB-A ports, one Includes a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port. , and a headphone jack. The dock can provide up to 96W of power to the connected laptop. This should be enough to power most laptops that charge via USB-C.
Microsoft only advertises compatibility with their products, but because it uses Thunderbolt 4, the dock will work with most devices that include a USB-C or Thunderbolt port, including most PC laptops and MacBooks. It should work (but I don’t know if macOS includes the driver). Built-in Ethernet ports, and the number of external displays supported may vary depending on how many your MacBook natively supports.) According to Microsoft, a laptop with a regular USB-C port can drive one 4K display at 60Hz, but Thunderbolt is required to drive two 4K displays at 60Hz.
Microsoft puts one Thunderbolt 4 port and one USB-A port on the front. There’s a power jack, an Ethernet port, plus two USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack on the back. There is also a lock slot on the right side.
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We don’t want to read too much about the introduction of a single accessory, but the switch from Surface Connect to Thunderbolt 4 in the Surface Dock suggests that the next Surface device may come without a Surface Connect port. The current Surface Connect port dates back to Surface Pro 3 in 2014 and ensures interoperability between many generations of Surface chargers and other accessories. Like Apple’s resurrected MagSafe port, it’s easy to detach if tripped or pulled, keeping your PC from rolling to the floor.
Surfaces with USB-C and Thunderbolt ports can generally be charged using those ports again Surface Connect allows users to use their preferred charger. But the majority of new PC laptops charge via USB-C. that’s all With a USB-C or Thunderbolt port included, getting rid of the Surface Connect port puts Microsoft in line with what most of its competitors are doing.
