That's why I call this product a pure stupidity. Surface Pro was never aimed at pros. That's where surface book comes in. It's a real surface pro, a 2 in 1 with powerful hardware inside for creators and professionals, who would find this kind of solution to be awesome, eventually replacing desktops as the only all in one device. But Kensington idiotically made this product for surface pro.
It would have been nice to see the docked powered up and working with other devices, mouse, keyboard, USB just having it sit within the dock show nothing unless we can see it working and functioning.
you could get a Surface Dock and external monitor for nearly the same price, enabling you to continue using the Surface as a second display. Furthermore the Surface Dock got a magnetic connector which is faster to connect since you don't need to slide the tablet into the base
or, and hear me out, just use the kickstand. And if you want the ports, hear me out, get a dongle. $20 dongle and you have literally the same thing you have there.
The full sized DP port is actually DP++, which supports DP, HDMI, DVI, and VGA. I wonder if the Surface can handle dual display outs, if not, you get basically any display out needed plus a native DP and native HDMI. Between the dock itself, and the expandability, the price actually isn't too bad. Hopefully future revisions allow for full vertical and full horizontal tilts, better smoothness of moving the tilt, and other minor upgrades.
This seems like a good first try. Would be great to see if this idea can be adapted into other devices, or if they're able to make this idea more universal (so you're not just spending hundreds of dollars for one or two generations worth of hardware)
@PCWorld -- In this video, you said that you'd have to rely on a Bluetooth keyboard. That is not the case, the Microsoft keyboard, and mouse, along with other brands like Logitech, use small USB 'dongle' for connection and it plugs & plays immediately. The USB ports on the back of the unit, or the exposed USB on the Surface itself, would work just fine with the mini-dongles, as I have used for my own Surface 2017 in the past. --- Certainly, the unit is expensive. I'm surprised that Microsoft didn't just buy the design outright and market this as a midway play towards emulation of the Surface Studio. -- This does outperform the Microsoft dock, and I cannot wait for future versions that include the graphics card and storage capacity of a desktop computer. Then, it could be marketed as a 3-in-one. A desktop computer for at home or work, a dependable laptop for the boardroom, and a tablet for reading the news or watching CZcams.
i can see the uses for a dock like this and with the added type C -Connector i this would be a big benefit if you were looking to turn your surface into something more.if Microsoft got their shit together and just added the type c port to begin with things like this wouldn't be needed but hay hook up your surface to your other monitors add a type c dock with external gfx card and hdd/sdd you could have a mini command center - i just wished they showed how the surface interacts with the ports on the dock
Well.. its a docking station and even with laptops that have integrated keyboards you still have a separate keyboard hooked straight to the docking station for a better desk experience. You can easily plug a keyboard into one of the 6 (4 3.0 onthe back, 1 3.0 on the side, 1 usb c on the back) available USB ports I use a bluetooth type cover for my surface anyway. Rechargeable and i get like 15-20 hours per charge. I draw on mine a lot so its nice to be able to use it detached.
Also, this looks like it was created back in 2009, OK. The design is awful, has nothing to do with the Surface aesthetic, the color is not the same (how can it be, if this is plastic?) and having all of this in mind, I doubt it will be providing an adequate power delivery for more powerful models (if MSFT manages to squeeze them in the same dimensions as the P4, P5 and P6). Also, that price - for plastic and no protections, nah. Uh-huh - no way. I'd rather pay more for a dock with USB Type-C than pay for this ugly fcking monstrosity of a design. It's horrific! It's damned near impossible to take such a fluid and modern design (Surface) and make it ugly, but hey - Kensington have managed to do it PERFECTLY. Bravo. BRA-fcking-VO!
Too expensive! You can almost get a used Surface Pro 3 for that price.Maybe if it comes with a keyboard and mouse? Still expensive though and I'd rather get the Surface Pro 3 or better yet, a 6th gen iPad ;-)
You get a power supply dual monitor connection, headphone jack, and for external ports. I agree it's an overpriced solution to get rid of annoying cables and such. And you do give up some of the portability, The usage of the keyboard, And I do worry about the battery since it'll be plugged in all the time.
This has been out 3 years and there's really no knock off. The reason is is because they have proprietary technology from Microsoft. I agree it's way overpriced. Even used ones are over $300 usually. this only makes sense if your employers paying for it or something
probably referring to haveing this dock off and to the side to elevate the suraface and use it for the pen while having a normal 1-2 monitor set up with keyboard and mouse like you normally would. (so in this case using it like a 3rd monitor for auxiliary purposes or when you need to use the pen)
That is one useless product. Why would anyone need a dock other than editing and stuff. and surface pro is too small for editing on a dock and for 75 bucks BIG NO...!!!
Would have been better if it was a surface book tablet and the base had the surface book GPU. THAT would be good engineering
And THAT is exactly what I've been hunting for, for my MSB2.
or maybe eGPU in the bottom
That's why I call this product a pure stupidity. Surface Pro was never aimed at pros. That's where surface book comes in. It's a real surface pro, a 2 in 1 with powerful hardware inside for creators and professionals, who would find this kind of solution to be awesome, eventually replacing desktops as the only all in one device. But Kensington idiotically made this product for surface pro.
@Microsoft, here's a product idea for you.
Painful to watch unboxing experience
Worth about 75 bucks.
Shame it's so expensive at $399.99
Could get a Surface Go with that money
It would have been nice to see the docked powered up and working with other devices, mouse, keyboard, USB just having it sit within the dock show nothing unless we can see it working and functioning.
if only if those bezels were smaller and the price was more reasonable
you could get a Surface Dock and external monitor for nearly the same price, enabling you to continue using the Surface as a second display. Furthermore the Surface Dock got a magnetic connector which is faster to connect since you don't need to slide the tablet into the base
or, and hear me out, just use the kickstand. And if you want the ports, hear me out, get a dongle. $20 dongle and you have literally the same thing you have there.
You need Bluetooth? You cannot just use the ports in the back for keyboard and mouse?
just wait a week, fellow Americans, Chinese will make a cheaper version for 25 bucks ready to ship at amazon
I can't thank the Chinese enough for all the cheap knockoffs they produce.
and it will snap on the following day
If it was a universal Dock, it would have been much better.
The full sized DP port is actually DP++, which supports DP, HDMI, DVI, and VGA. I wonder if the Surface can handle dual display outs, if not, you get basically any display out needed plus a native DP and native HDMI.
Between the dock itself, and the expandability, the price actually isn't too bad. Hopefully future revisions allow for full vertical and full horizontal tilts, better smoothness of moving the tilt, and other minor upgrades.
Would be a nice thing if you use your Surface as a register in your shop :)
This seems like a good first try. Would be great to see if this idea can be adapted into other devices, or if they're able to make this idea more universal (so you're not just spending hundreds of dollars for one or two generations worth of hardware)
@PCWorld -- In this video, you said that you'd have to rely on a Bluetooth keyboard. That is not the case, the Microsoft keyboard, and mouse, along with other brands like Logitech, use small USB 'dongle' for connection and it plugs & plays immediately. The USB ports on the back of the unit, or the exposed USB on the Surface itself, would work just fine with the mini-dongles, as I have used for my own Surface 2017 in the past. --- Certainly, the unit is expensive. I'm surprised that Microsoft didn't just buy the design outright and market this as a midway play towards emulation of the Surface Studio. -- This does outperform the Microsoft dock, and I cannot wait for future versions that include the graphics card and storage capacity of a desktop computer. Then, it could be marketed as a 3-in-one. A desktop computer for at home or work, a dependable laptop for the boardroom, and a tablet for reading the news or watching CZcams.
Would be cool for a Surface book 2 15". It also should have a cable to attach to the base for the eGPU.
Why would you ever need this? The whole point of the Surface Tablets is portability.
nice a link to the buy the camera you used and not the product you're reviewing. that's what i was hoping when i read the description.
whether surface pro x can be paired here
i can see the uses for a dock like this and with the added type C -Connector i this would be a big benefit if you were looking to turn your surface into something more.if Microsoft got their shit together and just added the type c port to begin with things like this wouldn't be needed but hay hook up your surface to your other monitors add a type c dock with external gfx card and hdd/sdd you could have a mini command center - i just wished they showed how the surface interacts with the ports on the dock
Wish I could afford one of those.
Limitation..that's an understatement. No keyboard no use.
Well.. its a docking station and even with laptops that have integrated keyboards you still have a separate keyboard hooked straight to the docking station for a better desk experience. You can easily plug a keyboard into one of the 6 (4 3.0 onthe back, 1 3.0 on the side, 1 usb c on the back) available USB ports
I use a bluetooth type cover for my surface anyway. Rechargeable and i get like 15-20 hours per charge.
I draw on mine a lot so its nice to be able to use it detached.
I'd begrudgingly pay $200 for it max.
I would enthusiastically pay $200 for it. But I'm not going to pay $400 for it
That’s a lot of money for something that the Surface already does well with the kickstand.
Plus tbe dock though
Also, this looks like it was created back in 2009, OK. The design is awful, has nothing to do with the Surface aesthetic, the color is not the same (how can it be, if this is plastic?) and having all of this in mind, I doubt it will be providing an adequate power delivery for more powerful models (if MSFT manages to squeeze them in the same dimensions as the P4, P5 and P6). Also, that price - for plastic and no protections, nah. Uh-huh - no way. I'd rather pay more for a dock with USB Type-C than pay for this ugly fcking monstrosity of a design. It's horrific! It's damned near impossible to take such a fluid and modern design (Surface) and make it ugly, but hey - Kensington have managed to do it PERFECTLY. Bravo. BRA-fcking-VO!
It's definitely not plastic
Too expensive! You can almost get a used Surface Pro 3 for that price.Maybe if it comes with a keyboard and mouse? Still expensive though and I'd rather get the Surface Pro 3 or better yet, a 6th gen iPad ;-)
Does it work with the type cover flipped back or do I need to detach the type cover first?
Why would you need this if the surface by itself folds down to lower angles? What exactly is the point of this?
connectivity, you get a single USB port on the Surface Pro - no ethernet etc.
You get a power supply dual monitor connection, headphone jack, and for external ports. I agree it's an overpriced solution to get rid of annoying cables and such.
And you do give up some of the portability, The usage of the keyboard, And I do worry about the battery since it'll be plugged in all the time.
looked it up on amazon... WAY overpriced for the average person...
That was painful to watch
$400 for this. No thankyou
A year later its still in the 350 range. Stupid expensive. Like actually insulting
it would be good if it was used for Wacom display tablets.
I see no purpose to this except for them to collect $400.
make this for the New Ipad Pro I would buy this in an heart beat
Is it compatible with Surface Pro X?
I want to buy one... but I don't have any Surface product...
Does it come in black?
Lol never mind
No, just white.
That would be good for a 2 in 1 laptop
the presenter is completely not professional...... dont even know what he is doing........................
eye shore...
will wait for the knockoff version, the current one costs more than an occulus rift
This has been out 3 years and there's really no knock off. The reason is is because they have proprietary technology from Microsoft. I agree it's way overpriced. Even used ones are over $300 usually. this only makes sense if your employers paying for it or something
what is his mean by "secondary display"?
probably referring to haveing this dock off and to the side to elevate the suraface and use it for the pen while having a normal 1-2 monitor set up with keyboard and mouse like you normally would. (so in this case using it like a 3rd monitor for auxiliary purposes or when you need to use the pen)
Looks cheap and nasty to me. not impressed.
That is one useless product. Why would anyone need a dock other than editing and stuff. and surface pro is too small for editing on a dock and for 75 bucks BIG NO...!!!
It's $400, not £75
well over priced same as the surface docking station from microsoft,not needed at all.just another gagdet to look cool.
Damn Mark, such a suck unboxing method you got there...
meh
not to impressive
Looks like a wanna be Cintiq, useless, haha XD