Microsoft Unveils the New Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Microsoft has just announced its latest device, the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock, priced at $299.99. Rather than utilizing the proprietary Surface Connect port, the new Surface dock will establish a connection via USB-C. The announcement comes after the device was leaked online just hours before Microsoft’s official unveiling.
Support for Other Devices
For the first time, the new Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock will support devices other than Surface. Thanks to Thunderbolt 4 technology, the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock supports data transfer rates of up to 40Gbps and 96W charging through USB-C connectivity. The new dock offers a single USB-C port and a USB-A port at the front, but unfortunately, there is no SD card slot. The dock’s rear section features two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a 2.5-gigabit ethernet port, an audio jack, and a security lock slot.
Surface Connect Port Still Available
Although the new Surface dock will not use the Surface Connect port, Microsoft will still sell the Surface Dock 2, which features the proprietary port. This is good news for users of Surface devices that don’t have USB-C or Thunderbolt 4.
A Step Away from Surface Connect Port
Although this announcement does not signify the immediate discontinuation of the Surface Connect port, it does suggest that Microsoft is moving towards that direction. The Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9 are among Microsoft’s recent Surface devices that come with both USB-C ports supporting Thunderbolt 4 and the proprietary Surface Connect port. This development implies that we may soon witness a Surface device that exclusively features USB-C connectivity, rendering the Surface Connect port obsolete. Microsoft chose to eliminate the proprietary Surface Connect charging option and equip the Surface 3 with only a Micro USB charging port in the past.
Long Wait for USB-C and Thunderbolt Support
It took Microsoft some time to support USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 on its Surface devices. Surface Pro 7 saw the advent of USB-C in 2019, and Thunderbolt support was added to the Surface Pro 8 two years later. Microsoft stated in 2020 that they did not include Thunderbolt support in their Surface devices at that time due to security concerns.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft’s announcement of the new Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a significant step in the direction of USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 support for Surface devices. It also means that Microsoft is moving away from the proprietary Surface Connect port, although it’s still available for users who need it. This new Surface dock is sure to be a popular choice among those who need to connect various devices to their Surface.
