Microsoft unveils $200 USB 4 Surface dock with HDMI 2.1
In brief: Microsoft introduced new Surface equipment for businesses this week. Slated for release in mid-February, the products include two Intel-powered Copilot+ models and a new, more affordable USB4 dock. While the new hub lacks its predecessor’s connectivity options, it is substantially cheaper.
A new USB 4 dock from Microsoft is now available for pre-order. At $200, it provides business users an enticing alternative to the company’s $300 Thunderbolt 4 dock, but it includes significantly fewer ports. While the Thunderbolt 4 dock features six USB ports – including three USB 4 outputs with Thunderbolt 4 support – the new USB 4 dock only offers three ports, two of which are USB 4/Thunderbolt 4.
Each high-speed output can transfer at up to 40Gb/s, enough for a 4K 60Hz display. The cheaper docking station also partially compensates for the lost ports by introducing a rear-facing HDMI 2.1, enabling users to add another 4K 120Hz screen.
A rear-facing fourth USB-C port only serves as a power supply input, which draws less power than the Thunderbolt 4 version, falling from 165W with 96W passthrough to 100W with up to 65W passthrough. The docking station retains its larger sibling’s gigabit Ethernet port but drops the 3.5mm audio jack and desk mount.
The Surface USB 4 Dock for Business begins shipping on February 18 and is compatible with Surface models dating back to the Laptop 5.
Its introduction follows the recent reveal of Microsoft’s new business-focused Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11, also slated for a February 18 release. The company launched its Copilot+ AI PC initiative with last year’s Arm-based Surface devices equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, and the new variants bring similar capabilities to users preferring to stick to good old x86 Windows.
They feature Intel Core Ultra 200V chips with neural processing units delivering 48 TOPS of AI performance. Both models support up to 32GB of RAM. The Laptop 7 has 13.8-inch or 15-inch screen options, while the Pro 11 only offers a 13-inch LCD or OLED panel.
These Intel-powered Surface models come with native Windows 11 support (standard build) but cost more than the Arm alternatives. Both models start at $1,499 compared to $1,099 for the Qualcomm variants.
