- Microsoft introduces the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock.
- The dock ditches the Surface Connect port for the USB-C port.
- The USB-C port also includes support for Thunderbolt 4.
- The new Surface Dock costs $299.99, and you can order it today.
Microsoft releases the Surface Dock, which costs $299.99 and supports Thunderbolt 4. Although the dock’s design is similar to that of the previous generation, the new model has a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 4 instead of the proprietary Surface Connect port.
The release states that the new Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock uses a USB Type-C connector to connect to devices. This connection can enable up to 40Gbps speeds (which can support up to two 4K monitors at 60Hz) and provides 96W of power for charging due to the new Thunderbolt 4 capability.
One USB-A port and one USB-C port are located on the front, opposite the Microsoft logo; however, there isn’t an SD card port this time.
The dock has two USB-A and two USB-C connections on the back, an Ethernet port (2.5G), an audio jack, and a security lock slot.
The business will still sell the original Surface Dock, Surface Dock 2, and Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub in addition to the updated dock for devices that still use the Surface Connect connector but lack Thunderbolt 4 or USB Type-C capability.
Additionally, the business points out that the packaging is 99 percent recyclable and devoid of single-use plastics, and that the dock and power supply unit enclosures are made of 20 percent ocean-bound plastic.
Although Microsoft has not stated if this is the end of the proprietary Surface Connect port, it seems that the corporation has begun the gradual process of confronting it. The Surface Connect port is still included in the latest models of the Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9, although they now have USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4. The new dock release, however, might suggest that Surface machines in the future will also forgo the Surface Connect connector.
Starting on April 4, the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock will retail for $299.99 at the Microsoft Store.