Microsoft Surface Dock PF3-00005

Another MS Product that is overly priced, and is standard on most new lap tops rather than being an extra. Also need the more expensive MS Adapters to also make it work.Necessary if you want 4K from your MS Surface.Pros: This allows USB-C connectivity whereas previous Adapter (also this price range) used mini-displayport.Cons: High price tag for what it does.

A Must Have For Surface Products

I am going to recommend this product, based on the fact that it works as advertised and does a pretty good job. It's nice to be able to put this on my desk and have one cable power, and also connect to a second monitor and any other peripherals that you need.The reason I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars just because I feel for the price I am essentially buying back my ports that should have been included on the surface line. I truly appreciate the magsafe connection that is included on the surface products, however I think that a thunderbolt 3 or is something they should have and could have incorporated into the products.I would almost bet that next year you will see the inclusion of Thunderbolt into the new surface products, however, I also hope they keep their ... MoreI am going to recommend this product, based on the fact that it works as advertised and does a pretty good job. It's nice to be able to put this on my desk and have one cable power, and also connect to a second monitor and any other peripherals that you need.The reason I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars just because I feel for the price I am essentially buying back my ports that should have been included on the surface line. I truly appreciate the magsafe connection that is included on the surface products, however I think that a thunderbolt 3 or is something they should have and could have incorporated into the products.I would almost bet that next year you will see the inclusion of Thunderbolt into the new surface products, however, I also hope they keep their surface connector that way I can keep using this dock and it isn't rendered useless. I do appreciate the surface connector as it acts kind of like Magsafe, so if someone tripped over your power cord, the device won't go flying across the room and possibly breaking.The device is a little bit on the larger side, but if you have a decent sized desk you should be able to tuck it away behind a monitor or on the back corner of your desk no problems.The device works, but one star taken away is simply for the fact that I am not thrilled that this is essentially the only dock with this much functionality that I can use. Otherwise great job Microsoft, I am a huge fan of your surface line. Great products.

A must have product for Microsoft Surface users

For context - my laptop before my Surface Book 2 was a 2011 MacBook Pro, which I have been building my home office around for the past decade. I have a setup that Im quite happy with - so when the inevitable time came to upgrade, I didnt want to have to get a whole lot of new stuff. Thats where this dock has been crucial to me - I can still use my Apple Thunderbolt Display and integrate my Surface Book into my decade old set up, and it works seamlessly. With the brushed aluminium styling of the surface book, it fits nicely with the MacBook and is very aesthetically pleasing. Pros: - the only dock I have found that supports Mini DP - the dock itself fits into the recharge port of the surface, perfect for on the go types - with some planning, you can really maximise ... MoreFor context - my laptop before my Surface Book 2 was a 2011 MacBook Pro, which I have been building my home office around for the past decade. I have a setup that Im quite happy with - so when the inevitable time came to upgrade, I didnt want to have to get a whole lot of new stuff. Thats where this dock has been crucial to me - I can still use my Apple Thunderbolt Display and integrate my Surface Book into my decade old set up, and it works seamlessly. With the brushed aluminium styling of the surface book, it fits nicely with the MacBook and is very aesthetically pleasing. Pros: - the only dock I have found that supports Mini DP - the dock itself fits into the recharge port of the surface, perfect for on the go types - with some planning, you can really maximise space of your desk using this dock. - so many ports! Cons: - Price tag, this is a very expensive dock, but there is nothing else like it. - Bulky, there is the dock itself, and then the power pack to it carries and addition pier brick, equivilant to the Surface book charger, only with a different connection. This is not an item you can conveniently travel with. Should you buy this? If you are going to make use of Mini DP displays, then absolutely yes. In my case this docking station was the only option and Ihave no regrets. This is the only docking station I am aware of that operates the the charging port only, and that is an awesome feature! However, there are cheaper options on the market, and this dock is NOT an option if you are looking for something to travel with. It is, however, the perfect option for home office, or workplace setup; for when you need to plug in, and take your work home.

Great docking option for Surface devices

I purchased this for my wife's new Surface laptop. It works as designed. She's able to run dual monitors with it and it opens up many more ports than are on the actual laptop. It comes with an additional power supply so it frees up the original power supply for when she takes the laptop on the go. The only thing I wish they did differently is the video ports. Microsoft included two Mini-DVI ports on the dock. There aren't very many monitors that include those ports anymore so we purchased two Mini-DVI to HDMI cables and used those. They work well but they're not as easy to find as a plain HDMI cable. Besides that, we're happy with the dock.I suppose it would be easier if Microsoft didn't use their proprietary Surface Connector and used USB-C instead, but that's a ... MoreI purchased this for my wife's new Surface laptop. It works as designed. She's able to run dual monitors with it and it opens up many more ports than are on the actual laptop. It comes with an additional power supply so it frees up the original power supply for when she takes the laptop on the go. The only thing I wish they did differently is the video ports. Microsoft included two Mini-DVI ports on the dock. There aren't very many monitors that include those ports anymore so we purchased two Mini-DVI to HDMI cables and used those. They work well but they're not as easy to find as a plain HDMI cable. Besides that, we're happy with the dock.I suppose it would be easier if Microsoft didn't use their proprietary Surface Connector and used USB-C instead, but that's a problem with the whole Surface-line, not just this dock.

I have been using this product for about 10 hours a day for 2 days with no problem at all. Below ...

I have been using this product for about 10 hours a day for 2 days with no problem at all. Below is my configuration: 1) One Logitech Receiver Extender Cable plugged into a dock usb port. 2) One Logitech Wireless Keyboard Model MK550 and Logitech Mouse model M705 communicating with Receiver Extender cable plugged into dock port.. 3) Two monitors (One ViewSonic VP2770-LED 27" IPS 2K 1440p Monitor (Orientation is landscape at 2560x1440 resolution) and One Dell Ultrasharp U2415 24.0-Inch Screen LED Monitor (Orientation is Portrait at 1200x1920 resolution)) both monitors connect using Cable Matters Gold Plated mini display port to HDMI 6ft cables plugged into the dock mini display ports. 4) One Netgear AC1200 Wi-Fi USB Adapter High Gain Dual Band USB 3.0 model A6210 ... MoreI have been using this product for about 10 hours a day for 2 days with no problem at all. Below is my configuration: 1) One Logitech Receiver Extender Cable plugged into a dock usb port. 2) One Logitech Wireless Keyboard Model MK550 and Logitech Mouse model M705 communicating with Receiver Extender cable plugged into dock port.. 3) Two monitors (One ViewSonic VP2770-LED 27" IPS 2K 1440p Monitor (Orientation is landscape at 2560x1440 resolution) and One Dell Ultrasharp U2415 24.0-Inch Screen LED Monitor (Orientation is Portrait at 1200x1920 resolution)) both monitors connect using Cable Matters Gold Plated mini display port to HDMI 6ft cables plugged into the dock mini display ports. 4) One Netgear AC1200 Wi-Fi USB Adapter High Gain Dual Band USB 3.0 model A6210 plugged into dock port 5) One Linksys WRT AC1900 Dual-Band+ Wi-Fi Wireless Router model WRT1900ACS V2. This is what the Netgear adapter I have plugged into the dock port communicates with for internet and local network access. I have had no problems losing network connectivity. Both of my displays have also sustained solid performance with no problems losing displayed content. Removing my Surface Book from the dock and re-docking several times a day has not cause any problems such as having to reboot to make things work. Performance has been solid.

Not a Quality Product

We will see how long this one lasts. The original one only lasted 6 months before the videoand USB outputs started to fail. Others in my office have had to change the original docking station as well. Our new computers are now H.P.What was outstanding was the Bestbuy employee that was extremely helpfyl.

Only real option for Surface products

The dock includes a full compliment of ports for using your Surface product at your desktop. I’ve used one for months for my Surface Pro at the office and I’ve installed one for my wife’s Surface Book 2 at home.Setting it up is *mostly* simple. Plug stuff into the ports. Plug it in. Plug the connector into the Surface. Let Windows recognize all the components and install the drivers. When it works, it’s great.Unfortunately, there is one caveat. You may have trouble getting everything recognized; especially older monitors. You will not find an easy answer, but after a bit of searching you will find yourself directed to Microsoft support downloads to get the updated for the firmware. Fortunately, the update process is much easier to do than it was in finding out ... MoreThe dock includes a full compliment of ports for using your Surface product at your desktop. I’ve used one for months for my Surface Pro at the office and I’ve installed one for my wife’s Surface Book 2 at home.Setting it up is *mostly* simple. Plug stuff into the ports. Plug it in. Plug the connector into the Surface. Let Windows recognize all the components and install the drivers. When it works, it’s great.Unfortunately, there is one caveat. You may have trouble getting everything recognized; especially older monitors. You will not find an easy answer, but after a bit of searching you will find yourself directed to Microsoft support downloads to get the updated for the firmware. Fortunately, the update process is much easier to do than it was in finding out that you need to do it.That is why I took off a star. This product has been out a while, so there should not be a need to update this after so long.However, once this was done, it has operated flawlessly. Pop it off, fold the kickstand, and go. Plug it in and it is driving two additional monitors, a mechanical keyboard, external hard drive, printer, DVD, flash drives, and audio pass through.Now there is a general rule that I need to tell you about. Before docking or undocking, it is best if you close open applications. Microsoft office application are typical offenders and perhap the worst is Microsoft Outlook. If you dock or undock with Outlook running, it’s almost a certain lockup.Chrome seems to be the most friendly to docking/undocking while open. Ironic, isn’t it?Thing is, this is NOT a problem of the docking station. This is a problem with Windows and the Office applications. It has existed years longer than the Surface has existed and I have been warning people to do this regardless of laptop make since the early days of Windows XP. I don’t know why this hasn’t been corrected, but I’ve been dealing with it for 15 years. At least Surface is fast enough that thIs is a minor inconvenience. It was horrid on a slow Celeron back in 2005.If you update the firmware and pay attention to the open apps, it should perform will for you.

Overpriced, but functional.

Overpriced, as is most of the Surface product line and related accessories. Much like Apple products, it could be argued you're paying for the "bling" factor.I purchased this for a Surface Go, the slowest most pokey and frequently unresponsive computer I've ever owned. I refer to the Go as "My Pretty Potato."The dock generally works as advertised, though the lack of HDMI ports is quite disappointing, as is the lack of microSD or SD slots in the port.Unfortunately, this is one of the few ways to connect various things to a Surface at the same time without going with a 3rd party USB-C to A hub of some sort.The charging / connecting cable is also extremely short (three feet, tops?), perhaps to eliminate clutter for using on a desk, but making the dock unusable in ... MoreOverpriced, as is most of the Surface product line and related accessories. Much like Apple products, it could be argued you're paying for the "bling" factor.I purchased this for a Surface Go, the slowest most pokey and frequently unresponsive computer I've ever owned. I refer to the Go as "My Pretty Potato."The dock generally works as advertised, though the lack of HDMI ports is quite disappointing, as is the lack of microSD or SD slots in the port.Unfortunately, this is one of the few ways to connect various things to a Surface at the same time without going with a 3rd party USB-C to A hub of some sort.The charging / connecting cable is also extremely short (three feet, tops?), perhaps to eliminate clutter for using on a desk, but making the dock unusable in almost any other usage scenario.This is far from an ideal solution for folks who need the various options to connect other devices (like a USB A memory stick to do Windows updates, for example), but there weren't many better alternatives out there when purchased.

Very good docking solution with a few caveats

If you are in the Microsoft Surface ecosystem, you probably will want to have a surface dock. It's by far the best docking solution for my surface book 2. I have one for my home and one for my office. It features 4-usb 3.0 ports, 2 mini-displayports, audio out and a gigabit network connection. It connects via the Surface Connect magnetic connector, so this is not a general-purpose PC device. It's still a robust solution, allowing you to transform a mobile Surface tablet, laptop or Surface Book into a desktop in seconds. There are a few things that keep this from a five star review: 1. The Surface Dock power supply delivers only 90 watts - less than the Surface Book 2 can draw under full load. 2. The dock will support a 4K monitor at 60 fps, but if you have two ... MoreIf you are in the Microsoft Surface ecosystem, you probably will want to have a surface dock. It's by far the best docking solution for my surface book 2. I have one for my home and one for my office. It features 4-usb 3.0 ports, 2 mini-displayports, audio out and a gigabit network connection. It connects via the Surface Connect magnetic connector, so this is not a general-purpose PC device. It's still a robust solution, allowing you to transform a mobile Surface tablet, laptop or Surface Book into a desktop in seconds. There are a few things that keep this from a five star review: 1. The Surface Dock power supply delivers only 90 watts - less than the Surface Book 2 can draw under full load. 2. The dock will support a 4K monitor at 60 fps, but if you have two monitors plugged in this drops to 30 fps. 3. There are no usb-c ports. Hopefully Microsoft will release an updated surface dock to solve these problems, but until then the existing dock is still a good docking solution.

Works Great, only minor hiccups

This dock is great - helps me use a Surface Book 3 as a desktop replacement. I needed to add an additional USB hub to connect all peripherals, but that's minor. The only annoyance is that I sometimes lose the mapping of an ethernet-attached NAS, but it takes a minute to reconnect and it has only happened twice in weeks of use. This is the sort of glitch that will likely get smoothed out through firmware - which is now possible for the dock via Windows Update.I've got the thing fully loaded running two displays (one of them 4K60p, though it can handle two of them at that spec) and data throughput on the USB connections is what you'd expect.The one glaring omission is Thunderbolt. If the Surface Connect port is indeed a PCIe interface, it would be great to have ... MoreThis dock is great - helps me use a Surface Book 3 as a desktop replacement. I needed to add an additional USB hub to connect all peripherals, but that's minor. The only annoyance is that I sometimes lose the mapping of an ethernet-attached NAS, but it takes a minute to reconnect and it has only happened twice in weeks of use. This is the sort of glitch that will likely get smoothed out through firmware - which is now possible for the dock via Windows Update.I've got the thing fully loaded running two displays (one of them 4K60p, though it can handle two of them at that spec) and data throughput on the USB connections is what you'd expect.The one glaring omission is Thunderbolt. If the Surface Connect port is indeed a PCIe interface, it would be great to have this as an option - potentially for plugging in an external GPU if nothing else. It does it's job perfectly otherwise.