Microsoft's Surface devices are some of the best laptops on the market, featuring premium designs, great displays, and generally high-end performance. Whether it's the Surface Pro 9, which is arguably the best Windows tablet on the market, or the Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has one of the most unique designs for a laptop, there are a lot of good things to say about Microsoft's lineup. However, ports tend to be one area where the company falls a little flat. It's worth mentioning that because they're powered by Arm-based processors, the latest Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 are USB4 only, so keep that in mind if purchasing a dock for one of those devices.

Most Surface devices don't have a ton of ports built-in, so they usually rely on docking stations to expand the port selection if you need to. Not only is the company relying on docking stations, it actually makes some of its own, which you can utilize to get the best experience. If you need some help choosing one, we've rounded up some of the best docking stations you can get for your Surface device, depending on the model you have. We'll offer some model-specific guidance at the end to help you narrow down the options, but first, let's take a look at the top docks.

  • Best for Surface Pro 9
    Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock

    The official Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is the best solution if you have one of the latest Surface devices with Thunderbolt 4 support. It adds three USB-C ports for display outputs, three USB Type-A ports, RJ45 Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • Best for Surface Connect devices
    Microsoft Surface Dock 2

    If you have an older Surface device that doesn't support Thunderbolt, the Surface Dock 2 remains the best official docking station for you. It uses the Surface Connect port to add two display ports via USB-C (up to two 4K displays at 60Hz), two regular USB-C ports, USB Type-A, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack.

  • Official travel hub
    Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub

    The official Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub works with the vast majority of Surface devices and it's meant to give you more ports while you're on the move. It includes USB-C, USB Type-A, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and even VGA, if you happen to come across an old monitor or projector.

  • Best alternative
    Plugable 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
    Ports
    3 x USB Type-A 10Gbps, 2 x USB Type-A 5Gbps, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A (7.5W charging), 1 x USB Type-C (10Gbps, 7.5W), 1x RJ45 Ethernet (2.5Gbps), 2 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1 x SD card slot (UHS-II), 1 x microSD card slot, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 (to host)
    USB Power Delivery
    98W power delivery to host, 7.5W USB Type-A, 7.5W USB Type-C
    Power supply included
    135W power supply
    Max display res.
    Up to 4 x 4K (3840 x 2160) displays at 60Hz (2 x 4K 60Hz on Mac)
    Price
    $299

    If you have a Thunderbolt-capable Surface device, the Plugable 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a fantastic alternative. It has a total of 16 ports, including support for four 4K displays at 60Hz, lots of USB Type-A ports, and 2.5Gbps Ethernet. It's one of the best docks around.

  • Premium pick
    CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
    Ports
    Three Thunderbolt 4 (one host), three USB-C, five USB-A, DP 1.4, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm combo, 3.5mm in/out, SD/microSD card reader (UHS-II)
    USB Power Delivery
    Up to 98W to host, 20W front USB-C, 7.5W USB-C, 7.5W USB-A
    Power supply included
    Yes
    Warranty
    Two years
    Max display res.
    8K@60Hz, dual 4K@60Hz

    There aren't many docks out there with as many ports as the CalDigit TS4, which has a total of 18 ports available. That includes downstream Thunderbolt ports, multiple USB Type-C and Type-A ports, DisplayPort, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and both combo and split audio jacks.

  • More Thunderbolt ports
    Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock

    If you have a lot of Thunderbolt-based peripherals, like monitors and storage, the Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 dock gives you three more Thunderbolt downstream ports so you can connect them easily. There's also a USB Type-A port in case you need it.

  • Three displays without Thunderbolt
    Plugable USB-C 4K Triple Display Docking Station

    If you have a lot of 4K monitors but your Surface doesn't support Thunderbolt, the Plugable USB-C 4K Triple Display Docking Station is a great solution. In addition to three 4K displays, it has a lot of USB ports and Ethernet, plus it's reasonably affordable.

  • Cheap USB-C hub
    Belkin 6-in-1 USB Hub

    Belkin is a very reliable brand making all kinds of tech accessories, and if you want a cheap USB-C dock to add some more ports, this is a great option. You get HDMI, USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and SD card readers for a pretty affordable price. It's also very compact, so you can easily slip it into a bag or pocket.

  • Best value Thunderbolt
    CalDigit Element Hub

    This compact Thunderbolt hub from CalDigit features three Thunderbolt ports, four USB-A ports, and some excellent built quality. Plus, this dock comes in at $200 which is an excellent value for a premium Thunderbolt-focused dock. If you rely primarily on Thunderbolt, this dock is well worth considering.

How to choose a dock for your Surface device

There are many Surface devices on the market right now with different port capabilities, and it's important to pay attention to your device and the dock you're picking before making a purchase.

Some newer Surface models support Thunderbolt 4

Thunderbolt 4 is the ideal option for a docking station, primarily because it's basically an industry standard at this point. Buying a Thunderbolt 4 dock will work on any Thunderbolt 4-capable laptop, whether it's from Microsoft or not. However, only a few of the most recent Surface devices support Thunderbolt 4, including:

  • Surface Pro 8 and Pro 9 (excluding Surface Pro 9 with 5G)
  • Surface Laptop Studio 1 and 2
  • Surface Laptop 5
  • Surface Studio 2+

If you have one of these devices, your best option will be to get a Thunderbolt 4 dock, whether that's the one from Microsoft or any of the other models mentioned here. The decision then comes down to the ports you need for your setup. If you have a lot of USB Type-A peripherals, the official Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock may be a bit lackluster, for example. I'm personally a fan of the Plugable 16-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock because of the sheer number of ports, including four display outputs.

Most Surface devices have Surface Connect, but it's most relevant on older models

If you don't have one of the models listed above, the best option you have is the Surface Dock 2, which uses the proprietary Surface Connect port available on the vast majority of Surface devices. This delivers capabilities close to a Thunderbolt 4 dock, and it has the benefit of using a magnetic connector that makes it easy to disconnect when required. However, since it's a proprietary connector, you won't be able to use this dock with a non-Surface device. We would only really recommend this option if your Surface device doesn't support Thunderbolt (or USB-C).

One other thing to keep in mind is that these models offer support for two 4K displays at 60Hz:

  • Surface Pro 11
  • Surface Laptop 7
  • Surface Pro 7-9
  • Surface Laptop 3-5
  • Surface Laptop Studio 1 and 2
  • Surface Book 3

The following devices will support only one 4K 60Hz display, or two 4K displays at 30Hz:

  • Surface Pro 5 and 6
  • Surface Pro X
  • Surface Laptop 1 and 2
  • Surface Laptop Go 1-3
  • Surface Go 1-4
  • Surface Book 2

Other Surface devices will not be compatible with the Surface Dock 2.

USB-C is almost everywhere

Finally, it's worth mentioning that if you don't have a Surface device with Thunderbolt 4 and the Surface Connect port seems too expensive or proprietary for you, you can always turn to generic USB-C docks and hubs. For example, the official Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub above. These will also work on any laptop, making them more versatile as your computing needs change. Most modern Surface devices have a USB-C port, including the following:

  • Surface Pro 7 or newer
  • Surface Pro X
  • Surface Go (all models)
  • Surface Laptop 3 or newer
  • Surface Laptop Go (all models)
  • Surface Laptop Studio (all models)
  • Surface Studio 2 and 2+

All of these devices should support the full capabilities of the USB-C hubs that don't require Thunderbolt, including the Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Docking Station, which is one of the best options if you want a powerful dock that doesn't require Thunderbolt and is still widely compatible.

Best docking stations for Surface devices in 2024: Bottom line

No matter what kind of Surface device you have, there's a docking station out there for you. The Thunderbolt-capable Surface devices have the best dock options, since Thunderbolt 4 offers the highest performance and broad compatibility, making it the best option to buy now and use for the next several years, even if you switch laptops. Surface Connect also has great capabilities, but it severely restricts your options for docking stations, and if you buy one now, it won't work with other devices in the future. Of course, you can always fall back on regular USB-C, especially if you don't need a ton of ports. No matter what you're looking for, the options above are bound to include something that will work well for you.

  • Follow
    Followed
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    CPU
    Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
    GPU
    Qualcomm Adreno
    RAM
    16GB or 32GB LPDDR5x
    Storage
    256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD
    Battery
    Up to 14 hours of video playback (Wi-Fi model)

    The Surface Pro 11 is the best Windows tablet yet, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset and with an all-new optional keyboard cover. It's also got an OLED screen option for the first time, and tons of AI features thanks to Copilot+.

  • Follow
    Followed
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    CPU
    Up to Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
    GPU
    Qualcomm Adreno
    RAM
    Up to 64GB LPDDR5x
    Storage
    Up to 1TB Gen 4 SSD
    Battery
    54-66Wh

    The Surface Laptop 7 brings an all-new design with barely-there bezels and a haptic touchpad. It also now comes in 13.8- or 15-inch models, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus chips, and retains the Surface Connect port.

  • Surface Laptop Studio 2
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    CPU
    13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700H
    GPU
    Intel Iris Xe, NVIDIA GeForce RT 4050, GeForce RTX 4060, NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada
    Storage
    512GB, 1TB, 2TB
    Battery
    Up to 19 hours of typical device usage (model with integrated graphics), up to 18 hours of typical device usage (models with Nvidia graphics), up to 120W power adapter
    Display (Size, Resolution)
    14.4-inch PixelSense Flow, 2400x1600, 3:2 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, 1500:1 contrast ratio, VESA DisplayHDR 400, 600 nits (SDR), touch and pen support

    The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is Microsoft's most powerful laptop yet, with a 14-core Intel processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics. It also has a 14.4-inch touchscreen with pen support, a new aluminum construction, and a more accessible touchpad.