Surface fans are now 3D‑printing the hardware Microsoft won’t build

3-D printing may be the key to fixing one of the Surface Pro's biggest flaws. And the solution also gives Surface users the treat of using Lenovo's ThinkPad TrackPoint keyboard.

Even if Microsoft makes the perfect 2-in-1, it still won’t be my dream Surface Pro. Earlier this month, I argued that a flawless PC from Microsoft would fall short of my expectations because I could not pair the device with a Brydge keyboard.

Microsoft has new Surface hardware on the way, though the tech giant has remained tight-lipped on what PCs are on the way. But thanks to our Senior Editor Zac Bowden, we know a Surface Pro 12 will be in the mix.

Since Brydge has not announced any Surface keyboards this year, we may have to turn to a different solution. A savvy Surface user called "idiogenic" has created a 3-D printable design for a Surface Pro Keyboard Dock.

The design is hosted on Printables and available for anyone to use.

Whether you want to get the most out of your current Surface Pro or prep for a future PC from Microsoft, the unique dock could make it easier to work on your lap.

The maker of the design outlined the problem with Surface Pro devices and other 2-in-1s.

"The problem with the Surface Pro and other tablet based 2 in 1 PCs is that they aren't very nice to use in your lap. The rear kickstand/wobbly keyboard attachment etc make it unstable except on large hard surfaces."

They also used some colorful language when telling Microsoft what to do with the high pricing of the Surface Keyboard and Pen combos.

Their points are valid. While the Surface Pro 11 and other Surface devices are lovely, they are difficult to use on a lap. They've improved in this area over the years, but they're still more awkward than a traditional clamshell laptop.

The 3-D printed dock has a slot to dock the Surface Pro as well as a place to rest the Surface Pen. There are magnets inside to keep the PC and pen in place, though they are more for keeping things aligned than locking things in.

The dock should fit most modern Surface Pro devices, though the ThinkPad keyboard is too wide to allow for a flush design.

The accessory has its flaws, however. The most obvious of which is that it requires you to have a ThinkPad Trackpoint II Bluetooth Keyboard. Lenovo does not list the keyboard on its website, but you can find the keyboard at Best Buy for $130.74.

You won't have a trackpad when using this setup either. Instead, you'll have to use the famous TrackPoint nib built into the keyboard.

The dock is also less versatile than the kickstand of the Surface Pro, which can adjust to a wide range of angles. You're essentially trading the flexibility of that kickstand for lapability.

If you do need the kickstand, you could just remove the dock, though you'd then have an extra accessory to carry around.

The Surface Pro Keyboard Dock for the ThinkPad Trackpoint II Bluetooth Keyboard is not a perfect solution. It's a niche accessory that fills a gap only a subset of users care about.

But given the gap in the market, I appreciate the ingenuity of idiogenic and hope they inspire others to create ways to improve the Surface Pro.

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