Kensington's Surface Pro Docking Station now available for $400

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

DIY Surface Studio.

Kensington's Surface Pro Docking Station is now available to order at Amazon for $400 (opens in new tab). And if the Surface Studio 2 is a little too rich for your blood, then this may well be worth a look.

The $400 price tag is pretty expensive if you're just looking at the KensingtonSurface Pro Docking Station as a port expander, and there are lower-cost options out there, to be sure. But the real draw here is that it can turn your Surface Pro into an ad-hoc (albeit miniature) Surface Studio with its rotating hinge.

When in its base docked position, your Surface Pro will essentially act as a monitor, making it ideal as a desktop replacement while you're at your desk. The hinge allows you to rotate the Surface Pro to any angle you see fit. Sliding it all of the way down puts the pro into a position that's great for drafting or sketching, which should appeal to many creators out there. Once you've finished sketching, you can stash the Surface Pen to magnetic connectors at the side of the dock.

In addition to the articulating hinge, the Kensington Surface Pro Docking Station adds a USB-C port, four USB Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, and 3.5mm audio ports to the mix.

For more on Kensington's dock, be sure to give our full review a look. Otherwise, you can grab the Kensington Surface Pro Docking Station at Amazon now for $400. (opens in new tab)

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.

10 Comments
  • It looks cool but I don't see the point of this if I have the Surface dock. I already have a tablet thing that does the same thing and the Surface dock have all the ports I need. I didn't spent $400 either.
  • Do you have the original dock? I only have the external brick one, and this is definitely an improvement in terms of being able to raise the surface up to a better height for desk usage. I've tried clamps and other stands, but they just don't work well.
  • I just use the one I bought my iPad and works great for me. I have the brick BTW.
  • Maybe you have a tall desk? All tablet stands I've tried are either too low on the desk, or aren't stable when moved up to a monitor height. Looking down all the time is terrible for your neck, and I have the MRIs to prove it.
  • The best alternative to Surface Studio 2 is the new Lenovo Yoga A940.
  • Depends on your use case. As a Surface Pro 2017 owner, this is definitely cheaper for me.
  • Also, try carrying a Lenovo Yoga A940 (or Surface Studio) to a cafe. This is a pretty sweet design.
  • I noticed this a few days ago, and bought one. Should be arriving any day now. Third-party sellers on Amazon were actually selling it for $450 or even $500 a few weeks ago!
  • Does the USB-C provide enough power for an external display? Edit: Original review says data only, so probably not.
  • I saw this back in June or July when they first announced it and was waiting and waiting to get one. Finally I did when it became available. I really like it (I am not affiliated with Kensington). Yeah, it is pricey but I had no dock and wanted something easy without cables hanging off of my Surface. So I saved my pennies as I waited. Bottom line for me is that:
    - It is solidly built so it feels really nice and professional.
    - The ports on the back keep my wires organized and less unsightly.
    - There's no USB port on the front, which might be nice, but it would be in the way of being able to tilt, raise, or lower the Surface. Once in a while when I need a convenient USB port, the one on the Surface is easily accessible.
    - Dual, I mean triple, displays is excellent. The Surface can handle that without a dock but, as mentioned, I like having no cables hanging from the side of the Surface.
    From me: 5 out of 5 stars.