Kensington Surface Pro Dock review: Turn your Surface Pro into a mini Surface Studio

Blink, and it's piece of cake to misfile the Kensington SD7000 Docking Station with a miniaturized Surface Studio. The dock is arguably the near expensive accessory you can buy for the Surface Pro, but it's also the most transformative. While the idea of expanding ports for various computers is non new, the Kensington SD7000 is so much more that. Information technology breathes new life into a mobile-only device letting it smooth as a full desktop replacement.

Does the cost justify the Kensington SD7000? That depends. Merely I tin can say that it is the best accompaniment to date for the favorite two-in-1. If you desire to maximize your Surface Pro'south usefulness here's why I think this dock is a good purchase.

Mini Surface Studio

Kensington SD7000 Docking Station

$399

Bottom line: The Kensington SD7000 is a very expensive dock that will transform your Surface Pro into a total desktop PC. The price is off-putting, but Kensington nailed the execution making this a drool-worthy purchase.

Pros:

• Excellent congenital quality.
• Articulating hinge allows for unlike modes.
• Plenty of ports including multiple displays.
• Re-purposes Surface Pro every bit a desktop PC.
• Perfectly matches Surface line.

Cons:

• Very expensive.
• No SD card slot.
• No front-facing ports.

Ports just more

Kensington SD7000: What is it?

The SD7000 is full reclined style ideal for drawing and inking.

Almost people will expect at the Kensington SD7000 and see it as a $400 port-expander. That'southward technically true due to the abundance of new input-output options available, including:

• 1x USB Type-C (data just)
• 4x USB Blazon-A three.0
• Gigabit Ethernet
• DisplayPort++ v1.ii
• HDMI ii.0
• iii.5mm philharmonic audio port

I'd exist likewise well-nigh remiss to point out that there'due south a prominent Kensington Security Slot to lock the whole contraption down.

What's missing (and a fleck disappointing) is the lack of a slot for an SD card reader, which seems like an obvious choice for such a dock.

No surprise at that place'southward a Kensington Security Slot on the dock.

All those ports are powered past the Surface Connect port on the Surface Pro, which is impressive. That ways you lot still get to apply the Surface Pro'southward native USB Type-A port as well, bumping the total here to 5.

Microsoft's aging Surface Dock, by comparison, has iv USB Blazon-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and 2 Mini DisplayPorts. No Type-C for information, no HDMI, and no security lock.

The Surface Connect port is used for power and data on the dock.

Using the HDMI or DisplayPort for the Kensington SD7000 yields support for dual 4K displays at 30Hz or one 4K at 60Hz (multiple total HD displays run just fine too).

While the portion that holds the Surface Pro is practiced quality plastic, the hinges and parts of the base are metal. The plastic is necessary because the thought of sliding metallic confronting the metal of the Surface Pro – especially the newer black variant – seems like a bad idea.

These screws are a fleck unsightly and should be subconscious.

Screws are unfortunately visible from the rear. Some form of masking those screws or hiding them would have upped the craftsmanship hither, merely from the front, the entire setup looks fabulous.

Kensington uses the same Microsoft-branded 90-watt Surface Dock AC adapter, keeping inside Microsoft recommended power limits.

Regular docks don't do this

Kensington SD7000 more than than ports

So many ports!

Maxim the Kensington SD7000 is just a port expander is like saying Surface Studio 2 is but an expensive desktop computer – you lot're missing the point.

Slotting in the Surface Pro 6 into the Kensington SD7000 you immediately experience how this hinged-mount changes everything. Now at eye-level, the Surface Pro now feels like a mini-Surface Studio.

To the right of the dock is the Surface Connect for data and power. The contraption is built inside an ergonomic rounded grip letting users slide the connector in and out to release the Surface Pro. The design feels robust, sturdy and it should hold up for many years of repeated employ.

A pseudo kiosk-mode position ideal for impact interaction.

The display of the Surface Pro now seemingly floats in the air and because the swivel is articulating yous tin angle it however you lot wish.

Past adding a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse the Kensington SD7000 with Surface Pro turns into a beautiful, minimalist full desktop PC feel even without adding larger displays.

The hinges are polished and mirrored, and the overall look is strikingly like the Surface Studio. Even the platinum color here matches precisely that of the Surface Pro and like accessories like the Surface Keyboard and Surface Mouse. It all feels very complimentary.

Drawing with the Surface Pro and this dock is outstanding.

Because of the design, you can sit closer to the Surface Pro compared to a regular desktop PC without discomfort.

Slide the Surface Pro down to the draft board mode, and all of a sudden the Surface Pro is a stone solid, stable inking motorcar propped at a proper angle.

While the hinge is nowhere virtually every bit fluid as the Surface Studio'south "zero gravity" issue, it at least has the expect nailed. The hinge is strong and requires some endeavour to move, but the entire station weighs a gobsmacking vii.31lbs (3.32kg) giving it meaning heft that reduces shifting.

Kensington didn't forget nigh the Surface Pen, which cannot stick to the Surface Pro when mounted. Instead, to the left are a couple of modestly firm magnets. The magnets could be stronger, only overall, it'south just not bad to have, and it worked without outcome.

A stunning first attempt

Kensington SD7000 — then good Microsoft should have made information technology

Surface Pro, Kensington Dock, with Surface Keyboard and Surface Mouse is an excellent, matching philharmonic.

Perhaps the most puzzling matter about the Kensington SD7000 is that Microsoft didn't brand it themselves.

It'southward evident Kensington worked with Microsoft as the dock has earned the official "For Surface" endorsement on the box – something only a few manufacturers have achieved. The matching color scheme, mirrored swivel design, the overall look, even the Microsoft-branded power supply says that this is all a semi-official release.

That $400 cost-tag is steep, but I can't stress this enough: Using the Kensington SD7000 has made me completely rethink the Surface Pro as an everyday all-the-time computer versus a portable one.

Is that the official Microsoft Surface Dock charger included? Yup.

If you plopped down $i,700 for the Cadre i7 Surface Pro half dozen (or $2,100 for the 1TB model) this extra $400 lets you stretch the Surface Pro to your full-time and only computer.

If I were a college pupil (with some money), or someone looking to build a clean, minimalist desktop feel, the Kensington SD7000 should be a strong consideration. The build quality is excellent, and I genuinely enjoyed using the Surface Pro at eye-level.

Using the Kensington SD7000 has made me completely rethink the Surface Pro as an everyday all-the-time estimator

The dock works with Surface Pro iv, Surface Pro 2022 (5th gen), and the new Surface Pro 6. While older models are OK, I've argued that the new quad-core processor in the Surface Pro half-dozen gives a significant and important boost in performance. When combined with 16GB of RAM, 512GB (or more) of storage, the Cadre i7 CPU, and this dock, you get an outstanding desktop performer.

The Surface Pen gets hands mounted to the side with two small-scale magnets.

During my review, I had the Surface Pro with the Kensington SD7000 setup in my living room. I often found myself merely gravitating towards it versus nearby laptops. Information technology was instant-on and with a mouse and keyboard simply and then fun to use.

I exercise recollect the Kensington SD7000 as well highlights some electric current limits of Surface Pro. Were Microsoft to offer a Thunderbolt 3 port, I can imagine something like the SD7000 but with a congenital-in GPU in that base — it'd exist amazing. But that's not Kensington'south fault, and considering the limits they had to work with they did an first-class job.

The port pick is solid but having ii forward-looking USB-A ports would accept been preferred instead of placing them all in the rear. The Type-C port is nice, but fifty-fifty for data, the speeds were abysmal when using a Type-C Samsung T5 SSD (speeds went dorsum to normal when using the Blazon-A ports) - while Type-C is more future-proofing, I think an SD card slot may have worked meliorate for the intended audition.

The use of plastic in sure areas is forgivable, but I'd like to run across Kensington footstep up some of the quality of materials used for the expanse that holds Surface Pro. Alcantara here would could piece of work well every bit an emphasis.

The consumer angle for this Kensington dock is articulate. Those with money who have a lot invested in the Surface Pro line and wish to brand it their only computer – a noble and desirable goal. For them, this is an excellent purchase that I highly recommend.

But at that place is also the concern angle – those who want to use Surface Pro as a high-class, secured, public-facing computer for kiosks or front-desk workers. Even those who piece of work in cubicles could use this instead of having two computers – ane desktop, one laptop – non only saving space but money and being more efficient.

As to when you can get your hands on the Kensington SD7000 dock online retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo should be stocking it by January 2022.

For those just looking for a bones dock, or port expander, there is a myriad of lower-cost options. None will turn your Surface Pro into a mini-Surface Studio, just information technology volition cost yous a lot less. But if you run across the photos here and think that is something you want for your abode, office, or dorm then take the plunge as it'south worth the investment. Let's hope Microsoft doesn't radically modify the Surface Pro'southward design or Surface Connect port side by side year.

Mini-me

Kensington Surface Pro Docking Station

Brilliant blueprint.

For those heavily invested in the Surface Pro the new Kensington SD7000 Dock is a pricey, only outstanding accessory that lets you have one PC instead of two.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/kensington-sd7000-review

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