Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock Product FAQ
Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock Product FAQ
Product FAQ
What other Surface devices are compatible with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? ....................................................... 4
What Surface devices are not compatible with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? ........................................................... 4
What’s the difference between the “designed for” and “compatible with” devices? ............................................... 5
What devices are recommended for the different in-market Surface docks? ............................................................. 6
How long will Surface Dock 2 remain in market post-Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock release? ............................... 6
Was this dock tested with OEM devices, and if so, will we have a list of which devices at launch? ................... 7
How can I get driver or firmware updates using an Apple Mac? ..................................................................................... 7
What monitors have been tested with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?" .......................................................................... 9
Which Surface devices support dual 4K @ 60 Hz monitors with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? ......................... 9
If monitors have HDMI or DisplayPort connectors, are we recommending compatible adapters? ................. 10
Can the two-rear facing USB-C ports be used for other USB Alt Mode traffic other than DisplayPort? ........ 10
Does Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection)? .................. 10
Managing Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock ............................................................................................................................................ 10
How can IT admins manage Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? .............................................................................................. 10
How can I make a warranty claim or get support for Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?.............................................. 11
Can I fast charge cell phones and other small devices using USB-C ports? ............................................................... 12
Can I charge my Surface device from a USB-C port? .......................................................................................................... 12
How large is the power brick compared to the current gen? .......................................................................................... 12
How do I find the serial number? ................................................................................................................................................ 12
Is it okay to close the laptop lid when connected to Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? .............................................. 12
When connecting a Surface device, will Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock automatically switch from Wi-Fi to
Ethernet for network connectivity? ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Does Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock ship with USB-C or USB4/Thunderbolt 4 cables? ............................................ 13
Can multiple USB-A hubs connect to Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock? ............................................................................ 13
Figures
Figure 1. Front view of dock ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Figure 7. Cable Matters Mount attached to Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock on desk ................................................................... 8
Tables
Table 1. Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock tech specs ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Table 2. Comparing Surface Docks ................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock Product FAQ
Introduction
As the latest generation Surface dock, Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock delivers ultra-high speed data transfer 1, built-in
enterprise management and security 2 and the versatility to connect your most important peripherals.
• High-speed USB4®/Thunderbolt™ 4 on USB-C® ports. Plug in one cable to power your device and connect
two 4K monitors at up to 60 Hz. 3 Transfer data and files at up to 40 Gbps.
• The charging power you need for your device and accessories. Connect and power your laptop with up to
96 watts of power passthrough for your phone and accessories. 4
• Inclusive design with recycled materials. Quickly identify ports with raised tactile indicators for greater
accessibility. The lightest Surface dock and PSU enclosures (excluding AC cable) are attributed to 20% ocean-
bound plastic 5 and ~99% recyclable packaging in OECD countries that’s free of single-use plastics. 6
Tech specs
Table 1. Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock tech specs
Feature Description
Compatibility Designed for devices with USB-C with USB 4®/Thunderbolt 4 port:
− Surface Laptop 5
− Surface Laptop Studio
− Surface Pro 8
− Surface Pro 9 (Intel/Wi-Fi)
7. 4K @60 Hz via USB-C requires High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) support on both display and host computer.
8. Learn more about Design for Surface and Cable Matters Desk Mount at Licensed Hardware - Designed for Surface Program | Microsoft
Learn.
Feature Description
Materials − Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock and PSU enclosures (excluding AC cable) are
attributed to 20% ocean-bound plastic 10
9. Surface Enterprise Management Mode for Dock and MAC address passthrough are available on select host devices and supported operating systems.
10. Ocean-bound plastic is plastic waste recovered from oceans and waterways, cleaned, and processed into recycled plastic resin pellets. These recycled pellets are
blended in with virgin plastic during the manufacturing process. To learn more, see Sustainable Products & Solutions | Microsoft CSR.
11. Microsoft’s Limited Warranty is in addition to your consumer law rights.
Questions
When and where can I purchase the new dock?
• Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is available to order starting April 4, 2023.
What other Surface devices are compatible with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?
• Surface Pro 9 with 5G
• Surface Pro 7+
• Surface Pro 7
• Surface Pro X
• Surface Laptop 4
• Surface Laptop 3
• Surface Laptop Go 2
• Surface Laptop Go
• Surface Go 3
• Surface Go 2
• Surface Book 3
What Surface devices are not compatible with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?
• Surface Laptop SE
• Surface Book
• Surface Laptop 2
• Surface Laptop
• Surface Pro 6
• Surface Pro 5
• Surface Pro 4
• Surface Pro 4
• Surface Duo
• Surface Duo 2
• Surface Hub 2S
What’s the difference between the “designed for” and “compatible with” devices?
• We designed Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock as the optimal dock for Surface devices with USB4/Thunderbolt 4
support. The Thunderbolt 4 connection supports two 4K external displays at up to 60 Hz (when supported by
display).
• Devices with USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 support can transfer data and files at up to 32 Gbps — four times faster
than USB3.
• For compatible devices, the USB-C connection supports one 4K external display at up to 60 Hz (when
supported by display). 12
TIP: With daisy chaining, Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock supports up to ten displays through DP Alt Mode but note
that the resolution and refresh rate will be reduced when daisy chaining two or more monitors. All monitors need
to support DP1.2 and Multi-Stream Transport (MST).
Optimal host Surface Laptop 5, Surface Surface Pro 9 with 5G, Surface Go, Surface Laptop
devices Pro 9, Surface Pro 8, Surface Surface Laptop 4, Surface 2, Surface Laptop 3, Surface
Laptop Studio Laptop Go 2, Surface Go 3 Pro 7+
USB-A One front-facing USB-A Two rear-facing USB 3.2 Gen Two front-facing USB 3.1
(USB 3.1 Gen 2, 7.5 W) 2 (7.5-W power) Gen 1
Two rear-facing USB 3.1 Gen
Two rear-facing USB-A (USB 1
3.1 Gen 2, 7.5 W)
Mini Display port None None Two rear facing (DP1.2)
USB-C One front-facing USB-C (USB Two front-facing USB 3.2 None
4 Thunderbolt 4, video Gen 2
display enabled, 15 W) (15-W power)
Two rear-facing USB 3.2 Gen
Two rear-facing USB-C 2 (DP1.4a)
(USB4/Thunderbolt 4, video (7.5-W power)
display enabled, 15 W)
3.5 mm audio Yes Yes Yes
in/out
Ethernet Yes 2.5 Gigabit Yes 1 gigabit Yes, 1 gigabit
12. 4K @60 Hz via USB-C requires High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) support on both display and host computer.
What devices are recommended for the different in-market Surface docks?
• Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Surface Laptop 5, Surface Pro 9, Surface Pro 8, Surface Laptop Studio
• Surface Dock 2: Surface Pro 9 with 5G, Surface Laptop 4, Surface Laptop Go 2, Surface Go 3
• Surface Dock: Surface Go, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7+
How long will Surface Dock 2 remain in market post-Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock release?
• Surface Dock 2 will continue to be available to support non-USB-C devices.
We mention Enterprise-grade manageability & security support. Does this include system on a
chip?
• No, the dock has no system on a chip (SOC). Enterprise-grade manageability and security support refer to
SEMM for Dock, firmware updates through Windows Update, and management features that support
connected host devices such as MAC Address Passthrough and Wake on LAN.
Was this dock tested with OEM devices, and if so, will we have a list of which devices at launch?
• Yes, this dock was tested with various OEM devices. Regarding a published list, we only include Surface
devices as we cannot guarantee long-term support for non-Surface OEM devices. In general, if an OEM
device has a USB4/Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port and runs a supported version of Windows, we expect customers
to have a good experience with it.
• Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock supports up to two monitors through USB4/Thunderbolt 4, with full refresh rate
and resolution supported on those two monitors.
NOTE: The number of supported monitors, refresh rate, and resolution are limited by the lowest denominator of
what's supported across the host, dock, and monitor.
Which Surface devices support dual 4K @ 60 Hz monitors with Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?
• The following devices that feature USB4/Thunderbolt 4 support dual 4K @ 60 Hz:
− Surface Laptop 5
− Surface Laptop Studio
− Surface Pro 8
− Surface Pro 9 (Intel/Wi-Fi)
Can the two-rear facing USB-C ports be used for other USB Alt Mode traffic other than
DisplayPort?
• Rear USB-C ports support the negotiation of USB Power Delivery (PD) contracts at a maximum of 7.5W. Audio
Accessory Mode and Thunderbolt 3 are not supported.
Does Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock support HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection)?
• Yes. HDCP is designed to prevent copying digital audio and video content as it travels across connections.
Can IT admins manage Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock with Intune and DFCI?
• No. Cloud-based management via Intune, such as DFCI, is not supported currently.
How can I make a warranty claim or get support for Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?
• To make a warranty claim or to request support, use one of the self-serve portal options:
− Surface Management Portal
− Microsoft Hardware Support Portal
Charging devices
Can I fast charge cell phones and other small devices using USB-C ports?
• Yes. Front and rear ports provide up to 15 W of power to connected devices.
Is it okay to close the laptop lid when connected to Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock?
• Yes. You may need to modify power settings on the host Surface device to prevent the automatic entry of
sleep or display off during lid closure to retain device usability.
When connecting a Surface device, will Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock automatically switch from
Wi-Fi to Ethernet for network connectivity?
• Yes.
NOTE: If a monitor ships with a Thunderbolt 3 cable instead of a Thunderbolt 4 cable, it’s recommended to use a regular USB-
Learn more
• What’s new in Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock
• Secure Surface Dock ports with Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM)