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Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub vs Microsoft Surface Dock 2: Comparison

Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub and Microsoft Surface Dock 2 separate most on host power delivery: Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub at 85 W, Microsoft Surface Dock 2 at 120 W, 29% in favour of Microsoft Surface Dock 2. Total Ports splits them by another 13%, this time favouring Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub. They match on 8 other specifications, including ethernet, video path and displaylink driver required.

Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub (USB-C / 8 Ports / Single External Monitor / Ethernet / Under $40 / Best Value)
AnkerAnker 555 8-in-1 Hub
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
MicrosoftMicrosoft Surface Dock 2

Specs

Specification
Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub (USB-C / 8 Ports / Single External Monitor / Ethernet / Under $40 / Best Value)
Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
Microsoft Surface Dock 2
Connection TypeUSB-CSurface Connect
Port Configuration1x USB-C PD input, 1x USB-C 10Gbps data, 2x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1GbE, SD + microSD UHS-I1x Surface Connect host cable, 2x front USB-C 10Gbps (15W), 2x rear USB-C 10Gbps with DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 2x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x GbE, 1x 3.5mm combo audio
Max Display SupportSingle external monitorDual 4K
Max Display Resolution4K@60HzDual 4K@60Hz
Total Ports87-12%
Host Power Delivery85 W-29%120 W
EthernetYesYes
Video PathDisplayPort Alt ModeDisplayPort Alt Mode
DisplayLink Driver RequiredNoNo
Max Displays Windows12
DisplayPort Port Count00
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count00
USB-A Port Count22
USB-C Data Port Count14
Max USB Data Rate10Gbps10Gbps
Ethernet Speed1GbE1GbE
BrandAnkerMicrosoft
Model555 8-in-1Surface Dock 2
PriceUnder $40~$220
Source URLhttps://www.anker.com/products/a8383https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-whats-new ; https://dancharblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/microsoft-surface-dock-2/

Verdict

Anker 555 8-in-1 Hub

8 / 10 Expert Rating

Best value hub — proven daily-use reliability, 8 ports, and Ethernet for under $40.

Microsoft Surface Dock 2

7 / 10 Expert Rating

The right dock only if your fleet is already standardized on Surface hardware.

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