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HP Thunderbolt Dock G4 vs Microsoft Surface Dock 2: Comparison

HP Thunderbolt Dock G4 and Microsoft Surface Dock 2 separate most on power delivery: HP Thunderbolt Dock G4 at 100 W, Microsoft Surface Dock 2 at 120 W, 17% in favour of Microsoft Surface Dock 2. Host Power Delivery splits them by another 17%, again favouring Microsoft Surface Dock 2. They match on 9 other specifications, including host cable length, ethernet and bus powered.

HP Thunderbolt Dock G4 (Thunderbolt 4 / 120W Power Delivery / Up to 4 Displays / HDMI + DisplayPort / RJ-45 Ethernet)
HPHP Thunderbolt Dock G4
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
MicrosoftMicrosoft Surface Dock 2

Specs

Specification
HP Thunderbolt Dock G4 (Thunderbolt 4 / 120W Power Delivery / Up to 4 Displays / HDMI + DisplayPort / RJ-45 Ethernet)
HP Thunderbolt Dock G4
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
Microsoft Surface Dock 2
Connection TypeThunderbolt 4Surface Connect
Port Configuration1x TB4 downstream, 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x rear USB-C DisplayPort, 1x front USB-C 10Gbps (15W), 2x USB-A 10Gbps, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 2.5GbE RJ451x 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
Thunderbolt Version4None
Host Cable Length0.8 m0.8 m
Power Delivery100 W-17%120 W
Host Power Delivery100 W-17%120 W
EthernetYesYes
External PSU Wattage120 W199 W
Bus PoweredNoNo
Max Displays Windows42
Max Dual Display Resolution4K4K
Max Dual Display Refresh60 Hz60 Hz
DisplayPort Port Count20
USB-C Video Output Count12
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count10
USB-A Port Count42
USB-C Data Port Count14
Max USB Data Rate10Gbps10Gbps
Max Downstream USB-C Power15 W15 W
Ethernet Speed2.5GbE1GbE
Security Lock SlotYesYes
Windows SupportedYesYes
BrandHPMicrosoft
ModelThunderbolt Dock G4Surface Dock 2
Source URLhttps://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=c08135041https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-whats-new ; https://dancharblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/microsoft-surface-dock-2/

Verdict

HP Thunderbolt Dock G4

7 / 10 Expert Rating

A stable, fleet-grade Thunderbolt 4 dock that's a bargain if you find one through business channels.

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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