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Microsoft Surface Dock 2 vs Plugable UD-6950Z: Comparison

Microsoft Surface Dock 2 and Plugable UD-6950Z separate most on total ports: Microsoft Surface Dock 2 at 7, Plugable UD-6950Z at 12, 42% in favour of Plugable UD-6950Z. They match on 10 other specifications, including thunderbolt version, ethernet and bus powered.

Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
MicrosoftMicrosoft Surface Dock 2
Plugable UD-6950Z (USB-C/USB-A / 11 Ports / 60W Host Charging / Triple 4K@30Hz DisplayLink / Windows/Mac / ~$200)
PlugablePlugable UD-6950Z

Specs

Specification
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 (USB4/USB-C / 6 Ports / 100W Host Charging / Dual 4K@60Hz / Windows / ~$220)
Microsoft Surface Dock 2
Plugable UD-6950Z (USB-C/USB-A / 11 Ports / 60W Host Charging / Triple 4K@30Hz DisplayLink / Windows/Mac / ~$200)
Plugable UD-6950Z
Connection TypeSurface ConnectUSB-C or USB-A (DisplayLink software driver)
Port Configuration1x 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 audio1x USB upstream (USB-C and USB-A cables included), 2x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.2 (DisplayLink), 6x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x GbE, 3.5mm headset jack
Thunderbolt VersionNoneNone
Max Display SupportDual 4KDual display
Max Display ResolutionDual 4K@60HzDual 4K@60Hz (DisplayLink)
Host Cable Length0.8 m0.9 m
Total Ports7-42%12
Power Delivery120 W0 W
Host Power Delivery120 W0 W
EthernetYesYes
External PSU Wattage199 W40 W
Bus PoweredNoNo
Video PathDisplayPort Alt ModeDisplayLink
DisplayLink Driver RequiredNoYes
Max Displays Windows22
Max Dual Display Resolution4K4K
Max Dual Display Refresh60 Hz60 Hz
DisplayPort Port Count02
Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count00
USB-A Port Count26
USB-C Data Port Count40
Max USB Data Rate10Gbps5Gbps
Ethernet Speed1GbE1GbE
Audio Jack ConfigurationSingle ComboSingle Combo
Windows SupportedYesYes
BrandMicrosoftPlugable
ModelSurface Dock 2UD-6950Z
OS CompatibilityWindows (Surface devices)Windows 7-11, macOS 10.14+, ChromeOS 100+
Price~$220~$200
Source URLhttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-whats-new ; https://dancharblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/microsoft-surface-dock-2/https://plugable.com/products/ud-6950z

Verdict

Microsoft Surface Dock 2

7 / 10 Expert Rating

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

Plugable UD-6950Z

7 / 10 Expert Rating

The most display-flexible DisplayLink dock here, ideal for triple-monitor setups on older hardware.

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