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Microsoft Surface Dock 2 vs StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Comparison
Microsoft Surface Dock 2 and StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Dock separate most on total ports: Microsoft Surface Dock 2 at 7, StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Dock at 11, 36% in favour of StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Dock. Power Delivery splits them by another 20%, this time favouring Microsoft Surface Dock 2. They match on 14 other specifications, including max display support, host cable length and ethernet.
Specs
| Specification |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Type | Surface Connect | Thunderbolt 4 |
| Port Configuration | 1x 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 | 1x TB4 host, 3x TB4 downstream 40Gbps (15W), 3x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x USB-A 2.0 (7.5W), GbE, SD 4.0 UHS-II, 3.5mm TRRS audio |
| Thunderbolt Version | None | 4 |
| Max Display Support | Dual 4K | Dual 4K |
| Max Display Resolution | Dual 4K@60Hz | Dual 4K@60Hz or single 8K@30Hz |
| Host Cable Length | 0.8 m | 0.8 m |
| Total Ports | 7-36% | 11 |
| Power Delivery | 120 W | 96 W-20% |
| Host Power Delivery | 120 W | 96 W-20% |
| Ethernet | Yes | Yes |
| External PSU Wattage | 199 W | 135 W |
| Bus Powered | No | No |
| Video Path | DisplayPort Alt Mode | Thunderbolt Native |
| DisplayLink Driver Required | No | No |
| Max Displays Windows | 2 | 2 |
| Max Dual Display Resolution | 4K | 4K |
| Max Dual Display Refresh | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| DisplayPort Port Count | 0 | 0 |
| Downstream Thunderbolt Port Count | 0 | 3 |
| USB-A Port Count | 2 | 4 |
| USB-C Data Port Count | 4 | 0 |
| Max USB Data Rate | 10Gbps | 10Gbps |
| Ethernet Speed | 1GbE | 1GbE |
| Audio Jack Configuration | Single Combo | Single Combo |
| Security Lock Slot | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Supported | Yes | Yes |
| Brand | Microsoft | StarTech.com |
| Model | Surface Dock 2 | TB4CDOCK |
| OS Compatibility | Windows (Surface devices) | Windows, macOS 11+, Ubuntu |
| Price | ~$220 | ~$260 |
| Source URL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/surface-dock-whats-new ; https://dancharblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/microsoft-surface-dock-2/ | https://media.startech.com/cms/pdfs/tb4cdock_datasheet.pdf |
Verdict
Microsoft Surface Dock 2
7 / 10 Expert Rating
The right dock only if your fleet is already standardized on Surface hardware.
StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Dock
8 / 10 Expert Rating
A rugged, IT-friendly Thunderbolt 4 dock built for fleet deployment rather than home enthusiasts.