Going all in with surface connect – am I crazy?

We are a medical office and now have a USB plug in in every room. The device is large and a pain to carry. We already have some surfaces so tried the Microsoft surface dock. And it worked great. Changed, plugged in the USB device that could just sit in the desk in each room, and TEAMs attaches and reattached seamlessly. Brilliant. My only worry in 2019 is going all in on surface connect crazy? Does anyone have any inside knowledge or guesses if Microsoft is going to get rid of the surface connect and replace it width USB-C (which the surfaces we own don’t have so I didn’t try an USB C dock).. Microsoft swears they are going to keep it, but when even apple is going USB C it seems crazy to buy 9 surface connect ports and design our work flow around it. Is it crazy?

Conversation 7 comments

  • rob_segal

    Premium Member
    09 November, 2019 - 12:22 pm

    <p>Here is my concern about the Surface Connect port with regards to USB-C. I don't like using a port only one manufacturer uses. USB-C is used by every other manufacturer. Unfortunately, older Surface Pros and Laptops doesn't have USB-C. Microsoft doesn't sell a USB-C to Surface Connect adapter. This puts you in a bit of a bind.</p><p><br></p><p>I wouldn't design a workflow around a port only one manufacturer supports. I would try to design one around one more universal, used by more companies and devices. Depending on what you need to connect, a USB 3.0 dock could be a better choice. At least with that, you can buy an adapter for it for USB-C. </p>

    • Vladimir Carli

      Premium Member
      11 November, 2019 - 10:53 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#487582">In reply to rob_segal:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I completely agree. We have 4-5 connect docks attached to screens and it always happens that someone with a non-surface device needs to connect and they can’t. USB-C is ubiquitous and that is really an advantage. Just beware that surface devices don’t work with all usb-c docks. I don’t really understand why but, for example, my surface book 2 doesn’t work with Dell USB-C docks we have. All other laptops (Lenovo, hp, Dell) do but the surface book 2 does not, reason unknown…</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    10 November, 2019 - 10:43 am

    <p>I don't think Microsoft will ever get rid of Surface Connect, at least not for the forseable future. They seem very serious about the backward compatibility. </p>

  • ghostrider

    10 November, 2019 - 12:27 pm

    <p>If MS 'swear they're going to keep it', just expect the opposite at some point, or they'll release a firmware that breaks it. I don't believe a thing MS says these days – it's all smoke and mirrors.</p>

  • BigM72

    10 November, 2019 - 9:18 pm

    <p>I think it is a mistake to go all in on Surface Connect. </p><p>1) Microsoft may or may not keep the port around</p><p>2) All future Surface devices WILL have USB-C, guaranteed</p><p>3) No other devices (outside of Surface) will get the connect port but they will have USB-C</p><p>4) Unclear if Microsoft can update the connector technology for the future or it will always be stuck on the current USB standard Surface Connect uses today</p><p><br></p><p>Basically, get USB-C docks and get all the benefits of the Surface Connect port except fast-charging. You get the benefit of future compatibility with a broad device set (e.g. imagine you go to iPad Pro in the future).</p>

  • harmjr

    Premium Member
    11 November, 2019 - 10:05 am

    <p>I would say you are good for at least 6-10 years. Why because if they make a change it would be several years out at best. Plenty of time to upgrade. </p><p>My only concern is you are forcing yourself to buy all Microsoft devices because they are the only one using this connector.</p>

  • StevenLayton

    11 November, 2019 - 3:00 pm

    <p>Not crazy, but your plan has a potential future single point of failure, should Microsoft decide to dis-continue the Surface Connect sooner than you're ready to adapt to.</p>

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