L**E
Worked Great....Until it Didn't
I loved this port replicator for the entire year I have used it. So convenient, versatile, portable for trips, didn't feel flimsy, much less expensive than the suggested Microsoft DS, and it worked really well. It's allowed me to use the Surface Pro like a real desktop PC, and then take it on the road like a real laptop.Happy story - until about two weeks ago, when I lost the ability to connect to my external monitor. Spent hours troubleshooting the problem, installing new drivers etc. but nothing worked. Could it be the Surfacekit port replicator? I went online and realized there was another review or two for this product where the exact same problem came up - HDMI port failed after a year of use. So I went online and bought a different replicator - actually even more compact, 2/3 the size of the one I bought last year but with all the same ports....https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089XXC34C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1The new one arrived today and wouldn't you know it, the monitor popped right up soon as I plugged the new one in.Conclusion: if you buy this Surfacekit replicator for the HDMI connector, it's a great price but know that you might only get one year of use out of it. The other ports do seem to be working fine.ONE MONTH LATER....I got that new model and IT only lasted for ONE month, so I don't recommend that one at all! But more importantly, the tech firm I did troubleshooting with said that using any of these tiny/portable hubs is going to be problematic. This is because they do not come with an independent power source, drawing power instead directly from the Surface, which can cause it to overload and that's probably what fried the HDMI port here, even though it did allow for a full year of good use before that happened....Sadly, I wound up having to shell out the money for the Microsoft Surface Dock 2. Peripherals work, nothing is overheating and I am not worrying about aftermarket equipment shorting out my Surface.
S**E
Only one of the two USB automatically connects after Re-Start
I love my Surface Pro, but it's major flaw is the lack of USB ports. With one USB port, you can only connect a mouse or external keyboard, but not both. When I first saw this device, I was so excited, thinking I found the solution. When the package arrived, I couldn't wait to test it out. Right away, I noticed it was hard to insert the USBs for the mouse and keyboard into this dock (they slide into the Surface pro easily with no issues), I had to push so hard, I was afraid the USBs were going to break. Everything worked well the first hour. Then, each time I shut down and restart the Surface Pro, it would only "notice" whichever device was connected to the bottom USB port, and not the top one. I've tried everything, uninstalling/reinstalling all the drivers, plugging/unplugging the docking station. After 7 tries, I've had enough; in part because it is such a struggle to insert the USBs into this dock and I don't want to break the USBs. I mean this device is around $30 and my ergonomic keyboard cost way more. It just doesn't seem to be a good idea to damage the USB for the keyboard and render the whole thing unusable. I am disappointed this device didn't work out- it sounded like a good idea in theory. Maybe I just got a lemon, I will have to continue my search for a usable dock. Maybe, I'll just have to bite the bullet and get the crazy expensive docking station from Microsoft.
J**O
Overcoming the lack of HDMI and high-speed Ethernet on the Surface Pro 5 (2017 edition) tablet
The docking station works as described. There is some front-to-back wiggle of the docking station when both an HDMI cable and Ethernet cable are attached. This movement can turn off the HDMI signal, which requires detaching the docking station from Microsoft Surface Pro and reattaching it. The portability of this docking station makes it more versatile than Microsoft's docking solution. If you've been held back by the mini DVI port or lack of high-speed networking options on the Surface Pro, I highly recommend this docking station! Used on a Microsoft Surface Pro 5 (2017 edition).
N**R
Get the best out of your Surface Pro
This is a plug-and-play hub that I use. It gives me the ability to use a flight yoke and HDMI monitor. A great way to spend $23.
D**N
A truly useful addition to the Surface Pro
This unit pligs in, automatically loads drivers, and works. You can plug in an Ethernet cable without a dongle and you get additional USB ports. I haven't tried the HDMI port yet, but the card readers in the unit allow a convenient way to transfer photos and data. I also own a MS dock for the Surface Pro, but this unit is lighter, smaller and almost as useful, but at a fraction of the price.
S**E
Good docking station.
Used it to connect my surface pro to external monitor. Had no issues connecting and very portable. Wish it had some sort of retaining clip to hold it in place attached to surface pro.
E**9
Doesn't maintain connection
This device is cute, and when it works, it does what it's supposed to. I was disappointed it had no audio jack. A normal Surface Dock has one and it never occurred to me this product would lack it. I got a USB audio adapter to handle this (so now I'm down to only one USB). The main issue with the device is that it doesn't stay put. As light and small as it is, it still dislodges easily from the ports of the Surface.
K**L
Unstable device
This product looked good. I plugged it right into my Surface 6. Unfortunately it wouldn't make a good connection. I had my cat 6 plugged in and it would not work at all. I had to use wireless (not as fast for what I do). The other ports worked fine but the devices connection was not stable. I dont use it anymore and am looking for something better. I would not recommend this product.
D**X
tres bon concentrateur, peut servir de docking
tous les périphériques connectés fonctionnent, HDMI, ethernet, et usb 3. Remplace avantageusement la docking de Microsoft. Et c'est nettement moins cher.
Trustpilot
2 months ago
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