If you just purchased (or are thinking about buying) a new Surface device, then congratulations! You’ll be enjoying Windows 10 or Windows 11 on the best possible laptop and tablet. We do have one piece of advice for you, though. You might want to consider buying some accessories to pair up with your new Surface device to extend your experience. Some of our picks include the Surface Pen, Surface Dock 2, and even keyboards and earbuds. Here’s a look at the best Surface accessories to buy this holiday.
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Surface Pen
At the top of our list is the Surface Pen. A Surface Pen isn’t usually included with the purchase of a Surface device, but it makes a nice accessory. You can use Surface Pen to draw in apps like Fresh Paint, ink on PDFs in Microsoft Edge, and even take notes in Microsoft OneNote and Whiteboard. There are many generations of Surface Pen you can buy, with the newest being the Slim Pen 2 ($130+ Slim Pen Charger for $35,), which supports haptics on the Pro 8 and Laptop Studio. If you don’t want to spend all that money, then Surface Pen for $100 is still a good option. It works on all modern Surface devices. We talked about Slim Pen 2 in a separate post, and also about legacy Surface Pens.
Microsoft Arc Mouse
The trackpad on your Surface Type Cover or Laptop is great, but what if you want a more comfortable experience? That’s where the Surface Arc Mouse comes into play. This ultra-slim and lightweight mouse has a touchpad on the top part for vertical and horizontal scrolling, and can also fold away to fit in your pocket or bag. It also connects wirelessly to your Surface via Bluetooth and can track your movements on any surface, be it glass, plastic, or even fabric.
Surface Keyboard
We just talked about extending your trackpad, but what about your keyboard? The Surface keyboard works well for typing beyond the Type Cover or in-built keyboard deck on your Surface Laptop. It’s full-sized, and even has a number pad for use in Excel. The keyboard works with AA batteries and connects via Bluetooth 4.0. Not to forget that it also has the same sleek and simple design, just like your Surface device.
We reviewed the keyboard back in 2017 and found it was the right keyboard, but for a high price. If you’re looking for something smaller and more compact then we suggest checking out the Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard. It’s a lot cheaper at $70.
Surface Dock 2
So far we’ve focused on pens, keyboards, and mice. But we also want to get into docking solutions, too. The Surface Dock 2 is a nice solution for extending the ports on your Surface. Surface Dock 2 brings more power to your laptop and transforms your Surface into a desktop PC with a 199W power supply. It also has two front-facing USB-C ports that provide faster charging and faster data transfers. Two rear-facing USB-C ports are also video-enabled to support dual 4K monitors at 60 Hz. Not to forget the two traditional USB-A ports and the headphone port, and the ethernet jack which are traditional ports you might otherwise need for audio and video solutions, faster network connections, and connections to printers.
Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub
Need a portable solution from Microsoft to extend your Surface’s ports? Why not try the Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub. This portable USB-C hub gives you five ways to connect to networks, displays. It gives you a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, a USB-A port, an ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a VGA port. The USB-C hub weighs in at around 0.22 pounds, and measures 3.50 x 1.89 x 0.59, making it easy to prop in a bag for travel.
Surface Earbuds
Want a little privacy when studying, working, or listening to music on your Surface? Surface Earbuds are a nice companion for this. These super comfortable Bluetooth earbuds feature intuitive touch controls and integration with Microsoft 365. You can use gestures like tap, touch, and swipe to control your music and calls. We reviewed the Surface Earbuds back in 2020 and found they were quite comfortable, and a serious competitor to Apple’s Airpods.
Microsoft has you covered!
Of course, we can’t list all the Microsoft Surface accessories, but we did list some of our favorties. If you’re in search of additional accessories, just visit the Microsoft Store online, click More and then choose Accessories followed by All Surface Accessories. You’ll see a list of everything Microsoft offers and any additional deals. Happy shopping, Surface fans!
