Microsoft shipped the first generation of Surface Dock back in Fall 2015, along with the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 devices. For those don’t know, Surface Dock is basically a plug and play extension to add more ports to Surface devices. However, the Redmond giant has been avoiding an upgrade for the device for more than four years.
In a recent development, Microsoft seems to be working on a Surface Dock 2 device, which would offer improved connectivity as compared to the original hardware. According to our colleagues at Dr. Windows (via MSPoweruser), a Surface Dock 2 device has been spotted on a Belgian eCommerce portal, where the dealer listed the device at around $267.
Unfortunately, at the moment, the listing doesn’t provide much information in terms of specifications. However, according to Dr. Windows, Microsoft plans to retain the form factor and design of the current Surface Dock, while bringing some long-awaited improvements in terms of accessories. As for the changes, two Type-C ports would be replacing the existing two mini DisplayPort ports on the back, though the two USB Type-A ports, audio jack, and the Ethernet port are here to stay.
Here is a mockup made by Dr. Windows showing highlighting the design changes:
Furthermore, Surface Dock 2 is expected to deliver around 200W via Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connector, which twice the power of the original Surface Dock. If so, it is definitely going to be a piece of good news for all Surface fans since some Surface devices, including Surface Book 2, draw additional power in certain scenarios. Having said that, Microsoft is probably preparing for future Surface devices, which could draw even more power. In addition to the aforementioned changes, you should also expect a minor yet useful addition, as the second-generation Dock is apparently coming with a longer cable.
Microsoft was planning to hold a Surface Spring event to announce Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2, but the company was forced to change its plans due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Maybe this Surface Dock 2 was part of these new product announcements as well, but it remains to be seen if Microsoft will now announce these new Surface products via another digital event, or a simple press release.