One of the main weaknesses many tablets have is their relatively paltry number of ports compared to traditional laptops and desktop PCs. The makers of some of these slates try to bridge that divide by launching docking stations to go with their slabs, and Microsoft is the latest company to do that, announcing the availability of a docking station for the Surface Pro 3 as of today.
Related: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 review
The Surface Pro 3 Docking Station adds five extra USB ports to the device, for a grand total of six. Three of the ports on the dock are of the speedy USB 3.0 variety.
On top of that, the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station also bestows the user with a mini DisplayPort connection. With this, you can connect a monitor to the Surface Pro 3, and, as Microsoft says in this official blog post, you can daisy chain two displays together, boosting the amount of work and play you can get done on the Surface Pro 3.
Related: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch
If you prefer the stability of hard-wired Internet access, you’re in luck. The Surface Pro 3 Docking Station also offers a Gigabit Ethernet port.
Rounding out the port selection on the dock is a 3.5mm audio jack, a security lock slot, and, of course, a power port. Measuring 12.9 x 3.8 x 4.4-inches and weighing 1.43 pounds, the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station, together with the Surface Pro 3 itself, adds up to over 3 pounds of bulk.
You can order the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station right now directly from Microsoft, which costs $199.99.
