Microsoft Docking Station for Surface 3 (not compatible with Surface Pro 3) SC EN/XD/ES Hdwr (GJ3-00001)

This is the only reliable and cheap way to fix the charging port problem the Surface 3 has. The defect was a result of a faulty design. The Surface 3 didn’t charge quickly and in actual use, the user typically has to leave the device plugged in if they want to use it for more than two hours at a time. The slightest movement while plugged in starts the process of the micro USB port going down the road to becoming too loose to charge the device.Mine broke one month after the warranty expired. Whereupon, I discovered the repair cost was more than simply buying a new unit. I was extremely disappointed in Microsoft and won’t buy another Surface again as a result. My surface 3 ended up being about as useful as a brick for the last year and a half. Then I stumbled upon this dock and my Surface 3 has suddenly become a usable computer again. In fact, it is more usable than it was when it was a brand new unit.The dock charges the Surface 3 through its display port rather than the faulty micro USB port. This charging method also charges the Surface 3 faster than the micro USB port does even when it is fully functional, so there is less downtime between charges. If you set the Surface 3 on a table or desk while it is in the dock, you can leave it plugged in giving you unlimited usage. When the micro USB port was in working order and I was using the surface while plugged into an outlet, I would typically drain the battery quicker than the charger replenished it. With this dock that is no longer a problem. I am baffled as to why Microsoft didn’t offer owners a discounted dock to keep them happy. The faulty port design was a well known issue with the device and Microsoft wasn’t receptive to helping people out that brought their poorly designed product.So, if you have a bad charging port on your Surface 3, buy this dock that is deeply discounted from its original price and it will fix your problem. Even if your Surface 3 is in working order, it is a good buy because overall it makes the device so much more usable. The extra USB A ports the dock provides are a really nice added bonus especially when you consider the dock itself now costs about the same as one of those plug in dongles that give you more USB ports.I wanted to add the unit is light which makes it is easy to move your Surface around while it is docked. I like to watch Netflix in bed and I tend to leave the Surface docked and sitting on my bed when doing so. The down side of this design is that I suspect it isn’t very durable and when you have the sides open so you can dock the Surface it feels very flimsy.The only real negative with the dock is that it didn’t come with any instructions on how to use the dock. It took me a few attempts before I realized that the sides of the dock pull apart and slide open so you can mount your Surface. Then you slide the sides back in to secure the device. I suspect I came very close to breaking the dock before I figured out how to open it correctly.

WOW! I did not really believe this until I received the item yesterday. If you have Surface 3, then this is a must. I have been using Surface 3 (Mon-Fri) at work for last 3 years. I also have more powerful laptop that I use at home as a desktop, but I needed something that was portable and thin without the expense. And Surface 3 fits the bill. But sometimes, I also use Surface 3 as a desktop at home, thus need for its docking station. But when it came out, I couldn't justify purchasing it - too expensive ($200.00). But after 3 years, I stumbled on this at Amazon, and after reading the reviews, I bought it for $14.99! What a steal! Cheaper than the charger! Since there are great reviews already, let me just add a couple of more points:1. It came NEW in original MS box. I was expecting a refurbished one, but I was greatly surprised to see that the item was NEW.2. This is GENUINE Microsoft docking station for Surface 3. This is not a third party docking station. This is REAL Microsoft product for your Surface 3. It fits perfectly and nicely!3. It WORKS. All the ports worked perfectly without any issues. And yes, it does charge your Surface 3 faster than the charger via micro USB type B port.TIP: If your audio doesn't work, after docking it, you need to either (1) restart your Surface 3 after docking or (2) Go to audio setting and change the audio output.For this price point, and if you own Surface 3, then go get it! You will not be disappointed. Highly, highly recommended!

I have to preface this review by saying that it's strongly influenced by the fact that it's now on sale at such a deep discount from the $200 original list price. I didn't buy it at that price when I bought my Surface; indeed I only bought it now because it was even cheaper than the OEM charger that I was originally considering buying.But back to the review. After good useful life as my primary portable computer, I was considering chucking my surface because the charging process was so unreliable, which I attributed to the use of the micro USB port. I'd tried every wire I have in the house, every charging brick, taken the unit into my local Microsoft store to see if the issue was with the unit not the charging device, but nothing solved the problem. Thus I was on the verge of getting rid of it, after seeing how expensive the Microsoft charger was to replace (which I wasn't even sure would solve my problem) or how hot & cold were the reviews of all the aftermarket chargers available. When I saw this on sale I thought I'd give it a try since it appeared that charging was going to happen through the USB 3.0 port instead, and I figured such a robust OEM product might actually do its job. Turns out, that's exactly what it does, and it does so extremely well, quickly, reliably. Now I can charge my surface at home overnight, and then take it with me for the day with a full charge. Now mind you I don't use it for its intended purpose, to turn the surface into a desktop replacement/primary home computer with monitor keyboard and mouse plugged in – – I have several real computers for that -- and so can't comment on its utility in this role, but as a charging station, it works great. Considering all the complaints others have about charging their surface model three, I know that I'm not the only one with this issue, and rather than running through a series of $50 replacement MS charging cords (or cheap aftermarket charging cords of dubious reliability and longevity), buying the dock seems like a great deal. Yes I'll be keeping my surface for a while longer now !