Can Surface pro run dual external monitors?

Anonymous
2013-02-05T22:36:00+00:00

With the ports configuration and specs of the announced Surface Pro, can one run  dual external monitors? By that I mean connecting two external monitors, one for primary display and one for extended display. Irrelevant what shows on the actual Surface screen.

This is the current configuration I have for my heavy laptop (with docking station) and want to recreate it if I swap to the cool Surface Pro.

I don't mind buying some port replicators, as long as the set-up works seamlessly once connected. I saw some other threads and no docking station is planned by Microsoft at this stage

Thanks for input

Surface | Surface Pro | USB-C

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Anonymous
2013-02-06T01:53:48+00:00

Greetings ManlioV,

That's a great question. Because the Surface Pro is running Windows 8, you could get a USB port hub and USB video cards and the Surface Pro would be able to install the drivers so you could hook up multiple monitors that way.

Hope that helps.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-07T22:41:53+00:00

    So I installed the DisplayLink software on my Pro to use with the ThinkPad USB 3.0 device, it worked and it looked great, but then when I tried to play a movie after unplugging the port, I kept getting an error and none of my Xbox videos would play.

    I uninstalled the Display Link software and now my videos play again.  Does anyone have any other solutions?  We are seriously looking at using Pro's as a laptop/tablet replacement, and this is the first real "showstopper" issue that I have run into.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-05T01:48:56+00:00

    Before you claim how great an external DisplayLink is, try running something like Netflix, XBOX Video, or HULU.

    I am looking for an external display adapter that DOESN'T use DisplayLink drivers. They have issues, DisplayLink knows about it, but have no idea when they will fix it. (They say Q1 2013 - now).

    http://www.displaylink.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2046

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-03-01T00:45:56+00:00

    You can use the HDMI port and the DisplayPort on this docking station below. You can even connect to the built-in miniDisplayPort on the Surface Pro to get the 3rd monitor.

     

    DisplayLink Enables Docking Station Expansion for Microsoft’s Surface Pro Tablet

    http://www.bloomberg.com/article/2013-02-19/arYbDgKzPvVk.html

     

    Picture of the USB 3.0 Docking Station

    http://mms.businesswire.com/bwapps/mediaserver/ViewMedia?mgid=358627&vid=5&download=1

     

     

    I actually found that there is an HP branded one (OEM is DisplayLink) but you will need to download the latest drivers from DisplayLink as I could not find it anywhere on the HP site. It works great!

    The cheapest I found online is for US$128.48 with free shipping. See link below. They only have 250 quantity as of right now. (Other sells it for as much as US$250.00): 

    http://www.costcentral.com/proddetail/HP\_3005pr\_USB\_30\_Port\_Replicator/H1L08UTABA/11701490/

    The drivers are found on the DisplayLink site. Surface Pro comes with the 64bit version Windows 8 Pro so make sure you download the 64bit Windows 8 drivers:

    http://www.displaylink.com/support/index.php

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