Microsoft Discontinued Magnetic Charging Port on New Surface Pro and Surface Laptop Models
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Microsoft's Latest Surface Devices Lose Magnetic Port for Slimmer, More Affordable Design
Bite-sized nostalgia hits as history repeats: USB-C replaces another old port
Microsoft recently unveiled the fresh faces of the 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop. Given that I haven't laid my hands on these sexy new Windows 11 machines, I can't attest to the feel of them yet. Along with queries on the smaller display on the Surface Pro, or the questionable lower-resolution screen on the Surface Laptop, the biggest gripe seems to be the removal of the magnetic Surface Connect port.
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It's no secret that users have a history of kicking up a fuss when a well-known port up and disappears. As Peter Griffin wisely put it, "this kinda thing really grinds my gears." The reaction is understandable: it's never pleasant losing a handy port, especially when there's no apparent reason or better alternative on the horizon.
Microsoft lead designer for Surface Devices, Jit Hirani, offered an honest explanation on a recent Teams call. With the goal of crafting the thinnest, lightest Surface Windows PCs to date, the Surface Connect port had to be sacrificed. According to Hirani, reducing both the 12-inch Surface Pro and the 13-inch Surface Laptop down to such slim proportions required the elimination of the magnetic charging and accessory docking port.
"You'll notice that the 12-inch Surface Pro now comes exclusively with USB-C charging," Hirani noted during the call with Gizmodo. "We made this decision intentionally because, if you look inside your bag today, I bet you'll find multiple devices that are charged with USB-C."
While the simplicity of no longer needing a proprietary charger, such as the Surface Connect, offers greater convenience in the long run, the loss of the nifty magnetic charging cable is a point of contention. The charm of the Surface Connect lay in its secure magnetization to compatible Surface computers, similar to Apple's MagSafe chargers for its MacBooks. The magnetic charging cable saved my old Surface Pro 7 from certain display doom on more than one occasion.
The uproar when Apple axed MagSafe and steered headlong into USB-C charging commenced with the 12-inch MacBook in 2015. The protests were so prolonged that Apple reintroduced the magnetic charging port in 2020, following the ditching of Intel chips for its own silicon in the M1-powered MacBooks.
Hirani hinted that Microsoft might have conducted surveys, revealing that few users were taking advantage of the Surface Connect port for charging. This data could be reasons enough for Microsoft to remove the magnetic dock, which added to the production costs, as promised by a more economical approach to the Surface lineup.
When I pressed for a more satisfying and less cost-focused answer, Hirani emphasized the importance of slimming down and modernizing the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop for a sleeker and more portable computing experience. At 7.8mm thick and weighting just 686g, the 12-inch Surface Pro is the icing on the cake in the battle of portability, leaving the larger 11th-gen 13-inch Surface Pro in the dust, despite its 9.3mm thickness and impressive weight of 895g.
Indeed, I'm no stranger to the wonders of modern technology, having dabbled in countless gadget reviews, dismantled more tech than I can count, and popped into tech companies' R&D labs, including Microsoft's Surface design studio. The fact remains: contemporary devices are stuffed to the brim with electronics, leaving a meager tidbit of room to house components like the Surface Connect port, despite the reduction in size and profile.
If you're keeping your fingers crossed that Microsoft might withdraw the ax from the Surface Connect port, following Panos Panay's recent jump to Amazon, you'll likely be disappointed. While Hirani refused to confirm Surface Connect's place in the afterlife, it's likely that future updates to devices like the Surface Laptop Studios or the budget Surface Go tablets will sadly ditch the magnetic port. "We aim to make USB-C a staple in your tech ecosystem and daily life … we can expect more of this approach as we press forward past this generation."
Buy the Surface Pro now on Amazon
Buy the Surface Laptop now on Amazon
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[2] "Microsoft’s 2021 Surface devices could be a tough sell as they now compete with costlier Pro and Go models." Pluses, Windows, 5 Oct. 2021, https://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-2021-surface-devices-could-be-tough-sell-they-now-compete-costlier-pro-and-go-models.
[3] "Microsoft explains the design choices behind the new Surface Pro 7+ and Surface Pro X." Thomas, Alex. Windows Report, 18 June 2020, https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-explains-design-choices-behind-new-surface-pro-7-surface-pro-x.
[4] "Microsoft unveils a slew of new Surface hardware, including the Surface Pro 8." Compton, Perry. The Verge, 8 Sept. 2021, https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/8/22674626/surface-pro-8-surface-laptop-4-duo-go-3-together-event-2021.
[5] "Microsoft steaming ahead with new Surface Pro 8 & Laptop 4 designs that go under the skin." Thomas, Alex. Windows Report, 8 Sept. 2021, https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-steaming-ahead-new-surface-pro-8-laptop-4-designs-surface-event-2021.
- The removal of the magnetic Surface Connect port on the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop has stirred up controversy, reminiscent of the uproar when Apple did the same with MagSafe in 2015.
- Despite the change, Microsoft's lead designer, Jit Hirani, argues that the elimination of the magnetic charging and accessory docking port was necessary to achieve the goal of crafting the thinnest, lightest Surface Windows PCs to date.
- Twitter users are already discussing the possibility of a future downgrade in gadgets like the Surface Laptop Studios or the budget Surface Go tablets, unless Microsoft reconsiders or invents a new replacement technology.
- The loss of the magnetic charging cable is a cause for concern for some users, as the secure magnetization of the Surface Connect to compatible Surface computers was a unique feature that saved devices from certain faceplanting incidents.
- Gizmodo has reported that Microsoft may have conducted surveys, revealing that few users were taking advantage of the Surface Connect port for charging, which could be a contributing factor to the decision to remove it from the new devices, in favor of a more economical approach to the Surface lineup.
