Surface Pro 3 Desktop Docking Station Mod

thingiverse

Here you have what you're looking for: Turns your Surface Pro 3 into a desktop computer just by sliding it in sideways. For this project, I disassembled the original SP3 Docking Station (which was quite difficult and probably voided my warranty, but I really don't care; it's just a dock) and only kept the lower case, PCB, and connectors. I hot-glued a USB extension cable and a mini DP to HDMI adapter into the upper slots. I hadn't used the Docking Station in a while, so I decided to conduct an experiment. Microsoft claims that "the Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace a laptop." It really does! I no longer have a desktop and use the SP3 as my primary machine now. Then the question came up: "Can it replace a desktop as well?" I didn't use the Docking Station because: -It uses too much desk-space (especially when a monitor is added) -Still creates a cable-salad on top of your desk -I had problems with scaling between the SP3's own display and my 27" 1080p display -The Typecover sometimes gets caught in the mechanism I've been using this Docking Station for about a month now, and I have to say that it makes my desk nice and tidy; it's even easier to slide in than the original, and works great with multiple monitors. It's probably the smallest and most portable desktop computer I've ever had. The only problems I've encountered so far were its power limitations due to a mobile CPU and GPU. I'm still working on creating a release button, an option to mount it horizontally (underside of desk) or vertically (side of drawers like in pic), and support for a regular charger, so you won't have to disassemble a docking station. Important note! To successfully create this thing with your SP3, you need the following: - A Surface Pro 3 Docking Station - A Surface Pro 3 Type Cover Your warranty on the Docking Station will probably be void (depending on how carefully you remove the bottom sticker). Before disassembling the Docking Station, you need to connect it and set your external monitor as main monitor since the SP3 will be closed and facing towards a wall. Main advantages: -Tidier on your desk and uses less space (I want to use my G510's G-Keys for quick OpenSCAD programming without having an extra keyboard or constantly removing it) -Easier to slide in (the Type Cover doesn't get caught in the mechanism and can be easily put into a bag or a drawer) -Less problems with scaling (since Windows still hasn't fixed this issue properly) -Fan is less annoying since it's under your desk It turns your Surface into a three-way hybrid: tablet, laptop, and desktop! That's awesome! Easier to switch to a real desktop because the cables are in the right place