How steep is the docking station angle?

[mitchellvii]

I'd like to get a docking station for all of the convenient connections but the angle of it brings back memories of the Surface Pro one-size-fits-all kickstand. Can anyone who has tried it tell me how steep the angle is? Is it about the same as the current SP3's "default" (the first setting) kickstand angle or flatter than that? My problem is I'm 6'5" and these steep angles can make viewing the computer while sitting in a chair challenging.

Thanks.

 

[Moonsurface]

Could you use a laptop stand to raise up the dock? I read somewhere about someone doing this with their SP3 and dock.

 

[mitchellvii]

I hate jerryrigging solutions to make new high end premium tech work. We have a local Microsoft Store. Maybe they have a display model I can look at? I can also get one of those multiport hub solutions but the dock is just so much more elegant.

 

[Moonsurface]

It is a compromise, I have the opposite problem with desks etc as although I'm an average height (for a woman) of 5'6" but I have a short body and long legs, so my desktop PC at home, the monitors are too high for me and I have to use a cushion on the chair to sit up higher .. My Dell ultrasharp monitor has a great feature to raise the height and it goes really high but doesn't go low enough. AFAIK when doing DSE assesments they say that your eyes should be level with the top of the screen and it's better to look slightly down than slightly up at a screen. However my home PC, even with the cushion on the chair is still too high ( I could get a new chair with higher adjustment but most office chairs don't go high enough...:-(

Probably best to go to a store and see how steep it is.

 

[mitchellvii]

I wish I could just find a spec somewhere that tells me the angle. I could then use the protractor on my phone which would show me exactly the angle it would be at. Sadly I have looked everywhere and can't find this. Do you have a protractor app on your phone where you could put it against your screen in dock and tell me the angle? Would be greatly appreciated.

Here is another (albeit not as sexy) solution. But attractive at about 1/3 the cost (for the single external monitor version):

* Of course one benefit of this would be that I could flatten the Pro on the fly if I wanted to take some quick notes without having to remove it from the dock. This would be better if they made an L sort of usb connector so it didn't stick so far out of the side of your tablet. I bet they do make an adapter that does that - will have to look.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECDM78E/ref=cm_wl_huc_continue

 

[Moonsurface]

I'm sure someone could tell you.

This is a nice review if you haven't seen it already... perhaps if noone here tells you you could ask him the angle. He does say towards the end he'd prefer the screen to be back a bit so it does sound like it'd be a bit steep for you.
http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/microsoft-surface-pro-3-docking-station-review

 

[Len J]

My IPhone Level App sys it's 26 degrees.

Len

 

[Len J]

That's 26 degrees off Straight up 90 degrees. so 64 degrees up from a level surface.

Len

 

[mitchellvii]

64 degrees. Thanks so much. Now i can test it.

 

[mitchellvii]

Well that settles it. Angle is too steep for me. I really like having my eyes perpendicular to the screen for direct viewing. Looking down on a screen from above gives me a headache.

Thanks again Len!

Looks like the Plugable port may be the solution. Too bad. That dock is slick. However, I can spend that $200 and upgrade my i3 to an i5 (not sure I want to do that since i5 owners seem to be having so many issues and this i3 has been flawless so far.) Sometimes good enough is good enough.

 

[bluegrass]

In my opinion, you get the dock to use your Surface as a desktop. When you make your Surface a desktop you very likely will attach a monitor of size to it. I can't see doing a much business work in the office using the Surface screen. It's great that you can carry your business computer on the road with you are to a meeting. With the Microsoft dock, you just pop the sides open and grab your Surface to take to a meeting or wherever.

I don't see the angle of the Surface as it sits in the dock as much of a detriment. Even the majority of my laptop users prefer to have a monitor connected to their laptop when in the office. I just setup one of my users (a director) with a Surface 3 i5 with two 22' dvi monitors. I set it up so the Surface monitor makes a 3rd display to the right side. I have doubts that it will come in to play much but I gave him the option.

 

[mitchellvii]

@bluegrass. I can achieve pretty much the exact same result using the Plugable dock for 1/3 the cost. Maybe it won't look as sexy but I'm also not making any compromises on viewing angle or ability to flatten into tablet mode quickly for note taking.

That dock angle is a limitation. Hate limitations. YMMV.