Microsoft is introducing Magnetic Connect on the Surface Laptop Ultra, using a magnetically attached cable on a USB-C port without giving up the port’s conventional capabilities. The system is designed to release when the cable is pulled, while the same port can still be used with standard USB-C cables for power, displays, storage and other peripherals.
One of the laptop’s three USB-C ports supports Magnetic Connect. Microsoft says the USB-C ports provide up to 140W charging, data transfers of up to 40Gbps and DisplayPort 2.1 support.
- Up to 140W charging
- Up to 40Gbps data transfers
- DisplayPort 2.1 output
- USB-C monitor and peripheral connectivity
The dedicated Magnetic Connect cable attaches magnetically to the compatible port. A regular USB-C cable can instead be plugged in normally, allowing that port to switch between a magnetic charging connection and standard USB-C duties.
A magnetic connection with a proprietary element
The approach differs from Apple’s current MagSafe 3 implementation on MacBook Pro, where the magnetic connector is a dedicated charging port and USB-C/Thunderbolt ports handle data and video separately. Apple first introduced MagSafe alongside the MacBook Pro in 2006, removed it from the MacBook Pro in 2016 as the lineup moved to USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, then restored it in 2021 as a separate connector alongside USB-C.
Magnetic Connect is not a universal magnetic USB-C standard. Microsoft’s cable has a larger connector that cannot be inserted as a normal USB-C plug into phones, tablets or conventional USB-C laptops. The required magnetic mechanism is present only on the supported Surface Laptop Ultra port.
| Feature | Apple MagSafe 3 | Microsoft Magnetic Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic attachment | Yes | Yes |
| Releases when pulled | Yes | Yes |
| Port accepts a regular USB-C plug | No | Yes |
| Data through the same port | No | Up to 40Gbps |
| Video through the same port | No | DisplayPort 2.1 |
| Maximum announced power | Model-specific | 140W |
Microsoft has used magnetic charging before through its proprietary Surface Connect interface, but Magnetic Connect shifts the concept toward USB-C interoperability. The Surface Laptop Ultra does not rely on the special cable: all three USB-C ports can continue to charge the machine with standard USB-C power accessories if it is unavailable.
For now, Magnetic Connect is limited to the Surface Laptop Ultra. Whether Microsoft extends the design to other Surface models remains unconfirmed.
