HP has a clever trick to let you connect any Continuum-enabled phone to their Desk Dock. Here is how it works.

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HP is selling the Elite x3 phone together with its superbly crafted Contiuum Desk Dock for $799. The HP Elite x3 Desk Dock is sold separately, but currently only through HP. It retails for $150, which is $50 more than what Microsoft charges for its Display Dock. It's designed for the Elite x3, but can the Desk Dock work with other Continuum phones like the Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL?

The answer is a simple yes. Any Continuum dock that uses USB Type-C is essentially just a USB hub. It's akin to asking "Does a USB Thumb drive work with my PC?" It's USB, of course it does. That's the beautify of standards. The longer answer is that it works because HP was smart about how they made the Desk Dock. You might have looked at it and foresaw a compatibility problem — this is a dock, after all, and the Elite x3 is designed to slide into it, versus the Microsoft Display Dock that you'd simply plug into. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more

Category Features Ports and Connectors 1 DisplayPort

2 USB-A

1 USB Type-C

1 RJ-45

1 AC power Dimensions (w x d x h) 4.25 x 3.74 x 1.2 in

108 x 95 x 30.5 mm Weight 15.87 oz

450 g Power 45W (5.25V/3.0A) power adapter with 1.5m cord length Security Security lock slot

HP solved this by including a few interchangeable shells for the Desk Dock. That is why you can put an HP Leather Folio on the Elite x3 and still slide it into the Dock. There is also a shell for the Rugged Case (our review is coming next week). But what if you don't want to use the HP Desk Dock as a holder for your phone? There's an additional shell that extends the vertical dockable USB-C plug into a cable ending in a USB-C plug. So if you prefer to plug in your phone and leave it flat on the table (like with the Microsoft Display Dock), then you can. These shells are all magnetic, so swapping between them is a no-tools affair.