HP Spectre X360 Compatibility with HP Thunderbolt 3

[PHXEngr]

I recently purchased an HP Spectre X360 (13-ac033dx) and a Thunderbolt 3 docking hub (1DT93UT).  I'll use the hub when working from my home office.  I have experience with the older HP Elitebook G-series laptops with the mechanically attached docking stations, but this Thunderbolt 3 is a new experience.  I have a few questions for you folks with more experience on the Thunderbolt 3.

1. I followed the Thunderbolt 3 user guide for updating the BIOS.  I also looked for any recommended software updates.  Only the BIOS was updated.  No problems so far.
2. When I plug the Spectre X360 into the docking stating as prescribed, a)  the Thunderbolt 3 power light is always off (no matter how many times I push the Thunderbolt power button or if I plug & unplug the Tunderbolt), and b)  I never see a Thunderbolt icon in the display notification area on the far right of the taskbar.  The user guide says I should see both.  Is this indicative of a problem?   
3. If I push the Thunderbolt power button, it doesn't seem to impact whether or not the latop is charging.   While the laptop is powered on, the power icon on the screen says the laptop is "plugged in & charging." Further, I  must always power on the Spectre X360 using the power button on the laptop, not the one on the Thunderbolt 3.  Is this unique to the Spectre X360 with the Tunderbolt 3 or is there a problem with the Thunderbolt 3 HW/SW?
4. I've set up the display settings so that when the Spectre x360 is attached to the docking station, I only see the display on the external HP monitor attached to the docking station.  I use the facial recognition capability on the X360 with the laptop open to log on, which is fine, but if I close the laptop cover, it appears that the laptop goes to sleep.  My external monitor goes dark.  I'm not used to this behavior on a normal docking station. Typically the external monitor is illuminated while the laptop is closed and the external monitor goes dark when the laptop is opened if attached to the docking station.   Are there some settings I've neglected?
5. Otherwise, the Thunderbolt seems to operate properly. 

Were it to rate the Thnderbolt 3 right now, I'd rate it poorly because of the user experience which is so radically different than I've encountered with past docking stations.  Before I complete the HP survey negatively and advise my many engineering colleagues not to go with the HP X360 & Thunderbolt 3, I want to be sure a)  I haven't missed something, or b) the HW/SW is working properly.

I'd appreciate any suggestions/comments from those of you with more experience.  This definitely is not the behavior I've seen with past HP laptops on docking stations.

Thanks!

[banhien]

@PHXEngr

The dock is compatible with the following products

• HP ProBook x360 11 G1 EE,
• HP Elite X2 1012 G2,
• HP EliteBook x360,
• HP Elite x2 1012 G1 Tablet,
• HP EliteBook Folio G1.

Source:   http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-elite-90w-tb3-dock-euro

Your computer is not on the list.

Regards.

[PHXEngr]

Interesting.  When I called HP and asked which docking unit I should buy for the HP Spectre X360, HP told me to purchase the Thunderbolt 3, specifically 1DT93UT.  I believe I still have the email that was the follow up to that conversation.

[banhien]

@PHXEngr

Please return it and try a right one (if available) on the following products

    http://store.hp.com/us/en/mdp/docking-stations-142510--1#tab=vao

Regards.

[PHXEngr · Accepted solution]

Yes, I chatted with HP Tech Support this afternoon.  The HP sales folks told me the Thunderbolt 3 was compatible with the Spectre X360 - but it is not.  Yet another bad experience with HP sales.  I'll return the Thunderbolt 3 and, once HP refunds my money, I'll order the  HP 3005pr USB Port Replicator.

Next time, I'm buying from Dell!

[RVB1]

I have a Spectre x360 13-ac023dx and I am using the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock which I am very happy with.  It powers two monitors, including a 4k Asus.  The Thunderbolt icon appears in the icon tray and when you click on it the following dialog comes up:  Attached Devices Chains

                               Thunderbolt Controller 1

                                        Port 1

                                        Port 2

                                                     OWC, Thunderbolt 3 Dock

This dock does not have the ability to power the laptop.       

[Alessandro-Gti]

Im having the same issues with the omen accelerator on the new x360 spectre 13 i7 8550U!

I tried all bios, firmwares and diffrent Windows 10 builds, nothing worked! Seems no support for the egpu dock!!

I will never go again with HP! Next time Dell / Alienware!!

[shamx360]

Hi, did anyone manage to resolve this?  I have a Spectre x360 13-ae003na, and was using a Dell TB16 Thunderbolt dock with a previous Dell XPS.  There were no issues when using with the Dell XPS, but when I plugged the HP in, I found that USB peripherals were unusable (4k display, ethernet and power work fine directly with the TB16 and HP).  The USB devices would work for 30 seconds or so, then behave erratically (mouse, Logitech MX Master would jerk and the keyboard, Logitech K750, would severely lag.  My headset, Jabra Pro just wouldn’t work).  I tried lots of things, including speaking to HP Technical Support, I have ended up using a secondary dock (Dell D3100, which connects via USB) to support the USB devices.  Everything now works fine, but I have two expensive docks attached to my laptop!

After looking at a few sites, I have just ordered the Dell DS1000, which is USB C but not Thunderbolt.  I believe this should work – but if anyone has found a solution to using the x360 with USB devices over a Thunderbolt dock then I would be very interested to read it!

[PHXEngr]

I have a HP SPectre X360 (13-ac033dx) and I had multiple incorrect recommendations from HP Sales on the type of docking station to purchase for my laptop.  Originally HP Sales said I needed the Thunderbolt 3 (1DT93UT#ABA).  I ordered it and found it did not work properly.  A HP Forum member helped me discover the incompatibility.  When I checked on the next two recommendations from HP Sales - without ordering this time - I discovered the recommended docking stations were again inappropriate for my laptop.  In the end, I ordered a Plugable USB-C Triple Display Docking Station [edit]  It works very very well.

I like my SPectre X360, but after this experience with HP Sales, I and my company have moved away from HP and purchased all our Windows workstations/laptops from HP.

Take a look at the Plugable docking station.

[shamx360]

Update: I received the Dell DS1000, which is a USB C 3.1 type dock combined with a monitor stand.  This works perfectly with the HP Spectre x360's.  Power, ethernet, usb and 4k video.  Also note that the other dock I was looking at was the Plugable triple dock - which would also have worked based on a conversaiton with their support staff.

It would appear that even though the machine I bought is Thunderbolt capable, it is far from being usable with Thuderbolt docks.