What to do once your Surface Hub v1 becomes an 84-inch, $22K paperweight

Oh. You expected serious suggestions?

It isn't just devices unable to upgrade to Windows 11 that are headed to digital landfill this year. The first version of Microsoft's Surface Hub is also destined for the tech trashcan as Windows 10 support ends. So, what do you do with a big black wall ornament?

Microsoft noted that the end was coming in a post last week. Surface Hub 2S and Surface Hub v1 are both coming to the end of the road on October 14 as Microsoft stops support for Windows 10 Team edition. While neither device will suddenly stop working, security updates and patches will cease and Microsoft Teams will stop functioning (Microsoft's emphasis).

The Surface Hub 2S has an upgrade path to the current version 3 model by swapping the Compute Cartridge to the Surface Hub 3 unit. Alternatively, users can opt for a free migration to Teams Rooms on Windows or install Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise.

The Surface v1, however, is bang out of luck. "We recommend a hardware refresh to Surface Hub 3, as these devices will be fully unsupported after October 2025," Microsoft said.

The device was unveiled in 2015 and made its way into the hands of customers in 2016. While the giant touchscreen was often unkindly compared to an overpriced whiteboard, it proved popular.

According to Microsoft, it shipped 2,000 units in the first nine months of sales. A drop in the ocean compared to the portable or desktop Windows device market, but considering the specialized form factor and sheer cost – the 84-inch version cost a whopping $21,999 – not a bad haul.

However, for the Surface Hub v1, the party will soon be over, and thoughts will turn to what to do with the behemoth bolted to the conference room wall that Microsoft has washed its hands of. We have some ideas:

1. A surfboard. Microsoft wants users to surf the web with Edge, so why not take out its most expensive edge device for a splash in the ocean? Admittedly, it might not be the most buoyant of things, but hey – everyone likes a challenge, right?
2. Maybe it could be pressed into service as a prop for an amateur remake of 2001: A Space Odyssey and propped up to loom at the foot of the CEO's bed?
3. Perhaps your company sprang for a cart to wheel the monster around the office? In which case, your obsolete Surface Hub v1 would be ideal for hiding behind when AI rises up and takes over the world. After all, it isn't much good for running Copilot.
4. If your company has more than one Surface Hub v1, why not build yourself a tent or even a fort in which you can hide from angry users wondering why Windows 11 has made an unexpected appearance on their desktop.
5. And finally, the now dark screen is perfect for banging your head against when yet another buggy update hits or you happen to read today's news headlines.

Do you have a Surface Hub about to run headlong into the end of support? Other than trying to smuggle it out of the building in an oversized overcoat, what would you do with it? ®