With the original Duo, this was the only way to take a photo, as there was just a single camera. Unlike, say, Samsung’s Galaxy Fold devices, there’s a distinct gap between the two displays - these are two separate screens, which can fold closed like a book or else fold back along itself. The Surface Duo 2’s book-like pair of screens is the phone’s selling point, and it’s the obvious place to begin. Optional accessories: Surface Duo 2 Bumper ($39.99) Surface Duo 23W USB-C Charger ($39.99) Surface Slim Pen 2 ($129.99) Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover.
Two other versions are available: a 256GB SSD model ($1,599.99) and the top-of-the-line Surface Duo 2 with 512GB of storage, for $1,799.99. The Surface Duo 2 costs an astounding $1,499.99, minimum, for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Mark Hachman / IDG Surface Duo 2 configurations and pricing But under certain conditions, it shines.Ĭamera bumps aren’t that unusual with modern smartphones, and Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 joins the club. The camera is just okay, there are still bugs, and the price tag is outrageous. Yes, it checks some of the boxes people asked for, but little more. The Surface Duo 2 represents Microsoft’s attempt to reach a middle ground. Customers expected a quality camera, NFC, 5G, and wireless recharging. Microsoft saw dual screens and the way it integrated into the app ecosystem as the selling points.
I think it’s important to acknowledge that skepticism, and apply it with a fresh eye towards some key questions: Does the Surface Duo 2 succeed as part of the Windows ecosystem? How does it compare to other Android phones? Does it solve the issues that plagued the first Surface Duo? And can it work as both a traditional phone, as well as some new breed of productivity device? Customers certainly never saw the original Surface Duo as anything special, and it tanked. But the negative response to the Surface Duo as well as the mediocre offerings that accompanied the waning days of Windows Phone era certainly tarnished Microsoft’s reputation in the smartphone space. We test the device, compare it to others in its class, and then advise readers whether we think they should buy it or not. When we choose to review a product, we try to do so objectively. Microsoft’s new Surface Duo 2 smartphone poses a problem.
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