Surface Duo 2 fixes most first generation bugs. But will that be enough?

Today, Microsoft not only introduced new computers, but also the second generation of handhelds Surface Duo communicator. The first version from 2019 did not make a big hole in the world, it was criticized for outdated hardware, terribly tuned software, lousy camera, absence of NFC and too confident price, which did not even try to compensate for the shortcomings. Microsoft has taken most of the comments to heart, and after two years is coming up with the second generation, which should fix most of the original mistakes. But will it be enough to succeed?

Surface Duo 2: lots of minor improvements

The second generation Surface Duo is structurally similar to the first, which is definitely not harmful; it is still an extremely elegant device with a perfectly functioning joint that allows it to be opened at virtually any angle.

Both wings have kept an amazing thickness (if you want thinness) of 5.5 mm, so even when closed, the Surface Duo 2 does not look like two phones placed on top of each other. Compared to regular phones, however, the device is smaller and wider, so you will know about it in your pocket. With the new generation comes a new color variant, in addition to the original white, you can also get the device in black.

Finally, proper cameras

Unfortunately (or thankfully) the strict elegance of the first generation had to give way to a new distinctive element, which is the camera module. While the original Surface Duo had no external camera, the novelty has an unmistakable hump with three lenses on the back of one of the wings. The configuration of the cameras is as follows:

• Main camera with 12 megapixel resolution, optical stabilization and f / 1.7 lens aperture
• Wide-angle camera with 16 Mpx resolution and f / 2.2 aperture
• Telephoto lens with a resolution of 12 megapixels, optical stabilization and f / 2.4 aperture

Unfortunately, the “hump” on the back did not allow the two halves to adhere perfectly to each other when using the Surface Duo 2 in phone mode (ie with the second display facing the back).

Larger displays and notification strip

Surface Duo 2 also differs from the first generation inside; Microsoft reached for a decent reduction in frames so that the diagonals of both OLED displays could grow; each of them has a new 5.8 ″ and a resolution of 1344 × 1892 pixels, together it makes 8.3 ″ and 2688 × 1892 pixels. The display conveys accurate colors, sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts are fully supported. There was also an increased refresh rate, which is now 90 Hz. Of course, the display supports the S Pen, which can now be magnetically attached to the “phone” and charged directly from it.

The pen does not attach to the side, but to the back (through the official cover), as the joint area is reserved for another major novelty – an information bar that shows the clock, notifications, battery status, etc. Interestingly, this bar does not form a separate external display, but a slight bending of the two inner panels, which together form a kind of notification “slit”.

High performance and 5G support

Surface Duo 2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset with 8 GB of RAM, so you can enjoy high performance as well as support 5G a network whose absence was blamed on his predecessor. Microsoft claims that the introduced novelty is the thinnest 5G device on the market.

Wireless connectivity is further complemented by Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and finally NFC. With Surface Duo 2 you can enjoy mobile payments. The device also improved in terms of endurance, a 4,449mAh battery was installed inside, which Microsoft promises all-day endurance (up to 15.5 hours of continuous video playback). Charging is provided by a 23W battery with a USB-C connector, wireless charging is not supported.

Improved Android

Surface Duo 2 is again powered by the Android operating system, this time in version 11, which has been greatly improved for the purposes of this device. For example, players can enjoy more than 150 games (eg Asphalt Legends 9, Modern Combact 5 or Dungeon Hunter 5) in a mode where one of the displays is filled with a virtual controller and the game runs on the other.

Price and availability

Surface Duo 2 will go on sale in selected markets on October 21, the price is set at 1,499 USD (about 32,400 crowns without VAT) in a variant with 128GB of storage.

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