During my tests, the Surface Duo 2 produced photos that were clear and crisp, but in many cases weren't as well-lit and colorful as those taken on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and iPhone 13 Pro Max. It's a big upgrade from the single 11-megapixel lens on the previous Surface Duo, but this certainly isn't a phone for photo enthusiasts. The Surface Duo 2 has a new triple-camera system with three lenses: a 12-megapixel wide lens, 12-megapixel telephoto lens and a 16-megapixel ultrawide lens. It doesn't earn our Editors' Choice award, but for a certain kind of mobile multitasker, it'll be a godsend.ħ8% Surface Duo 2 review: Microsoft's folding phone is innovative, but impractical If you're interested in the Duo 2, go into the experience with your eyes open, your curiosity alive, and your credit card well-financed. It isn't really an unfolding tablet like the Z Fold3. But while the Duo 2 does things other $1,500 phones can't do, it doesn't do things other $1,500 phones can, like deliver class-leading image quality or feel comfortable when held up to your head for a phone call. If your ideal phone workflow involves copying and pasting a lot from one window to another, the Duo is a uniquely usable tool. "I'm the best at what I do," it says, "but sometimes what I do doesn't look very nice." Yes, it's certainly possible to do split-screen on other Android phones like the Galaxy Z Fold3, but it isn't nearly as easy nor as obvious. The Surface Duo 2 is the Wolverine of mobile multitasking. It was easy to bash the first Surface Duo because on a basic level, it didn't work. With that higher price you are getting a flagship-level mobile chipset in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, along with 8GB of RAM and way better cameras – both front and back.Įinzeltest, online verfügbar, Lang, Datum: But the Surface Duo 2, in the face of this fresh start, comes with a higher price tag, starting at $1,499 in the US, which is a bit more than the $1,399 (£1,350, about AU$1,930) that Microsoft asked for last time. We know we’re much more out-and-about than we were when we reviewed the original Android phone, and we know we’re certainly not alone. And because the world just wasn’t at a stage where something like the Surface Duo 2 was needed a year ago, it feels kind of like a fresh start this time around. It was an odd thing to sell in the middle of a global pandemic, to be sure, but the Surface Duo 2 is here right when the world seems to be at least starting to reopen. When Microsoft released the original Surface Duo back in 2020, it was all about providing professionals an easy way to work on the go, getting rid of the barrier between being in the office and being on the road. As soon as you start rotating, typing, and multitasking with both those screens, you'll start to wonder why you spent so much on this phone. If you just span Outlook or run a few MS apps side-by-side, you won't run into the worst of it. Apps crash far too often, and some of the worst offenders are pre-loaded on the phone. A lot of my frustration is down to bugs, which are rife in the Duo 2's custom version of Android 11. Even just checking notifications and taking photos is tedious on this device. If you don't live deep in Microsoft's ecosystem, the Duo 2 will be a consistently frustrating experience. However, all of those apps come from Microsoft. For example, you can run two apps side-by-side without feeling cramped, and some apps even have custom interfaces for the Duo that make them much more powerful. The Surface Duo 2 is great at some things you can't do well (or at all) on other phones. The Duo 2 has gone from one of the most problematic devices I’ve reviewed to one of my favorites, and I’m curious to see where Microsoft takes it next.Įinzeltest, online verfügbar, Mittel, Datum: Ħ5% Microsoft Surface Duo 2 review: Do not pay $1,500 for this Either way, if Microsoft remains committed to the Duo form factor and continues to iterate on it, I’ll be watching. I’m not sure what problem that would solve other than eliminating the gap between the screens when you’re watching video, but it definitely would look cool. A recent patent filing from the company imagines a Duo-like device that utilizes a single panel that can fold 360 degrees instead of two discrete screens attached by a hinge. Perhaps it can figure out a way to attach and charge the pen without resorting to a goofy and expensive add-on case. Microsoft could also address the aspects of the Duo design that make it difficult to use as a primary phone (a touchscreen on the outside would go a long way here). That would give it more time to iron out issues and avoid the bug-filled launches that plagued both the original Duo and the Duo 2. Rumors have it that Microsoft won’t be launching a Duo 3 this year, instead holding it for 2023. Microsoft’S Weird Surface Duo 2 Has Surprisingly Become My Favorite Device Of The Year
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