The updated Surface Duo 2 looks like it could be a contender
You can pre-order it now for delivery close to the end of October.
The new Surface Duo 2 has the specs to compete. Image source: Microsoft.
The first Surface Duo certainly grabbed attention. But it had its faults, and we quickly turned our attention to other smartphones.
The new Surface Duo 2 retains the eye-catching form factor but now has the hardware to match. It certainly looks like Microsoft is serious about taking on the big boys in the smartphone market.
It now has a new SoC, the Qualcomm SnapDragon 888 with 5G support for eSIM and NanoSIM, 8 GB of RAM, and storage up to 512 GB. There are two 5.8-inch AMOLED screens that combine into a single 8.3-inch display. They are brighter (800 nits) with 90Hz adaptive refresh rate.
You can see notifications and messages on the side. Does it remind you of Samsung's Galaxy Edge series from yore? Image source: Microsoft.
One cool feature is the ability of the phone to show alerts, notifications, and battery life on the side of the camera.
There are now three cameras on the rear. Image source: Microsoft.
Unlike the original Duo with a single 11-megapixel camera, there are now three new cameras. The triple rear camera array consists of a wide-angle 12-megapixel lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The front-facing camera is 12MP as well. The rear cameras feature f/1.7, f/2.4, and f/2.2 aperture lenses, with phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilisation, and 110° diagonal field of view with distortion correction respectively.
Microsoft says that they’ve given the Surface Duo 2 all-day battery life with up to 15.5 hours of video playback, or up to 28 hours of talk time. It also supports Fast Charging using the Microsoft Surface 23W USB-C Power Supply that is sold separately.
Pricing and availability
Microsoft spent a long time developing the hinge. Image source: Microsoft.
Prices for the Surface Duo 2 start at US$1,499 on the company’s website. Its release date will be 21 October. We will update this article with more information when we receive local details.
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