Surface Duo 2 Review: Is It Getting Better?

Challenging Conventional Smartphone Design

Innovation in the smartphone market often faces resistance. Truly disrupting the established norms isn't easily achieved, as evidenced by the prevalence of the rectangular form factor for over fifteen years. However, as smartphone sales plateau, manufacturers are increasingly exploring alternative designs.

Past Attempts and Early Challenges

Numerous experimental designs have emerged in recent years, though many have ultimately failed to gain traction. The ZTE Axon M, while ambitious, proved to be a flawed concept – essentially two smartphones joined together. Similarly, Samsung’s initial forays into folding phone technology faced significant hurdles.

Despite these early setbacks, Samsung has refined its approach over several generations. While the long-term viability of foldable phones remains uncertain, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 represents a genuine improvement. It functions reliably, isn’t excessively bulky, and is the first foldable device I would confidently recommend to others.

Microsoft's Unique Position

Microsoft, like Samsung, is strategically positioned to explore unconventional device categories. The company has relinquished aspirations of becoming a dominant player in the mainstream mobile market. Despite a substantial investment, including a $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia, these ambitions were not realized.

Instead, Microsoft found success with the Surface line, which has yielded some innovative form factors. This led to the creation of the Surface Duo, a dual-screen Android handset, and the dual-screen Neo laptop, unveiled in October 2019.

The Surface Duo: From Concept to Reality

The original Surface Duo aimed to break away from traditional PC and tablet designs. Unfortunately, the Neo laptop never reached production, and Microsoft subsequently discontinued Windows 10X, effectively ending hopes for its release.

The launch of the Surface Duo last year generated considerable excitement. Like ZTE, Microsoft opted to connect two screens with a hinge, avoiding the complexities of a foldable display. Leveraging its experience with Surface hardware, the company produced a more refined solution than its predecessor.

Initial Disappointments and the Need for Improvement

However, the original Duo fell short of expectations. While not a hardware failure, it suffered from numerous issues that didn’t justify its $1,400 price tag. The absence of an external camera, software bugs, and the lack of 5G connectivity were significant drawbacks.

Acknowledging these shortcomings, Microsoft committed to addressing them in future iterations. The Surface Duo 2 represents a concerted effort to rectify the original device’s most prominent flaws, benefiting from user feedback.

Surface Duo 2: Addressing the Concerns

The improvements in the Surface Duo 2, such as the inclusion of the Snapdragon 888 with 5G, a triple-camera system, and a reduced gap between the screens, are substantial. However, the device still isn’t universally recommendable. Further development over the next few generations will determine if the core issues are resolvable.

The software, which can still exhibit glitches when switching between displays, is a key area for improvement. Microsoft is leveraging Google’s work with Samsung to optimize Android for foldable and dual-screen devices. While adapting software for these form factors isn’t straightforward, Microsoft’s resources should allow for significant progress.

Camera Performance and Limitations

The Surface Duo 2 features a triple-camera setup – a 12-megapixel wide, a 12-megapixel telephoto, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens. While an improvement over the original, the camera app is basic, and image quality lags behind competitors in the same price range.

Microsoft’s comparatively limited focus on mobile photography is evident. However, this is an area that can be improved in future versions. The camera setup also highlights a fundamental design challenge: the awkwardness of using the rear cameras with the device partially folded.

Usability and Future Potential

Using the rear cameras feels cumbersome, resembling taking photos with a tablet. Despite these limitations, the Surface Duo 2 is a well-built device. Features like Microsoft Pen support and dual-screen gaming, initially available on the original Duo, enhance its functionality.

The Glance Bar, which displays notifications in the gap between the screens when closed, demonstrates Microsoft’s ingenuity in utilizing the unique form factor. However, with ongoing issues and a $1,500 price tag, widespread adoption remains distant – potentially several generations away.