![]() It is good to see Microsoft trying something different. Microsoft is only offering a disappointing three years of software and security updates from release for the Duo 2, too, losing it a star. There is more potential in apps like Outlook that provide a multi-pane view, but few apps or games are optimised for the dual-screen system. Using two apps side-by-side works well, but few combinations proved useful or faster than just quick switching between two apps on one screen on a normal phone. The gap at the hinge makes combining them into one big tablet screen awkward too. The individual screens are short and stout, forcing lots of scrolling in apps when using it like a phone and making one-handed use very difficult. The Surface Duo 2 is an improvement on its predecessor, but is still a very odd proposition that’s neither a good phone nor a good tablet. The width of the device makes it a challenge to fit into smaller pockets. The stereo speakers are decently loud but a bit tinny, fine for watching YouTube videos. The Duo 2 supports Microsoft’s Slim Pen stylus, which can be magnetically stored and charged on the back of the device when not in use. The shiny power button is also a fingerprint scanner, which was fairly fast and reliable. The camera lump on the back stops the device folding fully flat, creating a wedge shape when using one screen only. Microsoft’s last planned update for the Duo 2 will be 21 October 2024. The Duo 2 will receive three years of software updates from release, including monthly security patches, which is disappointingly at least a year short of what rivals, including Samsung and Apple, offer. But it is generally a fast and responsive experience given how unusual the device is. The software can be a bit unpredictable at times, such as opening the keyboard or text box of an app on another screen or hiding a second app from the screen when you try to type. One of the best is the ability to drag the gesture bar at the bottom of an app to move it between screens or to drop it on to the gap between the screens to span it across both displays. The Duo 2 runs Android 11 – not the latest Android 12 – and generally behaves like a standard Android smartphone or tablet with a few small additions that make it easier to use each screen separately. I'm not a Microsoft hater - just personally disappointed in the Surface Duo line.The single screen mode is hard to use one-handed and most Android apps and websites are designed for longer screens, not short and fat ones, so you end up having to do a lot more scrolling than you would on a regular phone. ![]() I just replaced my Surface Pro X with a Pro 9 SQ3, and I'm an Xbox Series X gamer. I would like to state that I like Microsoft products and have owned many of them. I think Microsoft got it wrong with the Duo and I don't think they're going to redeem themselves with a gen one complete redesign. If you have time to wait, wait for Fold 5 later this year. If you need something right now and want a foldable, I'd say go for the Samsung. I can say the Fold 4 is an excellent device. I use an iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy Fold 4 for work. I'd go for something like the Fold 5 when it launches in August if Samsung's release schedule continues as it has. Whereas the Galaxy Fold is currently in its fourth iteration and has been refining a form factor Microsoft will likely be finally adopting. To me, that means that Microsoft has realized they got it wrong after two iterations of their original device. Why does this matter, rumor has it the Duo 3 will be more like the Galaxy fold in that it will consist of a single foldable display. For my use case, the gap was just too annoying to deal with. For me I rarely found myself running unique apps on each screen, and wanted single apps to run larger across both screens. ![]() Microsoft in my mind went the wrong direction by putting two screens together instead of having one larger foldable screen. As an owner of a Surface Duo 2, I wouldn't bother waiting around.
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