The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has arrived! Boasts triple cameras and a flagship Snapdragon 888 5G processor


Is the sequel better than the original?

The sequel to the dual-screen Surface Duo has been launched! The new tablet/phone hybrid has been launched through an unveiling event. If you can tell, the phone was derived from the original Surface Duo which is technically two phones glued together with a hinge.

The Surface Duo had users criticising its design and build quality. For the Surface Duo 2, these problems have been addressed and improved upon. In addition, the foldable dual phone also has features that allows users to conveniently and easily manage the two screens simultaneously.

Microsoft announces new Surface Duo 2 with Snapdragon 888 and triple camera

The Surface Duo 2 has an 8.3in AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2688×1892 in tablet mode and supports a 90Hz refresh rate. The screens are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus tempered glass protection. When folded, the phone has a 5.8in. display with a resolution of 1892×1344. Also, the displays are slightly curved so that when the phone is closed, you can see a small notification bar.

For the processor, the Surface Duo uses a flagship Snapdragon 888 processor paired with 8GB RAM and storage options between 128GB, 256GB and 512GB respectively. They don’t run Windows however, and instead, like the regular Surface Duo, runs on Android. For the Surface Duo 2, it runs stock Android 11.

For the cameras, there are three cameras at the back: a 12mp f/1.7 main camera, another 12mp f/2.4 telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and finally, an ultrawide camera with 16mp resolution and f/2.2 aperture. The phone can record in 4K@60fps or 1080p@240fps at max. The phone also has a single 12mp front camera for calls and selfies.

For the battery, the phone has a fairly modest 4449mAh battery that, according to Microsoft, can last for 15.5 hours on normal video playback and up to 28 hours for talk time. This battery is complemented with a 23W fast-charging tech, but does not have support for wireless or reverse charging however. Microsoft did an Apple for this one by not including a charger in the box. The tablet supports the proprietary Surface Slim Pen 2 which can be magnetically be stored on the tablet.

The new Surface Duo 2 comes in two colours: Obsidian and Glacier.

With that being said, you’re getting a shiny new Nintendo DS for $1500 (~Php 75.4K) that does not even have a charger included. It’s sad to see that budget and top midrangers actually have more features than most flagship and luxury products nowadays. By the way, that $1500 price is for the base 8/128 variant. The highest end 8/512 costs as much as $1799.99 (~Php 90.5K) and is only available in Obsidian Black colour. This pricing, by the way, does not include the Slim Pen 2 which is sold separately. The tablet is currently available for pre-orders in North America through Microsoft’s Website

Source: Microsoft