Introduction

Smartphone technologies have seen a lot of innovation with foldable phones recently. Microsoft has re-entered the smartphone world with the Surface Duo 2. The Duo 2 comes with a host of improvements. It features a new triple-camera setup, updated battery, new displays, a faster chipset, and an overall improvement in the performance of the dual-screen hardware. It has curved inside edges of the screen which make it easy to see notifications and the time even when the device is closed.

Surface Duo 2 is meant for multitasking and productivity that allows seamless switching between several apps and the ability to run multiple apps together. The tech giant has decided 21st October 2021 as the release date for its new Surface phone. Microsoft has definitely put in a lot of interesting features and elements in its new foldable smartphone.

What’s special in surface duo 2 dual display

The Surface Duo 2 has the traditional two-display design with both halves separated by a hinge. Both the 5.8 inch AMOLED displays combine to give you a canvas of 8.3-inches and the quality of the panel is excellent. It also offers HDR support with a peak brightness of up to 800 nits which enables easy outdoor viewing. Surface Duo 2 features a 90Hz refresh rate this time around which improves the overall experience of using the display on the device.
A foldable display provides a much more seamless experience, especially while viewing content on the display. The Duo 2 display is perfect for people who want to multitask while editing documents, browsing the web while taking notes, going through a presentation while on a video call, etc. The Surface Duo 2’s displays also support pen input via the Surface Pen.

Optimization of surface duo apps at their best

The Microsoft Surface Duo runs on Android 11 with Microsoft’s customizations on top. The UI has been changed a little to suit the dual-screen interface of the Surface Duo 2. You can easily run two apps side by side and multitask using the Microsoft Surface Duo 2. This gives you the ability to drag and drop multiple elements from one app to the other across screens.

You can also create app groups and combos to launch at the same time for additional convenience. Surface Duo 2 also has a bunch of Microsoft apps that also come pre-installed with the device like Linkedin, Edge, OneDrive, Office, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, etc.

A good dedicated camera set up - The major update

Microsoft has made some major changes with the camera setup of the new foldable smartphone. The latest Duo 2 gets a stack of cameras on the rear, just like any other smartphone in 2021.

The primary camera is a 12MP shooter with an aperture of f/1.7 which seems to be meeting the market standards. It is accompanied by a 12MP telephoto lens with up to 2X optical zoom and an aperture of f/2.4. Whereas the third camera sensor is paired with an ultra-wide lens and shoots 16MP photos. The quality of photos justifies the efforts Microsoft has put into the camera setup for Surface Duo 2.

5G support with Microsoft Surface Duo 2

Microsoft’s decision to use the Snapdragon 888 SoC also brings 5G capabilities to the Surface Duo 2. However, the mmWave 5G is limited to the US only and the rest of the world gets only sub-6GHz 5G. The support of 5G connectivity is another upgrade from the 4G that was in the first Duo. This powerful 5G processor will give you an experience like most of the top performers in the market. Microsoft also mentions that it is the thinnest 5G device on the market.

Snapdragon 888 enhancing performance for Surface Duo 2

Powering the Surface Duo 2 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor is a significant upgrade over the 855 chip that was in the first version. The Snapdragon 888 handles CPU duties which put the Surface Duo 2 right at the level of other flagship phones from 2021 in terms of performance. The Surface Duo 2 also features 8GB of RAM as a standard across all variants which supports the device in the best way.

Surface phone expected release date and pricing in Australia

Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has been confirmed for an Australian release on 21st October 2021. There are three storage variants in which the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 will be available to purchase, which are 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. This dual-screen smartphone by Microsoft will start at a price of AU$2055.

Is the Microsoft Surface duo better than Samsung galaxy z fold3?

Like all foldables, the major distinguisher for Microsoft Surface Duo 2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is the display. On the inside, the Fold 3 features a 7.6-inch OLED screen whereas the Surface’s dual panels create an 8.3-inch display. The Surface Duo 2 gives you a bigger display along with a 360-degree hinge. It allows you to open the Duo 2 like a book or prop it up like a tent, providing an added level of flexibility.

Microsoft Surface Duo 3 lacks a few things as compared to Galaxy Z Fold 3 such as an exterior display that lets you use the device without having to open it. The design also feels a little chunky due to its huge size. Duo 2 also lacks additional durability with its IPX1 rating as compared to its market competitors. However, Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has made a huge leap from its previous model and is ready to lead the market.