Microsoft has just released its foldable smartphone/tablet powered by Android–the Surface Duo(R.I.P. Windows phone). A lot like the LG G8X which activates a secondary screen when connected to a proprietary case, the Surface Duo is essentially 2 smartphones connected by a hinge. For people who are looking for a multitasking powerhouse, the Microsoft Surface Duo may be a great choice because there isn’t anything out there that’s quite like it, but when you consider its price($1399), there is also anything quite like it as well. So, is the Microsoft Surface Duo worth it?
Tech Specs
Display: Duo 5.6 inch(1800×1350) display(combined 8.1 inch diagonally) connected by a hinge
Operating System: Android 10
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Storage: 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.0
RAM: 6GB DRAM
Battery capacity: 3577mAh
What Made The “Fold” Special
Unlike the Galaxy Fold and Samsung Z Flip, which has a folding, flexible, single-piece screen, the Surface Duo is made up of 2 displays that are connected by a hinge. So here is the question, is the Surface Duo a phone or a tablet?
Surface Duo–Phone Perspective
The Surface Duo has a 360° folding mechanism that allows the Duo to rotate its screens into a small form factor. With just 5.6 inch display, the device is easily usable as a phone. It can be connected with Wi-Fi, LTE with eSIM and Nano SIm. The device will be solely available on the AT&T network and the unlocked version will be available through Microsoft Store.
The single display, as Microsoft calls it, Single PixelSense Display, is a 5.6 inch AMOLED display with 1800×1350 resolution at 401PPI. What makes it odd to use as a phone is the odd, 4:3 aspect ratio as nowadays, phones tend to be taller.
The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, a mobile processor that powers the devices like Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 4, and OnePlus 7 series. What do these phones have in common? They are All flagship devices, in 2019.
The starting storage option for Surface Duo is 128GB which is sufficient for most people, but what might be an issue is the RAM capacity. Most Android phones, flagships at least, have a starting RAM of 8GB, so unless Microsoft have some software optimization tricks that they had in their memory-sipping Windows phones, it’s hard to imagine the device won’t have RAM issues.
Surface Duo–Tablet Perspective
The Surface Duo does it best when using both screens because without this capability, it’d have lost its purpose. Powering 2 screens at the same time with yesterday’s processor and limited amount of RAM isn’t very promising. But Microsoft is pitching “Windows on Android” to its potential customers who desire multi-tasking, and are productivity-centric(YouTube and Twitter at the same time I mean).
Combined for a 8.1 inch AMOLED screen with 2700×1800 resolution and an aspect ratio of 3:2, the Surface Duo is more suitable to use in tablet mode. Microsoft has also added some functionalities to make multitasking more convenient. Like running 2 apps a the same time, grouping most “together-used” apps to run at the same time, drag and drop elements from one screen to another screen.
However, the fundamental disadvantage of the Surface Duo is the hinge that connects displays while also, permanently separates them. Users can’t enjoy movies without interruptions if it’s turned onto full-screen mode, otherwise, a half screen is the way to go.
Should You Buy The Surface Duo?
Yes, you should buy one if you want the absolute new tech, don’t have a tablet, and have $1400 cash to spare. No, you shouldn’t buy one if you don’t fall into the category above. We should expect more competition from other manufacturers like Samsung who has been working on folding smartphones for quite some time and even Apple who is rumored to also be working on a folding smartphone. At the very moment, just settled down on a $300 iPad which will last at least 3 years. You are welcome.
