Hands-On With Microsoft's $1,400 'Surface Duo' Dual Display Smartphone

[ghughes20]

This is a device that requires two hand to operate. You need to pry it open, which I guess could be done with one hand, but very cumbersome and prone to being dropped. I don't want to use two hands to view a text, answer a call or view a notification. So, I don't see how this replaces a phone. Since it doesn't replace a phone, what type of computer could this replace? If I need two hands, I may as well just use a tablet or laptop, and those are cheaper, more powerful and have better displays. I don't see this product being a success.

 

[TechRunner]

If I had money to burn, I might buy one as a curiosity. But I don't. So I won't.

 

[Virinprew]

The durability is going to be much higher than the galaxy fold, moto fold etc. But I don't need this. And I don't want this.

 

[Virinprew]

A lot of negativity about this product where when no one has experience with it. I agree the price point isn’t attractive, but this is the ‘change up’ I think the smart phone world needs. And given what we are seeing with smart phones breaching over $1100, I would gladly pay the extra $300 to have this experience if the hardware quality standards and software experience meshes perfectly together.

That's a big if. Most people won't bother to find out.

 

[MGrayson3]

When you touch one icon and your mail and calendar open side by side, or mail and phone, and then close it and drop it in your pocket, or fold it backwards and have a single-pane phone, or have an image spread across both panes... you'll want one. When Apple makes it, you'll buy one. My brother-in-law (a photographer) uses this Alpha version full time, and I played with his. It's the biggest thing since the iPhone 1.

Or you can dismiss what you imagine it to be.

 

[Rogifan]

This is a device that requires two hand to operate. You need to pry it open, which I guess could be done with one hand, but very cumbersome and prone to being dropped. I don't want to use two hands to view a text, answer a call or view a notification. So, I don't see how this replaces a phone. Since it doesn't replace a phone, what type of computer could this replace? If I need two hands, I may as well just use a tablet or laptop, and those are cheaper, more powerful and have better displays. I don't see this product being a success.

You have to open it up just to see notifications or use the camera. Scott Stein at CNET tweeted a photo of watching video on one screen and using social media on the other. I get multitasking on big screens. How often would people want to do that on a device that small where the typing experience is not great?

 

[rumormiller]

A lot of money to get a big ugly gap between the screens. Clunky responsiveness to gestures. The Samsung Fold 2 on the other hand looks impressive but that's just a marketing computer rendered video. Looking at real pictures you can see a vertical dimple in the middle of the screen.

Hopefully Microsoft is working on Windows Phone OS for a Surface Phone and just creating janky stuff like this for Android 🤣

 

[jweinraub]

When I saw the advert on TV I was taken aback how intriguing it was. And how starkly different the style of advertising compared to the often made fun of what is a computer. Granted an iPad and a foldable Surface phone are different animals altogether, Apple's ad, in that case, didn't make me want to buy it. In fact I hated it so much I wanted nothing to do with it. This on the other hand, made me think twice.

That said, I am too vested in the Apple ecosystem I rather not start from the beginning. But if I were given a chance to get this as an office phone, I actually might consider it. Though I hate Windows 10 and the direction they're going in, and I am not that fond of Android OS, I dunno.

I may not even want this hinged thing anyway, but it did get me to think twice, and that's a win for Microsoft.

 

[Bluetoot-]

That’s unfortunate. The software is the ultimate experience, not the hardware. The hardware is the immediate attraction, but if the software is falling short, it will take away severely of the immersive experience with a product like this.

Really my problem was navigation, which I’m sure I could get used to, weird kinks in switching apps, accelerometer, slow and missed inputs.

It reminds me so much like a Sony product back in the day; hardware is beautiful, but the software stunk.

That’s what drew me to Apple products all those years ago in the first place; beautiful hardware AND software.

 

[RickInHouston]

When I saw the advert on TV I was taken aback how intriguing it was. And how starkly different the style of advertising compared to the often made fun of what is a computer. Granted an iPad and a foldable Surface phone are different animals altogether, Apple's ad, in that case, didn't make me want to buy it. In fact I hated it so much I wanted nothing to do with it. This on the other hand, made me think twice.

That said, I am too vested in the Apple ecosystem I rather not start from the beginning. But if I were given a chance to get this as an office phone, I actually might consider it. Though I hate Windows 10 and the direction they're going in, and I am not that fond of Android OS, I dunno.

I may not even want this hinged thing anyway, but it did get me to think twice, and that's a win for Microsoft.

Just can't understand "I'm too vested in the ecosystem". I can jump around so very easily. What's the hiccup?

 

[cwwilson]

I can’t wait for the folding phone fad to die. They’re so overrated, way too expensive and really bring nothing exciting or innovative to the table. I get it, smartphones have a wall and really haven’t changed much over the years... But is having two screens really that amazing?

Smartphones have just reached maturity at this point, as they’ve become an essential part of life. It’s just going to be spec bumps and minor design changes from here on out and that’s okay. Trying to catch that lightening in a bottle again is going to be very difficult so lets just chill until the next revolutionary idea comes around. Unfortunately for these tech companies, folding phones ain’t it, Chief.

 

[MacBH928]

A lot of people looking down on this. Certainly beats Apple's big iPad, this is a carry in pocket solution. Think of the use case where you can chat with a customer on one screen and do excel on the other, or edit videon on one screen and see the preview on the other.

I have to say this again, this is the modern PDA, the idea is right but the software sucks. Maybe Microsoft should release a Windows Mobile.

 

[omgitsbees]

Goes to show ya...

watched entire video. No mention and no demo of...
THE PHONE

the industry does not even care about phones anymore.
Here we are in 2020 and I still can’t get reception in my house or my work.
Macrumors is in so deep, they don’t even realize they too just ignored the actual phone capabilities.

Pathetic.

Cause you can't actually review this? Here we are in 2020 and I still can't get over how people don't understand this. Your phone reception is a you problem, not the phone. It depends on a thousand different factors and none of them are going to apply across the board to everyone using that exact phone. It depends on where you are, the building you're in, if you're underground, phone carrier, etc. You can't review that, that experience won't apply to anyone else using the same phone, and issues with reception can't necessarily (more often than not) be pinpointed to an issue with the phone itself.

Freakin' two screens with a hinge? Now what? um well let's put some video on those screens?
How about a REAL OS? gees... Apple is going to start destroying people...

Since when was Android not a real OS?

 

[willzyx]

Good, well-balanced review.

I always thought this is more aimed at enterprise long-term, but it's still a first gen product.

You see how much better the Fold 2 is than the first one, but obviously Samsung is infinitely more experienced at making phones than Microsoft.

By 2022 I'd expect this to be a very solid addition to their enterprise line up. But Apple should enter the space by 2024 and honestly, I think they'll smash it.

They always said it will be an enterprise product and not aimed for consumers.

 

[rjohnstone]

Also this image is really telling.

The fact this thing ships with a plastic bracket to hold the device in open (tablet) mode really shows how this devide is trying to cater to everyone and in reality catering to no one. if you want a tablet like device,just have one large screen.

The "plastic bracket" as you call it, is just a bumper to protect the edges from damage. Remember those bumper cases that came out with the iPhone 4? Same thing.
It has absolutely nothing to do with holding the device open.

If you're gonna bash a product, at least read about how it actually works before hand.
Better yet, go play with one.

 

[mabhatter]

So am I right that if I want to use this to do quick operations such as checking my messages I have to open it, and maybe have to use two hands?

This is my question too. I mean how do you answer a phone call? Does that mean the phone has to be “inside out” when it’s in my pocket all the time? which scratches up the screens and defeats the purpose of closing them up.

It’s a slick device, but I could fire off a dozen more usability questions like this just from the brief demo. It’s definitely a prototype model for bleeding edge adopters.

this will be sweet with a Nintendo DS emulator!!

 

[Karllake]

It's the biggest thing since the iPhone 1.

I tend to agree, i'm not a fan of this particular device (mainly based on the software demos), but as the idea i like,

As i put in an earlier post, i think foldables that can do become a full 'pc' via a dock and screen etc are the future, Microsoft have tried this already but the processors weren't good enough, the A14 is already good enough to do this, once AARM is established i don't see how apple doesn't release an 'omni-device' that is an AR connected, phone, tablet and a PC , it wont be for everyone but for a lot of people this would be an ideal solution. There could even be different sizes dependent on need.

 

[Rogifan]

A lot of people looking down on this. Certainly beats Apple's big iPad, this is a carry in pocket solution. Think of the use case where you can chat with a customer on one screen and do excel on the other, or edit videon on one screen and see the preview on the other.

I have to say this again, this is the modern PDA, the idea is right but the software sucks. Maybe Microsoft should release a Windows Mobile.

Nobody is going to be doing Excel on a screen this small. The best use case I saw was Outlook - having email on one screen and your calendar on the other. Is that worth $1400? Doubtful.

This is my question too. I mean how do you answer a phone call? Does that mean the phone has to be “inside out” when it’s in my pocket all the time? which scratches up the screens and defeats the purpose of closing them up.

It’s a slick device, but I could fire off a dozen more usability questions like this just from the brief demo. It’s definitely a prototype model for bleeding edge adopters.

this will be sweet with a Nintendo DS emulator!!

I don’t get what’s slick about it other than the outside with it’s brushed metal looks pretty. You open it up and it looks like a cheap Android tablet with massive bezels.

 

[mabhatter]

17992 years into the future is not very retro.

Would this survive the Butlarian Jihad against thinking machines? Or possibly be allowed by Adeptes Mechanicus?

 

[ss2cire]

Looks neat, but I personally don’t want or need something like that, until Apple perfects it and they make something like it. Though I suspect with their design decision of making devices thinner... it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Read 2021 nor 2022. I’d be happy to be wrong though!

 

[ericwn]

When you touch one icon and your mail and calendar open side by side, or mail and phone, and then close it and drop it in your pocket, or fold it backwards and have a single-pane phone, or have an image spread across both panes... you'll want one. When Apple makes it, you'll buy one. My brother-in-law (a photographer) uses this Alpha version full time, and I played with his. It's the biggest thing since the iPhone 1.

Or you can dismiss what you imagine it to be.

It might become interesting one day.
Personally I don’t like the design. The screens look way too separated from one another. I don’t find the hinge elegantly all.

The demo shows a slow and wonky interface too. Doesn’t look like ready for prime time.

I don’t really see a particular use case that an iPad wouldn’t do better, especially for photography.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Why don’t you use your own judgment.

it literally is my own judgement to quote MKBHD today because surface duo isn't available for demo near me.

anything else?

 

[MartiNZ]

I just upgraded from a Surface Book 2 to a Surface Book 3, and its use cases with the hinge and separability have always really appealed. Of course now it is a bit hindered by the thinness and still only shipping 4 cores and such, but the unique design is very cool, and this is just another example.

Some brief thoughts in lieu of being able to see one anywhere near NZ for the moment: too expensive at this point and yet cheaper than the less durable foldables; glad to see someone finally focusing on something other than cameras on a phone; it is a weird size as a phone especially with those bezels, and seems like it would be just a bit too delicate for phone-like treatment.

The software ideas with two screens certainly show promise, it's just a matter of whether they can stick with it and not abandon it like they did Windows RT, Windows 10S, and of course Windows Phone, and that after spending stupid amounts on Nokia. They had good phones then, and I kind of wish this was an evolution of that OS, rather than the irony of their using Android. Definitely an interesting space to watch though!

 

[Mr Magoo]

I just upgraded from a Surface Book 2 to a Surface Book 3, and its use cases with the hinge and separability have always really appealed. Of course now it is a bit hindered by the thinness and still only shipping 4 cores and such, but the unique design is very cool, and this is just another example.

Some brief thoughts in lieu of being able to see one anywhere near NZ for the moment: too expensive at this point and yet cheaper than the less durable foldables; glad to see someone finally focusing on something other than cameras on a phone; it is a weird size as a phone especially with those bezels, and seems like it would be just a bit too delicate for phone-like treatment.

The software ideas with two screens certainly show promise, it's just a matter of whether they can stick with it and not abandon it like they did Windows RT, Windows 10S, and of course Windows Phone, and that after spending stupid amounts on Nokia. They had good phones then, and I kind of wish this was an evolution of that OS, rather than the irony of their using Android. Definitely an interesting space to watch though!

I wish they had continued with windows 10 mobile it would’ve been great on this device. Android is its biggest drawback.

 

[the8thark]

Better yet, go play with one.

I will and will prove myself correct, but not that I need to. You are also partially correct also. However that is totally missing the point of what I was saying.

My overall opinion still stands. This products is a jack of all trades and a master of none.
Though if someone really likes it, go buy it, it's not the worst product ever invented. Also MS has taken their time to not rush it out too.