Microsoft has just presented a new version of its dual-screen smartphone: the Surface Duo 2. The company has corrected the faults of the first generation … without succeeding, however, in making this mobile an essential product.
During its start-to-school conference on September 22, 2021, Microsoft presented a plethora of products dedicated to ” mobile productivity “. Among the many computers unveiled by the company, there is also a more atypical product: the Surface Duo 2.
Released last year at the same time, the first Duo of the name was ” an introduction to a new product category According to Microsoft. Its atypical design, with two screens, and its entirely Made In Microsoft made this Android smartphone a special product. Unfortunately, an outdated technical sheet and questionable technical choices made this mobile a critical failure.
Microsoft fixes Surface Duo 1 errors
This has obviously not discouraged Microsoft: the manufacturer has just unveiled a second version of its two-screen phone. This model has the good taste to correct the technical faults of the first. Rather than carrying just one camera, the Duo 2 has three (an ultra wide angle, a wide angle and a standard). It takes advantage of the 5G connectivity that the first one lacked. There is also a latest generation Qualcomm chip (the Snapdragon 888 to be precise) and two 5.8-inch OLED screens, with a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The device can be folded in two (like the first). It reveals, once closed, a small border capable of displaying your notifications.
On paper, Microsoft’s smartphone seems to hit the nail on the head. The foldable format, 5G connectivity and compatibility with Xbox Game Pass (which allows streaming play) make it a smartphone that ticks all the boxes of the big bingo of mobile trends 2021. Still, it seems difficult to advise the purchase. of this smartphone, especially when you know that it is sold for 1,599 euros.
What is the Surface Duo 2 worth against a Samsung Galaxy Fold 3?
Microsoft’s brand image in the mobile sector is not great. Windows Mobile has failed to win against iOS and Android, despite Microsoft investing heavily in the Lumia lineup years ago. The Surface Duo first of the name did not really convince the general public either, as we have seen. It is difficult to build an attachment to the brand under these conditions, all the more so when the competitors are called Apple and Samsung.
The Surface Duo 2 has little to do with a “real” foldable smartphone, like the Galaxy Fold. The multitasking enabled by the presence of two screens can, today, be emulated with relative efficiency, thanks to Android’s progress in the management of foldable smartphones. The Galaxy Fold 3 is designed as much for single-task tablet display as it is for multitasking by dividing the screen. Microsoft’s justifications, which explained in 2019 that ” foldable screens are limited », No longer really hold water, in the face of recent software improvements.
To put it simply, the Surface Duo 2 is an intriguing smartphone, but one that offers no real justification for its format. Pity. The mobile will be available in France from October 21, for 1,599 euros.
