Microsoft unveils Surface Duo 2: 90Hz screen, pen charging
Microsoft announced its first foldable in October of 2019, but did not ship the phone until almost a year later. The end result was not too groundbreaking, but Redmond is trying again with the Surface Duo 2.
The industrial design is mostly unchanged with Microsoft opting for two separate displays instead of a folding screen. They both measure 5.8-inch (in a slight increase from 5.6″) and notably feature a high-refresh rate at 90Hz for better inking. It combines for 8.3-inches, while the edges bordering the hinge are curved. When closed, the hinge (“Glance bar”) shows notifications, battery status, and the time.
Notetaking and drawing also gets a boost with the updated Surface Slim Pen 2 that can be wireless charged by the Duo 2 when magnetically attached. One physical change sees the button no longer on the edge but rather the flat side of the pen, while the pen tip is sharper. (On Windows, you get tiny mechanical vibrations to mimic the feel of pen on paper. It sends “tactile signals though the touch receptors in your fingertips.”)
The top and bottom bezels are still sizable, while the other big hardware change is a dedicated rear camera. This tri-lens system is comprised of a wide (12-megapixel, f/1.7 with OIS), ultrawide (16MP, f/2.2), and telephoto (12MP, f/2.4 with OIS), with Microsoft creating its own camera app. As a result of this significant bump, the device cannot lay flat on a table, or be fully closed for a ‘phone mode’ where you have screens on the front and back.
Other changes include a new black (“Obsidian”) color to complement silver (“Glacier”), while the USB-C port has been centered on the right half. A fingerprint sensor is also on that half’s edge, but it’s now integrated into the power button rather than being located just underneath.
It’s driven by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. On the connectivity front, there’s Bluetooth 5.0 and 5G connectivity, while NFC is now available to allow for contactless payments.
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