Surface Duo 2 officially: Finally with flag specifications

Almost two years after the introduction of the first folding smartphone, Microsoft is coming up with a sophisticated second-generation model, which (unexpectedly) was named Surface Duo 2. The Phone Arena portal informs about the novelty.

Larger displays with curved edges

Although the overall design has not changed significantly compared to the first model, the company has made several important improvements in this direction, which will make the use of Surface Duo 2 much more enjoyable. The size of both screens has been changed, instead of 5.6 ″ they now have 5.8 ″, which together form one large, 8.3 ″ display. This time, they also support a higher, 90 Hz refresh rate and are closer together.

Also new is the curvature of the edges, which allowed Microsoft to introduce one new feature. While the device is closed, the edges will display alerts, time, and battery status.

Hardware worthy of a flagship

While the original Surface Duo had year-old specifications, the second-generation model will share hardware with today’s best flagships. Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 as a chipset, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB or 512 GB internal storage. As the Snapdragon 888 comes with 5G support, the new technology will also be available for Surface Duo 2. The battery capacity has also changed, from the original 3,577 mAh to 4,449 mAh. However, still without wireless charging support.

More up-to-date information on folding smartphones:

In addition, NFC technology is available for contactless payments, a fingerprint sensor on the left side of the device and support for a special stylus that can be attached and charged on the back with magnets.

When released, the device will run on Android 11, with Microsoft promising to upgrade to Android 12 sometime next year.

Three rear cameras instead of one

The first-generation model has been criticized not only for its average performance, but also for its weak cameras. Microsoft has therefore decided to introduce a system of three rear cameras this time, with the primary sensor offering 12 MP resolution, f / 1.7 brightness and optical stabilization. It is complemented by a 16 MP ultra-wide sensor together with a 12 MP telephoto lens, which also has optical stabilization. There is also a special sensor for better background recognition.

The company has also improved and adapted the Camera application. Recently created photos will now be displayed on the left screen and on the right viewfinder.

Price and availability

The original Microsoft Surface Duo sold for $ 1,399 in the United States. Due to its shortcomings, not many units were sold, but Microsoft did not stop releasing the Surface Duo 2 for an even higher price.

In the US, you pay $ 1,499 for the 256GB version and up to $ 1,799 for twice the storage. The model will be available in two colors – Glacier and Obsidian (white and black). The pre-sale started in several large countries, namely the USA, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Japan. It will officially go on sale on October 21.

Microsoft Surface Duo 2: Specifications

Display	2x 5.8 ″, 90 Hz, with curved edges
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM and storage	8 GB RAM 256/512 GB storage
Cameras	Primary: 12 MP, f / 1.7, OIS Ultraširokouhlý: 16 MP, f/2.2 Telephoto lens: 12 MP, f / 2.4, OIS
Battery	4 449 mAh
Operating system	Android 11
Connectivity	5G
Colors	Glacier (white), Obsidian (black)
price	from $ 1,499

Competition

Microsoft is not the first to bring a folding smartphone to the world of technology, but its design solution is different from the designs of other manufacturers. The others were chosen via flexible displays, while the Samsung Galaxy Fold3 bends and folds into a format similar to the Surface Duo. The Motorola Razr 5G and Samsung Galaxy Flip3 have again chosen a length-oriented format, reminiscent of a futuristic version of classic flip phones.

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