Review | Microsoft Surface Duo review: foldable phone looks good and lasts all day on one charge, but doesn’t quite tick all the boxes
- Microsoft’s entry in the folding phone market is slim and makes intelligent use of its dual screens
- The hinge allows for various configurations and the battery will keep you going all day
Microsoft’s original Surface popularised the idea that a tablet computer could replace the traditional laptop following its 2012 launch.
Now, the tech giant is hoping to make similar waves in the smartphone market with the launch of the Surface Duo, a US$1,400 Android smartphone that, as its name implies, has two screens.
The company has clearly thought about how to optimise those dual screens, rather than just doubling the size of the display.
The way certain apps, like Microsoft News and the Edge browser, are tailored to work intelligently across both screens make me optimistic about Microsoft’s re-entry into the mobile market and the potential for foldable phones.
But, at the same time, I’ve always felt that laptop/tablet hybrid devices are only worth it when they can successfully replace both of those devices. The same should hold true for gadgets that seek to replace your smartphone and tablet, too. On that front, the Surface Duo excels in some ways but falls short in others.
