Hardware – Spectacularly refined inside and outįor the most part, the Surface Duo 2 is a true refinement of the original design. Now, after a month and a half of use, I feel like I have a good idea of how it compares to its predecessor, and that’s what I want to focus on in this review. I intentionally delayed this review to get some proper hands-on time with the Duo 2 as my primary device. In short, it was a game-changer – albeit one that felt experimental as is usually the case with radically new first-gen technology. In my experience review of the original Surface Duo, I attempted to look past the spec sheet, and focus on what the device was actually like to use on a day-to-day basis. Its internals now consist of the latest Snapdragon processor, the newest version of Android (at the time of Duo 2’s launch), and previously missing features such as 5G, NFC, and a high-end multi-camera system. The new Surface Duo 2 feels like the result of Microsoft listening to public feedback, and aggressively course-correcting. But it was also criticized for dated internals and unstable software, especially given the $1,499 asking price. It was an engineering masterpiece, receiving universal praise for its thinness, hinge, and just how premium it felt in the hand. Microsoft’s original Surface Duo launched to polarizing opinions.
