Microsoft’s Surface Duo is challenging folding smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 by introducing a different solution to foldable. The Surface Duo is a productivity-focused Android smartphone with an impressively thin design, sporting two glass-covered displays held together by a hinge. This is opposed to relying on the currently more fragile folding display technology.
After countless teasers from people at Microsoft and even a Google exec, the Surface Duo was finally officially showcased in a press event video in mid-August and released on September 10, 2020.
Microsoft Surface Duo price
As it’s competing with expensive folding smartphones, the price of the Surface Duo was anyone’s guess until Microsoft officially announced it. The base Surface Duo with 128GB of storage will cost $1,399.99 at launch, while
the 256GB Surface Duo is going to be $100 more – $1,499.99.
Although this is still much more affordable than a $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold or the $2,299 Huawei Mate X, it’s still a substantial amount of money. The price is especially surprising considering that the Surface Duo is not employing the currently-expensive folding display technology, nor is it packing 2020 flagship specs. But it does have a lot going for it in other areas, which we’ll explore in the next sections.
Those are the Microsoft Surface Duo specs as we currently know them:
Two 5.6″ OLED displays, each at a resolution of 1800 x 1350 pixels, covered by Gorilla Glass 5
Snapdragon 855 processor
6GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB storage
Single 11MP camera
3577mAh battery with 18W charging
Specs-wise, The Duo is definitely right out of 2019, especially when compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which has a 6.2″ external and 7.7″ internal folding display, 12GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and the Snapdragon 865+ processor.
NETWOR
Technology
GSM / HSPA / LTE
LAUNCH
Announced
2020, August 12
Status
Available. Released 2020, September 10
BODY
Dimensions
Unfolded: 186.9 x 145.2 x 4.8 mm
Folded: 145.2 x 93.3 x 9.9 mm
Weight
250 g (8.82 oz)
Build
Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5)