Surface Duo 2 Long-Term Review: Revisiting A Different Kind Of Foldable

[INTO THE FOLD EPISODE 12 - SURFACE DUO 2 REVIEW RE-DO]

Just last week on this channel we were exploring what it means to blur the line between smartphone and computer … but I guess the reality is that I’ve been thinking about it since about 2007, when I realized during an otherwise uneventful walk around my college town that I could post a new LiveJournal entry (yep, I was one of those guys) right from my pocket instead of going home for my computer.

This week, instead of replacing a PC with a smartphone, we’re talking about bringing a PC feature to the smartphone: the idea of a second screen. The subject of today’s episode of Into The Fold is the Surface Duo 2 from Microsoft, and yes, you’ve seen it before on this channel – but it’s not the phone you remember.

[SUBSCRIBE TO MRMOBILE]

[ABOUT INTO THE FOLD EPISODE 12]

This is the twelfth in a series of episodes exploring the many facets of life on a folding screen. From the best foldable phones of 2021 to the bleeding-edge world of folding-screen laptops, Into The Fold is MrMobile’s showcase for the most exciting movement in mobile technology since 2007!

MrMobile does not accept compensation from the manufacturers of the products he reviews in exchange for producing content. No payment was provided and no manufacturer or carrier was afforded a preview, editorial input or copy approval rights concerning this review. The lone sponsor of this content is Surfshark.

[LINKS - WEB]

The oddity of Android 12L: Google’s prelude to tablets and foldables instead of its big moment [9to5Google]:

Android 12L is coming to tables and foldables ‘later this year’ [Engadget]:

Built for foldables, Android 12L is hitting Surface Duo ‘later this year,’ according to Google [Windows Central]:

Put both Duos through a lot of use today. Some thoughts [Reddit]:

[MUSIC]

"Ran Ran" by Bellodrone [Soundstripe]:

“Sunset Dreamz” by Neon Beach [Soundstripe]:

“Ok Ok” by Neon Beach [Soundstripe]:

[CHAPTERS]

00:00 Pocket PC reborn
00:55 A different kind of foldable
04:28 “Surface Laptop Nano”
06:07 Shark bait
07:03 More screens, more problems
09:40 Bad camera blues
10:55 Can’t stay away

[SOCIALIZE]

[DISCLOSURES]

#surfaceduo #surfaceduo2 #microsoft #dualscreen #foldable #intothefold #tabletphone #tech #mrmobile

[TheMrMobile]

[CORRECTION] You can indeed resize SwiftKey to cover the entirety of the lower screen when using the device in mini-laptop mode. Thanks to Matthew Lemmers for the info! MrMobile regrets the error.

[KEGosti]

Honestly, I love the form factor with 2 screens instead of a single foldable screen. A better software like a Pixel and the removal of the camera bump to allow it to fold completely flat will definitely put this in my radar.

[jakesyoutubezone]

Duo 1 owner here and it has completely replaced my laptop for travel and cafe computing. I still carry a pixel as my pocket communicator/camera/wallet but man oh man, Microsoft is SO close to getting it right that I'm tempted to pick up the duo 2 once the software/price hit a mythical magic point in the next year.

[technogi]

I picked one up last week after it dropped to $999, I love it so far. I have had zero bugs and the battery has been solid. The OS as of April 25th has been like butter. No issues!

[Arxiuz]

I genuinely hope MS takes in the feedback YOU give them. I really want them to stay in the dual screen game, refine it, polish it, and some day come in with the most refined [ two screen ] foldable phone experience in the near future.

[bradenfitzpatrick]

I will always wish LG didn't die because the ability to slap on a second screen when you need it sounds so appealing. Maybe another company will pick up where they left off.

[innovia]

My least favorite aspect of this phone is the camera. I absolutely hate the camera bump on the Duo 2 because it ruined the gorgeous sleekness of the first Duo. If Microsoft could figure out a way to maintain the camera quality but also have the back be flat, it’d be the best of both worlds.

[tapdancer]

Picked up the duo 1 from eBay for $350 and absolutely love it as a secondary device to use during long commutes on the metro or in a Cafe. It cannot serve as my only device, but I adore it nonetheless

[blackbirrrd]

Wow, I'm actually pretty impressed with the improvements. I went with the Fold because I didn't feel comfortable buying a Surface Duo 2 and hoping Microsoft would fix it later down the line, and seeing the fate of the original Duo only backed up that idea. But I'm happy to see Microsoft has made efforts to turn the Duo 2 into a much better device. I hope they continue with a successor with this form factor and knock it out of the park on day 1 with the (hopefully) eventual Duo 3.

[AllenStanten]

Really appreciate the revisit review! It's rare to see this type of thoughtful review - as a product continues to evolve after it's initial launch - well done!

As a Duo owner (first the Duo 1, now the Duo 2) I understand the bugs and issues that this device presents. I think the reason this is such a better device than others on the market is it's targeted market. We live in a world where personal use cases are the dominate framework for evaluating devices (phones), and frankly, that often seems like lazy journalism, to me. I use this device for business use, and I believe it's the best way to evaluate the Surface Duo 2. The specs and the camera are adjacent features for me. My use cases are business focused and as you pointed out, multiple examples of launching 2 apps at the same time, is a productivity win. I can have a Zoom call on one side and Evernote or oneNote on the other, using the Slim Pen to take notes. Also, the simple act of copying from one app or doc, or website and pasting it into the open app on the other screen, is awesome!

As a business device, I find the continuous improvements helpful to get more and more value out of the Duo 2. It's not perfect, but it's good enough and getting better. As for price of the device, I agree if you are comparing it to other smartphones at the price point, it doesn't match up with consumer focused use cases, but it blows them away from a business use case perspective. Corporate IT/sourcing organizations are used to paying a premium for "business" versions of tech.

[RubyRoks]

I felt this way when the original Duo launched, had it confirmed when my boss bought one, and still have it confirmed here: the Surface Duo is an amazing platform for people who don't mind carrying purpose built items for things smartphones can do competently. If you have a point n shoot camera you already like, have worn smart watches since the original Pebble, so on and so on and refuse to compromise, then the Duo is a good buy because it is all the phone that person needs and (almost) nothing they don't (screw the Duo 2's camera plateau)

[secretmanofagent]

As one of the literally dozens of us, the Surface Duo makes a lot more sense when you look at it as a folding tablet. Yes, it is terrible as a phone, yes, it's terrible as a camera (but my Surface Duo folds flat, suck it late Duo adopters), but as a folding eBook, as a one app on one screen and one on the other, it's absolutely brilliant. When I was a kid, I always wanted the book that Penny from Inspector Gadget had, and now I have one. Also, my iPad Mini used to travel everywhere with me, and I haven't used it since I got the Duo.

It is essentially the ideal "work" phone, the backup to the personal phone (which does the actual photos). Now, if I could just get the Surface Duo to decide that I still have it completely open without having to close it and reopen it again! It's not that frequent, but still annoying.

[ChrisGower]

Glad to see it's improving. I got the Surface Duo one as I had visions of working around the known issues with the first Duo and then it selling me on the Duo2. Instead the experience burnt me. Even at $450, all the issues with the first Duo made me feel ripped off. I ended up selling it for $50 less than I bought it for (I unlocked it, which helped.) Frankly, the form factor just didn't work for me. For all the times that it worked well (at work, etc), it was incredibly frustrating just due to the nature of the form factor. Wanting to quickly use it one-handed, it just doesn't play nice. Doing finger yoga to open it up into one screen mode while worrying about dropping it onto the pavement below was just one example of a time when I cursed the dual screens. Then just the horrific number of software bugs that would make driving with Google Maps navigating dangerous, etc etc. Just the cherry on top. Anyway, glad that Duo 2 has improved, for those that the form factor works for. There's a lot riding on the Duo 3 - as people pointed out, 3 was the first Surface Pro that actually really was mainstream ready.

[adamalarcon]

I've been wanting a tablet the size of an iPad Mini for some time now. I hope by the third iteration, Microsoft finally gets it.

I'll probably never get it at its launch price though, maybe when it goes on sale. I think this could really be a useful tool for me. The novelty of having two screens can really benefit me, not to mention the emulation possibilities.

[hunteragett]

You're the best on youtube! I love your affinity for companies to do something different. It's what pushes the envelope and makes innovation happen. Thanks for all the great content!

[Mireaze]

I was torn between the duo 2 and the fold 3, ended up with the fold 3 because I trust Samsungs software more. But when duo 3 comes out I'll definitely be considering the switch

[Ronnet]

The "sequel" isn't the only one that got better. The original Duo is also "good now"... And very affordable. I got it and I love it. If you want a cheap duel screen phone, go with the original.

[petepaxton]

It's almost December 2023 and I own the original duo and I absolutely love it! 12L fixed a bunch. Works great for me. Got it for $214 new unlocked and maybe one of the best purchases I've made.

[taltigolt]

i feel if they made a surface pro in this size with android i'd actually buy it, as in exactly a surface pro but smaller

i also don't see why all these foldables have to be unsymmetrical they don't have to be just get rid of those curved corners

[jamessteggles]

Whenever I see a Surface Duo (or any productivity device) I always find myself lusting after it.

I hope that as foldables like the Samsung fold get more popular as an alternative to a tablet that OS developers will iron out those problems.