Microsoft's Surface Duo cell phone tablet thing just popped up on our doorstep. We're pretty excited about the company's new vision for a phone, years after it gave up its own hardware and operating system. Almost as interesting to Microsoft's take on Android, however, is the hardware, which has two independent displays compared to the bendable, single-screen foldable devices that we have become used to.
We can't show you the software experience yet. But you're probably wondering, what exactly are you getting in that $ 1,400 box? Check out our Microsoft Surface Duo Unboxing.
Unique hardware
As mentioned above, the Microsoft Surface Duo has some of the most unique hardware we've seen in a while. This phone is incredibly thin, measuring just 4.8mm when unfolded or around 9.6mm when folded. Compare that to any other phone, especially a foldable phone like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and it's clear that Microsoft put a lot of work into making this thing as rational as possible.
Equally staggering is how wide this phone is. Even when it's aimed at a screen, it's about a third wider than most of the phones you're probably used to. You need to have your hands spread pretty wide to hold it, but it's clear that Microsoft wants you to use this phone like a book with two hands. I can see why the company is reluctant to refer to it as a phone as it feels more like a tablet. At the end of the day, it still does most of the things a standard Android phone would do.
They have a single USB-C port at the bottom, a fingerprint reader on the right side, an on / off switch and volume rockers. The top has no buttons or ports. The hinge is on the left. Microsoft spent a lot of time designing this hinge, and it's one of the smoothest hinges I've used. It takes just enough force to swing it around, and it can rotate a full 360 degrees and stop anywhere in between. This means that you can use it in different orientations, such as: B. as a laptop or tent.
The Surface Duo screens are 5.6-inch AMOLED panels with thick bezels at the top and bottom. There's also a single 11MP camera with a flash on the right display. Microsoft said the camera isn't a priority for this device, but we'll have to see how it performs for everyday use.
The phone is made almost entirely of glass and metal, which makes it feel super high quality. I really like this, but it worries that if dropped it would break pretty easily. That's probably why Microsoft added a silicone bumper to the box.
Microsoft Surface Duo accessories
Inside the box is an 18W fast charger with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a silicone bumper housing. The bumper case uses glue, which is a bummer considering the device looks a lot nicer without it. You're going to ruin it if you want to take it off. I would love to see a leather case made for this thing especially because it looks like a book.
Besides, there isn't much going on here. This is obviously an extremely unique device, but my real interest is in software. We're not allowed to discuss this yet, but I'm curious to see how Microsoft handles Android on two displays.
After this quick unboxing of Microsoft Surface Duo, there's more to come! Do you have any questions about the Surface Duo? Let us know in the comments below and we'll answer them shortly in our full review.
Next: Microsoft Surface Duo: who is it for?
