Microsoft Surface Duo launches September 10 for $ 1,399 with pre-orders today

It’s finally happening! Microsoft’s dual-screen Android smartphone, first announced in October 2019, would be available for pre-order today, for a whopping $ 1,399, and should begin shipping to customers starting September 10th. Microsoft has also revealed all the Surface Duo specs you need to know, including what things get under the hood, network compatibility and storage options.

Microsoft has spent the past year finalizing the hardware and software experiences for Surface Duo, and the company now feels like the device is ready for the public, ahead of the original “Holiday 2020” time frame. Unfortunately, the wait between October 2019 and today means that the hardware on the inside is not using the latest and greatest.

Surface Duo specs

The Redmond giant has confirmed that Surface Duo ships with a Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM that power things under the hood. It also has a 3577mAh battery, and 128GB as well as 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. While these are the specifications of recent years, the Snapdragon 855 is still a great processor that will not soon show its age again.

Microsoft also has details of Surface Duo’s dual displays, which are now confirmed AMOLED panels with a resolution of 1800×1350. They are also 100% SRGB and DCI-P3 color accurate, with a pixel density of 401 for a crisp and colorful viewing experience. Microsoft calls them “PixelSense Fusion Displays” and are designed to be identical so that images and apps do not look different on each screen. It also supports the Surface Pen, including the latest Slim Pen and older Surface Pen models.

As for the camera, the Surface Duo ships with a single 11MP sensor above the right screen capable of recording 4K video. It’s fair to say that this camera will not be an iPhone or Pixel competitor, as that is not what Microsoft has been aiming for with this first generation. However, the camera app uses AI for photo optimization, which can improve things.

Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows + Devices, said the following about Surface Duo in today’s announcement:

“When we created Surface seven years ago, we wanted to challenge convention by defining expectations for what a productivity device should be, and what it should do. Simply put; we wanted to help people do things. We did not stand for two existing ones. combine devices – the tablet and the laptop.We had a vision of how we could take the best elements of each to create something completely new.To find that perfect intersection of hardware and software that provides a more intuitive way to to work and create to unlock We have some skepticism, but eventually a new category was born that caused growth for the PC industry. More than that, behavior began to change. People’s eyes were opened to the idea that touch should not only be for tablets and phones. And the ability to get things done does not have to be limited just like you would for a traditional PC. “

“Today, as we look forward to the next wave of mobile productivity and creativity, we see the same opportunity to do something new with the Surface Duo – not to reinvent the phone, but to inspire people to remember available for pre-order in the US, today Surface Duo launches the power of Microsoft 365 experiences and the full ecosystem of Android mobile apps in one device, with two screens that ‘ you can take it anywhere. “

Carrier support

The good news is that Surface Duo will be available to buy unlocked from day one via the Microsoft Store or BestBuy, and will work on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. This model will include eSIM in addition to nanoSIM as well. US customers also have the option to purchase a locked Surface Duo through AT&T if that’s what they prefer.

Surface Duo availability

Surface Duo will be available in the US from September 10 at a starting price of $ 1399 for the 128GB model. Unfortunately, Microsoft today announced the availability of Surface Duo outside the United States.

For more information on Surface Duo, be sure to check out our comprehensive Surface Duo FAQ, which should answer all your questions.