Micro .ft’s dual-screen Surface Duo began arriving in the hands of customers last Thursday, the same day the company lifted the ban and allowed members of the tech press who received advance shipments to post their reviews. This resulted in a flood of qualified coverage for the category-defined device that was eagerly announced almost a year ago.
That blizzard of coverage was almost overwhelming, with thousands of words, hundreds of pictures, and enough video to fill a YouTube channel.
The reviews covered a lot of ground, but most reached similar conclusions. The hardware is gorgeous, the software still needs work, and the performance is adequate but it is done by devices that need upgrades.
Criticism came to me for the most criticism and that is why, especially on this unusual device 00 1400+ price tags are given, and most reviewers have concluded that this is an attractive device that is not quite ready for primetime. But they all agreed that the Google-Microsoft partnership was something that could get attention.
This isn’t just another phone, and the reviews offer a wide range of interesting experiments as the Surface Duo is an interesting experiment and how it will improve over time. For those who want to know more, I’ve summarized the top ten reviews here so you can make up your own mind.
ZDNet
Surface Duo Review: Why Am I Still Confused About MicroSF’s Dual-Screen Device
Our own Mary Jo Foley did a trademark “Non-Reviewer Review” of Duo on its surface, emphasizing her daily experience using computing devices for most writing. She pleasantly surprised by the “premium and draw-worthy” Duo hardware and battery life, which “really sticks to MicroSft’s ‘all day’ promises.”
Unlike most fellow reviewers, she described the surface duo’s camera as “OK … not surprising, but … the picture quality was passable and better than I think.”
The real downside of this device is the “perplexing” navigation. Bottom line: “Does this duo make me more productive than a regular mobile phone because Microsoft claims it has two separate screens side by side? After two weeks my answer is no. Non-intuitive gestures and constant guessing how apps Will open and slow me down from work. ”
Edge
Microsoft Surface Duo Review: Double Troubles
On this edge, Dieter Bohan says that the Surface Duo contains “all the right ideas”, but that it is “corrupted by corrupt software and bad cameras.” Really, not just bad: “The Surface Duo’s camera is my garbage.… I can strip this camera on a 300 device device. The Surface Duo costs 1,400. Microsoft should just call this a webcam. It sets expectations correctly. Plus , That’s a nice webcam! ”
Ultimately, Bohan says that at its current price, the Surface Duo will not be able to recommend it at its current prices. “But,” he adds, “the Surface Duo has a bit of a twinkle of vision and potential. Microsoft has the clearest, strongest vision for a new direction in mobile computing I’ve seen this year, but choosing one direction and reaching the destination is still There are two different things. ”
The Wall Street Journal
Micro .ft Surface Duo Review: Two screens, lots of problems
Joanna Stern, who is a very interesting reviewer in the business, notes the prospect of the Surface Duo: “While it was working, the two felt like the first real innovation in smartphone design seen over the years. Entering mobile cellular devices really reminded me of many original surfaces. Here’s a new flexible design that can unlock more productivity. “
After a cursory reading of many of the issues with the pre-release device, the words in her conclusion are not stripped away: “The phone-tablet thing like Micros’s new $ 1,400 book is not ready for me and not ready for you … I am this futuristic gadget Is hungry for the real power and productivity promised by. It really has to work. ”
Don’t miss the accompanying video, in which Pa Pop will play the role of Pa-Tarts.
Windows Central
Surface Duo Review: Tomorrow’s dual-screen phone … it’s not quite ready today
As always, Daniel Rubino has done a complete, streamlined review (with video) aimed at readers (and viewers) who are already familiar (and comfortable) with the Windows landscape.
Duo Ding for Ruby’s performance: “[N]o Duo on one surface will be charged to be fast. Instead, it is acceptable, and some will accuse me of being too generous there. “He speculates that while competing with devices like the Samsung Note 20, the 6GB RAM” at least “is at least partially to blame, and a fantastic design decision. The Ultra is shipping with 12GB.
“People who know Android, love the Micro .ft5 365 and Office fees and use data consistently benefit the most from the Surface Duo,” he concludes. But even then, “maybe wait a few months to see how the software improves.”
OneZero
The MicroSt’s Surface Duo is a perfect combination of phone and tablet
This batch of reviews features Owen Williams Outerier, with a vaguely enthusiastic review, starting with the premise that the Duo is a “more foldable tablet than a smartphone”. [for] A very specific piece of people who prefer Surface devices (like me) and care to do more work on the go with a single device. ”
He argues that the experience of using two screens is “variable” … when I first started using Surface Duo, I was skeptical about how much value the dual screen would add: I never wanted more in my phone There will be a screen … but the Duo has not only assured me that the extra space is worth it, it has completely changed the way I think about how I use my phone. ”
Not all of them are positive. My video “video calling is good for gender” but “normal compared to pixels or iPhones …” Overall, though, this is what Duo’s designers will turn to when they need to be flattered.
Android Central
Microsoft Surface Duo Review: Hot Mess
The headline of Android Central says it all. This is a well-thought-out review by Daniel Bader, who, despite being in Google Services, tried hard to adapt to hardware and micro .ft-centric software.
Conclusion: “The Surface Duo should not be available for purchase right now. Its software software is still too bad to ask people to spend $ 1,400 for the privilege of owning the smallest Surface.
Mashable
MicroStaft Surface Duo Review: Is This New Normal?
Like many of the reviews I’ve seen, Mashable’s Joseph Wolp’s title changed after this initial release. The original title was “Is this the future of smartphones?”
And like all headlines in question, both titles eventually succumb to Battery’s low head f headlines: “Any title ending in a question mark can be answered with the word” no. ”
The in-depth review listed covers the same amount as the rest of the examples listed here, but the conclusion is significantly more optimistic: “I like this duo. Yes, despite all those flaws and a clear lack of disclosure against it. Panel, that’s a nice thing. Makes. … It’s just that the convenience 1,400 has a lot to ask for, especially when it’s not a full service. ”
Fast company
Microsoft Surface Duo Review: Two screens, unfinished software
Harry McCracken, who has been in the business for as long as many long-term devices can see, takes a properly dubious look on the surface duo. It was overcome by a combination of “extremely bizarre, complete bugs and utility questions that Microsoft has not totally solved.”
After a detailed reading of some of the issues, McCrack gave a wait-and-see verdict: “The company emphasizes that Duo’s software is in progress, and says it plans to roll out monthly software software updates. The prospects seem reasonable. That would work great after one or two updates. But even if the idea presented by this device hit me, I would just wait and see instead of sinking my money. ”
(And historical footnote: My all-time favorite McCracken article is this 2012, the fact after the fact is on another device that was ahead of its time: “Newton, reconsideration.”)
Engage
Micro .ft Surface Duo Review: An Attractive, Expensive, Irregular Affair
Inget’s Charlene Lowe gives the Surface Duo what Ivy Ligurians can call a “gentleman male C”, a rating of 71 on a 0-100 scale, and the initial results of a collaboration between Google and Microsoft are promising. Note:
“The Surface Duo is just as good as a phone, just as bad as a tablet, and somewhat functional in everything in between, that is, when the software works as promised. Monthly updates will be required. MicroSFT will fix many of its issues. ”
C.N.E.T.
MicroSt. Surface Duo Review: Cool Design, Janaki Performance
Scott Stein of CNET notes that the device “looks promising … like a tiny device perfect for this new world of home.” And then things fell apart into four sections: Stage 1: What a beautiful design. Stage 2: Oh, why isn’t anything working smoothly? Stage 3: How exactly do you use this? Stage 4: I lost my old comfort phone.
Like many of his colleagues, Stein also concluded that the Surface Duo needs time: “I like the idea of experimenting, but I don’t like to use experiments that don’t feel good. And right now, I don’t see who it is for the Duo. But in a year, it could be a better solution. ”
Gizmodo
Microsoft Surface Duo Review: Starting the Dual-Screen Revolution
Sam R. Ford has drawn the device on the duo “one of the most divisive phones in recent memory” and “vitriol, unreliability, and straight-up hate” on the duo leading his review. Which gives you an idea of where this will end. “[A]T some issues $ 1,400 Surface Duo seems very experimental. That kind of is expected when a device is trying to start a revolution. ”
It hits the same high notes (design “thoughtful elegance”) and low notes (underwhelming specs, and “especially frustrating” cameras).
Not surprisingly, the conclusion is positive: “[E]Considering its flaws, the Surface Duo is already an incredibly powerful business phone. … This is the microsoft that is trying to mimic what it did when creating a new category of devices with the original surface. It’s not perfect, but the revolution is here. ”
