10 months since the company first announced the dual-screen device, Microsoft has officially launched the Surface Duo. Sales will begin next month, earlier than the original holiday 2020 target.
The device marks the debut of the software titan in the Android mobile market. The Surface Duo runs Android 10, but will receive an upgrade to Android 11 in the coming months.
Pretty much all of the leaks we got prior to this unveiling were true.
As expected, the specs are closer to midrange than truly premium, which is what you would expect from a high-profile launch such as this. Things start with the Snapdragon 855 processor, which was a flagship last year but has been superseded by newer chipsets.
You also have 6GB or RAM to play with, while storage tiers come in at 128GB and 256GB.
Speaking in terms of camera, this one is actually closer to entry level devices in some aspects. A single 11MP f/2.0 sensor handles imaging duties, though it can capture 4K 60fps video. At least, features like portrait mode and super resolution zoom are in.
The part that is premium is the screen, of course.
The Duo houses two displays, with each one being 5.6 inches of size with a 4:3 aspect ratio. These are AMOLED panels with an 1800 x 1350 resolution. Combined, they make up 8.1 inches of screen real estate with a 3:2 aspect ratio and an excellent 2700 x 1800 resolution.
Though you do have to make do with some rather chunky bezels in between the displays.
Microsoft says that this is the thinnest Surface yet, at 4.8mm when opened. The 9.33mm wide device weighs in at 250g. Speaking of the battery, we have a 3,577mAh unit packed in that is backed by 18W fast charging.
As you may have guessed, the Surface Duo comes with a whole bunch of Microsoft apps like Office, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Edge, OneNote, To Do, News, and more.
The real kicker is the price, however.
All of this can be yours for $1,399 for the 128GB model of this 4G device.
It comes in the Glacier color, with a bumper case. And is available for preorder today from AT&T, Best Buy, or the Microsoft Store. The Surface Duo is set to hit store shelves on September 10, which is around the time it will ship out to those who order it.
Will you?
