

I must commend Microsoft for putting some thought into the bump - it added a slight lip around the edge to keep the front, outside panel from touching the glass on the camera bump directly to avoid scratches. With the Duo 2, the camera bump prevents that from happening. Since the original Duo didn’t have a rear camera, the two panels would sit flat against each other. I haven’t seen much in the way of third-party cases either. However, Microsoft offers two official cases for the Duo 2 - neither covers the back panel or camera bump in any way. It’s possible rocking a case could alleviate issues with the bump. Thanks to the 360-degree hinge, uses can fold the panels all the way around so that the two outside panels meet (the front panel with the logo presses against the back panel with the camera bump). The Duo 2 opens like a book to reveal two screens, one on the inside of each panel.
#MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO 2 DUAL SIM WINDOWS#
The outside panels feature the Windows logo on one and the camera bump on the other. The Surface Duo 2 sports a 360-degree hinge that joins two panels. But if you hold it the other way with that panel on top, the extra weight of the camera bump makes the Duo 2 feel top-heavy.Īt the same time, I’m not sure of a better place for the camera. If you have the panel with the camera on the bottom, the bump gets in the way. The bump also makes holding the Duo 2 sideways (like a Nintendo DS) awkward.

I can shimmy my hand down a little so there’s less conflict between the bump and my fingers, but that grip only really works if I’m holding the phone with two hands (which is practically mandatory given the form factor). The major gripe I have is that the camera sits right where my fingers rest when I hold the Duo 2, making it feel very awkward.

With that in mind, I think I could forgive the size if the camera was better placed. (For context, the Duo 2’s bump is only slightly thicker than the camera bump on the Pixel 6, but the Pixel 6 is nearly twice as thick as one Surface Duo 2 panel).Īll this is to say the Duo 2’s camera bump is large, but not without reason. I also want to preface this by noting that the Duo 2 is a remarkably thin device, which unfortunately helps make the camera bump feel even larger than it already is. I’m hesitant to complain too much since the original Duo didn’t have a rear-facing camera at all. Unfortunately, not everything that’s new with the design is better. The Duo 2’s ‘Obsidian’ colour is a fingerprint magnet.
#MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO 2 DUAL SIM DRIVER#
Having used it as my daily driver now, I think the negatives of using the Duo 2 outweigh the positives of the external improvements. As I noted in the hands-on, I hadn’t really used the Duo 2 much beyond performing the initial set-up and scrolling around the interface for a bit. However, the positivity fades when you use the Duo 2. This all gives the Surface Duo 2 a great first impression. I also appreciate the power button doubling as the fingerprint scanner, which naturally sits right where my thumb lands while holding the phone. They don’t wiggle around and offer a satisfying, tactile click. That could be a factor of my Duo 1 unit being about a year old and the hinge getting looser over time, however.Įven the buttons feel better on the Duo 2. The outer glass panels sport a subtle curve, which makes the Duo 2 feel much better in the hand compared to the sharp, uncomfortable edges of the original Duo. Where the original Duo feels shoddy, the Duo 2 feels sturdy.
