Microsoft Surface Duo 256GB (Unlocked) - Glacier

I have been looking at the Surface Duo since it came out, and have been disappointed in the final product based on the reviews. However, I have believed that the basic premise - that dual screens was better than one large screen - was correct, but unsure if this concept (which we accept for PCs) was still valid for phones. As the prices fell, I decided to test this concept out.I purchased this phone through Amazon about 3 weeks ago, and paid AUS$1000 for the device and expedited delivery. The device arrived to regional Australia within 7 days of ordering (a week earlier than the "expected" delivery date) so hats off to Amazon and UPS for the service.The device is even better in real life than any image or video can convey. Engineering alone, this rivals anything Apple has done in the last 5 years, and something that one would expect from Steve Jobs. Beautifully balanced, it is a device that you will WANT to pick up and open on a regular basis. Hardware-wise, you cannot complain. Even the large bezel on the inside are something you just accept because it is such a beautiful device.I have had no issues with the response of the device and it "feels" as quick as my wife's Galaxy S20. Folded, it is as slim as the S20, and the glass back and front give it a good heft, without feeling heavy.After a number (4 or 5) updates I was able to start using the device. I set up a few "grouped" applications, and have found I have been adding a new application group every few days as I get used to using it.I will say now that I still maintain my current phone as my main device (Motorola Razr - yeah I know, a very small phone) and keep the Surface as my productivity device. And this is the important point. Microsoft (in my opinion) was right not to market this as a phone. I could not see myself as using it to make phone calls. But I can see myself (and do) making MS Teams calls; making Skype calls; replying to emails on the go; and using it as a media consumption device.My company uses MS Intune for security, and my work laptop is connected to a hub setup at home with dual monitors. To be able to replicate that when I need to pop out, or when I stretch my legs outside, is awesome. Could I see myself using something like the Galaxy Fold the same way? Actually, no.The OS is smooth, and I have had no issues with the gestures. I have even been able to use the camera to take photos quickly - something that requires you to understand what the accelerometers are trying to do. There is a noticeable delay when using it in low light, so if this is important you should consider this.Will I ditch the current phone and keep the Duo as my primary device? No, but only because I like a small phone and I don't rely on my phone for a lot of media consumption (although I do use it when I go for a run so I can listen to music). But the Duo is so amazing when it comes to doing the things I would need to carry a laptop for that I am more than happy to consciously take it with me when I need that functionality.My advice - if you need to regularly be in front of a computer, but want to be mobile, then you need to get yourself a Duo. Don't think it will replace your phone - think of it as a productivity device. If you use a dual screen setup for your PC then the Duo will make sense.UPDATE 21 Oct 21Okay. So I've been using the Duo now for a couple of months, and I have to confess I use it even more than when I first got it. My Motorola razr is still my phone, but apart from Maki g calls and coming on runs and rides with me, it is not my go to device.I have started using the Kindle app more and more; I have a number of newspaper apps that I use; and the convenience of having ready access to work emails (not to mention the Teams chats, calls, and files) means I can feel more assured of keeping connected when I step away from the home office.Battery life is great. I have been really impressed by the video and sound quality of Ms Teams calls, and the second screen makes it very easy to chat in a meeting as well as have the relevant documents open.I've kept my eye on the SD2 but the extra bulk and camera bump really don't appeal. I've appreciated the fact the screen real-estate is beteer, but I'd rather the super slim version I have now.Occasionally I go back to my phone to open a website or document, and realise it just doesn't compete.With the promise of Android 11 I'd recommend this (based on price) over the newer version. I originally went with four stars., but I've upped it now to five stars.Overall, it remains one of my favourite computing devices.

This is a phenomenally terrific piece of work by Microsoft - but only for the right user. It's not for everybody. It is for people who need it's big productivity advantage: the ability to run a separate program on each of it's two screens. For example, I use mine to do a Teams or Zoom meeting on one side, and take notes in OneNote on the other. And I can do that anywhere - while traveling, on a plane, on my back porch, in my office, etc. This alone makes it worth it's price. And what's a couple of extra hundred dollars when you are trying to keep track of difficult and highly fluid situations? I'm an analyst, responsible for a very complicated system that I am learning from scratch, so I have to take a lot of notes as well as search thru them (OneNote is ideal for that!). And of course all of my email, cloud and other data is synch'd onto my laptop and tablets.I can also see how useful this would be for a sales type, where for example Salesforce would run on one side and your OneNote notes about the account on the other so that you have that reference information while working on an account. Just incredible.And we can't always be in front of our laptops or desktops... so the ability to look up information *and* take notes about it at the same time on your mobile device is invaluable.I run into a few people who point out the high price... well, look around. That phone your teen daughter spent hours in line for so that she could have the phone her friends have can be just as expensive. The wave of Android devices with folding flexible screens (which are notoriously fragile and will be for many years) is just as much. The Surface Duo, with Microsoft's uniquely brilliant dual screens and hinge, is far more durable. Kudos to Microsoft for this tremendous creativity.Some call this type of product, a first release, a "version 1" product and avoid those first releases. Well, again, how much is your productivity worth? I've been in sales deals with hundreds of thousands or more where having access to information continuously or at a critical moment makes or breaks the deal. Again, that alone makes this worthwhile.I also use Gaia on hikes, and use the GPS function to track hikes live and it hasn't missed a beat. The other screen I use for any notes, and also for photos. It's hinge has been completely durable, although of course like any other phone it's not waterproof or crush proof for hikes.What could be better? This has a camera, it works well enough, but it's not a leading edge camera And there are not front and back cameras, only 1 - however the screens fold around 360 degrees (it's understood that the next version has 2 cameras). And the software to enable dual screens is all new (which Microsoft has made available for other manufacturer's Android devices) so there is the occasional clumsiness in some software. That is being actively addressed and hasn't held me back.Again, the advantages of this phone are absolutely unique. Take advantage of them and win the battle for productivity!Size: The two pics show my Surface Duo against the phone it replaced: a Galaxy Note 10+. The Note 10+ was thought of as "huge" when it came out... it took up a lot of space but it looks larger than the Surface Duo. Think of putting this in your side pocket. I hold each of these differently in my hand... and the Duo either closed, folded open, or at an angle like a book. And I often leave the Surface Duo standing partially open on my desk for convenience.My background: I've had lots of smartphones with different operating systems, and I've always looked for productivity gains above and beyond just making calls! I'm hard on them, and I have high expectations. This phone is the very first new thinking in many many years. Thank you, Microsoft!