Surface Duo: Expectation VS Reality

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The number one question everyone has is "How does Battle Cats Perform on the Surface Duo?"

You are going to have to wait until later to get that answer. Instead, here is the

TLDR:
I expected greatness from the Surface Duo.

In reality, it falls short in the most basic ways.

I was very excited for this device. I used to carry around multiple phones every day for multiple years. I thought the Duo could be the new hybrid device that bridges the gap and allows me to have two devices combined into one. I wanted this to be the mobile version of having two tvs in one room. I still believe that this form factor has potential. However, the software is just way too unfinished to make this a product I can justify - especially for the price.

Things I love About the Physical Design:
Two screens vs One
Aspect Ratio - Not Tall/Long
Thickness
No Large, Uneven Gap when folded
No Third/Outer screen
No Camera bump
Kickstand Ability
Minimal Design: Single Logo - No words, numbers written on device
360 Hinge
Overall symmetry

Problems I Experienced within 24 Hours:
Corners are a little sharp/uncomfortable to hold
Speaker Location is Not Optimal for Landscape Orientation
Screens are different colors of white
Device is thinner than USB C cable - this makes it so the device cannot be put on a flat surface and be flush
Using device with one hand was not comfortable

Software Issues:
Home Button
• Does not always work
• Sometimes moves app to opposite screen instead of going home
• Sometimes disappears
• Sometimes displays incorrectly

Accelerometer/orientation is slow and inaccurate

Can't Always scroll to left Homescreen is there is an app on left screen
YouTube Randomly Turns Blurry/pixelated
App Orientation Inconsistent
Volume Button Orientation can be opposite direction of Volume Displayed on the Screen
Cannot Swipe Home With Both Screens at the same time
Cannot have keyboard open on both screens at the same time
Setup did not work in single screen mode

Things I liked:
App Groups
Fantasy Football
YouTube and a Game
Stylus support
Battle Cats performance

Lacking In Specs:
No 120 Hz Screen
Lower Ram
Older Processor
Speakers
Bezels
Waterproof
Screen Refresh Rate
Wireless charging
Charging port location
Fingerprint Sensor
Physical look of camera

Conclusion:
I really thought Microsoft was going to come out swinging with this device. I was hoping for an epic return to smartphones for them. I really liked windows phone back in the day, but thought the major thing that held them back was lack of apps. Now, with their first android device Apps are no longer a problem. Not only that, but this is also a dual screen phone. They claimed they were really focused on making the software integration with the hardware amazing. The said they parted with google to optimize this. I have really appreciated Microsoft's approach with mobile apps on iOS, Android, and even the extra integration they are doing with Samsung and Windows. It seemed like they really took their time on this device, and I thought it was because they were focusing on making the software great. They are asking for a high price for a device that lacks modern specs - I believed that is acceptable if the software experience was top notch. However, I cannot even say using the home button is a good experience; let alone most other actions. This lack of detail for basic functions leaves me very confused how this was ever signed off on getting released. I hope that Microsoft has future OS updates that fix these issues, but I no longer trust in companies saying they will make something better in the future. If they cared, these issues would have been fixed before the device was released.

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‪@TheVerge‬ ‪@TheFantasyFootballers‬ Thanks for letting me watch some of your videos on the duo!