Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 is official with MAJOR upgrades across the board

Surface Duo 2 Black Flat
Surface Duo 2 Black Flat (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Surface Duo 2 is official with upgraded specs, bigger displays, and more!
  • Featuring a new "glance bar" down the spine, 5G connectivity and NFC.
  • Pre-orders are now open with an expected ship date of October 21.

It's finally official! Microsoft's has taken the wraps off its second-generation Surface Duo handset, aptly dubbed the "Surface Duo 2" and features upgrades across the board, including the latest Snapdragon 888 processor, 5G connectivity, NFC, and much more. The device is available for pre-order today for $1,499 and is expected to start shipping on October 21 in select markets.

Top billing for the Surface Duo 2 includes a new triple camera system on the backside of the device. This new camera system consists of a wide, ultrawide, and telephoto lens at 12MP, 16MP, and 12MP respectively. Microsoft says these cameras will provide a flagship camera experience, including support for features such as night light photography, portrait mode with adjustable depth control, and low-light and Auto HDR photography improvements.

Surface Duo 2 Glance Bar Notifs

Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

Microsoft has also increased the displays of Surface Duo 2 to 5.8-inches each, which now equates to around 8.3-inches of total screen space. The displays have a refresh rate of 90hz and are slighly curved down the middle as well, which allows a small section of the display to be exposed down the spine when closed. Microsoft calls this the "glance bar" and it will show notifications as they come in.

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CategorySurface Duo 2Surface Duo 1
OSAndroid 11Android 10
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 888Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
NetworkWi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2.4/5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.1
LTE: 4x4 MIMO, Cat 20 DL / Cat 13 UL
Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac (2.4/5GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0
LTE: 4x4 MIMO, Cat.18DL / Cat 5 UL
SIMNano SIM + eSIMNano SIM + eSIM
Network bandsFDD-LTE: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,14,19,20,25, 26,28,29,30,38,39,40,41,42,46,48,66,71
WCDMA: 1,2,5,8
GSM/GPRS: GSM-850, E-GSM-900, DCS-1800, PCS-1900
FDD-LTE: 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,14,19 20,25,26,28,29,30,66
TD-LTE: 38,39,40,41,46
WCDMA: 1,2,5,8
GSM/GPRS: GSM-850, E-GSM-900, DCS-1800, PCS-1900
DisplaySingle: 5.8 inches (1892x1344), 401 PPI, 4:3 aspect ratio
Dual: 8.3 inches (2688x1892), 401 PPI, 3:2 aspect ratio
AMOLED, HDR, 800 nits, 90Hz
Single: 5.6 inches (1800x1350), 401 PPI, 4:3 aspect ratio
Dual: 8.1 inches (2700x1800), 401 PPI, 3:2 aspect ratio
AMOLED
Memory8GB6GB
Storage128GB, 256GB, 512GB128GB, 256GB
CameraFront-facing: 12MP, ƒ/2.0, 24mm, 1.0um
Rear-facing wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.7, 27mm, 1.4um
Rear-facing telephoto: 12MP, ƒ/2.4, 51mm, 1.0um
Rear-facing ultra-wide: 16MP, ƒ/2.2, 13mm, 1.0um
11MP, ƒ/2.0, 1.0um, PDAF, 84.0° diagonal FOV
AudioStereo speakerMono speaker
SecurityFingerprint readerFingerprint reader
PortsUSB-C 3.2 (Gen 2)USB-C 3.1
Battery4,449mAh
Fast Charging
3,577mAh
Fast Charging
DimensionsOpen: 145.2mm (H) x 184.5mm (W) x 5.5mm (T)
Closed: 145.2mm (H) x 92.1mm (W) x 11mm (T at hinge)
Open: 145.2mm (H) x 186.9mm (W) x 4.8mm (T)
Closed: 145.2mm (H) x 93.3mm (W) x 9.9mm (T at hinge)
Weight284g250g
ColorGlacier
Obsidian
Glacier

Interestingly, Microsoft is also releasing a new "case" that snaps onto the front and supports magnets to store the Surface Slim Pen 2, and can also wirelessly charge it. The Surface Duo 2 is available in Glacier White, just like the first Surface Duo, but it can now also be had in a new Obsidian Black color.

Other improvements to the Surface Duo 2 include improvements to the overall fit and finish. The exterior glass now curves into the device around the edges, and the device is more robust thanks to a slight increase in thickness to 5.5mm on each side. Microsoft says this should address the USB-C cracking issue that the first-generation Surface Duo suffered from.

It's clear that Microsoft has worked hard to make the Surface Duo 2 a better phone, so it should come as no surprise to hear that the Duo 2 finally supports NFC technology for wireless payments; a must-have on any modern smartphone in 2021.

Surface Duo 2 is available for pre-order right now and is expected to ship on October 21 in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan. U.S. pricing is as follows:

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SKUPrice
128GB$1,499.99
256GB$1,599.99
512GB$1,799.99
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads