Surface Duo 2 photos: See Microsoft's new foldable phone in action

Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 shows promise, but it's not practical enough to serve as an everyday phone just yet.

Sarah Tew

I'm a visual storyteller, working primarily in the medium of photography and photoshop. I listen to more podcasts than I can keep up with and enjoy gardening, cooking, reading, and am striving for a sustainable lifestyle. A big-picture thinker, I am always trying to put the pieces together, and though things are scary these days, I believe humanity will pull through.

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Lisa Eadicicco Senior Editor

Lisa Eadicicco is a senior editor for CNET covering mobile devices. She has been writing about technology for almost a decade. Prior to joining CNET, Lisa served as a senior tech correspondent at Insider covering Apple and the broader consumer tech industry. She was also previously a tech columnist for Time Magazine and got her start as a staff writer for Laptop Mag and Tom's Guide.

Expertise Apple, Samsung, Google, smartphones, smartwatches, wearables, fitness trackers

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Sarah Tew

Lisa Eadicicco

Oct. 21, 2021 6:00 a.m. PT

1 of 26 Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

The Surface Duo 2 has two 5.8-inch screens, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chip that's faster than its predecessor's and a triple-lens camera. Those represent significant upgrades compared to the original Surface Duo.

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Gaming is one of the most promising use cases for the Surface Duo 2's dual screens. Gameloft's Asphalt 9 racing game is one of the titles that's been optimized for the device.

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The Surface Duo 2 also works well as a digital book thanks to the Amazon Kindle app, which has been tailored to work nicely across the two screens.

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Most of the time, I used the Surface Duo 2 with one hand by folding the second screen all the way back.

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But the Surface Duo 2 doesn't completely fold flat since it now has a camera bump on the back.

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I also really enjoyed using the Surface Duo 2's second screen as a kickstand. I could see this being useful for following recipes in the kitchen.

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The Surface Duo 2's biggest problem is that not many apps are optimized for its two screens. And the hinge running down the center is very noticeable.

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The Surface Duo 2 has a sleek design that's definitely attention grabbing. It comes in a new obsidian black color option.

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On the Surface Duo 2, you can also compose an email on one screen while using the second screen as a keyboard. Keep scrolling through to see more photos of Microsoft's new foldable.