Wow it's crazy buggy

[Jordan Lund]

I WAS interested, but I lost all interest when I found out it had no memory expansion options. $1400 for 128gb and $1500 for 256gb is just not good enough when my sub-$200 phone supports up to 2TB microSD cards. Not on a tablet style form factor.

NFC? Meh, I actively don't want NFC. The last thing I want is my phone having access to my credit cards.
11mp single camera? I could see that being problematic, but I'm not an Instagram nerd so I can deal.

But the loss of memory expansion? That's huge to me. Maybe Duo 2.0.

 

[bhatech]

I WAS interested, but I lost all interest when I found out it had no memory expansion options. $1400 for 128gb and $1500 for 256gb is just not good enough when my sub-$200 phone supports up to 2TB microSD cards. Not on a tablet style form factor.

NFC? Meh, I actively don't want NFC. The last thing I want is my phone having access to my credit cards.
11mp single camera? I could see that being problematic, but I'm not an Instagram nerd so I can deal.

But the loss of memory expansion? That's huge to me. Maybe Duo 2.0.

I doubt there be will be ever SD card slot given that they push office 365 services. Personally never cared for SD card slots and never used them even on my Samsung phones. But I think just like iPhone, Pixel etc Duo might not have a SD card going forward as well. I need to check my Fold 2 if it has one, never looked for it but think it's not there even on $2000 phone.

 

[Bkr11]

Have it and love it. Needs some polishing for sure, but for it’s intended use as a productivity tool it’s phenomenal. That said, given the gen 1 nature of it I would only highly recommend this to people who have a mobile workflow or day-to-day mobile usage that could really benefit from two distinct screens.

 

[brau0303]

Damn didn't know we had a forum for this device. Been using the unlocked version from launch day and got to say this software is a mess in the current state. Super buggy, occasional lags, jank and overall lacks polish. Surprised Microsoft let it ship in the current state and can only imagine what was the condition of it before he day one software update

This phone reminds me of essential phone, beautiful hardware held back by buggy software. I'm hoping Microsoft can push updates on this as fast as possible instead of waiting monthly.
When it works well it's a great experience but the occasional lag, jank and lock ups just kill the overall experience. The below droid life review perfectly summed up my experience along with all the other reviews. I'm still going to keep the phone since it's not my main phone anyway and I do see the potential **IF** they can fix the software issues.

www.droid-life.com/2020/09/14/the-microsoft-surface-duo-is-really-bad/

The Duo is a really well engineered device. It will improve with updates. You need to do the day one update and it's really important to spend some time learning the gesture based system (some of them are not intuitive or what you would expect) there are also some things you can do to improve by enabling "developer options" and tuning some of the graphical aspects for better performance. some apps do not always play well with the gestures, you can enable the 3 button's if you prefer that.

Cheers,
BR

 

[bhatech]

The Duo is a really well engineered device. It will improve with updates. You need to do the day one update and it's really important to spend some time learning the gesture based system (some of them are not intuitive or what you would expect) there are also some things you can do to improve by enabling "developer options" and tuning some of the graphical aspects for better performance. some apps do not always play well with the gestures, you can enable the 3 button's if you prefer that.
Cheers,
BR

I have lost count on how many phones I have used over the decade. I have (and everyone) applied the day one update since it applies even before you can set up the phone. As far as the gestures i have been using them on multiple phones for years on iOS and on my many android phones, it took no time to use the gestures on the Duo. I know about developer options they aren't going to help solve all the bugs, jank, lag, frequent lock ups etc other than reducing animations or changing DPI etc. And I have even factory reset the phone and setup phone without restoring anything from backup to remove any chance of issues previous backups may conflict.

I'm using the Fold 2 and Duo currently, and the Fold 2 puts the duo to shame in terms of how polished the software is. Is it fair comparison? May be not because its second generation and more expensive etc but even stand alone Duo software can't compete with the software polish of a cheap mid range Android phone.

Anyways I still enjoy using the phone when it works well and definitely can see the promise if everything is fixed. I'm still going to keep the phone since the hardware is so fun and really well made, it's one of my secondary phones anyway. I'll see how it goes but I'm not going to be a fanboy and defend Microsoft for the current state of the software. They should be ashamed to put such bad software and rightfully deserved all the critical brutal reviews. If they fix I'll be the first one to praise but we are not there yet. If in the current state everything works great for some of you then more power to you all.

 

[brau0303]

I have lost count on how many phones I have used over the decade. I have (and everyone) applied the day one update since it applies even before you can set up the phone. As far as the gestures i have been using them on multiple phones for years on iOS and on my many android phones, it took no time to use the gestures on the Duo. I know about developer options they aren't going to help solve all the bugs, jank, lag, frequent lock ups etc other than reducing animations or changing DPI etc. And I have even factory reset the phone and setup phone without restoring anything from backup to remove any chance of issues previous backups may conflict.

I'm using the Fold 2 and Duo currently, and the Fold 2 puts the duo to shame in terms of how polished the software is. Is it fair comparison? May be not because its second generation and more expensive etc but even stand alone Duo software can't compete with the software polish of a cheap mid range Android phone.

Anyways I still enjoy using the phone when it works well and definitely can see the promise if everything is fixed. I'm still going to keep the phone since the hardware is so fun and really well made, it's one of my secondary phones anyway. I'll see how it goes but I'm not going to be a fanboy and defend Microsoft for the current state of the software. They should be ashamed to put such bad software and rightfully deserved all the critical brutal reviews. If they fix I'll be the first one to praise but we are not there yet. If in the current state everything works great for some of you then more power to you all.

The "Z" Fold 2 looks like a great 2nd Gen device and I am really happy to see all of the new forms and innovation. Smart devices seem to have been focused on More of this, more of that. Other than spec improvements to me there was not allot of new or change happening. Different things will appeal to folks and since we all run different load out's our mileage will vary as they say..

Cheers,
BR

 

[Thinkbusiness]

Literally had mine for 3 hours and returned it to Best Buy. Dear lord it was a software nightmare, which is likely rooted from it's cheap a$& 2013 hardware specs.

To each his own opinion. On launch day there was a 200+ Mb update which fixed a lot of bugs. I am using the Duo as my daily driver... works smoothly...

 

[Kevin Heinrich]

I will echo several other comments here that you will have a largely very positive experience with the Microsoft Surface Duo if you do all the day 1 updates straight out of the box. Don't try to use it, just get the updates out of the way. Also, install the google handwriting keyboard, gboard which makes the device absolutely fantastic. There is a gestures learning curve and sometimes the screens do get confused due to user sudden changes in orientation by the user (the accelerometers doing their jobs). The camera modes selfie and standard outfacing picture mode has actually worked really well for me. My old phone was a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+5G with 512GB and I love the Duo and don't want to go back...I will make a note that I utilize the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 for my tap to pay functionality and notifications when my DUO is closed and it is a great pair up. Also using the new graphite Microsoft earbuds and they pair up seamlessly. Did have a one time weird problem with Android Auto not wanting to use the Chevrolet Equinox speakers and microphone during a phone call. A reboot of the DUO seemed to fix the problem. Anyways, I will definitely continue to use the heck out of the DUO and I can't wait for DUO 2 and so on...

 

[aitt]

I couldn't resist the hardware and pulled the trigger. I have some regrets for missing features, but not a deal breaker for me. I have no regrets to decide to keep this product and return the Note 20 Ultra. It took some time to get use to the gestures, now it's an ease. I was scared to buy because of all the bad reviews and user experience I've read, but sometimes I know tech reviews does not always equal to user reviews.

I won't deny the lag and buggy software. I had to have it more than 5 mins at the store to get a better feel, but my buggy is no where near as bad as people have said. The camera sucks for me, but I'm not a picture taking person that cares that I have to have ultra clean images for Instagram influencer.

2 days in and I have absolutely fell in love with dual screen. It makes my multitasking so much easier than using dual apps on the note. Especially when I need one screen info to type in the second. Anyone who has used dual apps knows that if you type you lose 1/3 of the screen and can't see the other app with it being covered up. This just makes it SO much easier.

It can be cumbersome to to use the camera when you're used to just using a camera on the back and point and shoot. Having to fold, flip screen, and hope the device recognize you're needing the other screen for pictures can have it's frustrating moment. Especially when the screen rotate is also a factor.

I also feel that MS should also allowed for a 5 grid app on the home screen. Feels like so much screen space is wasted only being able to just put 4 when in the quick drawer clearly can handle 6 apps. I also hate how small the notification pull down looks instead of just using the whole screen. Guess I'm so used to Samsung.

I'm really looking forward to an update to the software and hope the expand a little on the skin. I'm personally sold on the dual screen and how MS has implemented it is awesome. Just fix the damn bugs.

 

[tadpoles]

I couldn't resist the hardware and pulled the trigger. I have some regrets for missing features, but not a deal breaker for me. I have no regrets to decide to keep this product and return the Note 20 Ultra. It took some time to get use to the gestures, now it's an ease. I was scared to buy because of all the bad reviews and user experience I've read, but sometimes I know tech reviews does not always equal to user reviews.

I won't deny the lag and buggy software. I had to have it more than 5 mins at the store to get a better feel, but my buggy is no where near as bad as people have said. The camera sucks for me, but I'm not a picture taking person that cares that I have to have ultra clean images for Instagram influencer.

2 days in and I have absolutely fell in love with dual screen. It makes my multitasking so much easier than using dual apps on the note. Especially when I need one screen info to type in the second. Anyone who has used dual apps knows that if you type you lose 1/3 of the screen and can't see the other app with it being covered up. This just makes it SO much easier.

It can be cumbersome to to use the camera when you're used to just using a camera on the back and point and shoot. Having to fold, flip screen, and hope the device recognize you're needing the other screen for pictures can have it's frustrating moment. Especially when the screen rotate is also a factor.

I also feel that MS should also allowed for a 5 grid app on the home screen. Feels like so much screen space is wasted only being able to just put 4 when in the quick drawer clearly can handle 6 apps. I also hate how small the notification pull down looks instead of just using the whole screen. Guess I'm so used to Samsung.

I'm really looking forward to an update to the software and hope the expand a little on the skin. I'm personally sold on the dual screen and how MS has implemented it is awesome. Just fix the damn bugs.

You choose the Duo over the Fold2 for pricing reasons?

 

[aitt]

You choose the Duo over the Fold2 for pricing reasons?

No. The Duo is $100 more than the Note 20U (I had the 128 version). The duo is far more a better multitasking product compared to the Note 20. The dual screen was perfect and in just the 2 days for me to get stuff done easier was more efficient. The form factor was a refresh to see. I been using the Note since 5 so am very aware of what I was giving up. I don't like that the Duo doesn't have a dedicated placement for the slim pen like the note. I'm hoping that MS can make it more functional and work in ways the S Pen can.

But for productivity for me, the DUO is perfect and worth working through the minor bugs I personally deal with. I'm really looking forward to using this more for my day to day use.

People complained about not having a screen for notification but I been using a smart watch some the first Gear S so it's always just been second nature to get my notifications on my watch. The 855 works just fine for me. My hang ups are not worth complaining about to need to return. I'm going to ride this one out like people who rode with the Fold.

This product is easily not for everyone. But I personally see it being far from a niche product if MS continues to execute this better in updates. I could be wrong. I remember when people said the same thing about the Note being a niche product nobody wanted.

 

[bhatech]

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/micro...uncher-6-2-200902-91377-android-apk-download/

Installed the latest beta version from APK mirror and it's much smoother overall. At least for the time being. Just FYI

https://twitter.com/zacbowden/status/1308105612178399232?s=19

 

[tadpoles]

No. The Duo is $100 more than the Note 20U (I had the 128 version). The duo is far more a better multitasking product compared to the Note 20. The dual screen was perfect and in just the 2 days for me to get stuff done easier was more efficient. The form factor was a refresh to see. I been using the Note since 5 so am very aware of what I was giving up. I don't like that the Duo doesn't have a dedicated placement for the slim pen like the note. I'm hoping that MS can make it more functional and work in ways the S Pen can.

But for productivity for me, the DUO is perfect and worth working through the minor bugs I personally deal with. I'm really looking forward to using this more for my day to day use.

People complained about not having a screen for notification but I been using a smart watch some the first Gear S so it's always just been second nature to get my notifications on my watch. The 855 works just fine for me. My hang ups are not worth complaining about to need to return. I'm going to ride this one out like people who rode with the Fold.

This product is easily not for everyone. But I personally see it being far from a niche product if MS continues to execute this better in updates. I could be wrong. I remember when people said the same thing about the Note being a niche product nobody wanted.

I was asking about the Duo vs the Fold 2, not the Duo vs the Note 20U. For I was asking if the reason you chose the Duo over the Fold 2 was money alone. However, if screen real estate is the deciding factor that the Duo may have more.

 

[aitt]

I was asking about the Duo vs the Fold 2, not the Duo vs the Note 20U. For I was asking if the reason you chose the Duo over the Fold 2 was money alone. However, if screen real estate is the deciding factor that the Duo may have more.

Sorry. Completely missed that part. I'm not interested in the crappy fake glass. I have the Z Flip and I don't like the plastic "glass" It's still too fragile for reliability IMHO. Scratches extremely easy and on my part something hit the screen and created a pixel tear in the screen.

There's a reason why Samsung can't sell the phone with an SPen. I wasn't worried about the cost. I'm sure the Fold 2 is more polished a product being in its gen2 state, but for me the way the Duo works, I wish Samsung made a dual screen like this. I'm not sold on that fake glass yet.

Plus having this 360 hinge is amazing. Beats the hell out of having to have a 2nd screen IMO. It just works. MS did an amazing job. And this is coming from an avid Samsung user since the Samsung Nexus days.

 

[Mike Dee]

Sorry. Completely missed that part. I'm not interested in the crappy fake glass. I have the Z Flip and I don't like the plastic "glass" It's still too fragile for reliability IMHO. Scratches extremely easy and on my part something hit the screen and created a pixel tear in the screen.

There's a reason why Samsung can't sell the phone with an SPen. I wasn't worried about the cost. I'm sure the Fold 2 is more polished a product being in its gen2 state, but for me the way the Duo works, I wish Samsung made a dual screen like this. I'm not sold on that fake glass yet.

Plus having this 360 hinge is amazing. Beats the hell out of having to have a 2nd screen IMO. It just works. MS did an amazing job. And this is coming from an avid Samsung user since the Samsung Nexus days.

I was under the impression that the fold 2 is made out of thin glass. How is it fake glass?

 

[aitt]

I was under the impression that the fold 2 is made out of thin glass. How is it fake glass?

Because it's not glass. It still have the consistency of plastic. They can call what they want and people can believe what they want. I have the Z Flip and that thing is just as consistent as plastic. I started to see it in the Flip after so much folding. If it was glass that wouldn't get scratched as easy and would have an S Pen. Too fragile for me to spend $2K for.

 

[tadpoles]

I was under the impression that the fold 2 is made out of thin glass. How is it fake glass?

I was wondering the same thing but I imagine that's being said because it's not a strong as thicker/traditional glass panels would be. I think, for me it's durable enough for everyday use with fingers but certainly not with an S Pen or other pointed/hard object.

 

[brau0303]

I Have a Duo, I had the opportunity to play with a Z Fold 2 at a recent family event I was at. The Fold 2 is a really nice phone and you can see where Samsung really spent some time improving things. The Screen is Awesome, The Body of the fold just has a great feel and the device overall is really nice.

If I did not have a Duo I would have considered moving from Note's to the Fold series. I do love my Duo and feel it's a better fit for my usage and I really prefer the screen format (dual screen or big screen is a nice set of options to choose from) I have never really been a fan of Taller/Narrower trend. I like having pen/e-ink ability. I understand that Unlike the Fold 2 (that is a Phone 1st) The Duo is a device that can do allot of things including make phone calls and that works for me. I have no doubt in Samsung's engineering but to me the Separate screens is a better implementation and the dual screen form feels natural to me (Tho I do use 3 screens at work)

Cheers,
BR

 

[tadpoles]

I Have a Duo, I had the opportunity to play with a Z Fold 2 at a recent family event I was at. The Fold 2 is a really nice phone and you can see where Samsung really spent some time improving things. The Screen is Awesome, The Body of the fold just has a great feel and the device overall is really nice.

If I did not have a Duo I would have considered moving from Note's to the Fold series. I do love my Duo and feel it's a better fit for my usage and I really prefer the screen format (dual screen or big screen is a nice set of options to choose from) I have never really been a fan of Taller/Narrower trend. I like having pen/e-ink ability. I understand that Unlike the Fold 2 (that is a Phone 1st) The Duo is a device that can do allot of things including make phone calls and that works for me. I have no doubt in Samsung's engineering but to me the Separate screens is a better implementation and the dual screen form feels natural to me (Tho I do use 3 screens at work)

Cheers,
BR

I completely understand. Enjoy those dual screens!

 

[aitt]

I was wondering the same thing but I imagine that's being said because it's not a strong as thicker/traditional glass panels would be. I think, for me it's durable enough for everyday use with fingers but certainly not with an S Pen or other pointed/hard object.

I wouldn't say it doesn't have some durability. It's definitely not plastic per se. Just more a fancier plastic IMO. You won't to worry about it cracking. Just after so much use on the Flip you can just feel the hinge area of the fold. You just get used to it considering the nature of the technology.