Microsoft's second-gen foldable phone has a bigger battery, more cameras and 5G

Microsoft Surface Duo 2
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Just over a year on from the launch of the Microsoft Surface Duo, the tech giant has unveiled its second-generation foldable phone called, as you may well have guessed, the Microsoft Surface Duo 2.

The Duo 2 comes with upgrades across the board to make it a more tempting purchase, and a more useful productivity tool, than its predecessor - though one of the upgrades is the price.

In the US, the Surface Duo 2 costs $1,499 (roughly £1,100, AU$2,080), which is a slight bump up from the $1,399 / £1,350 (about AU$1,930) starting price of the original - expect prices elsewhere in a few months time, as the first model launched in the UK five months after its US debut.


What you need to know about the Microsoft Surface Duo 2

While the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has the same form factor as its predecessor, it's actually got upgrades across the board. 

Instead of having a 5.6-inch folded and 8.1-inch unfolded display, the screen size on the new model is 5.8-inch folded and 8.3-inch unfolded, and there's a slight resolution bump for each of them too.

The battery is bigger, clocking in at 4,449mAh instead of 3,577mAh, and the charging speed has seen a boost at 23W instead of 18W. Given the bigger battery, though, charging times might actually be slightly longer.

Perhaps the biggest improvement the Surface Duo 2 sees is in the camera department. Instead of having a single 11MP snapper, there's a 12MP main, 16MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto snapper with 2x optical zoom. 

A change that'll be super useful for professionals is the ability to connect to 5G networks, something the original lacked, and which will be useful for downloading documents and getting a reliable cellular connection. That's tied to the new chipset, the Snapdragon 888, which should provide top processing power.

Microsoft also announced new Surface Pro 8, Surface Go 3 and Surface Pro X tablets, as well as a brand-new Surface Laptop Studio as well.

TOPICS
Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford joined TechRadar in early 2019 as a staff writer, and left the team as deputy phones editor in late 2022 to work for entertainment site (and TR sister-site) What To Watch. He continues to contribute on a freelance basis for several sections including phones, audio and fitness.

Read more
Foldable iPhone
New foldable iPhone rumors predict Apple’s bold plans – here are 6 things to expect, from cameras to launch date
The Nubia Flip 2 5G in the hand
The 'affordable' Nubia Flip 2 is here to tempt you away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: price, cameras, specs, Galaxy AI upgrades, and more
OnePlus Open on a pedestal with home screen showing
OnePlus Open 2: what we want to see
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Paris in front of the Louvre pyramid
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 front angled closed
I want to see a cheaper folding phone, but now is not the right time – here's why
Latest in Phones
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest batch of leaked iPhone 17 dummy units appear to show where glass meets metal on the new designs
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL on peach background with don't miss text overlay
Why wait for the Pixel 9a? Here's a Pixel 9 Pro XL deal that can save you up to $600 at Best Buy
Apple iPhone 16e REVIEW
The iPhone 16e’s 5G performance seemingly has the iPhone 16’s beat
The Google Pixel 9a
The Google Pixel 9a’s AI has a RAM problem
Tim Cook
The EU wants Apple to open iOS to competitors and this is the mother of all bad ideas
The Google Wallet app with a mode for kids shown on-screen.
Google Wallet’s new kid-friendly payment system is a win for parents
Latest in News
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest batch of leaked iPhone 17 dummy units appear to show where glass meets metal on the new designs
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong could potentially launch this year and I reckon it could be a great game for an Xbox handheld
ransomware avast
Ransomware attacks are costing Government offices a month of downtime on average
Cassian looking at someone off-camera from a TIE fighter cockpit in Andor season 2
Star Wars: Andor creator is taking a stance against AI by canceling plans to release its scripts, and I completely get why
Nintendo x Seattle Mariners partnership
The Nintendo Switch 2 logo will be featured on the Seattle Mariners' baseball jerseys this season
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Review
Siri's chances to beat ChatGPT just got a whole lot better