The foldable mobile devices are slowly but surely picking up pace as the idea of having a tablet and phone in one device catches up with end-users. OEMs have had their versions of phone-tablet hybrids in the last couple of years and things seem to be improving. The two devices which are making the headlines before their official release – Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Surface Duo – have very different features which makes them unique in their own way. Both of them have their strong points and weak ones. So, which one should you consider? Let’s have a rundown and help you make the decision.
Display and design
The Surface Duo is basically a dual-screen phone having 5.6-inch Pixel Sense AMOLED screens with a hinge binding them together. It opens up like a book and can rotate 360 degrees. The device is quite thin at 4.8 mm making it one of thinnest foldable phone-tablet out there. That said, for some the design can be a bit old fashioned, and the thick bezel display doesn’t neutralize the appeal either.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 on the other hand has a clean foldable OLED display on the inside measuring 7.6-inches with high-resolution HDR10+ certification and having 120 Hz refresh rate. On the outside, there is a secondary 6.2-inch OLED display. Clearly, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s screen and design are more appealing than Surface Duo which looks a bit old school.
Storage and processing power under the hood
While Surface Duo is powered by the Snapdragon 855, the Z Fold 2 boasts Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC. This gives the Samsung foldable phone a clear advantage when it comes to using high-end applications or playing current gen graphics-intensive games. In terms of available RAM too the Z Fold 2 impresses with 8GB/12GB options while Duo has the 6GB RAM version.
Talking about internal storage, the Surface Duo will come in 128GB/256GB variants while the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has 256GB/512GB options. More storage means you don’t have to bother about running out of space, so Z Fold 2 scores here as well.
Battery capacity
Being thinner than Galaxy Z Fold 2 means that Microsoft has to compromise a little bit on battery capacity. Surface Duo has a 3,577 mAh battery while Z Fold 2 is slated to come with a 4,500 mAh battery. This will make the Samsung foldable device last longer but one has to consider that it also has higher resolution and a higher refresh rate which consumes more battery. Real-world usage and memory management on both devices will reveal the actual battery consumption when these devices are released.
Camera capabilities
Samsung has been known to give its flagship devices the best camera setup and Z Fold 2 is no different either. According to leaks and rumors, it will have a triple camera setup with the Primary sensor being 12MP adapted from S20 Plus or even the 108MP sensor on the S20 Ultra. This will be complemented by the ultra-wide lens and telephoto shooter.
On the other end of the spectrum, Surface Duo lacks far behind with a speculated 11MP (f/2.0) single camera on the rear. So, don’t expect much as far as taking photographs with the Microsoft Surface Duo is concerned.
Software, app, and UI
Galaxy Z Fold looks to be the clear winner when the hardware is considered but Surface Duo makes up for the lack of firepower with its software integration. The apps and software are optimized for a smooth experience and take full advantage of the unique design. Opening up apps simultaneously or multitasking is going to be way better on the Duo. Support for Surface Pen with Duo is another advantage for the device. Galaxy Z Fold 2 is going to be more of a phone with a big screen which will have limitations when compared to Duo.
Which one to pick
Both these devices are going to appeal to a different set of users since they are different in more ways than not. Surface Duo is going to appeal to productivity-minded users who are looking to optimize their multi-tasking routine on a compact device. Microsoft has tweaked the OS environment perfectly on the Duo and the users will have a seamless experience, exploring every aspect of it.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 on the other hand is more tailored for users who demand multimedia content on a beautiful display. With the superior processor and RAM gaming is going to be a breeze and multitasking apps will also be seamless. The aspect where it will lag behind in comparison is productivity.
The pricing of the phones also has a wide divide – as Z Fold 2 will likely touch $2,000 mark while Surface Duo will cost $1,400. For users who have productivity as their main motive to buy a foldable large-screen device, Surface Duo will be the clear cut choice. On the other hand, one’s who are looking for something flamboyant and don’t have any particular productivity goals, Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the way to go.
