This thing is NO JOKE.
There’s a bit of a gap in AndroidLand.
Android TABLETS are often positioned as inexpensive media consumption devices. If you want a powerful slate, the market points you to either a GalaxyTab, or some other option like a Windows/ChomeOS/iPad.
Handling a Duo 2, it’s refreshing to use a multi-tasking slate, that is also a current-gen powerhouse computer. While it can be a bit clumsy at times as a phone, there’s a satisfying idea of “doing more” while on the go. This is where we get to see how this radically thin folding slab stacks up to the competition.
Here’s the Surface Duo 2 by the benchmarks!
How are each of these tests performed? Here’s my process for benchmarking phones!
What’s Inside?
Before jumping into the test results, it is worth quickly breaking down what’s powering the Duo 2.
Microsoft is opting for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888, not the slightly better binned (and more AI powerful) SD888+. We’re nearing the end of 2021, and this SOC is well understood.
There have been numerous concerns over thermals and sustained performance with the 888 this year. Getting a phone later in the year, one thing we’ll hope to see addressed is a better balance of performance and heat.
Synthetic Bench – Geek Bench 5
Starting off with some synthetic benchmarks, we can use these scores as a starting point.
Duo 2 delivers mid-pack CPU scores. In a loose comparison, this synthetic test looks similar to Samsung when “enhanced mode” is disabled. Potentially a clue that Microsoft might be reigning in the full horsepower of this chip to prevent overheating?
GPU scores are looking REALLY good however. Falling just behind Vivo and the SD888+. We should remember that the Vivo’s higher scores didn’t necessarily translate into higher real world performance.
Now that we’ve seen the synthetic scores, keep those numbers in mind as we time some real-world apps.
Video Render – PowerDirector
Looking at a complex video project in PowerDirector, Duo 2 lands near the bottom of the SD888 pack.
It ekes out wins over some of the faster SD865/865+ phones. It also finishes faster than the Galaxy S21 in “standard” mode.
Video Render – KineMaster
KineMaster differences aren’t quite as dramatic from generation to generation. Duo 2 is spot on for this generation of phones.
Video Transcode – PowerDirector
A simpler video test, transcoding a longer file, the Duo 2 scores a nice win over OnePlus and Vivo.
This is one area though where the Duo 1 scored one of the fastest renders we’ve yet timed. Software optimization significantly contributes to app performance, and will often outpace brute force compute power from a newer SOC.
Video Transcode – KineMaster
Running longer to finish the same transcode on KineMaster, Duo 2 still finishes faster than the video takes to play, which is quick, but it produces one of the slowest scores of this generation.
Podcast MixDown – Audio Evolution
Audio Evolution has REALLY liked the SD888.
The Duo is bringing up the rear of this generation, but steps ahead of the Pixel 6 Tensor score and the SD888+ in the Vivo.
Stabilization – Google Photos
Stabilization is still a total mystery, but at least the Duo 2 outpaces the Duo 1.
We’ll call that progress even if we can’t properly predict what makes stabilization faster in Google Photos. I might need to switch this test to the PowerDirector plugin for stabilizing…
Compression Test – RAR Lab
Into a more computer-y task, the Duo 2 posts some of the best synthetic scores recorded yet in RAR Lab.
And for once the synth score did actually predict the total compression time in our real-world test! Duo 2 is a little champ at squishing files.
Photo Processing – PhotoMate R3
Now into our most brutal test, the Duo 2 hangs in for a respectable synthetic score in PhotoMate.
And again, the Duo 2 manages a fantastic run through all of the RAW files processed. One of the fastest runs through the first half, and the phone handles thermals VERY well, only dropping 5% over the total test.
When we compare against the Duo 1, we can see in a CPU bound task like this, improvements over TWO generations of SOC might not be that dramatic for daily use. The synthetic benchmarks are close to predicting this outcome, but might still over-sell the improvements. Where the Duo 2 posted 23% larger multi-core CPU scores, this test shows roughly 17% faster times to total completion.
Gaming – BrightRidge
Microsoft likes to show off GamePass as a gaming and game streaming solution. I can’t really test for game streaming though. That’s more on your data connection.
Playing a few titles that I regularly visit on Android, the Duo 2 is “very good”, but likely shouldn’t be considered a TOP gaming solution. Performance is above average, but the aspect ratio of the displays can sometimes cause some issues with formatting.
Brightridge runs decently well with frame-rates about 8-10% behind some of the phones using the SD888 released earlier in the year. I had to play the game awkwardly in spanned mode to get this screenshot, but it plays well in 4:3 single screen mode.
Gaming – Undead Horde
Undead Horde is trickier. This game is notorious for overheating GPUs with all the units on screen to manage. Duo 2 exhibits some of the inconsistency I did not like from Samsung and Xiaomi.
The phone is CAPABLE of driving higher than 70fps, but only for a brief time, and then the phone runs too hot and frame rates crash. By the end of 20 minutes of game play, the Duo 2 hovers into a respectable mid 40’s for frame rate.
We’ve seen other phones that cap frame rate at 60FPS, that are able to better sustain frame rates into the high 50’s. It’s an area where a limiter can actually help depending on the optimization of the game for mobile.
Conclusion
Duo 2 is high performance tablet trading some of the top performance scores for seemingly more consistent performance.
Considering the Duo 2 frame, and how components are spread across both halves, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this device.
On one hand, we have a bit more surface area to help get heat out. On the other hand, performance might be impacted by the location of components closer to the hinge. It’s a tablet that can LITERALLY trap heat when in single screen mode.
The first Duo made excellent use of an SOC which was a generation older than other phones of it’s generation. The Duo 2 largely handles multimedia and content creation apps mid-pack against other contemporary phones. Where it outright loses in a test like video transcoding, it scores well in audio mixing, and handles more computer-y tasks surprisingly well.
Considering a target market of Duo consumers, people likely into Microsoft services, and likely pairing their Duo’s with other cameras, I believe this is the correct focus on performance we would want to see.
Duo 2 is a solid all-rounder and a TERRIFIC office/productivity companion. It’s feeling more and more like a legitimate option in the overall Microsoft Surface lineup.