Top Best 10 Phone Pouch in December 2021

Finding the product i needed was very easy. I was notified that there might be a delay in shipment which i expected because of the current supply chain situation but my order arrived within 3 days. Exactly as expected.

Pjhones work great, crystal clear sound. Like the caller block feature as well.

Excellent more than serves the purpose. I replace and old phone set with these which are super duper.

The best most innovative phone in my opinion just saying!!!!!!!!!

Bought this to replace another cordless phone. Performance is okay.

You can see Samsung is everything for me thank you

My old phone was a Moto, purchased about 4 or so years ago. I always had problems with storage & not being able to download apps that I needed.

My new Samsung Galaxy is Awesome!! So far, it has all the room I'm needing, calls & texts with no issues, its fast & I love tge bigger screen. Oh, the Camera is Superb!!

I am very happy with my Samsung A12 phone. It is very easy to use the screen is sharp and clear and the camera is excellent. Great battery life! I use my phone a lot and I only have to charge it maybe once a day. Apps are also very easy to download! You can not go wrong with Samsung

Items exactly as described with fast shipping! Sleek phone and simple data transfer. Gave me confidence as I was updated on my order all the way through to delivery. Keep up the good work!

I like the phone. Fits the hand perfectly. I had to get use to / find where some of the icons are located. Some of the icons are in different locations from my previous phone, but no problem. Easy to figure out / locate.

Good phone for the price. Would buy again if I needed another phone.

I LIKED THE LAPTOP I BOUGHT, ALSO I LIKED THE PHONE I BOUGHT

Very nice and easy to operate phone.

Nice big screen

Great service recommended anyone that want to buy on a budget

I hadn't upgraded in quite a few years, so there have been plenty of bells and whistles that I've found to enjoy with the Galaxy.

Some of my favorite things have been the nice large screen, the speedy interface and convenient features. I love the little extras like the virtual side key to dock frequently used apps, multiple security features (biometric, PIN input etc.) and the expandable memory are great.

The battery life for me so far has been exceptional, with normal usage, the 5000 mAh battery can get me close to two days. Of course I normally charge it once a day, but it's nice to know if I need it to stretch a little further, it can go the distance.

Some of the features that I like may be considered a step back to other users, but they are some of the reasons I chose this model.

As I mentioned, it does have expandable micro SD memory (not included but hey, cards are inexpensive) so I can upgrade as much and as often as I like. Internally, it has 128 GB of memory, so it's no slouch there, but I love that it has the option to expand.

Another "old" feature is the 3.5mm headphone jack. Being able to plug in anything from a pair of earbuds to some boomin' headphones is awesome to me. I don't mind the wires and I have a few devices already so this was a nice feature that I am glad Samsung kept available for us old school users. It does of course have Bluetooth, so going wireless is still an option.

Side note, I'm pretty happy with the audio output on the phones main speaker. Nothing exceptional, but no one struggles to hear that hilarious video when you're sitting around trading laughs.

Camera, I'm not a big time photographer, but the little that I've used it, it's nice, it's serviceable, I think it has a LOT more features than I'll ever use. But I like it, it gets the job done, I have no complaints. I only wish I could say more about it.

The are only a couple of real hits I can think of it having against it. One would be that it doesn't have wireless charging (uses included USB-C cable and wall plug) but quick charge on a nearly depleted battery takes me less than three hours.

The other would be the lower res screen, 720p versus the kind of industry standard of 1080p. It certainly doesn't break the bank in my mind, don't get me wrong, the screen looks beautiful. But if you're going to be doing a bunch of gaming and movie watching, you may be slightly disappointed.

The phone is customizable, the audio for calls and entertainment is good, the battery is great, expandable memory and a big beautiful screen. It isn't the top dog, but it sure barks like one.

I needed a new phone for work use and previously had the Verizon pay as you go plan due to keeping expense down and my work phone is typically only used for calls, emails and basic stuff so did not see the point of having an expensive phone for what I use it for on top of the higher bill for paid plans. We already have a paid plan with Verizon for our personal phones and our experience with the service has been great. However, since being on the pay as you go plan for a while, when things started moving more into the 5G network the phone I had at the time was no longer compatible, so I was forced to buy another phone at full price. Now after having that phone for about 2 years, recently had a battery issue causing the screen on my phone to pop out of placement, making it not usable so now I am forced to buy another phone at full price due to pay as you go plan. The Verizon pay as you go plan phone choices are limited and to get a decent phone still coming out of pocket a lot of money, and the pay as you go plan missing a lot of the perks with a paid plan. After researching pay as you go plan VS add a line it made more sense to add a line to our already existing plan, in the long run will save money and on top of that had to buy a new phone regardless. I have always been a big Samsung fan and every phone I have had for as long as I can remember has been Samsung. When the Note 20 Ultra came out (personal use) I bought it to replace my previous Note 10 Plus. I have been a Note users for a long time and love all the things you can do with it, however, since this new phone was for work use only, I did not want to pay a lot of money for a phone but at the same time wanted something with similar features as my Note 20 Ultra. After researching and reading reviews I decided to buy the Samsung – Galaxy A42; The price point was around what I was looking to spend and the phone has a lot of great features that I really did not think I would use. Overall, I am impressed with Galaxy A42 phone and features. I can do a lot more with this phone and perfect for what I needed it for.

Reason for purchasing Samsung – Galaxy A42 5G: Price point and overall phone features -

*2-day battery life

*Screen size is decent compared to the Note 20 Ultra. (Actually, the phone will fit in my Note 20 Ultra protective case. I had an extra case and need something to protect A42 till the one I ordered came in, was surprised.)

*Main Display Size: Crystal-clear clarity and vibrant color. Galaxy A42 5G’s large 6.6” Infinity-O display.

*Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor.

**Authentication:

Lock type: pattern, PIN, password,

Biometric lock type: Fingerprint, Face recognition

*Wi-Fi Connectivity: 2.4+5GHz with Wi-Fi Direct

*Galaxy A42 comes with 128GB of storage built in. With option - Store up to 1TB more by adding a MicroSD card.

*Trusted security, built in - Galaxy A42 5G comes with a trusted security platform built in. With multiple layers of protection, your devices are safe from intrusion, malware, and malicious threats. “Knox”

This phone delivers all I need for a general work phone plus more. The only downside so far, I wish it had the ability for wireless charging but not a big deal.

I had to purchase an upgraded phone since our Galaxy S7 were obsolete, and "acting up" lol. Read Online Reviews on what Samsung Had to Offer, was Pleasantly Surprised, this phone had Better Reviews than the Galaxy S21 at 1/2 the cost. Long battery Life, Great Pictures, Still learning the other features, but having fun doing so! Would Definitely Recommend . Please note, the screen and phone itself are larger than the old S7-9's

The phone is good, but I am at a loss of how to use it to its full capacity. I wish instructions would be mandatory for all electronic devices.

Wife loves the excellent battery life (2 days) and larger screen for playing games. It is a bit heavier than her previous Samsung phones, but it rides in her purse.

Easy to set up. Apps and internet work very quickly. It does have a fair amount of bloatware. The messaging app doesn't access emoticons easily. Case is slippery - you need to buy a cover.

Nice phone, big screen, expandable memory, but so many obnoxious pop up notifications and very clunky moving between apps. Also have issues of it disconnecting randomly from internet

I was looking to upgrade my phone without spending a lot. This phone is working great and has a larger screen and extra features then my old phone.

I have been intrigued with foldable devices since the ZTE Axon M hit the market way back in 2016. I have since used essentially every foldable to hit the market since. Each has always felt like a niche product and had plenty of issues preventing me from recommending it to a normal consumer. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 represents a shift from this, being a foldable with few flaws that I can finally recommend to certain people. Not everyone, however, due to one big flaw.

---Display---

The display on this foldable looks simply beautiful. The screen quality matches that of the Galaxy S21 series. Everything looks beautiful, and even better, smoother too thanks to the 120 Hz display. That's right, this phone has a high refresh display. The inside screen folds smoothly without issue, and once unfolded, the crease is rarely visable, except for sometimes when it is under direct sunlight. You can still feel the crease when you run your finger over it, but with normal usage, you will rarely run your finger over it, and when you do it only a very small dip that you forget about eventually.

The cover display got a huge, useful upgrade this generation. You can view notifications from the cover screen, along with a few widgets and even Samsung Pay. You can also set custom wallpapers and animated clock faces that look very nice on the display.

I believe that this is as good as foldable displays can be until we find a way to eliminate the crease.

---Performance---

This phone comes with a Snapdragon 888, one of the most powerful chipsets on the market at the moment. It doesn't let you down. Roaming my town playing Ingress and Pokemon Go, there was zero lag and everything was super smooth on the 120 Hz display. The 5G connectivity worked great, neither game left me waiting and everything was instant. Most impressively, even gaming in 100F weather, the phone only got lukewarm at most, even in the processor intense city gameplay of these two games. Outside of gaming, everything works great too. Split screen Internet and YouTube ran without a hitch, the screen crease diving the two apps. Pulling up Google Slides and Canvas split screen worked great. One performance thing I have noticed is that the phone does stutter on the home screen from time to time, however. I believe this can be fixed with an easy update however.

---Battery Life---

This is the one MAJOR issue I have with the phone. The battery simply does not last. At most doing basic tasks like acting as a calculator on the side in class, I have gotten at most 3.5 hours of screen on time from this. When watching videos or browsing the internet, around 3 hours. Gaming? Maybe 2 hours at most. Even on light use days I have to charge this device at least one time midday. With heavier use, I might have to charge twice a day. Even if I turn off the high refresh display and use 60Hz mode, that adds a half hour of screen time at most. I get that the folding mechanic severely limits the space for a big battery, but multiple charges a day is a serious issues I still can't let slide on a phone I need every day. This is an issue across all the flip phone foldables, and is what is holding these phones back in my opinion. Once we get around this issue, these phones will truly be ready for mass adoption.

Overall, if you are near chargers a lot or simply need the folding flip phone now, this is by far the best option. However, you may want to look elsewhere if you need a phone that will last at least the work day.

Wow, the Galaxy Z Flip3 is finally the foldable technology ready for the masses! I've sat on the sideline for a few years eagerly anticipating a proper foldable phone and I'm happy to report that it's here. Build quality is brilliant, the display is vibrant, and the functionality is quite nice. If you're an Android fan or if you're already in the Samsung ecosystem, this upgrade is an absolute no-brainer. However, if you're an iOS user, like me for the past few years, the transition is tough. I used Android from 2008-2018, switched to iOS, and got deep into the Apple ecosystem. Adding the Galaxy Flip3 into my tech routine was too jarring. Samsung's software, despite all of its improvements over the years, is still too slow and jittery for me. There's always a debate over Android vs. iOS, but in my opinion, iOS is just a lot more seamless and sleek compared to Samsung's UI. A foldable Samsung phone with Pixel software? Winning combination. Anyways, as I mentioned, if you're upgrading from an older Samsung or Android device, this is perfect. If you're going from iOS to Samsung, this is hard to recommend.

I had a flip phone for years so I was excited for this phone. Personally I love it but it does have its flaws. First of all. The camera is HORRIBLE. Its like a camera from an old flip phone. Another big flaw is the battery. Its so bad. Theres certain things you can do to make the battery last longer but for the most part youll have to be charging your phone throughout the day. Another flaw is if you charge it and it gets too hot It will stop charging and slowly but surely start draining your battery. So why am I giving this a positive score? because this is such a unique and cool phone. Its like a party trick. People are always fascinated with it and since ive had a flip phone before I am used to the things most people might need to gets used to. I love th different things and widgets this phone can do. Look if youre willing to have a unique phone and want to try something different than get it but if youre not feeling adventurous I would just find something else.

Bought this phone for my wife. She is not very tech savvy but hasn't had any problems. The only thing that is a little awkward is trying to take a screenshot. With the case on, it's quite cumbersome to press the buttons without it also adjusting the volume.

Overall a great phone, but wish they'd devise a better way to take a screenshot.

Small phones best phones

If you took two Unihertz Atoms (for us nerds who bought and used that phone) its about 90% shorter in length and about 1.8x the width.

If you're like me and are not a power user for your phone so you prefer a smaller package that you don't have to carry about but also want the side of an s21 ultra screen when you do, they finally made a folder worth buying.

Its way better than the previous flip, but it have the same problem with the battery that it doesnt last long, and it drains so quick.

Phone is amazing. I love the flip feature and the feel of the phone. Only issue is the battery life and the rate at which it charges. 15w fast charge compared with other samsung 25w fast charge. Hopefully theyll improve it on the next one.

Excellent Phone, love that is foldable and fits in my pocket!, got a excellent deal trading in my Samsung Galaxy S21 White Smartphone!, Recommend this to anyone wanting a compact phone that will fit in your pocket!

I have been intrigued with foldable devices since the ZTE Axon M hit the market way back in 2016. I have since used essentially every foldable to hit the market since. Each has always felt like a niche product and had plenty of issues preventing me from recommending it to a normal consumer. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 represents a shift from this, being a foldable with few flaws that I can finally recommend to certain people. Not everyone, however, due to one big flaw.

---Display---

The display on this foldable looks simply beautiful. The screen quality matches that of the Galaxy S21 series. Everything looks beautiful, and even better, smoother too thanks to the 120 Hz display. That's right, this phone has a high refresh display. The inside screen folds smoothly without issue, and once unfolded, the crease is rarely visable, except for sometimes when it is under direct sunlight. You can still feel the crease when you run your finger over it, but with normal usage, you will rarely run your finger over it, and when you do it only a very small dip that you forget about eventually.

The cover display got a huge, useful upgrade this generation. You can view notifications from the cover screen, along with a few widgets and even Samsung Pay. You can also set custom wallpapers and animated clock faces that look very nice on the display.

I believe that this is as good as foldable displays can be until we find a way to eliminate the crease.

---Performance---

This phone comes with a Snapdragon 888, one of the most powerful chipsets on the market at the moment. It doesn't let you down. Roaming my town playing Ingress and Pokemon Go, there was zero lag and everything was super smooth on the 120 Hz display. The 5G connectivity worked great, neither game left me waiting and everything was instant. Most impressively, even gaming in 100F weather, the phone only got lukewarm at most, even in the processor intense city gameplay of these two games. Outside of gaming, everything works great too. Split screen Internet and YouTube ran without a hitch, the screen crease diving the two apps. Pulling up Google Slides and Canvas split screen worked great. One performance thing I have noticed is that the phone does stutter on the home screen from time to time, however. I believe this can be fixed with an easy update however.

---Battery Life---

This is the one MAJOR issue I have with the phone. The battery simply does not last. At most doing basic tasks like acting as a calculator on the side in class, I have gotten at most 3.5 hours of screen on time from this. When watching videos or browsing the internet, around 3 hours. Gaming? Maybe 2 hours at most. Even on light use days I have to charge this device at least one time midday. With heavier use, I might have to charge twice a day. Even if I turn off the high refresh display and use 60Hz mode, that adds a half hour of screen time at most. I get that the folding mechanic severely limits the space for a big battery, but multiple charges a day is a serious issues I still can't let slide on a phone I need every day. This is an issue across all the flip phone foldables, and is what is holding these phones back in my opinion. Once we get around this issue, these phones will truly be ready for mass adoption.

Overall, if you are near chargers a lot or simply need the folding flip phone now, this is by far the best option. However, you may want to look elsewhere if you need a phone that will last at least the work day.

Wow, the Galaxy Z Flip3 is finally the foldable technology ready for the masses! I've sat on the sideline for a few years eagerly anticipating a proper foldable phone and I'm happy to report that it's here. Build quality is brilliant, the display is vibrant, and the functionality is quite nice. If you're an Android fan or if you're already in the Samsung ecosystem, this upgrade is an absolute no-brainer. However, if you're an iOS user, like me for the past few years, the transition is tough. I used Android from 2008-2018, switched to iOS, and got deep into the Apple ecosystem. Adding the Galaxy Flip3 into my tech routine was too jarring. Samsung's software, despite all of its improvements over the years, is still too slow and jittery for me. There's always a debate over Android vs. iOS, but in my opinion, iOS is just a lot more seamless and sleek compared to Samsung's UI. A foldable Samsung phone with Pixel software? Winning combination. Anyways, as I mentioned, if you're upgrading from an older Samsung or Android device, this is perfect. If you're going from iOS to Samsung, this is hard to recommend.

I had a flip phone for years so I was excited for this phone. Personally I love it but it does have its flaws. First of all. The camera is HORRIBLE. Its like a camera from an old flip phone. Another big flaw is the battery. Its so bad. Theres certain things you can do to make the battery last longer but for the most part youll have to be charging your phone throughout the day. Another flaw is if you charge it and it gets too hot It will stop charging and slowly but surely start draining your battery. So why am I giving this a positive score? because this is such a unique and cool phone. Its like a party trick. People are always fascinated with it and since ive had a flip phone before I am used to the things most people might need to gets used to. I love th different things and widgets this phone can do. Look if youre willing to have a unique phone and want to try something different than get it but if youre not feeling adventurous I would just find something else.

Bought this phone for my wife. She is not very tech savvy but hasn't had any problems. The only thing that is a little awkward is trying to take a screenshot. With the case on, it's quite cumbersome to press the buttons without it also adjusting the volume.

Overall a great phone, but wish they'd devise a better way to take a screenshot.

Small phones best phones

If you took two Unihertz Atoms (for us nerds who bought and used that phone) its about 90% shorter in length and about 1.8x the width.

If you're like me and are not a power user for your phone so you prefer a smaller package that you don't have to carry about but also want the side of an s21 ultra screen when you do, they finally made a folder worth buying.

Its way better than the previous flip, but it have the same problem with the battery that it doesnt last long, and it drains so quick.

Phone is amazing. I love the flip feature and the feel of the phone. Only issue is the battery life and the rate at which it charges. 15w fast charge compared with other samsung 25w fast charge. Hopefully theyll improve it on the next one.

Excellent Phone, love that is foldable and fits in my pocket!, got a excellent deal trading in my Samsung Galaxy S21 White Smartphone!, Recommend this to anyone wanting a compact phone that will fit in your pocket!

I'll start with the negatives so we can focus on positives.

Has much improved functions compared to Duo, but...

- Still has UI bugs - some similar to the first. Biggest complaint by far, but overall not too bad compared to Duo Prime.

- Screen still freezes from wake sometimes, and apps not optimized for dual-screen use can get confused with orientation changes.

I'll chalk the above up to the hope that MS prioritizes bug fixes and software updates.

- Still uses Your Phone instead of Continuum. Not a knock on the Phone, but YP is still a neg, IMO, compared to a full hand-held dockable Use Case.

- Lastly on software... it's Android. Not WinMo. Sorry - once Play Store is on Windows, I fully expect the next Surface device to run on WinOS. (You'll have run out of valid excuses then, MS!)

- Beyond software, I HATE that the new bumper has even less that it protects, than the first one! (Especially at the bottom - where it's completely bare by the spine) I miss having the volume buttons covered - feels more at risk with exposed edges, considering the curved glass on both sides of the phone.

One unknown:

- Whether the edges of the USB Port (and now, SIM) will crack, as in the first Duo. TBD...

Good news -

- Camera is MUCH improved. So is the app, for both preview and editing.

- No more "confused camera" that has to decipher function and "which screen", or "screen on/off" with fold action. (thank God!!!)

- So is effective use of real estate - less "black space" on the edges than the first Duo.

- Dual Sim!!! Hardly anyone talks about this.

- Yes, we all know - 5G and NFC. Honestly I can't tell the diff anyway.

- Screen is indeed very responsive. Wish it didn't need to be covered up. (Afraid of scratching that curved edge)

- The "gap" between the screens is even less. Still there - but you don't miss as much to the "gap" as the first.

- Very much like the curved edges. The "notification spine" can be very helpful.

- Love that the power button and biometric thumb scanner are now one.

- Bluetooth seems so much more reliable than the first, as well. Less discos and "robot garble" connection issues.

- On UI bugs - the "Wake on Press" / Lock Screen problem on Duo 1 is gone! MAJOR relief there.

- OS seems much more refined and fine-tuned with Duo 2, and even Launcher seems to take better to this resolution (has slightly more adjustments than on Android 10).

- The USB-C and SIM ports being on the same side (bottom) give it the appearance of more balance. Also, plugging it in the center helps with actually balancing the phone when on a stand or PopSocket (yes, I even have a megasized one, and it's hanging straight now)

- MS apps like OneDrive and Launcher seem to have gotten a huge efficiency boost in terms of execution Use Cases - especially in dual-screen use. Hard to describe - but the functions seem more natural to the Duo 2, unlike with the Duo 1, where they seem "forced" and often clunky.

- Finally, gestures have gotten a slight update. But they are so much more intuitive now. Again hard to describe - something you have to feel.

Overall, I'm happy with this as a second iteration of Duo - so much so, that I really think trading in the old unit won't make me shed a single tear.

For contrast, one pays $2k for a Samsung Z Fold xx with a large screen with a risky fold (still), and fully unfolded is still just a single large screen with a weird aspect ratio. With the Fold folded, you have a thick device with a weird aspect ratio on 1 screen. And even unfolded, it's still not as large as the Duo. So, what's the purpose of a small dual-screen phone again?

The Duo 2 has 2 distinct screens that work more reliably than the first. Yes, there's a gap. But, I'd argue one screen on the Duo is better than 2 on the Fold 2. In "gaming" mode (for you weirdos), the second screen finds more use as a gamepad (Nintendo DS). And you can choose to use one or two at any time. Both folded and unfolded, it's still extremely slim and pocketable. It's still a multitasking "phone" at the end of the day that now has all the modern features you expect from a flagship device.

Is it worth $1,600? Honestly, now that I can't imagine being on a single-screen phone - yes. Hardware is good, software is improved, and it shows much promise. Good way to settle until MS comes up with a Surface Mobile device that's back to running WinOS, with native integration to MS Services - including those for true Enterprise users. :)

When Microsoft released the Surface Duo last year it turned a lot of heads, but it was plagued with issues. Even though hardware wise it looked pretty good, the software end was not that great. Even my personal experience with the Duo was lackluster. I had issues with applications crashing, it was slow, sluggish, applications would not respond correctly or would not work at all. Even though I loved the design and how slim it was compared to other foldable devices, I was disappointed. But, Microsoft have redeemed themselves in mu books with the new and much improved Surface Duo 2. This is a productivity phone and now it is living up to its purpose. So, lets go over the setup process, features, and PROS and CONS of the new Microsoft Surface Duo 2.

SETUP:

So, the setup process for the Surface Duo 2 was relatively simple going from an android device. You just have to open up your google app and say “Hey Google setup my new device” and from there google takes over and starts searching for a new device, adds the device and then transfers everything over to your new phone and you are pretty much done. I was able to pretty much transfer over 95% of the stuff on my phone, there were a few applications that did not transfer over but I was just able to install them. All of my contacts, my pictures and the files that I had on my phone all transferred over with ease. Just a note, being a Microsoft phone, there are some apps that are built in such as word, outlook and Microsoft edge that you may or may not use.

SPECS:

The Surface Duo 2 has a Snapdragon 888 processor and comes with two different storage sizes, 128 and 256 GB with 8 GB of Ram. The Surface Duo 2 is 5G capable and currently runs on android 11. The phone boasts a whopping 8.3-inch AMOLED, touchscreen display. The phone also has a new 12mp triple lens camera, that takes amazing pictures by the way. The phone also has an ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, Hall effect sensor, and a finger print sensor. Unfortunately, this phone does not have wireless charging.

USAGE:

So, I have had this phone for a few days not and I must say I do like it better than the first Microsoft Surface Duo. It seems that Microsoft did fix the buggy software issues. The phone is more responsive, the display is just beautiful, the 5G connectivity is great and the camera on the phone works great for recording 4K videos. I love the fact that I can just pretty much fold in half or all the way around if I need to, and transfer content over from screen to the other by just swiping it over. You are able to multi-task with multiple app open at one time on both screens which makes life a whole lot easier so you are not switching back and forth between applications. There were a few things that did put me off a bit. I did not like the fact that this phone did not have wireless charging for one and two, Microsoft should have added a smaller screen on the front cover of the phone for you to be able to see who is calling you. Since there is no screen on the front cover, you need to fold open the phone to see who is calling you. A smaller screen on the front of the phone can help provide some pertinent information, such as your email, text messages and just to see who is calling.

PROS:

Beautiful Dual Display Screens

Camera

Good Sound Quality

Very Responsive

CONS:

Wireless Charging

Smaller frontal display needs to be added

Overall, Microsoft have made significant improvements to this phone software and hardware wise but this phone could be so much better if certain features are added to this phone. This phone is a great multitasking device and if you look at it from that perspective, it is an awesome phone.

Presentation:

The Microsoft - Surface Duo 2 5G comes with the device in minimalist packaging; with a USB-C to USB-C charging/data cable, a few informational inserts and - obviously - the box. Immediately upon opening the box and peeling off the protective sheet, I knew I was in for a real treat. Before I go on though, I think it's worth mentioning that his device doesn't come a charging brick. To me - that's a big oversight for a device at this price point... but I get it. More & more mobile device mfg's are cutting costs in the name of reducing electronic waste. But the problem is, most people don't have an extra - much less compatible - charger brick lying around with a USB-C port on it. I know I didn't. So, in reality, not including one doesn't do much to reduce e-waste because it seems like common sense dictates that most customers will purchase one. Like me. See attached photo for what the Official Microsoft one looks like...

Form & Fit:

Can't imagine anyone buying this simply as a phone. It's big. And compared to other single-screened devices, it's a bit on the heavy side. But in reality, it seems obvious to me that the Microsoft - Surface Duo 2 5G is targeting a very specific use case: Mobile productivity. With that in mind, I think this device is a winner.

I wasn't familiar with the first-generation Surface Duo, so I have no basis of comparison. But in comparison to other flag-ship mobile devices I've owned or have tried, the Surface Duo 2 5G is solid across all facets: The hinges, the screens, the all-Gorilla-glass surfaces and the balanced weight while being held.

Setup & Usage:

The Microsoft - Surface Duo 2 5G was easy to get configured and setup for daily usage - especially if you're from the Android camp and are also familiar with Microsoft mobile apps. Being a mobile device there's no getting around the fact that this thing will have a touch of bloatware but honestly, it wasn't over the top in my mind. It strikes the right balance on that front.

After initially charging the Surface Duo 2, which took more than an hour using the provided cable connected to my laptop, the setup procedure was all the usual steps you'd encounter setting up a new phone. One thing I'd like to mention is that when I tried charging the device with my Galaxy S10 Plus 'fast' charger, the phone topped out at 42% and simply stopped going any higher. I use that same charger/USB-C cable arrangement to charge a multitude of devices, so I'm not sure what is up with that. In any event, the time to install the SIM card, initialize my Google & Microsoft accounts and load/tweak a few apps - took me less than 20 minutes.

The dual screens on the Surface Duo 2 5G are the real shining star here. They are bright, clear and smooth moving with a 90 Hz refresh rate. People looking for a 'not to big' mobile productivity device are going to love this thing. You can scale the font across the entire system and pretty much arrange the layout of the multiple screens with great flexibility. Being able to switch from a two-screen book device, to a hand-held gaming device and simply folding it over to use like a cell phone becomes second nature with just a few short hours of using the Surface Duo 2. The mere fact that you can have two, full-screened apps opened multiple screens - which you can slide across - is the epitome of multi-tasking! (Really more than two when you count additional screen content across the 'span'...)

With respect to mobile phone performance, the Duo 2 5G connected to the Fast-T-Mobile towers in my area without breaking a sweat. Call quality and data speeds were what I would expect from anything costing over 900 dollars. So, this is a premium device. Screen on-time averaged about 5 to 6 hours on my busiest days but I am admittedly not one to be goofing off or using my phone with that type of regularity. Upon my second full charge and in my more usual mode of daily use, I look to be getting about 3 to 4 days between charges. When I gamed for an hour or so with the Asphalt racing gaming that was preinstalled, the battery took a big hit fast. But that's to be expected.

General overall performance is great with this device. The displays are massively bright if you need it but also look very good with the auto brightness disabled and set @ 25%. I have to play around with it more but I think battery performance can be improved even more adjusting brightness manually and digging into the system settings a bit more. Being a modern device, you can add wireless, blue tooth keyboard and even connect an external monitor - so yeah - this device can second as a computer in a pinch. The 888 processor is up to the task... no problem.

Summary:

I can't and wouldn't recommend the Surface Duo 2 5G to anyone just looking for a trendy phone. This device is just this side of being too big even though it will slide into one's pant pocket. What I would do is recommend this device to anyone looking for an all-in-one productivity device and who doesn't want to be bothered transporting around a laptop. Why? Because the Microsoft - Surface Duo 2 5G can do it all. Video conference, phone calls, document viewing & editing, email, web searching. streaming movies & GAMING.

I do wish it had expandable micro-SD memory capability but 256 GB is an adequate bare minimum for local storage in my mind. And again, I also wish that this particular device came with its own charging adapter. But with those two nits aside, the Microsoft - Surface Duo 2 5G - in my mind - is way more functional as a productivity tool for busy business folks, day planner type individuals and even students. A way better solution than those trendy, bendable OLED, folding screens by the competition.

This might be a mixed/biased review because I love this thing. To get the basics out of the way, display brightness and refresh rates are awesome, the battery life is good (great for dual screens but good overall, it’ll get normal people through a day I think but I’m not a good person to really say that as I abuse batteries pretty hard), the camera is not the best but not a slouch, and it has NFC for payments but is missing wireless charging. As I love this phone it might seem weird that I have so many complaints, but I also gave this a decent star rating, this is because all of these are annoyances but at the end of the day this is the phone that I have been waiting for, for years. I was super disillusioned after I purchased the original Duo but this has reinvigorated my vision of the perfect phone.

The design:

I feel like they have nailed the design of this minus a few items, I wish the cameras were flat on the back, but I would rather have the camera bump than no cameras on the back. The notifications on the tiny bar on the sides are good enough for me as I have a smartwatch (I personally feel that this device kind requires a smartwatch for quick notifications, but your opinion may differ). The glass on the back makes it slide off of my desk at home and work, so I quickly put a skin on one side of it at first which solved that problem. I also got the case that enables the pen to charge as the pen holds to phone unlike last year’s model but I wouldn’t call it a solid connection like it has with the charging case. The curved screens on the inside make it a tad hard to hit a button when it happens to land right on the curve, but it is still possible. When you use the phone for video conferencing if you lean the top back too much you lose the balance, the charging case helps this a somewhat but you definitely can’t have it at any angle. Changes I could really wish for in the design are a key combination or a dedicated button for vibration mode and the flashlight as well as the screen could be a little taller to get to a more normal screen resolution for app compatibility (but I love the width of the device). One rather big downside is the Bluetooth, it is terrible, it requires your Bluetooth headphones to have an excellent antenna. I used a couple different headsets, if it was over the ears and giant, I had no issue, if they were the Microsoft earbuds I had no issue, but any other earbuds I tried they failed the back pocket test let alone the leaving the phone around the house test. The back pocket test is simply having a reliable connection while my phone is in my back pocket. I don’t find the Microsoft earbuds comfortable so being forced to use those ones for a reliable connection hurt my soul a little bit. The only other kind of headset that did excellent were my Alexa glasses.

Using it:

Dual screens are amazing, but this is where I found the duo lacking just a little bit, there are a few bugs that are annoying, for instance my app pairs will often launch on top of each other and are often delayed in opening, it is much more reliable and fast just to launch the two apps separately. I know they launch on top of each other because if I pull an app to the other screen the other one is right there just waiting for me.

Next, very often the two screens will not be independent of each other. This is most obvious with pulling down the menu bar on one side, when I am doing stuff, I will often jump between two thoughts with one though on one screen and the other thought on the other screen. So, if I pull down to look at my notifications and that causes me to remember something I will go launch the app on the other side but that will immediately dismiss my notification bar.

Next, the message app spans two screens and has the list of people on one side and the messages from your selection on the other side, but it isn’t divided evenly on the screens.

The remote desktop app from Microsoft doesn’t take advantage of dual screens (I wish VMWare did, but I was shocked when Microsoft’s own app didn’t) as well as the pen. This to me is a missed opportunity. If they could make their remote desktop protocol work in dual display mode either as dual monitor or at the minimum of the second screen being a keyboard and mouse that could be amazing for those times when I need to get to one of my servers.

The word and excel apps aren’t compatible with the Duo 2, this is because it uses the office app instead however my work profile only allows me to download excel and word so I am out of luck for editing word docs and excel on the go for work though I can on my personal profile side via the office app which is awesome and a great way to use the pen.

Sticky notes are okay, except they take about 3 hours to update the preview. The changes are immediate but when you hit the back button the preview doesn’t update even after hitting the sync button, I believe it is about 3 or so hours before it will randomly update. It would be really awesome if I could pin a sticky note to a home screen (like a widget for sticky notes) but that isn’t available. I love to keep the babysitter’s hours in a sticky note that I just grab my pen and write on it really quick when I pick up or drop off.

App multi-tasking is hit and miss, when I want to relax I will play a game on the bottom screen and have a video on the top screen, Prime video especially wont let me do this as it will pause every time I use the other screen. The game (Galaxy of Heroes) will pause (If I have it on autopilot every once in-awhile) If I interact with the other screen as well. If I am watching a video and I want to respond to a message I have to remember to rotate back to ‘book’ mode otherwise the message will spring over the video to give a full typing experience which I don’t necessarily want (I usually want the full typing experience when I have the message app on the top screen).

Overall, the resolution of different apps can be a little messed up; YouTube will go to portrait mode while it is in landscape mode leaving a giant black bar on each side and the text is rather small. Apps like Webull launch in tablet mode, and other oddball stuff that is annoying but manageable for me.

The MS Teams app could definitely use some help on the dual display compatibility. Maybe compatibility isn’t the right word, more of several missed opportunities. First, when I share a video I would desperately love the ability to draw on said video (or picture). For instance, if the upper screen (the side with the camera) showed people or messages or whatever I wanted, and the bottom screen had the live camera feed that I was sharing with the ability for me to draw on it (AR drawing) that would make virtual troubleshooting, tours, or whatnot way easier. Also, not being able to insert a picture on a whiteboard but only a document seems weird from my Duo.

A real PDF editor is missing, Android just doesn’t have one, DrawboardPDF is the pinnacle of compatibility with the surface pen and android just doesn’t have anything close to it the Office app is much better than it used to be, but it just doesn’t measure up. I feel like some love to the office app for marking up PDFs would go along way for making the Duo an absolute beast of a device.

The pen is something that I have had on many of my phones and for any phone I plan to use for work I believe it is required. That said, I feel like the phone is compatible with a pen but not built around the pen. There are a few apps that really take advantage of the pen such as Word and OneNote but for the most part the pen is just there. It is missing features such as text extraction and selective screen capture really make the pen a part of the phone in my opinion and they are simply missing on the duo. I do love that I get to use the eraser side of the pen as an eraser, that is just so much more natural to me.

As you can probably see from the bulk of my review my main problems can all be fixed with software. I feel that that have nailed the hardware enough (minus the Bluetooth) that some real focus needs to be given to the software to really make this phone shine as it should.

So depending on how many devices you like to have your experience might vary from mine, I think this is an amazing only phone but I also answer my phone with my glasses so I never hold it like a normal phone and my watch lets me do quick responses to text messages and such ( my glasses do as well but I prefer the watch for that) When I open my phone I often want to use two apps at once and I tend to be scattered in my thoughts which this device works extremely well for bouncing around doing different things.

The pictures show my phone in a few different states, I got a black leather skin and wore it on one side of the phone for a day until the pen case came, then I put the pen case on and a skin on top of that to complete my setup of the phone itself. From the pictures you can see the glass picks up fingerprints pretty easily, so a skin is definitely a nice to have in my mind.

Pros:

2 Screens (bright and beautiful)

Pen

Side notifications

The hinge is solid

Multiple cameras

Power button is combined with a fingerprint reader

Microphone

Cons:

No wireless charging

OS and Apps are buggy

Microsoft hasn’t taken advantage of the two screens to the fullest yet.

No Miracast

The Duo is exceptional in several ways, but it also reminds me of a Swiss Army knife and the original Microsoft Surface Pro. The knife analogy is because it’s a bit too big to comfortably carry in your pocket, and it takes two hands to use. With the Surface Pro, it was the third iteration before Microsoft got it just right, and it became the superb, class-defining device it is now. The Duo is getting close, but it’s just not completely there yet.

The build quality and look are world-class. It’s a sexy, eye-catching, unique product. The beautiful screens are as good as any and better than most. The fit and finish are a thing of beauty. However, the camera bump the Duo 2 grew is an obvious compromise to an elegant look and visual design, but it can now take very good pictures. There is s a form follows function issue since most flagship phones have grown a bump as well. The difference is that they weren’t made to fold back on themselves, and now the Duo can’t fully fold back flat. To be fair, it doesn’t feel that bad. It just doesn’t look as cool when folded. Microsoft did up the power and hardware specs to match other flagship devices. There’s plenty of power in the two slim panels. They like to brag about the hinge, and yes, it’s solid, small, and elegant.

As said, there are some exceptional features in this little booklet. The ability to truly multi-function with two apps, to drag and drop, or to cut and paste between them is beyond what you’ve ever been able to do with a phone. There are a few apps that have been designed to make good use of two screens, but they are few and far between at this time. Hopefully, that will change. Microsoft Office and book apps like Kindle are nicely optimized. A book from to read an e-book is very nice. You can also make any app span across both screens, but the noticeable black gap at the hinge is often more annoying than you might think. You can use it tent style to view one screen; you can fold it back; you can multi-task; you can span both screens. It’s very versatile in form and use. There’s a caveat to insert here! You MUST watch the tips and demos to understand its user interface and gestures. Otherwise, you’ll think the device is erratic or inconsistent when it’s operator error. However, there are some hinky things as well described below.

There are weaknesses. The sound is decent and in stereo, but there’s not a lot of volume. All the multi-tasking and screen size come at a cost. It’s on the heavy side and physically large to hold comfortably in one hand, and as I said, it takes two hands to operate. Nothing can be done without opening this little, high-tech book, and that takes both hands. Even answering the phone requires unfolding, and there’s no way to see who’s calling until you do. Having a smartwatch that shows your calls might be a solution. It must be opened and stay open to take pictures. It does make good use of the second screen in the photo app by giving you have a full-screen view and edit capability while the other screen stays active as a camera. I never had the original Duo, but I know it was plagued with software and hardware issues. The hardware has been addressed with power and a decent camera. The software is pretty good, but there are occasional hiccups. During my initial setup, at one point the keyboard refused to popup to enter text, and I had to force a restart. There have been occasional instances of that since which required closing an app. Scrolling is fast and silky smooth, but sometimes the screen seems to take multiple taps to respond. Occasionally, I tap and a different app pops up rather than the one I’m using. These are small but bothersome issues, and I hope that future updates will smooth things out. Lastly, I found it surprising that as a flagship product wireless charging isn’t included in this all-glass device. As with many new phones, a cable is included, but it’s bring your own charger.

In conclusion, this is by far the best pocket device out there for multi-tasking, and that’s where it shines. If you team this up with Microsoft’s ability to seamlessly transfer data and files between a phone and a PC, it’s a real road warrior triumph. There’s just a techno cool look and feel to the Duo, and I enjoy just exploring and using it. You need to use it for a while and develop some new phone use habits since it’s a different paradigm. I found the more I used it, the more I liked it. It’s not a universal, slim, carry in your jean pocket phone. If you just want to talk, text, and take a picture, it’s a less convenient solution than a typical phone. However, just like a Swiss Army knife, if you need its special tools, it could be indispensable, and it’s unique. For those users, it’s recommended.

MODES: (1) Peak mode is slightly cracking open the Duo for quick viewing notification and check date and time. (2) Single screen mode, is just folding the device all the way and using it like a regular smartphone to make calls or single-hand usage (3) Compose/laptop mode is ideal for longer writing such as email, documents, and regular typing; and also for viewing a video on top of the screen and deleting/reading emails on the bottom screen. (4)Tablet/Book mode is ideal for reading content (books, articles, sites) and strolling on both displays. (5) Tent mode, fold like an upside-down V, is excellent for watching videos, small group presentations, and doing video conferences. The MS Duo enhances the experience of dual-screen on a smartphone.

PERFORMANCE: Using two apps simultaneously, I did not notice any lagging, and the Duo functioned as expected. For example, using the device in compose mode (like a laptop) on one screen, I have opened an email app, and on the top screen, I either have a video or a search engine. The dual-screen feature is fantastic for multitasking, streaming a video while reading a recipe to cook dinner. The Due is effective with both screens using different apps, and it adds value to anyone’s productivity. Overall, the functionality of all the apps integrates well with the dual-screen. Using all the features and functions takes some time to learn. Microsoft includes a Tips app, which I find extremely useful, where you can learn more functions of the Duo and where you can answer questions on how to do things.

BATTERY: The battery life is good. Fully charged, it lasts a typical day for me. I use it for about two hours in the morning for music/mediation, at work frequently to do various tasks, one hour commute with music, and 1.5 hours gym for music/videos. The device is good with battery life, but it does depend on each user.

RECOMMENDATIONS: To enhance the experience of the Duo, I recommend using it with Bluetooth earbuds/speaker and a smartwatch with phone/messages capabilities. This combination of devices will allow you to review messages and answer calls without opening the Duo. In my car, the Duo connects automatically to my car’s Bluetooth. It will enable me to control the music, answer calls and even listen to my messages without opening the device. Anyway, it is safer to drive a vehicle without holding a phone in your hand; hands-free phone usage. On the go, I always carry my set of wireless earbuds to listen to music or answer calls. Using a smartwatch with a Duo simplifies viewing messages/notifications, answering/making calls, and other stuff. I find it amazing using my Duo with a smartwatch and wireless buds with microphones.

CAMERA: The Duo takes excellent daytime shots, and it is good for nighttime. I attached a few images with this review of pictures I took on a very cloudy and windy day. The camera captures great details, the depth of feel is good, and the colors are vibrant. Of course, it is not compared to a dedicated camera, SLR, but it is excellent for the type of device.

SETUP: The setup of the MS Duo was fast and easy. Using the active sim card from my previous T-Mobile phone, I used my new Duo within minutes. The steps are simple, open the device’s sim card tray using the removal tool/pin, insert the activated sim card, and slide the card tray back inside the device. Power on the device, select preferred language, follow guided steps to connect to a mobile network, Wi-Fi (optional), and allow necessary updates. After that is complete, you can start using fresh from the start or translate the data from the previous phone. Once fully loaded, the device is ready for usage and enjoyment. It works well with T-Mobile.

I have had some interest in folding devices, but never quite got around to getting one. The Surface Duo 2 looked to improve on some of the complaints I've seen from the first device. Another thing that peaked my interest of the Surface Duo was the fact that it had two separate screens that work like a dual screen computer setup.

Setup is fairly straight forward, being an Android device it was a familiar process. The integration of the fingerprint reader on the power button is a plus over the previous design, I can easily unlock the device while unfolding it since my thumb easily rests on the button with it located under the volume rocker.

The Surface Duo 2 has a very solid build, all of the internals fit into a frame thinner than most phones out there, when folded the Surface Duo 2 is about as thick as most flagships, with the camera bump adding a little extra onto that. The hinge feels solid on the Duo 2, regardless of how far or little I open the device, I don't feel the device wanting to open or close more, it pretty much locks where I left it. The slight angle on the build of the camera is a nice touch, it allows the face of the device to lay flush against the camera bump when folded completely back. The one weird design is that the speakers are on opposite corners, top left and bottom right screen for each speaker.

I like the Duo 2 launcher, it's designed really well for the device. I like how the notification bar and your app pined to the bottom of your device will shift over to your unused screen when launching an app. Similar to a dual screen computer setup, each screen can be interacted with individually, launching an app on each, dragging an app between screen or drag it to the center to open it on both. The screens are really close, especially with the curved display in the center, however there is a little space that isn't accounted for in the middle of the display, you really only notice that when spanning an app across both, however the apps designed to work with this setup function great. The Xbox Game Pass and Kindle app are two great examples of this, the Xbox game pass app will put the touch controls on the screen you're holding. While the Kindle app can treat it like reading a book while full screen, some aren't designed to, but a comic spread across two screens would be quite small.

I really enjoy using the device as two screens though, its awesome keeping a mobile game up while browsing or even comparing a couple of documents. I toyed around and tested out the nova launcher, however it treats them like one screen and isn't really designed for this, I didn't really play with it long. I think the launcher is designed great, I like that you can change the home screen to easily accessible by swiping left or right, or taking advantage of having a large widget such as your calendar. It would be nice to change your grid size, or swipe down from anywhere to open your notifications instead of a search window. I couldn't find the setting even when searching, however it is possible I may have missed it.

I took a few photos, but usually don't take too many. Microsoft definitely put a robust camera system in the phone, it is a little awkward to hold initially, however once you get used to it works well. Having the captured photo showing on the second screen quickly shows you the quality of the shot and if you need to take another. I like the addition of NFC for mobile payments, I questioned if the phone had that feature however the tip app walked me through the process. It would be nice to see wireless charging in a future device.

The main thing I found interesting was the keyboard, it is designed to work well with the unique build of the Surface Duo 2. When folded completely over, working on a single screen you get a traditional keyboard setup, however when you have an app on the left or right screen it will push the keyboard over closer to your thumbs to make it easier to type, swipe is really useful when typing this way. When an app is spanned across both devices you get half the characters on the left and the other half on the right.

Overall this device feels like a PDA, it reminds me of the older smart phones before the modern day smart phones. I really like this android device, it would be awesome to see some more integration to windows over time. Hopefully Microsoft builds on this concept more, I would be really curious to check out future devices. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that's looking to up their productivity game. Hopefully Microsoft adds more options in the software and adjust things with customer feedback. I am planning to pick up the Stylus, I think it would be a great addition to this device!

I’ve been an iPhone user for at least 7 years, so the android Microsoft Surface Duo 2 phone was a challenge for me at the beginning. It took me a couple of days to understand how it “thinks”. I still don’t have it totally figured out, even after watching YouTube videos and reading the information on the Microsoft website. But I will say that there is a lot of information about the phone out there and it’s easy to find tips and specifications.

The phone is sold unlocked and comes nicely packaged in a sturdy box. It does not include bumpers or a USB C power supply for charging. My iPhone charger would not work so I am temporarily using my PC to charge it. I expected it to take most of the day to charge, but it was actually charged in about an hour. It told me it was “charging rapidly”. There are several ways to see battery status - on the main screen, in Settings and with the Glance Bar. I can see not only battery level, but also an estimated time when the battery will go dead based on usage. Battery life is somewhat better than with my iPhone. With moderate use, I can go 2 - 3 days before recharging.

The phone opens like a book, and in portrait orientation has two separate 3.75 x 5.75 inch glass displays connected with 2 hinges. The hinges fold 360 degrees and allow one side to fold back under the other, resulting in a standard configuration phone. In that configuration, only one screen is active. A double tap switches the active side from one half to the other. There is a camera bump on the back of the right side so the two halves don’t fit flush when in single screen configuration, but the gap doesn’t bother me. It gives me something to grasp when opening the phone to full size. The sides can be tented to make a stand for video viewing, video conferencing, etc. Even though the hinge is smooth, it is firm enough to hold the 2 halves in any position.

The inside and outside of the phone are made of Corning Gorilla glass, said to be the toughest glass available. The glass is silky smooth and slippery. It slides off of any slanted surface. To keep it from breaking if dropped and to keep it from sliding, I plan to invest in the bumpers soon. I expected them to be included in the box and I was disappointed when they weren’t. The camera is not waterproof. It weighs 10 ounces compared to 4.5 ounces for my little iPhone 6 and is heavy to hold for a long period of time. It’s wider than I would like, especially when typing, but will fit in my back pocket. It is uncomfortably heavy when used as a phone and is better suited for communicating via other methods. That’s OK with me because 95% of my phone calls these days are spam calls. It is very easy to report spam and block senders with the Duo 2.

Some of the print was very small initially but I found where I could change font and display size in Settings. Choices are small, default, large and largest.

My biggest frustration is with the swiping (gesturing) and not being able to close an app or go back. A firm, deliberate motion is needed with the gestures. Some gestures need to start half way up the screen while others start at the top or bottom. Sometimes I swipe and swipe and swipe and nothing happens. I switched to 3 button navigation which gives me back and forward arrows and I haven’t had any problem navigating since then. That 3 button navigation mode did increase the black space at the bottom of the screen and hid some of the apps. This was partially due to the display size being set on large. But even on the “small” setting, the app description was hidden by the black bar. I solved that problem by moving the bottom row of apps to the next page. There are 4 separate screens for apps so more than I will ever need.

Since I’m not a gamer I didn’t evaluate the gaming capabilities and will leave that review to someone with more expertise in that area. It has 2 speakers and the sound quality was good for a phone.

The glass adjacent to the hinge is curved and used to create a “Glance Bar” along the “spine” when the phone is closed. The Glance Bar shows the time and lights up to show battery level, missed calls, voice mail, texts, etc. I wasn’t very impressed. The power button has to be pushed to show the time. The displayed time is curved and it is difficult to distinguish a 0 from a 6. It’s just as easy for me to open the phone and glance inside. The Glance Bar battery level light only shows when plugging and unplugging. The text notification light stays on for an instant and unless I have the phone positioned where I’m always looking at the spine, the light isn’t of much value. The text notification light does re-light when the power button is pushed. The lights are cool, but the traditional vibrate/sound cues are more practical.

Typing can be a challenge, although it’s not as bad with the phone in portrait mode with one side folded back. In that configuration it is similar to most other cell phones, only wider. Typing in landscape orientation is almost impossible two-handed because of the 8 inch span. I either have to hold the phone with one hand and type with the other or put it on a flat surface. The camera bump makes the phone slant a bit when sitting on a surface, but that didn’t bother me.

The Surface Duo 2 has a front camera and 3 back cameras - ultrawide, wide and telephoto. The back camera housing sticks out, creating the “camera bump” but the housing is angled which makes it less of a nuisance. The front selfie camera can be used with one side folded back in standard orientation, but when using the back cameras the phone has to be open in book orientation. The picture is taken with the right screen and a thumbnail preview displays on the left screen. The pictures are brighter and sharper and more true to color than those taken with my old iPhone. Maybe a little too bright and sharp.

I take up to 100 pictures per day and it’s cumbersome to take pictures with the Surface Duo 2 because of the size and weight. If the button to take the picture were closer to the edge, it would help. I found that iPhone photos that I opened in Gmail download in seconds whereas the same photos taken with the Surface Duo 2 took 3 minutes to download. As a workaround I synced all my devices and now even without a sim card, while on Wi-Fi I can still use my iPhone for everything except phone calls and texts. I find that the iPhone/PC combination works best for taking and sending pictures for my purposes.

The selling point of this phone is the ability to multitask. I sell merchandise on several platforms and my day consists of taking pictures of items for sale, researching prices, and then adding the pictures and price to the written posting. I often correspond with potential buyers and give shipping quotes. All that requires some multitasking and I usually have 6 - 8 tabs open on my PC. Doing it on the iPhone was impractical but I’ll be able to do more functions simultaneously with the Surface Duo 2 since two apps can be run simultaneously - one on each side.

A simple example of how the Surface Duo 2 makes things easier is when an account requires identity verification and sends a code to text or email. With the website on one screen, I can see the code on the other screen. No more going in and out of email or messages and writing down/remembering codes.

On the “needs improvement side” are the weight and size. Both limit the use of the phone for typing, taking pictures and making phone calls. The ability to multitask offsets the negatives to some extent. I see it as a device to primarily use away from home when I don't have access to a laptop or PC. The black shows fingerprints. The white color might be a better choice in that respect. This phone won’t check all the boxes and those with higher expectations will probably find more to criticize. But for my purposes I expect it to work quite well.

I am very very happy with my new Samsung Galaxy A42 5g. It's really a nice phone, but was disappointed because the day after i seen it was on sale at another store for $100 less.

I got to Best Buy looking for a phone for a family member, and this is what I picked: Samsung - Galaxy A42 5G 128GB (Unlocked) - Black with dual sim capability. Interestingly, I picked it up from the "open box" section, but still looked great and intact. I will recommend this to any family member or friend.

Great phone for the price, only negative i have to say about it is that the touch screen responce is a little slower then my previous phone (galaxy s8)

Powerful phone at a reasonable price. Initially, I had a lot of confusion about buying this phone but took it to try and if not worthy would have definitely returned back. The reality is this phone is astonishing. The wider screen is definitely great to view any videos/movies. I don't download much, so 64 GB is really a lot of space for me. The standard Apps don't take too much space and hence I'm left out with a lot of space. No heating issues like other phones which I had in the past. Absoultely worth the price for budget lovers.

Bought this Samsung Galaxy A42 5G 128GB unlocked cell phone at Best Buy. The cell phone worked great the first 2 weeks.

Took a short flight from Ft. Lauderdale Airport to BWI airport.

Instead of setting Airplane Mode, I turned off the cell phone completely so as to save energy on my battery.

Tried to turn it on again at arrival at BWI airport but the phone was completely dead. Could not restart it or even show any signs of recharging. The screen was completely black (dead). Excellent Best Buy Service for replacing this bad cell phone.

I don't like iPhones. My nephew is a diehard Apple fan. He used my Galaxy S10. Now he wants an android. I bought this so he can try it out. He LOVES IT. He will use it for a few months to make sure it's what he wants before he purchase the Galaxy S21 or the FOLD.

Paired easily with his RAV4

The old Samsung phone was successfully transferred to the new Samsung phone and throughout this process, service was excellent and now my new phone works wonders compared to my old model.

This new phone and my upgraded AT&T account now allows easy internet access and so far no problems connecting to many apps and so all the best for the excellent service and phone is great.

Phone has decent hardware specs, is fast enough for my needs. Not very good signal strength though - no 5G inside my home and non-5G signal only 1-2 bars (previous phone, same carrier, non-5G, had better). 5G outside home in same locations could be anywhere from 1-5 bars. Music streaming (outside and with several different apps) randomly and regularly stops. I'm guessing this is due to poor signal, have tried numerous potential fixes found online but no improvement. (Again, previous almost never did this.) Some of this may be carrier related but seems random. Not a fan of the Samsung add-ons to phones, not as bad as they used to be but still too much. Netflix came preinstalled and can't be uninstalled. This is just annoying, doesn't make me want to use the app.