Microsoft Floor Duo officially goes on sale today, however earlier than you drop $1,400 on one, you may wish to learn a couple of of the critiques. As a result of the primary impressions of the distinctive gadget aren’t nice.
The general feeling is greatest summed up by Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal who says the gadget isn’t prepared until “you need an Android gadget that repeatedly ignores your faucets on its screens, randomly slows down, struggles to determine its personal up, down and sideways positioning, and abruptly rearranges components of its personal interface.” That’s fairly scathing, however sadly, Stern’s conclusions aren’t out of the strange.
Along with saying the “pretty, well-designed” Floor Duo “is completely not price” its $1,400 price ticket, Dieter Bohn at The Verge criticizes the gadget’s sophisticated multitasking, complicated navigation, and buggy interface, however praises the “complete, unified, and coherent ecosystem of apps and providers.” He says the ecosystem is “all miles higher than no matter Samsung or LG equal you’ll discover on their telephones,” and even discovered “moments of feeling like I might get extra achieved on the Duo than I might on different telephones.”
Nonetheless, if you wish to use the Floor Duo for something aside from working in Microsoft’s apps, the expertise received’t be so nice. Almost each reviewer discovered the Android expertise missing, with apps that didn’t assist the Duo’s multitasking, wonky navigation, and a poorer expertise than you get on another telephone. Bohn additionally succinctly says the digital camera is “trash,” whereas Daniel Howley at Yahoo was considerably much less scathing however nonetheless not happy with the outcomes: “The Duo was merely unable to seize as a lot element, and, in consequence, pictures seemed blurred and out of focus.”
Relating to Android apps, the expertise is simply as dangerous, with Scott Stein of CNET saying the “persistent lagginess and downside with display orientation (threw) off the entire expertise.” And whereas Daniel Rubino of Windows Central had one of many higher experiences, he nonetheless admits that the Floor Duo “is buggier than I would love,” although he’s optimistic that “software program tweaks and optimizations” will assist.
The place the Duo shines is with its {hardware}. Reviewers universally praised its construct and hinge, with Axios reporter Ina Fried calling the Duo “elegant, helpful and seemingly hearty” and Corbin Davenport of Android Police calling out its spectacular thinness and “mostly-flat design.” Reviewers additionally have been universally content material with its battery life however not blown away, however have been bummed by the dearth of Wi-Fi 6 and NFC, particularly in a post-COVID contactless world.
In the end, the Floor Duo doesn’t appear to be definitely worth the financial funding, however it’s an intriguing, thrilling, and attention-grabbing gadget for individuals who stay on the leading edge. As Adam Ismail at Tom’s Guide concludes: “Whereas too tough across the edges to complete as considered one of 2020’s greatest telephones, our Microsoft Floor Duo evaluation reveals what makes one of many yr’s most curious handsets so thrilling and maddening abruptly.”
