The Microsoft Surface Duo found basically impossible to repair

The Microsoft Surface Duo is pretty unique – while it’s not the only dual screen phone on the market, it’s the only one to measure 9.9 mm when closed (meaning each half is only about 4.8 mm thick). Designing such slim hardware was challenging and required a lot of trade-offs as Zack from JerryRigEverything found out.

We don’t want to spoil the ending of the video for you, but it’s not a happy one. The Duo is basically impossible to repair as everything is aggressively glued down and covered in graphite tape, which rips as components are removed.

The hinge is pretty interesting, though. Since it doesn’t have to fold and then stretch a bendy screen, the hinge mechanism is a lot simpler than those of foldable phones. However, unlike current foldables, this hinge can rotate 360°. It still needs to protect the two cables that connect both halves of the device, which complicates things a bit.

In case you missed it, here’s the durability test – did making the Surface Duo so thin compromise its strength?