Microsoft released the Surface Duo, a foldable, dual-screen mobile device powered by Android, in September 2020. Thanks to a new Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) app update, the Surface Duo can now effectively double as a handheld Xbox, with the top screen serving as the display and the bottom as a touch controller that mirrors the standard Xbox controller’s layout and functions. Some of the games with touch controls that Surface Duo owners can check out now include hits such as Gears 5, Minecraft Dungeons, and Sea of Thieves. Microsoft’s Surface Duo debuted with high pricing ($1,399 and $1,499 for the 128 GB and 256 GB models, respectively) but can now be found on deal sites for as low as $600.
Microsoft is turning its Surface Duo into a handheld Xbox today. The latest app update for Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) let’s you use one screen for touch controls and the other for the game. It’s like a Nintendo 3DS with Xbox games. Details here: https://t.co/ubbsEAW3r8 pic.twitter.com/aP94t9xgzC
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 24, 2021
The benefits of a dual-screen device for this type of mobile experience are obvious. You no longer have touch controls over the top of the game, and your thumbs don’t get in the way of seeing important action on-screen. If dual-screen or foldable devices ever catch on, this is a far superior way to play Xbox games without a dedicated controller.
Source: The Verge