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Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

Microsoft Surface Duo 2 does not have many accessories, partly because of the complexity of making the case and even the screen protector (the new inwardly curved display is tricky). But Microsoft did show the Pen Cover when it released the Surface Duo 2 in October, which seemed interesting.

Although it took more than a month to hit the streets on November 15th, the $65 add-on is unique. It not only allows the Surface Slim Pen to stick to the Surface Duo 2 more firmly, it can also charge the stylus through induction. By providing more protection to the front cover and hiding some fingerprints on the originally very sleek Obsidian model, you will get a worthy upgrade.

This is what you need to know after using it for a few weeks.

Bottom line: Although not cheap, Pen Cover brings some excellent protection and new features to Surface Duo 2, especially if you like to use Slim Pen with it.

When the pen is initially charged, you can see the white LED. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

The Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover is now available for purchase directly from Microsoft (online) and Best Buy (in-store pickup or online). Amazon has not yet listed it as available.

It costs $65 and comes in two colors: Obsidian (black) and Glacier (white), which matches the two color options of the Surface Duo 2.

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

In the box, the Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover consists of three parts: the front cover and the two rear parts that form the rear bumper. The rear bumper consists of the same two pieces as the independent Surface Duo 2 bumper shell, glued with double-sided tape.

Press the matte front cover firmly on the Surface Duo 2. No tape is needed. It is a bit tricky to remove it because you need to pry open the ends near the hinges on both sides to pop it out, but it does not require much effort to remove it.

Unlike Surface Duo 2 Bumper, the front cover completely protects the bottom of the phone and covers the SIM card slot. Microsoft can achieve this preferred design because the lid is removable and does not use tape to secure it.

Inside the white pen case where the coil and magnet are located. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Inside the front cover, you can see a strip of Alcantara fabric, which helps protect the front glass of the Surface Duo 2 from scratches by the plastic of the front cover. Presumably, that lid also contains induction coils and magnets for charging and holding the pen in place. In fact, when the lid is opened, it is obvious that the area where the pen connects is much thicker than the hinge side, and the hinge side is significantly thinner.

Charging is simple: place the pen on the lid and the magnet holds it in place. A tiny white LED light will briefly light up to let you know that it is charging. This system is suitable for the original Surface Slim Pen and Surface Slim Pen 2.

From this perspective, you can see that one side is thicker than the other due to the addition of wireless components. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Some people doubt my claim that the magnet with the pen cap is so powerful that the Slim Pen can remain attached even in your pocket. But I am right. These magnets are much stronger than those built into the Surface Duo 2, and the pen is firmly attached (you need to pull it hard to remove it). If the magnet is stronger, removing the pen will be painful. For example: you can hold the Surface Duo 2 (284 grams) with the included pen, and even shake it gently without shifting it.

Due to the small size of the Slim Pen’s built-in battery and long battery life, the Surface Duo 2’s battery consumption is small, although your mileage will vary depending on how often you use the pen.

Both Slim Pen 1 and 2 can be used with Pen Cover. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Interestingly, if the Surface Duo 2’s battery level is below 50%, the stylus does not seem to charge, which is an excellent way to prioritize the life of the phone.

When the stylus is not charged, you can check the battery life of the stylus through the Bluetooth settings in Surface Duo 2.

There is no doubt that the front of the Surface Duo 2 is better protected by the front cover, and will neither be scratched nor affected by a slight drop. In addition, although the plastic will get fingerprints, it is much less than the fingerprints directly on Corning Gorilla Glass.

Turning the Surface Duo 2 into one-handed mode will have no problem with the case. Even with a pen connected, the device snaps into place nicely. Of course, it is thicker, but there are few ways to achieve a more elegant design with today's existing technology.

Due to the increased thickness, the Surface Duo 2 already feels stronger, and the pen cap adds to this, eliminating some of the fragility of almost all-glass devices in the hand.

Mixing and matching colors is not very beautiful. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Only the front side of the pen case weighs 30 grams. This is not a lot, but when you add Slim Pen 2 (14 grams), the entire package with rear bumper increases the weight of the Surface Duo 2 from 284 grams to 334 grams, making it easily the heaviest "phone on the market" "one. This is not the difference between day and night, but as the thickness increases, Surface Duo 2 feels stronger with this protective case and pen.

You can put a layer of skin on the top of the lid, or even use a layer underneath, but it is better to use SopiGuard instead of dBrand because the former is thinner and not the thicker (better) 3M variety. The skin will slightly interfere with folding the phone into one-handed mode, but this is not a spoiler.

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

There is no protective device on the rear of Surface Duo 2. This seems to be a blatant omission, but it is not clear if you can cover both sides and still be able to fold the phone back into one-handed mode.

It is not recommended to mix and match colors. Of course, you can put a white lid on the black Surface Duo 2, but the Oreo effect is not satisfactory.

No, you can't use the Pen Cover to wirelessly charge the Surface Duo 2, which would be strange because it is on the front.

Finally, the price of $65 is not cheap. Of course, expensive niche accessories will never be cheap, because Samsung’s own Samsung S Pen Folio Cover is priced at $80 and its leather clamshell holder is priced at $90. However, compared to the $40 Surface Duo 2 Bumper Case, the Pen Cover looks very cost-effective because it adds protection, fewer fingerprints, and new features that can charge the pen on the go.

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

Unlike Samsung's products, which have a larger market share, the Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover has no real substitutes.

For only $40, you can get the Surface Duo 2 Bumper Case. Although it is expensive, it is a great addition for those who want some slight protection and increased grip and do not need to charge the pen.

OtterBox has introduced a more robust Surface Duo 2 case; however, it is not yet available and does not provide pen charging.

If you want an inexpensive way to connect a pen without charging, Ringke's $10 pen holder is a good solution.

You can get more ideas in our guide to the best Surface Duo 2 accessories.

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

In some ways, the Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover is a bit strange. When you buy Slim Pen 2, you cannot charge it unless you buy a $35 charger. This is different from the original Slim Pen (still available), but there is a hidden cost: the Slim Pen with a charger is $150, and the Slim Pen 2 without a charger is $130. Slim Pen 2 has increased tactility, adopted a new design, and improved accuracy, so for some people, the slight increase in cost is worth it. Although tactile sensation does not work on Surface Duo 2, user rumors in the forum claim that Slim Pen 2 is more effective than Slim Pen 1 in terms of ink on the device.

All of this means that if you have a Surface Duo 2 and Surface Slim Pen 2, you will need a pen cover ($65) or a charger ($35). At least Microsoft gave you a choice.

As for why Microsoft can't build Slim Pen 2's wireless charging into Surface Duo 2, this is a space issue. The thickness of Surface Duo 2 has been increased from 4.8 mm to 5.5 mm, making it thicker and heavier than the original Surface Duo. As Pen Cover showed, adding wireless coils can make the situation worse. There is also a cost, because it will push up the price, even if the Surface Duo 2 is already more expensive.

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

All this made the Pen Cover seem a bit messy, until Microsoft came up with the wireless charging function of the Slim Pen and the wireless charging function of the Surface Duo (rear) integrated into a device without accessories. This is something we might see in the next version, but it is currently a DIY add-on.

Whether you get value from the Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover depends on the number of times you use the Slim Pen. Microsoft is slowly but surely adding the use of having a pen to Surface Duo 2, which is good news. Microsoft has just added the inking function to Outlook, and now allows you to "mark" photos directly with a pen.

We also heard that the December system update enabled the back button on the Slim Pen to automatically open OneNote.

Even if you don't use the pen often, the pen case is cool. It adds protection, hides fingerprints, and makes it more grippy. For some people, this alone is worth it.

Bottom line: For those who like to use a stylus on Surface Duo 2, the stylus case is smart and a recommended accessory to make the most of this combination.

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Daniel Rubino is the executive editor of Windows Central. Since the site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central) in 2007, he has been covering Microsoft here. His interests include Windows, Surface, laptops and modern computing. Follow him on Twitter: @daniel_rubino.