O+ Duo Review - NoypiGeeks

The advancement of technology prompted the possibility of almost everything. From individual devices that offer different set of features, to cater people with particular needs; to devices that have a jack-of-all-trades character, which can basically do everything under the sun.

One product category that falls under this principle is the hybrid. This is the fusion of two different products in one; a rare breed that is aimed for people who wants the best of both contradicting worlds, or for someone who just can’t decide which one to pick.

With that having said, the device we have here today is all sorts of 2-in-1, the O+ Duo. Not only that this thing is a bridge between being a tablet and a laptop, but it also sports two operating systems.

So, is this Android-Windows hybrid worth checking out? Let’s figure that out.

O+ Duo Specs

  • Dual OS: Windows 10 and Android 5.1 Lollipop
  • 8-inch IPS LCD
  • 1.3GHz quad-core Intel processor
  • Intel HD Graphics
  • 2GB RAM
  • 64GB internal storage
  • microSD support
  • 2-megapixel main camera
  • 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front camera
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth
  • Dimensions: 208 x 128 x 9mm
  • 4200mAh battery

Video Review of O+ Duo

Hardware and Build Quality

Considering that the device is an economical product, there’s really nothing too fancy about the build of the O+ Duo. Everything is encapsulated with this plain, all-black and boring body that is made from plastic. It does feel cheap, but it doesn’t look like it would easily break. And besides, all of the money you’ll be spending on this thing goes to what’s inside.O+ Duo Review-11

O+ Duo also feels compact, thanks to its 8″ profile. It is not pocket-able for sure, but it is easy and convenient to carry around and slide it in inside a purse or a bag. There’s some noticeable heft to it, but not too heavy, which makes it still comfortable for one-hand usage.

In front, we have the 8″ HD IPS display, LED notification indicator; and the Windows button, which also works as a home button when on Android.O+-Plus- Duo-Review-Specs

At the top, we have the lock/power switch and the volume controls. These buttons are, of course, also made with plastic. But despite being made with this material, they are surprisingly tactile and very easy to press; thanks to its well-protruded profile, with a design touch that made the three buttons look like merged as one with its well-trimmed corners.O+ Duo storage, microsd

The bottom has the microSD card slot; and the two magnets, together with the actual contact for the included keyboard.O+ Duo design

At the left side, we got the 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro HDMI port, and the microUSB port. The micro HDMI port was really serviceable during my tests. Although, some might need to purchase a micro HDMI to standard size HDMI cable to utilize this port, since probably most cables that you have lying around are all have standard HDMI sizes.O+ Duo Review - Windows 10 and Android Lollipop

There’s one bummer that I have encountered while testing the O+ Duo, and that is the lack of input ports. Like I have said, there’s only one microUSB port, which is being used to recharge the device; and connect other accessories, peripherals, and even external storage devices . Thus, you have to unplug your peripherals when you have to charge the device, or anything the case may be. A proprietary charging port could have gone a long way, but it may compromise the Android side of things.O+ Duo Review

There’s nothing to see at the right side.

At the back, we have the 2MP primary camera and the loudspeaker. The speaker’s performance have been pretty decent. It has a conservative volume, which is loud enough to be usable inside a quiet room; but not loud enough to distort audio.

Now let us proceed to the device’s accompanied keyboard dock. The accessory is also made from the same plastic, which, together  with its thin profile, made it very lightweight. The keyboard’s thinness was also the benefit of its absence of any ports, built-in battery, or just any feature besides having keys. There are only magnets and the contact for transmitting both keyboard signals; and power, which will be coming from the tablet itself. The keyboard also has four pillars on each four sides to make the accessory as somewhat a protective case when the device is not in use; replicating the implementation used in actual laptops.O+ Duo keyboard

Taking a look at the keys itself, we got a Chiclet-style keyboard here. The keys are decently spaced between each other; which made the keyboard compact, with fast travel distance when typing, without sacrificing the ease-of-use. But, the level of ergonomics is actually subjective to the user, but for my experience as a tall guy with big hands, I was able to comfortably type on O Plus Duo.OPlus Duo Free Keyboard

But because of the materials used, the keys are a bit mushy. Also, the lip at the bottom of the keyboard makes the buttons at the Space Bar area a bit irritating to press, as the joint in my thumb  is obstructed.O+ Duo Review-16

But what I really liked about this is that you can easily snap the tablet to the keyboard, thanks to magnets. The magnets are strong enough to hold the 8″ device with great stability. It also sits perfectly on my lap, or onto any surface, thanks to its stiff build. The O Plus Duo would do just fine without it, but having it as a bonus is very much welcome.

Display

The O+ Duo sports an 8″ IPS HD display, with 1280 x 800 resolution, and has 189 pixels-per-inch. Technically, the display we have here is a WXGA one, and not an HD display which has a 1280 x 720 resolution. But everyone is referring it as 720p since WXGA is close to HD. Plus, HD is almost the standard title in almost all media categories.O-Plus-Duo-Price-Availability

Also, the 1280 x 800 resolution resulted to an aspect ratio of 16:10; with the more standard 16:9, designated to actual 720p displays. A 16:10 aspect ratio is a great balance and a bridge between having a 4:3, an aspect ratio we usually see on iPads, that are perfect for productivity and reading; and a 16:9, which are seen in almost all smartphones, that are made specifically with media consumption in mind.

A 16:10 is wide enough for watching videos and gaming, but still makes productivity junkies comfortable. For a perspective, you can see tiny black bars when watching standard, 16:9 YouTube videos. These black bars are absent in 16:9 displays, but aren’t large enough in contrast to 4:3 displays.

Quality wise, the display projects deep blacks and average saturatio. However, the contrast is a little lame. The glass that is covering the display is also a bit reflective.

Software

If you are wondering what the ‘Duo’ stands for, here’s the answer. This budget-friendly tablet runs on both Android and Windows. But this is not your usual, underrated two-faced device; the device runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and Windows 10 out of the box. This thing is far north from the earlier dual-boot device that we had, the Cherry Mobile MAIA Smart Tab, which was under Android 4.4.4 Kitkat and Windows 8, out of the box.

With that having said, having two operating system is actually a good way to go. Both Android and Windows have their own proprietary applications and features. Windows has a more for-professionals ecosystem while Android is relatively entertainment-centric.

These are the main reasons why I think this device is pointed towards the students or anyone who just wants a work and life balance. Windows 10 has all the tools needed to handle work; we have the cliché, yet timeless Microsoft Office, and other productivity tools that are only compatible with a full desktop OS. On the other hand, Android offers all of your laid-back, past-time needs. It is no secret that the Google Play store is more populated with apps than the Microsoft Store. For a perspective, mainstream social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat are only available on Android and iOS devices.

Now let’s look at these two, one by one. First, Android Lollipop, despite being not the latest, it is still one of the best from Google. Lollipop has been around for almost two years now, so there is nothing really much to talk about. The interface is fluid, good-looking, and obliging. If there’s one thing that really bugged me about is the lack of landscape support to a lot of apps, which is frustrating when the tablet is docked on the keyboard. Also, boot-up time is awfully slow on Android in this device, rated at almost one minute and thirty seconds.

On the other hand, Windows 10 still feels very industrious, which is unbelievable to see on this tiny, and economical device. Paired with a larger monitor, you can get a more desktop-like experience on this thing. There’s also a free version of Microsoft Office that comes with it, which I think is a feature that is very essential to its prospected users. However, a lot of the advanced features are can only be unlocked after you purchased the full version. But nevertheless, the basic features can already be useful enough

Switching between Operating Systems is easy. On Android, just tap the OS switcher that is found on the drop-down menu. While, there’s a software found on the desktop of Windows called DualOSSwitcher that sends you back to Android.O+ Duo Dual OS Windows Android tablet Review

The O+ Plus Duo also has a spacious 64GB of internal storage; which is split in to two for the Operating Systems. Thus, we have 15.62GB available for Android, and the remaining 37.5GB is allocated to Windows. Having a bigger slice of the pie is only appropriate for Windows, since, all of its applications, and even the Operating System itself, is heavy on data.

Performance

The O+ Duo has an Intel Z3735F processor, which has an average clock speed of 1.5GHz (1.33GHz ~ 1.8GHz), partnered with Intel HD Graphics, and 2GB of RAM.

Processing performance on Android has been pure butter. Browsing through the home screen, social media feeds, and almost anywhere on the device is flawless. While gameplay is on a so-so situation; Titles like Sim City and Asphalt 8: Airborne ran fluidly, however there were some noticeable frame drops when I tried Injustice, which I believe is a more graphics-demanding game. It was still playable, though, but not as smooth as the others.

The same goes when on Windows. Everything feels smooth, initially. Although, things were a bit bogged down when I tried to push it a little hard. I opened, and interacted with 5 to 7 tabs on the Microsoft Edge browser, simultaneously, and the device just struggles a little. But considering it’s price, it’s very well equipped with capable hardware and I know that this processing power is enough for most users.

Check out these benchmark test results:

Camera

If there’s one thing that was left out here, it is the camera of the O+ Duo. It is not that surprising, considering that almost a lot of tablets have garbage camera sensors. And besides, other than using it for video calls, you don’t wanna use tablets when taking pictures. It looks awkward.

We got a 2-megapixel primary camera and a 0.3 (VGA) front-facing one. The shooter at the back can surely service you if you are really left with no choice to shoot. Despite the lighting conditions, the photos it can produce are full of noise and grains. Color reproduction is okay, but the contrast and saturation are lame.

The front camera also has a terrible output. This thing is made to do what is only needed, and that is for video calls. There’s no way you can take decent, to good selfies on this one, not unless you’re desperate and left without any options. Colors are hideous, with almost downhill saturation and contrast. And there are also noise everywhere. But despite the horrendous quality, everything is still bright enough, so details are still perceivable, so you can confidently do Skype calls even in low-light scenarios.

Battery

The O+ Duo is powered by a large 4200mAh battery. A capacity that is pretty standard to almost a lot of tablets today.

With that said, battery performance have been impressive, but not groundbreaking. During my tests, the device lasted for about 4hrs and 15mins. A screen-on time test that consisted of web-browsing, streaming videos online, and gaming, all done by switching back-and-forth between Android and Windows.

O+-Duo-Battery

Verdict

Let me start this conclusion by saying this: the O+ Duo is certainly a bang for the buck. Well, of course, it has its flaws, as this device is not perfect. But, boy.. The value that you are getting on this thing is too good to be true.

With its Php6,995 price tag, you are getting an 8″ tablet with an included (and impressive) keyboard dock, an option to use a bigger display via its micro HDMI port, decent battery longevity, and of course, having the ability to juggle between the latest versions of both worlds; Android Lollipop and Windows 10. The O+ Duo is such a steal that it even has a better worth that the company’s underpowered, and overpriced XFinit Smartphone that retails for about Php7,995.O+ Duo Review - Dual OS Windows and Android Tablet

If I will be nitpicking, I just wish that the processor was a little more powerful; the camera, especially the front-facing one, can produce better photo quality; and lastly, that boot-up time on Android shouldn’t have that long.

The cons are just very minor, so it is impossible for it to be a building block to whoever is planning on considering of getting this device. At the end of the day, it would now really depend on your needs. If an actual desktop replacement is what you’re looking for, a full-fledged and a more powerful Windows laptop is what you’ll need. Or, if you’re just all about laid back, and casual media consumption; then, a cheaper Android tablet can already give service.

But if you are a student, or a professional, who wants a compact, budget-friendly and all-in-one device that can handle all your work/school and entertainment needs, then the O+ Duo is the one for you.

Pros

  • Light and compact build
  • Micro HDMI port
  • Included keyboard dock
  • 64GB internal storage
  • Dual-boot Android Lollipop and Windows 10
  • Decent battery longevity

Cons

  • Subpar camera quality
  • Boot-up time on Android is a little long

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7 Comments

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  1. hi po! pano nyo po napagana un micro hdmi to hdmi sa tv? Dapat po diba plug & play? Bumili po ako ng cable kaso ayaw naman po madetect ng isa’t isa tablet and tv.

    Thanks po!

  2. Hi! mabibili ba ito sa lahat ng branch ng SM?? Need answer po kasi kelangan ko ito pang school :-) Advance thanks

  3. I bought this O+ Duo just last Feb 20 but it brought me so many
    technical problems when I got to use it. I bought this because of the
    micro-HDMI connector but it did not connect to my LCD TV (whether
    Android or Windows). The headphone jack was grounded with intermittent
    hum & static. There was something loose inside the case (it seems to
    be the entire battery) which moved around when the unit was handled.
    For the Windows 10 OS, it didn’t recognize the Duo’s SD card reader
    & Windows could not do automatic updates. The O+ customer care
    agent was implying that the problem was with my TV set, despite my
    insistence that my other tablets and laptops are easily connecting to it
    using their HDMI ports. They said they would study it and could not
    give a timeframe on when it could be resolved. They also wanted me to
    waste more time to journey to their service center so they can look at
    my newly bought O+ Duo. All this hassle, along with the fundamental
    issue of a brand-new unit having so many defects (loose battery,
    grounded headphone jack, unrecognized SD card reader, non-functioning
    HDMI port, etc.) led me to return the unit to my dealer and exchange it
    for another brand of tablet. I am extremely disappointed at O+ for
    letting a new, excited first-time customer like me down — I was so hyped
    by their product’s specs and price, then I was sucker-punched by the
    surprising lack of quality. Next time, for the sake of their future
    customers, O+ must make sure to manage and control the quality of their
    finished products before going out to market them.

    1. Hi. Did the defects surfaced after you have been using the device and not when you bought it at the store?
      Planning to get 1 myself here in Davao via Lazada @ 6k, or at the store @ 6.5k.
      Thanks.

    2. Thats very sad to hear. I’m planning to replace my iPad mini with this one. I hope I don’t get the same experience as you.