Save nearly $500 on Surface Duo 2 by trading in your original

What you need to know

• You can trade in an original Surface Duo for as much as $475 when purchasing a Surface Duo 2.
• The Surface Duo 2 has significantly better specs and an improved design compared to the original Duo.
• Microsoft's Surface Duo 2 starts at $1,500 and is available for preorder.

Microsoft just announced the Surface Duo 2. It's a significant improvement over the original Surface Duo in terms of design an internal specs. It runs on a Snapdragon 888, supports 5G, and has NFC. It also has a triple-camera system that looks to be much better than the camera on its predecessor. The Surface Duo 2 starts at $1,500 but you can cut $475 off of that by trading in an original Surface Duo.

To get $475 for trade-in, your original Surface Duo has to be in working condition. The form for device appraisal has you state if you have a charger or not, but both options yield the same trade-in value in our testing. The value you get for trading in the Surface Duo doesn't depend on if your device is unlocked or from a carrier. Interestingly, the 128GB and 256GB versions of the device each max out at $475.

Microsoft gives people a bit extra if they're trading in the original Surface Duo for the Surface Duo 2. If you trade in the original Surface Duo for any other device the maximum value you can get is $425.

While the Surface Duo launched at $1,400, its price dropped over time. Some sales had the device as low as $400 this year. Early adopters of the Surface Duo won't make back their entire investment, but $475 is almost a third of the cost of a Surface Duo 2.

Microsoft's trade-in process isn't as straightforward as that of other companies. To get $475 towards your Duo 2, you have to purchase the Duo 2, show proof of purchase, and send your device off to check its condition. Assuming that process goes smoothly, you'll then receive a bank transfer or PayPal payment for $475 within 14 days of the device's condition being confirmed.

Determining the trade-in value of your Surface Duo also takes a few steps:

1. Go to Microsoft's website for its trade-in program.
2. Select Phone.
3. Select Microsoft.
4. Select Surface Duo.
5. Select the model you have (128GB or 256GB).
6. Select the condition of your device.
7. Select your carrier or if the device is unlocked.
8. Select if your device has a charger (reminder that this doesn't appear to affect the trade-in value).
9. Select if you are trading in your Duo for the Duo 2 or another device.
10. Select Calculate.

You'll then see the trade-in value of your device. You can click Continue and follow prompts to proceed with the trade-in.

If you have an original Surface Duo but don't want a Surface Duo 2, you can still get up to $425 towards a Surface Pro 8, Surface Laptop Studio, or another device.