Microsoft has revealed a string of new Surface products today, including the Surface Headphones 2 over-ear headphones and the long-awaited true wireless Surface Earbuds.
The Surface Headphones 2 (pictured, below) are fairly similar to their Surface Headphones predecessors, offering 13 levels of noise-cancellation, 40mm drivers and an "omnisonic" sound signature. The new model, however, supports Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX codec, and takes battery life from 15 to 20 hours. They supposedly sound better, too, while the ear cups can now rotate 180 degrees for greater comfort when wearing around your neck.
Arguably the standout difference is their price: $249 (AU$399) compared to the $349 (AU$499) launch price of the original Surface Headphones. That positions them comfortably under the well established, premium competition from the Sony WH-1000XM3, Bose QuietComfort 35 II and Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless, which should help their case. Coming in platinum and (new) black finishes, the Surface Headphones 2 will be available from 12th May.
The Surface Earbuds (pictured, top), which were originally due late last year, will also arrive on 12th May, priced $199/ AU$319.
The disc-shaped earbuds, designed to sit flush against your lugs, supposedly provide "an ultra-comfortable and stable fit". Their unique selling point? Integration with Microsoft 365 (of course!). This allows users to catch up on emails hands-free, using Play My Emails in the iOS Outlook Mobile App, and dictate in Word, Outlook or PowerPoint. Android phone users will be able to launch Spotify with a triple-tap of the touch-controlled earbuds, too.
The Surface Earbuds also boast Microsoft's "immersive" Omnisonic sound profile and a very competitive eight-hour battery life, rising to a 24-hour total battery life with the case. There's no noise-cancellation, however, so they're not direct alternatives to some of the best wireless earbuds on the market, such as the Sony WF-1000XM3 and AirPods Pro.
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