One of Microsoft‘s latest announcements they just finished bringing to the table yesterday at their Surface event was their new Surface Headphones. These new active noise canceling headphones are focused on competing against companies like Bose who have a strong hold on the market when it comes to ANC and they sound as though they might actually have a positive chance at doing just that.
The new headphones feature eight built-in microphones to help separate you from your surrounding environment with, and give you 13 levels of ambient noise control to help customize this to your exact needs. Both ears contain a dial where you would rotate the outer section of each muff to adjust either noise cancellation or volume–a feature that sounds so natural when it comes to hand coordination and comfort.
They feature a number of neat tricks like pausing your music when you remove them from your head and built-in Cortana support for voice commands (playing music, making calls, etc). They offer USB Type-C charging (like all of their modern devices) and up to 15 hours worth of battery (wireless).
Price-wise, they are falling within the same category as Bose with an MSRP of $350 and will be releasing in time for the holidays. You can learn more about them with the button below as well as add your email to their list for availability. We also have the specs listed right below that.
What do you think? Can Microsoft shake things up for companies like Bose? They are still doing great on the gaming and PC front unlike any of their attempts to get into the smartphone market. Their Surface tablets have been quite successful and proven to be a a great solution for portability. Feel free to use the comments below to share your thoughts. We’ll also make sure to give you our own opinion if our ears come across a pair in the near future.
Specifications:
| Dimensions | Length: 8.03” (204 mm) Width: 7.68” (195 mm) Depth: 1.89” (48 mm) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.64 lbs |
| Exterior | Color: Light Gray |
| Frequency response | 20 – 20kHz |
| Noise cancellation | Up to 30 dB for active noise cancellation Up to 40 dB for passive noise cancellation |
| Speaker | 40 mm Free Edge driver |
| Sound pressure level output | Up to 115 dB (1kHz, 1Vrms via cable connector with power on) Up to 115 dB (1kHz, 0dBFS over Bluetooth connection) |
| Charging | Full charge in less than 2 hours |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours (with music playback over Bluetooth, ANC on, hands-free Cortana1 enabled)2 |
| USB cord length | 1.5 m |
| Audio cable length | 1.2 m |
| Inputs | USB-C connector 3.5 mm audio connector |
| Compatibility | Windows 10, iOS, Android, MacOS |
| Buttons/controls | Power button, Mute button, Volume dial (right ear), Noise Cancellation dial (left ear) |
| What’s in the box | Surface Headphones Carrying case USB cable Audio cable Quick start guide Safety and warranty documents |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
