So fresh despite the trad surface
Surface Headphones 2 From €275 ★★★★★
Microsoft’s Surface range has expanded so much over the years that there’s now a tablet or laptop suitable for everyone from road-warriors to students. A surprising but thoughtful addition to this range was the provision of headphones.
Microsoft’s Surface Headphones 2 are designed for those of us who watch shows on our computers or tablets and also listen to music.
Unboxing these headphones reveals an exceptional hard-shell case. The case is slim and stores the headphones safely so you can pop the case in a backpack or briefcase. Inside are the headphones and a USB-C charging cable. Also included is a 3.5mm audio cable, with plugs at both ends. Should you run out of battery, or want to use a wired connection you can take advantage of the built-in audio socket using the 1.2-metre cable
Pairing is easy using Bluetooth and within a minute or two I was ready to go. Pairing with my Surface Pro tablet was almost instant. However, I tested them with a Mac, an iPhone and a Huawei phone and they paired and worked perfectly across a range of devices.
My headphones arrived almost fully-charged and a full charge will get you over 18 hours of music listening. You can get a full charge in two hours.
I listened to some movie sound and then some jazz. They perform really well and there’s a nice bright soundstage with good separation and excellent bass.
There are power and mute buttons, but Microsoft has done some clever engineering for volume and noise cancellation. Sweeping your finger along the right ear activates the touch-sensitive volume controls. The left works the same way, and you can step through 13 levels of noise cancellation. Call quality is excellent and microphones will pick up your voice as you speak to your digital assistant of choice.
The headphones are somewhat traditional looking and may not suit those who love the big logos of fashion brands. However, they are lightweight, portable and the nicely sensitive touch controls are wonderful. Music and calls sound great, noise cancellation is excellent and the great battery life is the icing on the cake.