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Microsft has introduced new headphones with noise cancellation and also includes Cortana as a virtual assistant available in Windows 10. With these headphones, Microsoft not only wants to attract the most demanding sector in terms of sound quality but thanks to its 8 built-in microphones, it is capable of running the Windows voice assistant; that is, it is designed for that audience that is looking for the most intelligent headphones possible.
These first headphones of the Surface range are Surface Headphones which look elegant with a very good design and are quite comfortable. They are wireless and comes with 13 levels of noise cancellation. It incorporates FreeEdge drivers and offers up to 15 hours of battery life.
13 Levels of Noise Cancellation:
The 13 levels of noise cancellation can be adjusted on the right earmuff, which is actually a gyroscope, it means that it rotates. Through this “wheel”, we will be able to isolate ourselves from the world to a greater or lesser extent. That is, if we want, we can isolate ourselves from the world and focus on what we are listening to (for example, an important call) or, instead, we can deactivate it completely (or partially) to listen to what is playing through the headset and what is happening in the environment as well without the need to taking them off.
This is especially interesting because we can deactivate the noise cancellation for when we go down the street, for example, for do not have an accident. In addition, another of the most interesting features is that what you are playing will pause when you detect that you do not have headphones. That is, if you download them from head to neck, the music will automatically stop automatically.
Battery Life:
The autonomy of the battery is not far behind. It is possible to reach up to 15 hours by Bluetooth connection or 50 hours when it is connected to a device through the 3.5 mm jack. Speaking precisely about the battery, this can be charged through the USB-C port that integrates the headphones. However, Microsoft’s Surface headphones battery could be longer if Cortana was not always listening. Microsoft is reflecting over an update that would allow users to turn off Cortana for longer battery life.
Pause Detection and Cortana:
While interacting with humans is great, Cortana’s interactions are a strange inclusion. It works. You can ask Cortana questions using the iOS and Android applications or through a Windows machine and she answers them without much hassle. You can also add things to your calendar, initiate phone calls, send emails and, in general, do what you expect from a voice assistant. The problem is that Cortana steals the headphones a beautiful battery life. If you need Cortana’s help it starts with just giving a verbal command. It is important to mention that the headphones will make use of the internet connection of the mobile device. The company also announced that they will make an application available to configure various parameters such as audio profiles.
Also, it incorporates a total of 8 microphones, two of them dedicated to improving our call experience. Microsoft says they will help us “focus on the sounds we want to capture.” Very similar to other headphones on the market, Surface Headphones integrate touch controls to manipulate music playback. It is possible to pause or skip the tracks and the wheel, it also serves to adjust the volume.
Sound Quality:
Surface headphones are aimed directly at competing with current category leaders such as Bose and Sony. It is a very hard task to face three companies that have decades of experience. Microsoft is doing everything possible to unseat the kings in ignoring the world while listening to music. It is a bold tactic and a good start. But the Surface headphones do not reach the quality levels offered by the best Bose and Sony products.
That does not mean that the company has not done a good job. For the first output, the Surface headphones are very solid in every way. The sound is satisfactory although a little neutral in its tuning for some users. The lower part is there, but it does not have as much accent as. For example, the headphones offered by Beats (which, like it or not, the brand has done well). The media and the treble do not sound “muddy”, but they are not so clear either.
In general, the sound feels slightly attenuated and not as clear and warm as many would like. The sound in global terms is something neutral, but in that tuning, the high range loses some of its magic. Still, the sound quality is very good if you are not so demanding.
Good Style, Comfortable:
The fact that the headphones are visibly attractive to a large part of the population has also resulted in comfortable user experience. The flexible headband has been designed to fit most heads without exerting excessive pressure on the ears or on the user’s skull.
The soft foam materials will make you feel like you have tiny pillows in your ears. What is nice The band also has a soft material that caresses the top of the head. The headphones are comfortable and should be ideal for long trips by plane because it is also lightweight.
Even with the strange inclusion of Cortana, Microsoft has built a pair of very nice headphones for their first attempt. A great first start, but still will not unseat the current champions of the headphones, Bose and Sony. But they’re in the race, and that’s a good start.
Connectivity:
The surface is Bluetooth compatible 4.2 version and can connect with two devices together (phone and computer). And surface stable connection up to 42ft and they claimed a line-of-sight range of 296ft.
What In The Box When It Comes:
- Surface Headphone
- Carrying case
- USB cable-Charger
- Audio cable
- Quick start guide
- Safety and warranty documents
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Last update on 2022-06-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API