Surface Headphones 2 Review (1 Year On)
I've been using the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 for almost a year now. Here's my thoughts on how they've stood the test of time.
Battery Life
I bought these during the summer of 2020. For those who might be reading this in the future, you may or may not remember, but this was the year of Coronavirus.
As a result, I used these headphones A LOT. I was working from home the entire year (and still do at the time of writing), and socialising with my hometown friends by playing copious amounts of Playstation. I also spent a decent amount of time working out, and listening to podcasts while doing chores, all whilst wearing these headphones.
Over that time, I have delighted in the one thing every wireless device owner cares about - battery life. The Surface Headphones boast 20 hours battery life, and I can gladly say that does indeed mean I'm only charging them once, maybe twice a week, depending on how intensely I use them.
Audio Performance
I will preface my comments here to declare that I am not an audio expert. What matters to me is clarity of voices for podcasts, good base and quality sounding music, and good audio when playing video games.
Overall, I would say the audio quality, for the price, meets my expectations. Comparing these to a lower priced, £15 pair of in-earbud headphones, you can notice the step up in all areas. You definitely know they are a quality pair of headphones, and that's all that matters to me.
Noise Cancellation
The other standout feature of these headphones has been their noise cancellation.
I will admit that there are a number of reputable tech review websites out there that claim Bose or Sony's noise cancellation is superior, and they're probably right, but for me, someone who just needs to cancel out noise on a walk to work (if that ever happens again), or get rid of the obnoxiously loud music at the gym, the Surface Headphones 2 do the perfect job.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, there are two callout features.
Firstly, the Surface Headphones 2 seamlessly connect to multiple devices via bluetooth. For me, I'm always connected to both my iPhone, and my work laptop. This means at one moment I could be speaking to colleagues in a Zoom meeting, and then after I've left, I'm listening to Spotify or podcasts from PocketCasts using my iPhone. No disconnecting and re-connecting needed. I cannot tell you how nice that is. There are a number of premium headphones out there that can only connect to a single device, and that alone is a deal-breaker for me. Who has only ONE device? Come on, it's 2021.
Secondly, the Surface Headphones 2 have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Now I know everyone loves to meme about the fact that the headphone jack is dead, Apple killed it. So why should you care? Well, if you do ever run out of the 20 hour battery life, you can keep it going infinitely by plugging in your audio cable. I actually use this strategically to prolong the battery of my headphones. For example when I'm using my Surface Headphones at work, I'll use the audio jack to prevent the battery from draining needlessly. I don't care about the ability to wirelessly listen to my manager, with noise cancellation, so I can save the battery for when it matters.
Aesthetics
One feature that deserves a few words is the aesthetic design of the Surface Headphones. In terms of colour, you get 2 choices, light grey and matte black.
I myself, have a preference for the matte black aesthetic. (Much like the famous Tech Youtuber Marques Brownlee / MKBHD)
The Light Grey is still good though. In my opinion it evokes more of a playful, casual vibe, perhaps that's just because the colour of the grey reminds me so much of the Playstation 1.
Buttons
Whilst we're on the topic of aesthetics and design, it is important we cover the Surface Headphones' unique design in terms of buttons and functionality.
Firstly, audio and noise cancellation are controlled by rotating discs on the right and left earbud respectively. This has been praised by the tech community as a fairly innovative design. I also have enjoyed using this, there's something about volume being controlled by rotation feeling much more natural than clicking a button 5 or 6 times.
There are also 2 buttons. One to turn the headphones on and off. Another to mute and unmute the microphone. As I mentioned at the start of this article, these headphones arrived in the advent of Coronavirus, which meant home working, which meant A LOT of Zoom calls. So the trusty mute and unmute button is actually a welcomed feature.
Touch Gestures
To control your audio and music, there are a series of touch gestures that you can perform on either of the earbuds.
Tap once to pause/play, tap twice to skip track, tap thrice to skip backward.
Whilst this is a really modern feature, and something we are all accustomed to by now since the age of smartphones, I have not enjoyed the touch gestures.
This is because I've found them to be tricky to perform the gestures accurately. Sometimes I'll be listening to music at my desk, and then I will need to quickly talk to my partner, so I tap once on the side of my headphones to pause, and a couple seconds later the music is still playing. It makes for a very frustrating experience.
On other occasions, I have been at the gym lifting dumbbells above my head, and a gentle brush from my gym top on the headphones has caused the music to pause, right in the middle of an intense rep! That is far from ideal.
The Headband
You might be wondering why I have a subsection dedicated to the headband.
Well, a few months after I purchased my Surface Headphones 2, I noticed that the soft cushion material on the underside of the headband, was peeling away from the main plastic structure of the headband.
Having only had these headphones for 3 or 4 months, I was not impressed to see the headband essentially peeling apart after only a few months of indoor use. So I requested a new pair under my warranty from Microsoft, and soon received a second pair which I still use to this day.
I thought the second pair were much better at first. The soft cushion material seemed much more securely fastened to the headband frame, but in the last couple of weeks (perhaps maybe 5-6 months of having the second pair), I'm starting to notice the same peeling.
As a result I will actually be reaching out to Microsoft to see whether they can provide a new pair again, or for a refund.
Verdict
The Surface Headphones 2 have been the perfect set of work from home, noise cancellation headphones. The quality of both audio and the design is top tier, and I feel cool and proud to wear these at home and out and about.
However despite all the good things these headphones have to offer, I am frustrated by the variable sensitivity of the touch gestures, as well as the consistent problems with the headband falling apart. Most notably the headband. For me, if you are paying for headphones in the premium price band (£239.99 on Microsoft Store as of 28th March 2021), I think you should expect your headphones to stay in one piece for at least a year, if not a lot longer! It is a shame because it leaves a slightly bitter taste in what is otherwise a great product!
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