Tuesday, April 13, 2021
A new pair of Surface Headphones are here, and the focus is on Microsoft Teams.
What you need to know
- Surface Headphones 2+ are official.
- Launching this month for commercial markets.
- Featuring "Teams Certification" and a new wireless dongle.
Microsoft has announced a handful of new devices and accessories today, one of which is an updated pair of Surface Headphones, dubbed the Surface Headphones 2+. Just like the Surface Pro 7+ anounced back in January, the Surface Headphones 2+ are a product built for Microsoft's commercial customers only.
Overall, the Surface Headphones 2+ are much the same as the standard Surface Headphones 2 that have been on the market for over a year. New additions with the Surface Headphones 2+ include an official "Teams Certified" stamp of approval by Microsoft when paired with a new included wireless dongle.
The dongle allows for a direct connection between the Surface Headphones 2+ and your PC, bypassing Bluetooth altogether for a stronger and more stable connection. In addition, the dongle has different light states that will come on to let you know when you're on mute, and there's now a dedicated Microsoft Teams button directly on the headphones.
Other than that, the Surface Headphones 2+ are the same as the Surface Headphones 2, in sound quality and design. Microsoft will continue to sell the Surface Headphones 2 alongside the Surface Headphones 2+ for commercial markets, as most people won't need the additional Microsoft Teams features that are new on the latest model.
Here are the top features and benefits that Microsoft is touting with the Surface Headphones 2+
- Certified for Microsoft Teams for the best meeting experience. Empower employees with high-quality Microsoft Teams calls, a rock-solid connection with plug and play functionality, a dedicated Teams button, synchronized call controls to avoid the "you're on mute," and light states on the included dongle.
- Turn it up, tune it out. Experience your calls, music, and shows like never before with rich, immersive Omnisonic sound and 13 levels of adjustable noise cancellation. Use the on-ear dials to easily turn up the volume or tune out background noise. Advanced microphones ensure you are heard loud and clear on calls. Enjoy music, podcasts, exceptional call quality, or peace and quiet all day.
- Power through an entire day of meetings in comfort and control with up to 15 hours of voice calling time and up to 18.5 hours of music listening time.
- Intuitively change volume and noise-cancellation levels with touch controls and dials on the soft, breathable, lightweight earcups that make our headphones a joy to wear.
- Amplify your productivity with the power of voice in Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.4 Voice controls vary by operating system. Be more productive using your voice to talk rather than type and enabling live captions and translation in PowerPoint.
Interestingly, Microsoft is citing slightly worse battery life with the Surface Headphones 2+, with just 18.5 hours of music listening time compared to the Surface Headphones 2's claimed 20 hours.
| Category | Surface Headphones 2+ |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8.03" (204mm) x 7.68" (195mm) x 1.89" (48mm) |
| Color | Matte Black |
| Weight | 0.64lbs (290g) |
| Speaker | 40mm Free Edge driver |
| Noise Cancellation | Up to 30db for active noise cancellation Up to 40db for passive noise cancellation |
| Frequency Response | 20-20kHz |
| Sound Pressure Level Output | Up to 115db |
| Battery | Up to 18.5 hours of music listening time Up to 15 hours of voice calling on Microsoft Teams |
| Buttons/Controls | Power button Microsoft Teams button Volume dial (right ear) Noise Cancellation dial (left ear) Single earcup tap (mute) |
Surface Headphones 2+ are priced at $299 with shipping expected to begin later this month. What are your thoughts on the new Surface Headphones 2+? Let us know in the comments.
Business listening
Surface Headphones 2+
Premium audio for music and video conferencing.
Featuring Microsoft's omnisonic sound, noise cancellation, and a dedicated wireless transceiver dongle for a stable connection, the Surface Headphones 2+ are among the first Teams Certified peripherals.
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