Understanding Microsoft’s New Surface Headphones

Microsoft released a new Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, and Surface Studio, but it’s the headphones that got people talking.

‘What was it like to design your first headphones” I asked Ralf Groene.

Microsoft’s Head of Industrial Design, the architect behind the look of everything from the 28-inch screen Surface Studio 2 to the ultra-portable convertible Surface Pro 6, was chatting excitedly with reporters Tuesday evening in Manhattan, about the germination of Microsoft’s first high end audio device in a generation (there was once a Microsoft sound card, but that’s a tale for another time).

The new Surface Pro 6 (left) and the Surface Studio 2 (right).

Minutes earlier, Microsoft had unveiled four new Surface products (a new highwater mark for them). The Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, and Surface Studio 2 are all solid component-level updates to the company’s already impressive Windows 10 PC line. With their Intel 8th gen CPUs they met all rumored expectations. I like them, especially the more powerful Surface Pro 6. However, it’s always the surprise that steals the show.