Microsoft surprised everyone last week when it unveiled a pair of headphones at its Surface hardware event. But while rattling off a slew of features, like the fact that they’re over-the-ear, wireless and come with “Hey Cortana” support, one detail the company left off at the time was when they’d actually be available to buy.
It took almost a week, but now we finally know. You only have to wait about a month if you want a pair, as Microsoft’s product listing for the headphones has been tweaked to show they’ll be available to preorder November 15, and shipping will begin just four days later, on the 19th.
Among the key details about the headphones, meanwhile, are that they’re priced at $349 and come with a turn dial that lets you adjust 13 levels of noise cancellation, per a report from The Verge. The “Hey Cortana” support that’s built in means you can also use the headphones hands-free with voice commands, and a USB-C connection will let you charge them up for a max of 15 hours worth of battery life.
Here’s what Microsoft had to say about the wireless Surface Headphones in a recent blog post:
Microsoft’s first premium and smart headphone experience offer the attributes you have come to expect from Surface: premium design, expert craftsmanship, and integration with the services and experiences you love. Surface Headphones offer a smarter way to listen, with spectacular rich audio and hands-free calling. Surface Headphones make it easy to block out the world to get more done with adjustable noise cancellation, so you can focus on your task or just relax with your favorite music.
With automatic pause and play, they will even pause the movie or video you are watching when you remove them from your ears. Cortana, a hands-free digital assistant, is built in to offer you proactive guidance, read you emails, or kick off your conference call.
A Digital Trends reviewer opined in a post after the Microsoft event that these are some of the most comfortable headphones he’s ever tried out. The design, he added, felt different and lighter than typical headphones.
“And they should,” his review notes. “Ralf Groene, head of Industrial Design with the Microsoft Devices group and the man most responsible for the look and feel of the company’s products, told me it took 3 years to finalize the design. Three years spent honing the grease levels in the ball bearings that actuate the dial around the earcup. Three years spent perfecting the memory foam that makes them so comfy. No wonder they feel good.”
You can pre-order them here from the company’s online store.
