Surface Headphones 2 spotted with 20 hours of battery life — Bose could be in trouble

(Image credit: Microsoft)

We know the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 will be revealed in the coming weeks or months, but Microsoft might also debut a surprising new product: the Surface Headphones 2.

Spotted by 91 Mobiles (via The Verge), a Bluetooth SIG listing contains information about an updated version of the Microsoft Surface Headphones. The listing says the cans deliver 20 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 5.0 support and Qualcomm aptX codec support for high-def wireless audio. Additionally, Microsoft is expected to add dial buttons to its Bose killer.

Let's take a look at each of these specs in more detail and give you an idea of how they compare to other models.

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 specs

The most interesting bit of information we know about the Surface Headphones 2 is that battery life is rated at 20 hours. The originals lasted for 18 hours on a charge with ANC off or 15 hours with ANC on.

While the Surface Headphones 2 delivers longer battery life than the previous version, it pales in comparison to other best noise-canceling headphones. For example, the excellent Sony WH-1000XM3 has 30 hours of battery life and the Bose 700 goes for 21 hours. The Surface Headphone 2's 20 hours isn't bad, but it's far from class-leading.

We also know the next Surface Headphones will support Bluetooth 5.0. That's no surprise -- almost every new Bluetooth device supports the lasted standard for stable connectivity and improved efficiency.

Qualcomm's aptX codec is another welcome addition to the upcoming Surface Headphones. While it doesn't guarantee good sound quality, aptX delivers high-quality data transfers between Bluetooth devices so your music doesn't get flattened by compression.

Lastly, the Surface Headphones 2 will reportedly use dial buttons instead of or along with the dual dial system from the original pair. Rotating dials on the Surface Headphones' earcups let you adjust volume and ANC levels without any taps, swipes or commands. It's a clever system and I hope Microsoft continues using it. But based on the listing, Microsoft will adopt buttons, “dial buttons adjust the levels of Noise cancellation to three settings."

The Surface Headphones 2 could arrive as early as next week or during the digital Build 2020 conference from May 19 to May 21.

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.