Microsoft expands Surface family with cheap iPad rival and wire-free headphones

By Alex Choros

Last updated 07 May 2020

Microsoft today announced a whole heap of new Surface products today, including the new entry-level Surface Go 2, and two pairs of headphones, including its first pair of wire-free buds.

The Surface Go 2 is ostensibly a Windows 10 powered iPad rival, a 10.5-inch tablet that starts at $629. The biggest upgrades from its predecessor include a slightly larger display, and a faster processor.

Key specifications include a choice of Intel Pentium 4425Y or Core M3 processor, a 10.5-inch 1920x1280 display, 64GB or 128GB of storage, and a battery said to last up to 10 hours.

You'll pay $629 for the entry-level model with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, $879 for the a model with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, or $1,199 for a 4G-ready model with 128GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and the Core M3 processor. Adding on a keyboard cover will set you back a minimum of $149.95, and a Surface Pen stylus will cost you $139.95.

For comparison, a 32GB iPad starts at $529.

Surface Go 2 pre-orders start today ahead of a May 12 release date. We wouldn't be surprised see the 4G model pop up at Telstra on a plan, given the telco is currently ranging its predecessor.

Microsoft is also taking on the increasingly crowded wire-free headphone market with the creatively named Surface Earbuds. The biggest point of difference between the Surface Earbuds and their competitors is you'll get up to eight hours of playback per charge, which is up there with the best. For comparison, AirPods Pro give you about four-and-a-half hours per charge. With the included charging case, Microsoft says the Surface Buds will give you 24 hours of playback before you need to plug in a cord.

The Surface Earbuds are available for pre-order now ahead of a May 12 release date, priced at $319.

Lastly, Microsoft announced a refreshed version of its over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. Dubbed the Surface Headphones 2, the cans tout up to 20 hours of playback per charge and are said to be tuned to block out voices. While the original Surface Headphones launched at $499, you'll pay $399 for the Surface Headphones 2. You can pre-order now ahead of a June 5 release.