The Microsoft Surface Earbuds were announced back in October of last year and were made available around May of this year. With stiff competition, they released their buds at a price point of $199.99 which is a lower amount of what was initially planned for this pair. In saying that, many have great expectations for this pair and we’re going to be finding out if they were able to meet that. Read on for our full review of this model.

Starting off on a positive note, we’re going to be looking at the good things that we found out about this pair. Here are the Pros for the Microsoft Surface Earbuds.

Pros

IPX4 Water Resistant. One of the better things that we’ve seen in this pair is the IPX4-rating that it has. This means that it can withstand splashes from any direction; it has the potential to be a good pair for working out since it can handle sweat or a sudden drizzle while you’re out for a run. For a premium pair, this is definitely a good feature to have.

Very Portable. With the charging/carrying case measuring less than an inch tall and around 3 inches wide, this pair can easily fit in your pocket. It doesn’t take up much space at all so you can definitely bring this around even if you’re someone who prefers to carry mini or micro bags. This makes it very travel-friendly since you can literally take it wherever you go; perfect for those always on-the-go.

Now with those Pros unfortunately come some Cons. And spoiler alert, we found a number for this pair. To know what you should keep in mind before taking the plunge with the Microsoft Surface Earbuds, read on for the Cons that we have uncovered.

Cons

Strange Design. We’ve come across some unique pairs in the market but this pair takes that on a whole other level. At first glance, it looks kind of like a pop socket or a very large earring… if earrings were to go in ears. Now, it’s the kind of design that you either absolutely love or absolutely hate – and this time, we’re leaning on the “hate” part (though that’s kind of a strong word). With it’s pop socket-esque top, we can foresee many issues with its tap function – unless Microsoft is able to deliver an amazing just-the-right amount of sensitivity on this pair. But even with other pairs we’ve reviewed though, that’s usually not the case. Because of how it’s built, it also falls out easily which is a hassle especially for those who live more active lifestyles.

Buggy Touch Functions. Just as we feared, the tap functions on this pair are buggy and are more of a hassle rather than a convenience. There were issues specifically with the left bud which is annoying especially if you’re not in a position to keep taking out your phone to configure your music or podcast situation. To save yourself the stress, you’d be better off disabling this feature – or let’s be real, getting a different pair of earbuds.

Software Issues. This pair attempts to replicate the Airpods/Apple ecosystem to its products but it’s not quite there yet. There are a lot of things to be refined for it to be on par with its competitors. While on paper, what they’re trying to achieve makes them seem like the perfect Office accessory – in reality, there’s only a few things you can do with this such as using it as a mic to dictate what you want to say to a Word document. Other than that, this just falls flat on their promise.

Bad Value for Money. This pair costs roughly $200 which is on the high-end price point. For the features that it has, this insane price is simply not justifiable. With the Cons that we’ve outlined in this review, there are simply too many inconveniences for anyone to drop $200 on this pair.

All in all, while the Microsoft Surface Earbuds have some good qualities about them that make them a promising pair – being IPX4-rated and very portable, it’s not quite there yet. While it does have the potential to be a great pair for working out and for on-the-go in general with these features, there’s too many loose ends that Microsoft should tie up.

Overall, we hope to have helped you with this review and with your earbud hunting journey in general. To find out some good alternatives for this pair, feel free to check out our other articles in the True Wireless Earbuds and Reviews category. Happy listening!

Soundpeats was founded in 2010 and has been actively releasing products in the wireless audio market. Other than true wireless earbuds, they also sell some wireless neck bands and a watch which is very telling of who they are as a brand. Their coverage has reached 20 countries with the primary ones being the United States and Japan. As for their new addition – the H1 – it’s only available for pre-order right now so while waiting, we’re going to go ahead and discover what it’s made of.

Starting off with the positives, let’s look at the good things to look forward to with this pair. Here are the Pros that we found for the Soundpeats H1.

Pros

Functional Design. The H1 has a small form factor, making it seem quite stealthy or quite subtle on the ears. With its smaller size, this means that it has a smaller charging case as well. Both the earbuds themselves and the case come in a matte black. This is great for those who are looking for something a little more subdued design wise and for those who love a classic black pair.

Customizable Fit. Like many wireless earbuds, the H1 is set to come with three pairs of different sized silicon tips to help you get a tight and secure fit. If the standard tips it comes with proves to be too tight for comfort or too loose for security, you can easily swap them out for a different size. This will ensure that you have a good seal which is great since that means that this can definitely be a daily option or a pair for those always on-the-go.

Clear Voice Communication Technology. This pair provides CVC 8.0 noise cancellation which means that it’s able to filter out background noise when you’re speaking so your voice would be clearer to whoever is on the line with you. With this feature, even if you’re in a noisy environment, the person on the other end should be able to hear you better. This is perfect for those who have to take a lot of calls – whether business or personal – and in a time where virtual interactions are becoming more and more rampant.

Now with all the Pros we’ve laid so far come some things for you to consider before going ahead and pre-ordering this pair. Here are the less desirable things that we’ve found – the Cons for the Soundpeats H1.

Cons

No Water Resistance. This model does not have any sort of water resistance which is pretty disappointing. This means that you would have to be extra careful using this in inclement weather or new environments. Also, it likely won’t hold up well in workout sessions in the gym which is something people with active lifestyles should consider before getting this pair.

Mediocre Sound Quality. While mids, highs, and lows sound pleasant which means that it’s generally okay sounding, it stops there. It’s nothing amazing or special which is pretty disappointing since even if it’s not a high-end pair, sound quality should still be the main star of the show. Bass is also weak which is something people who like listening to EDM – or even pop – should consider. This also makes it less ideal to use in the gym – or even for people who like to listen to different genres – since it will likely not deliver the punch that you want.

Too Expensive. It’s too expensive for what it is – a low-cost wireless earbuds option. However, it doesn’t have enough features to be in a fair price range for the midrange market as well. This puts it at an awkward place regarding its value for money especially since the wireless earbuds market keeps growing day by day. So far, we haven’t seen anything that would really make it stand out or that would make it worth its price point of $69.99.

Overall, the Soundpeats H1 seems to be a very promising entry to the wireless earbuds market. Its functional design, customizable fit, and CVC 8.0 noise cancelling technology are good features to have in order for it to be a good daily option for different types of people.

However, with the Cons that we’ve outlined, we think that you may be better off with another pair. Aside from the fact that there is a waiting element since these are only currently available for pre-order, there are still some features that are lacking in order for them to have a justifiable price. The fact that the sound quality that they offer is quite poor or mediocre is something to look into as well because even if it’s affordable, you still want to get your value for money. In saying that, you’d definitely be able to find many models with similar designs or similar feature sets – even on Soundpeats websites as some of their previous releases share the same characteristics – since this style of wireless earbuds have been done over and over again.

All in all, we hope you consider our review before going ahead and getting this pair. We want to help you with your decision and with your earbud hunting journey in general. Hopefully, we’ve accomplished that today.

Grado is known for their open-back over-ear headphones, producing the finest quality over the years. They made their entrance in the wireless market back in 2018 with the GW100, an open-back on-ears pair. Now, they’re launching their first ever true wireless earbuds which many are looking forward to with the lineup of features that they offer.

With that being said, let’s go ahead and get on with this review starting off with the good things that we found out about this pair. Read on for the Pros of the Grado GT220.

Pros

Lightweight. This model has a really small form factor, only weighing 5 grams each. This means that they’re more likely to be comfortable as you probably won’t even notice that you’re wearing them after a while. This is perfect for long flights or long commutes since while you’d still be able to listen to your favorite tracks or podcasts to relax, you wouldn’t have as much ear fatigue in the process.

Wireless Charging. This pair offers wireless charging through a Qi charging mat (that you would have to buy separately) aside from powering up via USB-C which they claim would take about 2 hours. This is especially convenient for those who have phones that utilize wireless charging as you wouldn’t have to worry about carrying along a separate cable for your earbuds case.

Now we all know that with the good comes the bad – or in this case, the not-so-good. While we saw some things that really stood out for us with regards to this pair, we also saw some factors that can be considered as Cons rather than Pros for this particular model. All things considered, here are the Cons we found for the Grado GT220.

Cons

Mediocre Battery Life. While the GT220 performs a lot better compared to other wireless earbuds in the market with 6 hours of playtime, you can definitely expect something a little bit longer considering the price it retails for. While it claims to last more than 24 hours (made possible by the alleged ability to be able to charge 5x over via the charging case), many other pairs are already able to do that with more playtime in the buds for the same or even cheaper retail price.

No Noise Cancellation. This pair doesn’t have any sort of Active Noise Cancellation technology which wouldn’t be a big issue a few years ago but now, it is kind of weird especially since this one is marketed as a high-end pair. Also, in a time where everyone is on the go, it’s almost a requirement at this point to offer some sort of noise cancelling technology. We don’t know exactly if there’s a reason for this but it’s definitely a bit disappointing in our book.

Too Expensive. All in all, this pair’s price point is simply too high for what you do get. It sits with the likes of Sony and Bang & Olufsen but we think that it lacks some features and innovation to ultimately justify the level at which they’re at. If they were half the price though, we’d definitely be more impressed and would consider this pair to have really good value for money.

Generally, the Grado GT220 seems to have potential to be a great pair for everyday with its light form factor and comfortable fit. Offering wireless charging was also a really good move on their part as most phones utilize that technology nowadays. They seemed to have convenience and comfort at the forefront with this pair which is always great to have in the pretty fast-paced world we live in.

But unfortunately, they didn’t quite hit the mark in some aspects which made their value for money have a pretty low score from us. For one, the battery life could’ve been improved with regards to its playtime. They also could’ve added some sort of active noise cancellation technology which is pretty much a must in modern times. If they were able to fix these little hang-ups – or lower their price, their value for money will be tremendously better and they’ll truly be worth your buck.

In conclusion, if you’re dead set on getting these earbuds – while that’s not the worst idea ever, we would recommend waiting until they smooth out the Cons that we’ve mentioned (and find a way to integrate amazing audio while they’re at it) for you to get the best experience out of this. If you’re in a hurry though, we recommend browsing the wireless earbuds market for more options and narrowing it down until you’ve found the perfect pair for you. You can check out our other articles for reviews of other pairs of true wireless earbuds (wink, wink!) to help you out. Ultimately, we hope to have helped you with this review and we wish you all the best with your earbud hunting journey.