Hands On with Microsoft's new 'ear-gonomic' Comfort Headset

A few weeks back, Microsoft announced a new pair of earbuds that will go on sale in late March for around 15 Euros ($17 USD). The headphones are designed to fit into your ear comfortably and feature what MS calls an 'ear-gonomic' shape. With a low price and bright color options, these earbuds are not meant to be targeted at audiophiles but those who need a simple and inexpensive pair of headphones.

The headphones I was sent are bright orange and frankly, I quite like the color. They are made of plastic and have a standard length cord with a straight headphone jack on the end.

One of the first things you will notice about the headphones is that they are shaped a bit differently than the traditional round headphones. There is no question that they have a similar look to Apple's earpods and they were designed this way so that they would fit snuggly into your ear cannal.

The earbuds have a single-button microphone that is designed to make it easy to answer calls while using the headset but there is no volume up or down. For the roughly $17 USD (the only price offered so far is in Euros) you can't expect too much from these entry level buds.

In my ear, they do feel quite comfortable and stay firmly in place. I don't think I could go for a run with them but they do not feel like they would fall out while walking around. With no sharp corners or rough edges, they slide smoothly in and out of your ear canal.

The sound is a bit flat, no denying this, and the lows are a bit weak. I'll have more about this in the final review but it's important to keep in mind the price as well.

For those curious, based on the tag, these headphones were made in Vietnam by a company called Foster. They were built the fourth week of the year and have the 'Microsoft Mobile' branding.

With a few more weeks to go before these earbuds hit retail shelves, let me know if you have any questions on Twitter or in the comments below. I will do a full review of these earbuds in a week or two, after I have had enough time to thoroughly use them with different types of music and in different environments.