The function "reduce ambient noise" by phase inversion also works without connection to a computer or smartphone. The volume control for audio also only works on my Surface 4 on the computer and not on the control in the cable, which only seems to work on the Samsung smartphone, but is hardly a disadvantage. I have not tried this on the tablet. As long as your computer has an audio mini jack, AUDIO always works... have fun. The suppression of ambient noise is really ingenious. Air travel in a noisy plane, train travel in the SBB yes made my nights in the rumbling Trans-Siberian train bearable for 10 days.