A low friction non-gaussian surface is disclosed which has a positive skewness value and a kurtosis value of three or greater which minimizes static and kinetic friction and resultant wear in any instance of at least two surfaces in moving contact, including machine and computer components, magnetic media, and read/write heads which contact magnetic media. In a preferred embodiment, a magnetic media having an optimal non-gaussian surface roughness and method of surface parameter selection utilizes non-gaussian probability density functions in a contact model which accounts for the effects of roughness distribution and liquid film meniscus forces to determine optimum skewness and kurtosis values which minimize static and kinetic friction. The invention provides a magnetic media or other article of manufacture with a surface which has a positive skewness value and as high a kurtosis value as possible which minimizes or reduces static and kinetic friction and wear upon contact with another surface which may also be surface configured in accordance with the invention.