- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've tested 10 pairs of HyperX headphones. They make mostly mid-range gaming headsets with a couple of higher-end models. They’re known for their great microphones and good overall audio reproduction, but they’re generally somewhat lacking in active features and customization options.
Updates
- 09/25/2020 HyperX Cloud Stinger S reviewed
- 06/30/2020 HyperX Cloud Alpha updated
- 06/05/2020 HyperX Cloud Alpha S reviewed
- 05/28/2020 HyperX Cloud Flight updated
- 04/20/2020 HyperX Cloud Stinger updated
Best HyperX Headphones
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Best Wireless HyperX Headset
Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best HyperX headset with a wireless connection that we've tested is the HyperX Cloud Flight S. These wireless gaming headphones are quite well-built, comfortable enough to wear throughout long multiplayer raids and provide over 33 hours of runtime on a single charge. They can also be recharged via any Qi-enabled wireless charger, which is quite handy. Their boom microphone does a great job of making your voice sound clear, full-bodied, and mostly free of background noise, so teammates shouldn't have an issue understanding you, even if you're gaming in a crowded or noisy environment. If you're planning on throwing them in a bag, the mic is also detachable, which reduces the headphones' footprint and makes them a little easier to carry around. They offer a fairly well-balanced sound profile overall, which should give mostly equal emphasis to everything from sound effects to dialogue.
Unfortunately, if you're looking for a little more thump and rumble, their HyperX Ngenuity companion software doesn't offer an EQ or audio presets to tailor their sound profile to your liking, though it does allow you to remap their physical control buttons to a very broad range of functions. They're also only compatible with the proprietary wireless USB receiver, so they can't really be used in more casual scenarios like listening to music on your phone. Still, if you're looking for a pair of comfy, well-built gaming headphones that offer a decently rich feature set, these are a good choice.
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Best Wired HyperX Headset
Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best HyperX headset with a wired connection that we've tested is the HyperX Cloud Alpha S. These wired gaming headphones are very comfortable thanks to their lightweight construction and included selection of ear cups, which come in both leather and cloth. They're also remarkably well-built, with a flexible aluminum frame as well as a detachable boom microphone and braided audio cable. If you're looking to give your favorite action games an added bit of thump and rumble, these headphones feature sliders on each ear cup to independently change the amount of bass at three levels of adjustment. Their microphone is very good overall, as it makes your voice sound fairly clear, full-bodied, and mostly free of ambient noise.
Unfortunately, these headphones don't offer a very broad range of configuration options, as their HyperX Ngenuity companion software only allows you to adjust their microphone level and enable surround sound. Due to their somewhat inconsistent fit, it's also quite likely that you'll experience sounds differently on separate listening sessions, particularly in the treble range. That said, if you're looking for a pair of wired gaming headphones that are compatible with both analog and USB audio, they're a solid choice.
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Best Budget HyperX Headset
Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless NoNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best HyperX headphones in the budget category are the HyperX Cloud Stinger. These gaming headphones are well-padded and lightweight, so they're comfortable enough for long gaming sessions. Thanks to their wired-only design, you don't have to worry about latency or running out of battery, either. Overall, these headphones have a bass-heavy sound profile that adds an extra boom and punch to action-packed scenes in your favorite games. Their boom microphone has an impressive performance, too. Your voice sounds clear and natural to your teammates on the other end of the line, even if you're gaming in a noisy environment.
Unfortunately, these headphones don't block out a lot of background noise, and they leak a bit of sound, so they may not be the best choice if you're gaming in a noisy environment. They also don't have any sound customization features. If you're willing to spend a little extra, you can check out the HyperX Cloud Stinger S, which has similar performance and comes with a few more features, including a 7.1 virtual surround mode. That said, these headphones are a solid choice for gamers on a budget.
Compared to other brands
- Durable build quality. HyperX makes sturdy headphones that feel durable enough to withstand constant and repeated use. Even their lower-end models feel like they’ll survive getting dropped a couple of times.
- Versatile gaming designs. HyperX headsets are good not only for gaming but most also have a detachable microphone for more casual use with your mobile devices on-the-go. None of the models we’ve tested have an in-line mic for taking calls on your phone, but some have a detachable cable, so any in-line remote should do.
- Great microphone quality. The microphone quality of most of the HyperX headphones we've tested is excellent. They reproduce your voice accurately and separate noise from speech well enough to use at competitions and in louder environments.
- Lack active features. Although HyperX has some wireless headsets and a couple of models that support some extra features like surround sound or wireless charging, they don’t have any headphones that do it all, like some competing brands offer.
- Few customization options. Unfortunately, these headphones don’t really have many customization options, especially when compared to gaming headsets from other brands like SteelSeries, Razer, or Logitech.
Overall, HyperX makes durable and sturdy gaming headsets at an affordable price with excellent noise filtering microphones. Most of their headsets are wired, which is great if you prefer to simply plug-and-play without having to worry about latency, but their headsets tend to lack features when compared to other popular headsets like the Astro A50 Gen 4 Wireless 2019, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, or the Logitech G933 Wireless Gaming Headset. That said, their lineup is worth taking a look at if you prefer simpler yet still well-rounded designs.
Conclusion
HyperX makes mostly wired gaming headsets, with excellent microphones and sturdy build quality. They're decently affordable, tend to sound moderately well-balanced, and their wired models offer a great low-latency gaming experience. Not everyone finds a wired design as convenient, though, and their headsets also lack customization options when compared to other brands.
Check out our recommendations for the best gaming headphones, the best wireless gaming headphones, or the best budget gaming headphones.
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