HyperX Cloud Flight  Headphones Review

The HyperX Cloud Flight have the same design language as the rest of the HyperX lineup but don't look as premium or as sturdy as some other HyperX gaming headphones, like the HyperX Cloud Alpha. They have a more typical headband design with a detachable boom mic, and decently sized oval, ear cups that swivel to lay flat. This gives them a casual over-ear look that you can comfortably wear as your daily drivers, especially if you turn off the LEDs. They don't look as flashy as some of the other gaming headsets, which some people may prefer; however, they aren't available in any other colors, which might disappoint some people.

The HyperX Cloud Flight are comfortable headphones, but they're not as well-padded as the HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II or the HyperX Cloud Alpha. On the upside, they're slightly lighter than those headphones since they have a bit more plastic in their build. The headband isn't too tight on the head, and the ear cups are decently spacious. Overall, they should be comfortable enough for most long gaming marathons without causing any fatigue.

The HyperX Cloud Flight have a simple and efficient gaming control scheme. They have a volume dial and a microphone mute button on the right ear cup. The power button also cycles between the different LED lighting patterns. Feedback is decent but the volume dial lacks discrete notches and end points so the dial keeps spinning even when you're at max volume (you do get auditory feedback though). The buttons are also slightly mushy but still deliver enough tactile feedback when pressed.

Like most closed-back, over-ear headphones, the HyperX Cloud Flight are not very breathable, especially in warmer conditions. They create a fairly good seal around your ears which obstructs a lot of airflow and makes your ears relatively warm after about an hour of continuous listening. They should be okay for most casual uses like gaming but aren't the best choice for more strenuous activities like working out or running.

The HyperX Cloud Flight are not very portable headphones due to their bulky design. The ear cups lay flat and their boom mic is removable, making them easier to fit into a bag, though unfortunately, they don't come with a carrying case. While their detachable mic makes them a decent option for day-to-day use, they don't support Bluetooth so you'll have to use them wired to your phone.

These headphones don't come with a case.

The HyperX Cloud Flight have a decent build quality but don't feel as premium or as durable as other gaming headphones we've tested, like the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition or the HyperX Cloud Mix. They have a flexible but thin metal frame and dense ear cups that should be able to withstand a few accidental drops or bumps. Unfortunately, they have a lot more plastic in their build than most other HyperX options, and they have more moving parts and hinges that may be susceptible to wear and tear in the long run.

The HyperX Cloud Flight aren't the most stable headphones. They're tight enough that they shouldn't move during regular use, like gaming, but slide around during even mildly-strenuous workouts. Since they don't support Bluetooth, if you want to use them out of the house, you'll have to use them wired with an audio cable, which can get easily snagged while working out or running.

• HyperX Cloud Flight headphones
• Micro-USB charging cable
• 1/8" TRS audio cable
• USB transmitter
• Detachable boom mic
• Manuals

The HyperX Cloud Flight have a somewhat well-balanced but excited sound profile. They have a fair amount of extra bass that gives extra kick and thump to genres like hip-hop or EDM but isn't too over-powering for rock. Overall, they're versatile enough for most popular genres and content.

The frequency response consistency of the HyperX Flight is disappointing. People with long hair or glasses experience their bass reproduction differently, as it's difficult to get a proper seal due to their bulky design and large ear cups. Their treble response is also greatly dependent on fit, seal, and positioning, so you might have to adjust them on your head slightly.

The bass accuracy of these headphones is decent. While most of the range is fairly even and flat, it's over-emphasized throughout most of low-bass and all of mid-bass and high-bass. This gives the headphones a good amount of extra kick and thump that, unfortunately, can also sound slightly boomy. It's worth noting that their bass delivery varies significantly across users, and is very sensitive to fit and seal. The response here represents the average bass response and your experience may vary.

The mid accuracy of the HyperX Cloud Flight is good. Most of the range is fairly well-balanced and even, except for a slight emphasis in mid-mid to high-mid that helps some vocals and instruments stand out without getting drowned out by the over-emphasized bass range.

The HyperX Cloud Flight's treble accuracy is only okay. Most of low-treble is fairly even and balanced, which is great. While low-treble is slightly over-emphasized, it shouldn't sound too sharp or painful to most people. That being said, the over-emphasized mid-treble range makes some sibilants (S and T sounds) sound piercing and painful. High-treble is quite uneven, though it's likely at a high-enough frequency that it shouldn't be noticeable to most people.

The peaks and dips performance of the HyperX Cloud Flight is decent. The peak in high-bass followed by the drop in low-mid causes some sounds to be slightly boomy and muddy. Meanwhile, the huge peak in mid-treble causes sibilants to be quite painful and piercing.

The imaging performance of these headphones is great. The GD graph also shows that almost the entire group delay response is within the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit are very well-matched in amplitude, frequency and phase response. This ensures an accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field.

The HyperX Cloud Flight's soundstage is mediocre, which is to be expected from closed-back over-ears. There's a good amount of pinna activation, however, the interaction isn't very accurate, creating a soundstage that is perceived to be located inside your head, as opposed to in front.

These headphones don't have a virtual soundstage feature. If you want a similarly-performing gaming headset that does, check out the HyperX Cloud Flight S.

The weighted harmonic distortion of these headphones is decent. The entire range is below the audibility threshold, even at louder volumes, resulting in a clean and pure audio reproduction.

These are the settings used while testing these headphones; therefore, the results are only valid when used at these settings.

These headphones do a poor job of blocking out background noises. In the bass range, where the rumble of airplane and bus engines sits, they don't provide any isolation. They do a slightly better job at blocking out background speech, though they're still sub-par in this regard. They do a better job at higher frequencies, making them a great choice for blocking out the sounds from an A/C unit or fan.

The leakage performance of the HyperX Cloud Flight is only acceptable. At higher volumes, they reach the noise floor of an average office, so nearby co-workers may get distracted by your music.

These headphones have a detachable boom microphone.

The recording quality of the microphone is very good. While on a phone call or gaming, your voice sounds very full-bodied, detailed, and natural. If you're looking for a HyperX headset with even better recording quality, check out the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2.

Update 12/16/2021: These headphones have been updated to test bench 1.5. In this update, we made changes to the way we test noise handling. We now use a subjective evaluation of our audio clips. This new method has resulted in different results than what we had reported in our previous test bench. As a result, the scoring of this box has changed, and we have updated our results.

The HyperX Cloud Flight's mic handling performance is great. It's able to separate your voice from ambient noise, ensuring you're heard clearly, even in noisy environments.

The HyperX Cloud Flight have excellent battery life, but they take a long time to fully recharge. There are three options for the LED status light, and the battery life varies considerably depending on the setting. With the LED always on, the battery lasts about 12.9 hours. Our recorded battery life of 29.6 hours (the best we achieved) was with the LED turned completely off.

These headphones also support passive playback with the included 1/8" TRS audio cable, but the microphone cannot be used when wired.

Update 03/29/2021: The HyperX Ngenuity app is no longer directly available from the manufacturer. The download now links to the HyperX Ngenuity (Beta) app, which is another app altogether that provides different features. If you're looking to download the previous app, you can still do so through the link provided by HyperX in this Reddit post. We have changed the App name from "HyperX Ngenuity" to "HyperX Ngenuity (Old)" as this is the only headset that works with this software instead of the new software. The scoring of this box hasn't changed.

The HyperX Cloud Flight is compatible with the HyperX Ngenuity app. It's very barebones and doesn't allow for any lighting or sound customization. The only available features are a battery indicator and volume/microphone level tuners. If you're looking for a pair of dedicated gaming headphones with more comprehensive configuration options, the wired-only Corsair VOID RGB Elite are compatible with Corsair's iCUE companion software, which allows you to customize their RGB lighting scheme, adjust mic sidetone, and change their sound profile with a graphic EQ.

The HyperX Cloud Flight rely on a proprietary USB adapter and don't support Bluetooth.

These headphones have low latency when used wirelessly with the included USB dongle. While it isn't as low as some other wireless gaming headsets, like the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless or the SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless, it should be low enough for most gamers to not experience any lag.

The HyperX Cloud Flight can be used wired with any 1/8" TRS audio cable, and a 4.2 ft one is included. When used with an audio cable, the controls and microphone don't work, which is a shame.

Update 03/29/2021:We have updated these headphones' Xbox Series X compatibility.

There is no base or dock included with the HyperX Cloud Flight. The included wireless dongle can be plugged into a PS4 or PC and used wirelessly but isn't compatible with the Xbox One.

If you are looking for a good gaming headset with a dock, check out the SteelSeries Arctis 7 2019 Edition Wireless.