Our Verdict
The HyperX Cloud Revolver, like the Cloud II, are good gaming headsets, with a versatile design for more casual use. They're comfortable, and decently well built but not as sturdy as the Cloud II. They have a closed-back design that doesn't leak as much as some of the other gaming headsets we've tested. They also block a fair bit of noise, but won't be ideal for commuting or loud environments. On the upside, they have a well-balanced sound, for critical listening, negligible latency for gaming and watching videos since they're wired.
- Negligible latency.
- Good audio reproduction and microphone.
- Well-built and comfortable design.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Slightly bulky.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Good for neutral listening. They have a good bass and a balanced mid-range but may sound a little too forward with some tracks. The treble range is also a bit inconsistent so while instruments and vocals are quite audible they do not sound as detailed as with other neutral listening headphones. They also don't have the most spacious soundstage since they're closed-back headphones.
Mediocre-at-best for commuting. The HyperX Cloud Revolver headset has a closed-back design and a detachable mic that makes them a more outdoor-friendly headphone than most gaming headsets. They're also well-built and comfortable but unfortunately do not block enough noise to be ideal for public transit and commuting.
Below-average for sports. They're a bit too bulky and unstable for running or working out. They don't have a mobile-friendly control scheme and they also make your ears a little warm after a couple of minutes exercising.
Average for office use. The HyperX Cloud Revolver don't as leak much as other gaming headsets, but also do not block a lot of noise. You will still be able to hear the ambient chatter of a lively office if you're not playing any music.
This wired gaming headset can't be used wirelessly.
Good for gaming. The HyperX Cloud Revolver have a well-balanced sound, a great noise filtering mic and a low latency, wired connection. They're comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions, but like the Cloud II headphones, they have no software support for added customization options. This makes them a bit less personalizable than other popular gaming headsets. Their design is also not the most breathable so your ears may get a little warm after gaming for a while.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Dec 05, 2017: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
See our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best gaming headsets for PC, and the best PS4 headsets.
The HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II and HyperX Cloud Revolver have an almost identical performance for gaming, but the Cloud II are a bit more versatile overall. The Cloud II are slightly more comfortable with better-padded ear cups than the Cloud Revolver. The Cloud II also have a sturdier and more durable build quality that does not have as many moving parts, and they come with a USB dongle that gives them audio over USB on PC as well as a bit more controls. On the other hand, the Revolver have a better-balanced sound and unique design that some may prefer.
The HyperX Cloud Revolver and HyperX Cloud Alpha are very similar-performing gaming headsets, but the Revolver has a few features that could make it a better choice for some. The biggest difference for gamers might be that the Revolver has channel mixing, and their microphone is noticeably better than the Alpha's. However, if you're not looking for a headset to play online competitive games where channel mixing and a great microphone could be useful, the Alphas feel much better built and are slightly more comfortable.
The HyperX Cloud Revolver + 7.1 improve on the older HyperX Cloud Revolver in many ways, though they have very similar designs and audio reproduction capability. The 7.1 have a virtual soundstage feature to create a more immersive listening experience while the older Revolver deliver better microphone performance. However, the 7.1's audio cable features a 1/8" TRRS connection, allowing for full mic and audio compatibility even on a standard analog connection, while the older variant lacks a wired-USB connection and is only fully compatible when using an analog connection.
The Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2019 are better wired gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Revolver. The Astro have a more comfortable design for long gaming sessions, and their open-back design reproduces audio more consistently across different users. They're also customizable through their companion software, unlike the HyperX, although some users have experienced issues using it. On the other hand, the HyperX's mic has a somewhat better recording quality, and their closed-back design means they leak a little less audio.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The HyperX Could Revolver have a fairly versatile design for a gaming headphone. Granted, they're still a bit on the bulky side, and the stylized back of the ear cups might be too much for more casual listeners. However, unlike most gaming headphones, you can completely remove the mic, which combined with the self-adjusting headband, makes them look like a typical critical listening headphone, similar to the AKG K Series.
The Cloud Revolver are slightly heavy but comfortable headphones. They have decently large ear cups that fit well around most listener's ears and the padding is soft, pliable and feels premium. The headband is also amply padded and accommodates multiple head sizes thanks to the elastic and self-adjusting strap. They're not too tight on the head but their slight heft is noticeable at first.
The HyperX Cloud Revolver headset has a basic inline remote on the extension cord that lets you control the volume level and disable the mic. This is pretty standard for gaming headphones but lacks enough features to make their control scheme versatile for all users and with mobile devices.
The HyperX Cloud Revolver like most gaming headphones are a little bulky and cumbersome to carry around on your person. They're a bit heavy and do not fold into a more compact format which makes them barely portable unless you have a bag or a backpack.
The build quality of the Cloud Revolver headset is good but has a lot of moving parts. They're well-built headphones, although not as good as the Cloud Alpha, with a durable metal outer frame, and dense, plastic ear cups. They should be able to handle a couple of accidental falls without much damage but they have a lot of moving parts especially in the headband that will wear over time so they may not fit as snuggly as they do now. Also, although, the main audio cable is braided and looks durable, it's not detachable or replaceable which makes the Revolver slightly less durable overall.
These headphones are not particularly stable on the head. The relatively loose fit of the self-adjusting headband means they sway a lot under physical conditions. They will quickly fall off your head if you run with them but should be stable enough for most casual uses. They also have a detachable extension cord but the main audio cable is not removable so it will yank the headphones off your head if it gets hooked on something.
Sub-par consistency performance. In our HyeprX Cloud Revolver review, the bass response was pretty consistent with 4 of our five human subjects. However, the one who wore glasses experienced a 6dB drop in bass at 20Hz. In the treble range, the maximum deviation under 10KHz was about 6dB which is not good.
Very good bass range performance. Low-frequency extension is at 10Hz, which is excellent. Bass and high-bass are over our target by about 2.5dB, making the overall sound of these headphones slightly bass-heavy and boomy. Also, their bass delivery varies significantly across users, and is sensitive to the quality of fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses. The response here represents the average bass response and your experience may vary.
Very good mid-range performance. Low-mid and mid are quite flat and within 1dB of our target which is excellent. The bump around 2KHz in high-mid, however, adds to the intensity and projection of vocals/leads.
Decent treble range performance for the HyperX Cloud Revolver. The broad dip centered around 5KHz negatively affects the presence and detail of vocals/leads. Also, their treble delivery varies noticeably across users. The response here represents the average response and your experience may vary.
Sub-par isolation. These headsets don't have active noise cancellation and don't achieve any isolation in the bass range. In the mid-range, they achieve about 5dB of reduction, which is sub-par. In the treble range, they achieve about 29dB of isolation, which is decent.
Average leakage performance. The significant portion of leakage sits between 500Hz and 3KHz which is a relatively broad range. But the overall level of leakage is not loud.
Very good microphone performance. Speech recorded with the HyperX Cloud Revolver will sound full, and neutral. However it could sound a bit veiled and airless, and the plosives could pop unnaturally. In noisy environments, they have one of the best performances we have measured so far, with the ability to separate speech from noise even in the most demanding environments, such as a subway station.
Very good recording quality. LFE is extended down to 20Hz which is great, but the HFE is at 6.5KHz which could make voice to sound airless. The area between LFE and HFE is nearly flat, except for the bump around 20Hz which could make the plosives to pop and sound natural.
Excellent noise handling. The Cloud Revolver achieves a speech-to-noise ratio of 46dB, which is one of the highest valued we have recorded so far. This makes these headsets and an excellent choice for all environments.
No compatible apps.
Negligible latency.
