Our Verdict
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are decent for neutral listening. They have a somewhat balanced sound profile, even though the bass is slightly overemphasized and the treble is uneven. For closed-back headphones, they also do an adequate job of creating an open soundstage. However, their inconsistent fit means that you might not get the same audio experience each time you use these headphones and not everyone will hear the same thing.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are poor for commuting. They don't block out almost any low sounds like bus or plane engines. While they're fairly comfortable, you might find their lack of portability frustrating, especially if you're moving from one mode of transport to the next. Since they're bulky, they need to be stored in a bag. However, they don't come with any carrying case. Their boom microphone also isn't detachable so you can't make them look more casual.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are inadequate for sports and fitness. While they have a small degree of flexibility, they're bulky and aren't meant to fold up, making them hard to transport. They also don't fit very tightly on your head and can fall off with moderate movement. Despite their fairly comfortable design, they'll still trap some heat around your ears.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are disappointing for office use. While they're fairly comfortable for long listening sessions, their noise isolation performance is disappointing and you'll be able to hear a lot of what's going on around you. If you turn up the volume to compensate for this background noise, these headphones can also leak sound so your colleagues might hear your audio.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are wired-only and can't be used wirelessly.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are decent for wired gaming. They're fairly comfortable for long periods and their negligible amount of lag is great. The microphone is impressive too and your teammates will be able to hear you clearly, even in louder environments like gaming tournaments. On the downside, as they don't have a tight fit, they can produce sound inconsistently, particularly in the bass and treble, and even on the same person.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are decent for phone calls. Their boom microphone is impressive and you'll have no problem being understood by whoever is on the other end, even if you're talking in loud environments like a cafe or office. On the downside, these headphones don't reduce much background noise around you, so if you're taking calls on a bus, you'll still hear a large amount of noise.
- Comfortable design.
- Impressive boom microphone.
- Bulky and plasticky build.
- Very limited control scheme.
- Inconsistent bass and treble delivery that significantly varies across users.
Changelog
- Updated Dec 08, 2022: We've added a comparison between HyperX Cloud Stinger and the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 in the Compared To Others box.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jun 11, 2020: We corrected a mistake with the microphone recording.
- Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are wired entry-level gaming headphones. They feel comfortable enough to wear for longer gaming sessions and their boom microphone performs impressively, even in loud environments. Thanks to their wired design, they're compatible with PCs and both the PS4 and Xbox One. On the downside, compared to other gaming headphones, they don't feel as well-built. They also lack any sound customization and their controls are extremely simple. Fortunately, their successor, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2, have a more tactile control scheme, as well as a slightly more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer.
If you're looking for more gaming headsets, check out our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best Xbox One headsets, and the best PS4 headsets.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are slightly better gaming headphones than the Astro A10 Gen 2. While both headphones are comfortable, the HyperX have a significantly better boom mic performance, and they're able to reproduce low-bass with more thump and rumble. On the other hand, the Astro have a better build quality.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger are better wired gaming headphones than the JBL Quantum 100. The HyperX are more comfortable to wear during long gaming sessions, feel far more well-built, and provide a better-balanced listening experience, not to mention vastly superior noise isolation performance. On the other hand, the JBL have an easier-to-use control scheme that provides a little more feedback as well as a detachable boom microphone that makes them a little less bulky.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a better gaming headset than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. The HyperX are noticeably better built even if they are made of plastic. Their sound profile is also better balanced and packs a bit more sub-bass. The HyperX's microphone offers better recording quality. However, the Turtle Beach have a slightly more neutral mid-range.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 and the HyperX Cloud Stinger are very similarly performing gaming headphones, but the original Cloud Stinger are slightly better. Both headphones have great mics, but the original Cloud Stinger has better overall mic performance. The original Cloud Stinger also have a more balanced sound profile, with more low-bass for rumbly sound effects. However, the Cloud Stinger 2 are less bulky and have more accurate controls.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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