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 Alpha are slightly better gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Stinger. The Alpha feel noticeably better built and durable, on top of being more comfortable during long gaming sessions. Both microphones sound very similar, though the Stinger scores better in our tests. The Alpha have a better-balanced sound profile, leak a lot less audio, and have a detachable mic and audio cable, which can easily be replaced if damaged.
The Razer Kraken V3 offer a more customizable gaming experience, but if you're looking for headphones that you can just plug in and play, the HyperX Cloud Stinger offer a solid performance out of the box. The Razer have more robust virtual soundstage features and have companion software that offers a graphic EQ plus presets and mic customization features. They even have customizable RGB lighting on each ear cup. However, the HyperX are significantly more comfortable. Their boom mic also offers better overall performance, and they also have a 1/8" TRRS cable, meaning you can use them with consoles with an AUX port.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a better gaming headset than the Razer Kraken X. The Stinger are more comfortable, feel better-built, and have a more balanced sound quality. Their microphones perform similarly, but the Kraken X’s can make speech sound a bit fuller and deeper, which is great. The Kraken X also have a control scheme that’s easier-to-use and provides better feedback than that of the Cloud Stinger.
The Logitech G430 and HyperX Cloud Stinger are similarly performing gaming headphones, and each have their strength. The Logitech G430 have a nice companion app that lets you EQ the sound to your liking and enable surround sound. On the other hand, the Stinger are slightly better-built, and their microphone recording quality is better and more suited for online games.
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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