Kingston HyperX Cloud gaming headset review

1. Introduction2. Packaging & Bundle3. The Headset4. Testing the headphones5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Kingston's reputation as a maker of storage solutions is well cemented at this point – they have been making memory modules, flash drives and solid state drives for years now. Today however we look at something new from the company after a partnership with QPAD. The resulting amalgamation of influences has produced a smart looking piece of kit, known as the HyperX Cloud gaming headset. It has a stitched leather headband and memory foam earcups … all built around a pair of 53mm drivers.

HyperX Cloud gaming headset overview:

Enhanced comfort

• Memory foam ear cushions
• Super soft padded leather headband
• Over the ear cups
• Leatherette padding on cups

Superior audio performance in gaming or professional audio 

• HiFi capable
• 53mm Drivers
• Closed cup design

Pro-gaming optimized

• Designed in Sweden and recommended by the world’s most elite professional organizations
• Closed cup design for enhanced passive noise cancellation
• Playstation 4 compatible Mini stereo jack plug (3.5mm connectivity)
• Solid aluminum construction Long cable

Distinctive HyperX design with improved accessories

• Two interchangeable ear cushions
• HyperX branding on headband, outer ear cups, and control box
• Red and black color theme on headband stitching, braided cable, pouch, and control box
• Stronger pouch material with additional Velcro lock pocket
• Airplane adaptor compatible

Detachable premium microphone

• 100-12,000 Hz frequency response
• 105dB SPL
• Improved slimmer mic windshield
• Removable microphone boom

 
The Kingston HyperX Cloud's packaging feels premium, giving us high hopes for the product itself. Like the fanciest of books and magazines, it combines matt with a gloss finish, making the image of the headset stand out against its stark red and grey background.

Through the styling it's clear Kingston is marketing this headset at pro gamers and those that might emulate their peripheral choices.

Inside the box everything is packaged neatly with individual components and cables segmented off in their own foam surrounds and plastic protectors.

 

The Cloud's accessory haul is pretty impressive. Not only do you get the standard extension leads and splitters for the audio cable(s), but you also get an optional, in-line volume controller, a draw string carry bag, replacement/alternate ear cups, a detachable boom mic and a secondary hardware splitter – if you'd rather not deal with extra cabling.

  

 
The Kingston HyperX Cloud itself is pretty understated. We like the matt black finish, punctuated by flashes of red on each earcup and along the edges of the headband.

The headphones are coated in that lovely soft rubber that you tend to find on the bodies of gaming mice. The central, somewhat glossy section in each one is actually brushed aluminium.

 

Within that metallic section is the HyperX logo, emblazoned in an eye catching red.

The Y shaped attachments just above it are also made of the same material, giving a uniform appearance to the whole thing. The fact that Kingston/QPAD have opted for aluminium for the main frame of the headset, rather than plastic, should mean it's far stronger than your average pair of cans and theoretically should not creak at all as you move your head around.

The padding on the headphones is made of memory foam, with a default faux-leather covering, though there is a bundled option for velour instead, which also changes the interior of the earcup to a bright red.

The headband is soft foam with a leather covering, but out of character with a lot of headsets, it's stitched on, as is the HyperX logo. This doesn't give it quite as flush a look as perhaps laser etched logos might, but it's likely much more sturdy and won't rub off with time. It definitely gives it a look and feel of quality, especially the very neat edge stitching.

Instead of having the plastic of the headband extend down and connect directly with the earcups, the Cloud headset instead uses an external cable. This gives them a sort of open, minimalistic look and could theoretically improve overall strength.

Indeed the headset does feel sturdy in your hands, despite being very flexible.
Testing the Kingston HyperX Cloud was remarkably pain free.

In our gaming trials, where we pitted its skillset against the auditory landscapes of shooters, RPGs, atmospheric puzzlers and a variety of other genres, it performed brilliantly. Stereo panning was dead on, making this a great headset for games that rely on stealth or horror elements for atmosphere.

While it wouldn't exactly compare to a true 5.1 headset (which are few and far between) or similar speaker system, this is about as good as you can expect from a two channel audio solution.

Similarly, sound effects like explosions, Tyre screeches and dialogue, were all rendered in a realistic way. There was never a moment when the drivers distorted and I always felt as if there was some dynamic range available, even at high volumes.

Equally as impressive was the ability to separate layered audio tracks, and to position various instruments and ambient noises within the sound field.

This dynamic range and articulation carried over well into the movies I listened to. I spent some time watching a couple of blockbuster movies using the Kingston HyperX Cloud and it was difficult to find any fault.

Next, we wanted to test the headphones out with a variety of raw WAV and compressed MP3 audio files.

The drivers err on the warm side of neutral, ensuring that digitally rendered audio doesn't sound too harsh. That feeling of broad dynamic range and very low distortion helped to drive home the HyperX Cloud capabilties when dealing with demanding and complex audio tracks.

We tested with some studio grade audio files, designed to push drivers to the limits, especially when dealing with low bass frequencies. We were quite surprised to find that these headphones were able to produce a wide range of the test files, losing only when the audio frequencies ventured into ‘audiophile' territory. You would need a high grade pair of Grado's or Sennheisers to to score significantly higher than these headphones.

While the bass response is impressive, it is also incredibly tight, meaning that the horrible ‘wooliness' often associated with poorly designed headphones is never an issue.

Fortunately too, this headset doesn't disappoint in the comfort department. While there are perhaps a few others I would rank a little higher, the memory foam earpads on this are a joy to wear and the headband is perfectly cushioned. After several hours of testing, I had no ear fatigue, or overheating and there was no soreness to the top of my head either.

Mic quality was also commendable. Sound isolation could perhaps be improved a little, but overall we had little to complain about. Apart from a little background noise getting in the mix, my voice was accurately reproduced to a group of gamers online.
The Kingston HyperX Cloud is a great looking headset and more importantly one of the best I have heard in a very long time. They are capable of resolving an extraordinary range of frequencies, separating the high and midrange perfectly while resolving a surprising level of tight, punchy bass.

We also like that the drivers are slightly on the warm side of neutral – making long term listening enjoyable, especially when dealing with less than perfect compressed MP3 files.

The HyperX Cloud are comfortable to wear long term thanks to the earphone and headband design. It also helps that they incorporate a quality microphone – making online team discussion a pleasure. The aluminium frame helps to ensure that these headphones don't creak under duress, unlike lesser plastic designs we have tested in recent months.

The only real stickler at this point is that we don't have a confirmed price. Based on discussions behind the scenes we would expect them to cost around £80, which mean they are a considerable investment for the target audience. While there are cheaper headsets available, we don't think there is one available with quite the same pairing of build and sound quality – not at this price anyway.

The only other downside? You can't buy these headphones until the 11th of April. That said, if you are on the lookout for a quality ‘jack of all trades' headset, these are certainly worth waiting for.

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Pros

• Excellent sound quality. Clear, focused dynamics, without distortion, even at high volume.
• Gaming is atmospheric thanks to superb stereo panning.
• Fantastic frequency separation.
• Very comfortable over long periods.
• Good build quality and aluminium body – no creaking frame under duress.
• Great bundle of cables and options for airplane and PS4 use.

Cons

• Will be expensive.
• Mic sound isolation isn't great.

KitGuru Says: The HyperX cloud is a brilliant all-rounder, and reproduces a wide dynamic range with fantastic clarity. Bass response is punchy and powerful.

 

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