Gaming headsets can be tough to master, but HyperX is no stranger to the challenge. For two years now it’s been pumping out high-quality headsets that have raked in awards. Its Cloud range of headsets in particular represent some of the best value around, with their balance of quality and price. Needless to say, I had high hopes when I got my hands on their newest addition, the Cloud X.
Tucked inside the box, you’ll find a bunch of convenient little extras to compliment your brand new rig. There’s a carry case, a detachable boom microphone, a spare set of velour ear cups (in case leather isn’t your style) and a splitter cable for use with your PC. Setting up the headset is as easy as plugging it in and attaching the microphone — which can be achieved in about 10 seconds.
With my brand new Xbox Elite controller in hand, I decided to fire up the Xbox first to see just how well the Cloud X would perform. The first thing I noticed was the comfort of the headset — it’s tight but never too tight. The band stretches enough to give the headset a snug, comfortable fit that also serves to virtually eliminate any sound from the surrounding environment. While the leather cups definitely do a better job of eliminating external sounds than the velour ones, both do a great job. Once the action cranks up, in-game, those in the real world will have a hard time grabbing your attention regardless of which you use.
With almost all external noise eliminated you’re left to enjoy the full soundscape of your game through what are, quite frankly, fantastic quality headphones. The 53mm Neodymium drivers produce a balanced, rich sound that will have you hearing things in games you didn’t know were there. From the driving bassline of soundtracks to the chattering of enemies and allies alike, the Cloud X headset performs almost as good as other similarly priced dedicated headphones. That’s an impressive feat for a gaming headset.
This left me wondering, where had HyperX compromised? The headset was comfortable, easy to use and the sound was genuinely impressive. This left just the microphone, perhaps the most common let down in all gaming headsets. After testing the Cloud X mic in everything from Xbox Party chat to Counter Strike and even directly through the recording program Audacity I can safely say that it is damn good. While it may not be podcast-recording quality, the microphone lets you be heard loud and clear in-game with no static or other weird quirks that are often found in headset mics.
So does the Cloud X have any faults? Well yes but they’re all minor and forgivable. The only real issue I had in my time with them was changing the ear pads which took about 15 minutes due to their odd fitting. Overall the HyperX Cloud X headset is simply superb. From its high quality audio to its comfort, its microphone quality to its versatility and ease of use, the Cloud X ticks every box. And at $150 AUD? I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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