Not content with two different sets of gaming earbuds, I decided it was worth checking out another competitor in the space.
HyperX, another big player in the gaming headset and accessories market. I’ve reviewed and used their headsets in the past and had really positive experiences, so my expectations are perhaps a little higher than with the Edifier set.
Gaming earbuds aren’t that common in the market, but they’re something that I actually prefer to the over-head style. So I’m on the hunt for the perfect pair.
After reviewing the Turtle Beach offering, and a headset from Edifier I’ve found myself impressed, but not quite satisfied.
How do the HyperX Cloud Earbuds hold up?
Look
Well, these look a little less cumbersome than the other headsets I’ve reviewed lately.
Bright, relatively small and quite modern-looking. The HyperX Cloud earbuds look great.
I particularly like the red, especially if they get mixed-up in all the other cables going on around controllers etc. They stand out nicely.
The earbud part is actually very nicely shaped. Not standard headphones, but not these massive housings for drivers, either. Smooth and nicely rounded, they’re almost egg-shaped. With the wings actually built-in to the earbud rubber instead of being a two-piece affair, simplicity is the goal here.
These are just a lovely-looking little headset. Clearly branded, but not at the expense of build, size or comfort. Without a detachable microphone, they’re a much more streamlined affair, and I love the minimal fuss that they bring to the table.
Great start.
Audio
Key to every headset is the clarity in which you can here what’s going on. Ideally there’s stereo sound, and none of that classic “tinny” sound that really cheap headsets generate.
HyperX aren’t making any promises here, there’s nothing on the packaging to indicate that it’s specialist to any specific genre. No information on additional drivers and boosted bass.
These are designed for an all-around performance, and that’s exactly where they fit.
Bass isn’t particularly impressive or stand-out, that higher end of the audio spectrum isn’t particularly emphasized, either. Instead, you get consistent audio regardless of what you’re playing or doing.
Where competitiors have been particularly useful in things like Battle Royale games, with their boosted bass. They’ve left a hollow mid-range where you don’t feel like you’re properly hearing everything. So games that aren’t reliant on the fast-paced action of a Battle Royale ultimately suffer. Talking with NPC’s, ambient music etc are put to the background.
The HyperX Cloud earbuds don’t give you that issue. The clarity here is wonderful. It’s much more of an evened-out experience. Sure, you’re not getting that sweet bass boost, but you can hear everything else at better levels, and that’s a pretty sweet trade-off.
Using this headset at the gym, watching tv shows on my phone, playing on the Switch, Xbox One and PS4, I’ve been really impressed with the consistency here.
Again, I played “Congratulations” by Jimmy Eat World as a bit of a benchmark. With such prominent bass and a mix that singles out the drums and guitars nicely around it, I love seeing how different it can sound. And it sounded great here. Sure it wasn’t vibrating in my ear with the bass, but everything was clear and balanced.
The HyperX Cloud earbuds sound great!
Microphone
Another big draw to a gaming headset, is of course, the microphone. If you’re playing online with friends, you want to be vocal and clear.
The HyperX Cloud earbuds have opted for the in-line microphone option. Much more in keeping with traditional earbud sets that you’d get with your phone.
I think it’s a bit of a misstep if I’m honest.
Even with mic monitoring right up, I’ve found myself constantly repeating what I’m saying to try and be clear. Someone at one point literally said “I can’t hear you, it sounds like you’re head is in a pillow”.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had times where it’s very clear. But if it’s late at night and you don’t want to be loud, waking up others in the house. You have to be a little quieter, and that’s when this microphone really shows itself as a weakness for the headset.
It’s clean and tidy. And doesn’t get in the way at all. But it’s too far from my mouth/face to be effective at low volumes even with monitoring turned right up. A shame, yes, but it doesn’t detract from the overall experience when playing other things.
Build
One of my favourite things here is the build and the feel of quality.
With the flat-style cable, it’s got a good and sturdy plastic coating and then the earbud element is one piece on one single piece of rubber, as both in-ear and wing.
There’s a simplicity and a modernness here that you have to applaud. It feels robust and capable, but it doesn’t present itself in such a way. The HyperX Cloud earbuds aren’t chunky and heavy or trying to prove themselves in any way. They’re just modest, well-build and sleek.
Coming with a lovely shell case (much better than a little cloth bag). You can keep them safe and not tangled-up with everything else in your bag/pocket.
HyperX have created a really robust, and high-quality headset here. Unassuming, yes. But well crafted and nicely portable.
Comfort
Because the earbud and drivers are packed away in a small casing, you’re straight-away going to have a more comfortable time.
Other headsets in the gaming earbud space have extra drivers and need space for a detachable microphone. There’s none of that here, and it shows.
No bulk required.
This means less weight, too. Plus, with the one-piece of rubber acting as both in-ear bud and the wing to keep it in place. You’re unencumbered and ready to go pretty much straight out of the box.
As previously mentioned the HyperX Cloud earbuds has a lovely roundness, and almost egg-shaped earpiece that’s just ergonomically lovely.
If you can’t guess, these bad boys are comfy as hell.
Just be careful to use the right sized rubber elements, because I found I was using one a little too big and after a couple of hours that was uncomfortable. Problem solved with a small fit.
Great work here.
Rating
How does the HyperX Earbud hold-up as a gaming headset? Pretty well. Solid all-round performance, and great with a multitude of devices.
How does it hold-up against the competition? Really well, too. The most comfortable, with the best overall audio.
It really does lack in the microphone department, though, and whilst the headset primarily seems to target the Nintendo Switch or mobile audience, I had higher expectations from a company like HyperX.
All in all though, I got this headset for £25 and it’s worth every penny. It does retail at £34.99 but you can shop around.
These are great for day to day use, and provide a good, comfortable, consistent audio experience whilst you’re playing games.
Not the best quality audio on the market, and I did miss that boosted bass when playing PUBG. However, for the price, this is a decent headset and I can easily recommend it to anyone in the market.
If you’re looking to communicate more with team mates etc, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. But if it’s just all-round audio, you’re golden.
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