HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Gaming Headset
MSRP $199.00
“The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is the best headset for PC gamers, no question.”
Pros
Incredible sound high quality
300 hours of battery life
All-day consolation
Rigid design
DTS:X spatial audio assist
Cons
No Bluetooth
Somewhat costly
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is a pipedream headset. It has the identical glorious sound high quality because the Cloud Alpha — which is among the many finest gaming headsets — in addition to a number of small enhancements to consolation. Critically, it has 300 hours of battery life, which is an exponential soar for the world of gaming headsets.
I knew I might love the Cloud Alpha Wireless from the second I unboxed it, and after utilizing it completely, that impression hasn’t modified. This is the headset I’d suggest to most PC players, regardless of some minor points in terms of utilizing it away out of your desk.
Design
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If you’ve seen the Cloud Alpha headset, the wi-fi model ought to be very acquainted. It seems equivalent, minus a number of small modifications for consolation (extra on that beneath). It’s a gamer’s headset, little question, but it surely’s not as in your face as Razer’s Kraken V3 because of the Cloud Alpha Wireless’ lack of RGB and slimmer total construct.
The headband has an excellent quantity of play, I’m not anxious about it sporting out, and the earcups have deep, unbiased adjustment. The locked braces for the earcups imply you may’t fold them in for touring, however you in all probability received’t take the Cloud Alpha Wireless outdoors your own home anyway.
Around the headset, you’ll discover a easy quantity wheel on the appropriate, in addition to an influence button, a mic mute button, a 3.5mm connection, and a USB-C connection on the left. There’s additionally a small LED indicator that may inform you when the headset is on, in addition to when you’ve got the mic muted (though, you may’t see the indicator with the headset on like you may with the Corsair Virtuoso Wireless XT).
You can hook the headset up with a wire if you wish to join it to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. The wi-fi USB dongle is unique to PC. That’s all good, however I actually miss Bluetooth on the Cloud Alpha Wireless. You could not need to take this headset out for listening to music, however utilizing it for cloud gaming with a pill or gaming in your telephone simply isn’t doable with a string of dongles.
Battery life
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The Cloud Alpha Wireless is able to 300 hours of battery life on a single cost, which is insane. Most gaming headsets are within the double digits, with cans just like the Logitech G533 needing a cost after 15 hours. It’s an enormous accomplishment.
I can’t work out how HyperX is doing it, although. The lack of RGB definitely helps, as does the automated energy characteristic that shuts the headset down after 20 minutes of inactivity. I went days with the Cloud Alpha Wireless whereas nonetheless being met with “battery level is at 100%” at any time when I turned them on.
I used to be ready to make use of the headset for 2 weeks with out getting beneath half battery.
It’s onerous to inform if 300 hours is definitely what the Cloud Alpha Wireless can obtain, however frankly, I don’t care. What I care about is that I used to be ready to make use of the headset for 2 weeks with out getting beneath half battery, and that’s critically spectacular. The solely drawback right here is that you need to cost the headset so sometimes that it doesn’t really feel like routine.
Sound high quality
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The Cloud Alpha Wireless sounds unimaginable. It makes use of the identical 50mm drivers contained in the wired model, which includes a two-chamber design. Essentially, the drivers isolate the highs, mids, and bass into totally different chambers, which give the Cloud Alpha Wireless an open sound that by no means looks like frequencies are preventing one another.
I took the headset for a spin in a bunch of current video games I’ve been enjoying — Destiny 2, Elden Ring, and Darkest Dungeon — and so they all sounded glorious. Across them, I all the time most popular the DTS:X spatial audio to be on. The headset is satisfactory with out it, but it surely feels such as you’re not getting the audio expertise you could possibly be.
Another fixed was heavy bass. The bass is tuned excessive, giving gunshots in Destiny 2 a pleasant kick, but in addition booming just a little too heavy with the deep tones of the narrator in Darkest Dungeon. The bass doesn’t drown out different frequencies because of the design of the motive force, but it surely’s nonetheless a heavy lean. Thankfully, you may counteract that with EQ.
The Cloud Alpha Wireless sounds unimaginable.
Although the Cloud Alpha Wireless is a gaming headset, I can’t ignore motion pictures and music. DTS Headphone:X spatial audio is nice for motion pictures, with has a way more delicate impact than Windows Sonic. The positioning and depth are nice, with out the unusual reverb-y impact that comes with poor spatial audio.
Music is a distinct matter. You shouldn’t usually use DTS:X when listening to music, but it surely generally sounds a lot better with the Cloud Alpha Wireless. Low-intensity preparations, like PJ Morton’s Ready sound implausible with DTS:X on, a lot better than with it off. On the opposite hand, dense preparations just like the scorching Toxin from Vildhjarta sound horrible with DTS:X on. I discovered myself flipping it on and off relying on what I used to be listening to, generally in the identical music.
Software
HyperX’s Ngenuity software program is strong, if unimpressive. For the Cloud Alpha Wireless, you may activate DTS:X spatial audio, alter microphone and quantity ranges, and activate the EQ. You can create your personal presets with the 10-band EQ, too, permitting you to dial in sounds for particular video games.
That’s about it. You can alter when the headset powers off mechanically and switch off the voice prompts, however Ngenuity is barebones. That’s not a giant situation, although. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is a barebones headset, and Ngenuity simply exposes a number of easy however vital settings.
Comfort
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is a supremely snug gaming headset. The wi-fi model has a number of minor modifications, however they collectively make for an much more snug expertise.
You’ll discover the variations within the earcups and headband. The Cloud Alpha Wireless makes use of a softer reminiscence foam in comparison with the wired model, which makes the inflexible body really feel extra forgiving. The softer earcups additionally result in higher sound isolation, with the earlier model feeling like there was a layer of air between your ears and the headset.
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is my new favourite gaming headset.
Frankly, HyperX didn’t must make any of those modifications, and I nonetheless would have sung the Cloud Alpha Wireless’ praises. With them, the Cloud Alpha Wireless will get the sound isolation of a headset just like the MetalSeries Arctis Pro with out huge foam earcups.
It’s an excellent factor the Cloud Alpha Wireless has 300 hours of battery life since you may truly put on them for that lengthy.
Our take
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is my new favourite gaming headset. The Cloud Alphas have been already the cream of the crop, and this model improves that design whereas overcharging wi-fi connectivity with 300 hours of battery life.
Are there any alternate options?
Yes, however not any that steadiness consolation, sound high quality, and battery life in fairly the identical method. For battery life, specifically, the Cloud Alpha Wireless is in a league of its personal.
$150 Steelseries Arctis 7 — Great sound high quality and $50 cheaper, although not fairly as snug and with a lot worse battery life.
$150 HyperX Cloud II Wireless — HyperX’s personal Cloud II Wireless is $50 cheaper at record value and as a lot as $100 cheaper used, whereas nonetheless providing related consolation and sound high quality. It tops out at 30 hours of battery life, although.
How lengthy will it final?
HyperX sells substitute ear cushions, cables, and microphones, so the Cloud Alpha Wireless might final you 10 years or much more. HyperX has basically re-released variations of this design for years, and so they all the time maintain up. That speaks to the longevity of the Cloud Alpha Wireless.
Should you purchase it?
Yes, no query. Unless you want RGB or the flowery trimmings of extra premium headsets, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is one of the best wi-fi gaming headset you should purchase.
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