HyperX Cloud Core Wireless review: A quality gaming headset without the fuss

Price When Reviewed

$99.99

Best Prices Today: HyperX Cloud Core Wireless

$69.99

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$69.99

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A present is infinitely higher than a promise, and in contrast to some headsets that producers promise will do all of it, the HyperX Cloud Wireless really delivers, staying on level for audio high quality, model and luxury. It’s additionally one of the vital compact gaming headsets, eradicating the trouble of making an attempt to wrangle it right into a full satchel or backpack.

By specializing in issues that matter most to players with out worrying about devoted software program help, “no-fuss gaming audio” might be the headset’s motto. Admittedly, that will not swimsuit EQ tinkerers who wish to fine-tune the whole lot. But for individuals who need a wi-fi choice with fast connectivity and wonderful spatial audio, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is strictly that.

HyperX Cloud Core Wireless design and construct

It’s often a great signal when new headsets appear as if favorites we all know and love. The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is a working example, trying nearly precisely just like the HyperX Cloud II Wireless headset, apart from the latter’s flashy crimson earcup holders and striated black and crimson headband.

Comparing each gadgets, I a lot desire the Cloud Core’s principally black exterior styling, the one coloring being its crimson HyperX logos on every earcups, because it sports activities a cleaner, tidier look. Besides that, the extra muted styling permits the Cloud Core Wireless to seamlessly double as a headphone as soon as the removable growth mic is pulled off, so it’s somewhat extra versatile.

Bulky headsets are cumbersome and infrequently trigger ache and discomfort for players, however there’s no pointless cargo weighing down the HyperX Cloud Core or placing undue strain in your head or ears. Picking it up, it’s instantly obvious that it’s a light-weight within the class – the entire unit weighing simply 10.4 ounces which is a fait accompli of its light-weight aluminum body.

HyperX

Speaking of which, the body feels sturdy in all places – immeasurably greater than the (far pricier) Razer Barracuda Pro’s principally plastic headband. It additionally supplies loads of flex. I might simply pull the earcups aside till the headscarf was mendacity fully flat; upon releasing it the headset then simply returned to its authentic place. This hardiness isn’t that shocking contemplating the likes of the Cloud Alpha and the Cloud II Wireless, however for its $99 price ticket, it’s a triumph value celebrating.

HyperX have additionally achieved an excellent job protecting the scale concise, regardless of the sizes of conventional over-the-ear gaming headsets creeping upwards this 12 months. In truth, it’s so tightly made that with the headscarf packed down, it measures a mere 7.5 inches from high to backside. Unsurprisingly, it’s dwarfed by rival headsets just like the Razer Barracuda Pro or the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, however the whole lot you want continues to be at your fingertips – earcups, headband and padding. It doesn’t compromise on sound high quality both.

Reaching up above your ears, the headscarf’s round steel earcup holders really feel extraordinarily tactile and supply loads of horizontal motion for the cups. However, be warned: you’ll wish to hold your appendages away from these when clamping the set down in your ears, since they’ll generally be finger traps.

Dominic Bayley

If your ears are accustomed to luxurious, they’ll discover an equally plush expertise right here. The Cloud Core Wireless’ earcups are doughy and tender, feeling remarkably easy. They sport HyperX’s signature reminiscence foam over a leatherette materials that appears similar to what you’ll discover in headsets that value upwards of $250.

Like the entire unit, the cups are additionally fairly compact, however they’ll match snugly over all however the very largest of ears. The high of your head can be cozy because of extra leatherette padding beneath the highest band – one other good contact that pays dividends in lengthy gaming classes.

HyperX Cloud Core Wireless compatibility choices

Although marketed only for PC, it was a nice shock to find the Cloud Core Wireless can be suitable with Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles. Conveniently, you too can discover directions for the latter within the Cloud Core’s Quick Start Guide. We can’t say precisely why HyperX stored mum on console compatibility. Regardless, it’s a welcome function that saves you from having to buy separate headsets on your totally different gadgets.

Usually I’d go into nice element in regards to the software program enhancements that the headset helps however sadly for the tinkerers amongst us, the Cloud Core Wireless doesn’t help HyperX’s Ngenuity software program app so there’s no modifying sound settings like quantity, EQ ranges or checking battery standing externally. Is this a giant deal? Not actually, since there’s no RGB lighting to tweak, and the audio appears completely balanced as it’s.

HyperX Cloud Core Wireless audio efficiency

Powering the Cloud Core Wireless’s audio are beneficiant 53 mm drivers, which I discovered to ship a crisp, pure and full-bodied sound that’s certain to thrill players. This was beamed through a dependable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi sign that by no means dropped out or suffered interference.

Listening intently to the tonal vary within the audio, the bass notes didn’t fairly drop down as little as some headsets (just like the Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X or the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless) however they had been nonetheless deep and commanding. The mids and highs hit the mark precisely as anticipated, as I discovered trialing the headset in Elden Ring’s wealthy audio setting. Here it produced scintillating tinkling sounds for my Astrologer character’s spells and the mids within the soundtrack sounded heat and rounded when the music turn into extra dramatic in battles.

The guttural grunts of enemies like Mounted Knights had been additionally pronounced and powerful. And random environmental sounds, just like the patter of raindrops and the hoof beats of the sheep in Limgrave, had been dropped at life with a readability that added to the general recreation realism.

Moving on to the encompass sound expertise, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless headset makes use of DTS Headphone:X for its spatial audio, which is managed within the third occasion DTS Sound Unbound app. The app leverages Microsoft Spatial Sound Technology to duplicate the expertise you’d get when listening to a number of speaker techniques, so it will get first rate Windows help and it’s simply downloadable through the Microsoft App Store.

DTS Headphone: X continues to be a comparatively new expertise, so the checklist of video games that at the moment help it isn’t big. However, it’s thought-about to be among the best spatial audio applied sciences at the moment obtainable because of its low audio compression functionality, which packs down audio metadata at a ratio of 4:1 – decrease than close to rival Dolby which compresses to a 12:1 ratio.

Dominic Bayley

I trialed the function in Metro Exodus and was nicely impressed by what I heard. DTS delivered immersive sound positioning, whereas protecting distortion to a minimal. Footfalls, explosions and falling particles sounds had been conveyed via 360 levels, implying the motion was all taking place round me in real-time fairly than within the recreation itself.

The Sound Unbound app was additionally simple to make use of, permitting me to pick out from amongst two spatial audio profiles: a default ‘Balanced Mode’ that delivered probably the most reasonable spatial audio expertise and a Spacious Mode – that made the spatial audio sound additional away.

Although DTS Sound Unbound is just not usually a free service, you get two years subscription together with your HyperX Cloud Core Wireless buy and with out having to fill out any private data. After that point you may both select to make a one off buy of $29.95 USD to proceed utilizing the app, or simply let your spatial audio lapse, because it’s not obligatory.

Overall the HyperX Cloud Core’s Wireless sound high quality was extremely spectacular. What was most attention-grabbing was the vary and readability of the sound achievable with out having to tinker with sound enhancement settings, presets or every other settings that I’d usually use to get comparable outcomes. Considering the headset ships for underneath $100 that appears terribly good worth.

HyperX Cloud Core Wireless microphone efficiency

In my voice chats, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless’s condenser mic did a fantastic job protecting my voice sounding clear and unmuffled. The mic is kind of ergonomic too, being each very versatile and with a big growth for dampening sound. It’s additionally simply removable, clicking in and misplaced with minimal effort.

HyperX claims the mic has noise-cancelling expertise and to its credit score I by no means observed ambient noise changing into a problem in video games. The mic’s Discord and TeamSpeak certification made it a cinch to attach as much as these apps. It was simply muted through the button on the left earcup too.

Conclusion

The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless delivers a elegant audio expertise you’d anticipate from a dearer gaming headset, however at a fraction of the value. It’s additionally extremely snug, sturdy and packs right down to a handy and transportable dimension. The supported spatial audio works a dream, arguably offering probably the most reasonable encompass sound expertise in gaming in the present day. Plus, it’s additionally cross-compatible together with your consoles, stopping you from having to purchase a number of headsets.