When Astro built-in charging into the A50 base station in 2016, I figured it was solely a matter of time earlier than different headsets adopted. Finally, a headset I’d keep in mind to cost. Finally, a headset that wouldn’t die on me mid-game. The A50 base station was so intuitive, so easy, so handy. Surely, others would “borrow” the concept in due time.
Alas, 4 years and an A50 redesign later, no one’s been so daring.
The new HyperX Cloud Flight S comes closest to copying Astro although. While nowhere close to as subtle as Astro’s design, the Cloud Flight S’s built-in Qi charging facilitates the identical set-and-forget habits—although it might assist if HyperX really included a Qi charging pad within the field.
Note: This evaluate is a part of our roundup of best gaming headsets. Go there for particulars on competing merchandise and the way we examined them.
The extra issues change…
Given the identify, I anticipated the Cloud Flight S to be basically the identical headset I reviewed in 2018, however with Qi capabilities—and to a sure extent, that’s the case.
HyperX tweaked greater than I anticipated although. I hardly acknowledged the Cloud Flight S once I pulled it out of the field. This second try is a lot extra engaging than the primary. The authentic Cloud Flight felt low-cost, and its abundance of plastic, chintzy crimson accents, and generic form made it one in all HyperX’s blander makes an attempt.
The Cloud Flight S remains to be very plastic. That hasn’t modified. HyperX has cleaned the design up although, ditching the crimson wires and thereby opening up the fork the place headband meets earcup. And on mentioned earcups? Crisp, white logos.
These are small adjustments, barely price noting in isolation—and but it’s wonderful how such small adjustments have an effect on the general feel and look when taken collectively. The authentic Cloud Flight appeared like a third-rate finances headset stumbled right into a $160 record value. Remove a wire, change the colour scheme, and the Cloud Flight S seems to be slick and trendy.
The onboard controls acquired an improve as properly. The authentic Cloud Flight S featured an influence button, quantity curler, and an outsized mute button on the face of the left earcup, and that was it. And it was sufficient! The first HyperX headset to essentially nail built-in controls—I used to be fairly rattling happy with that first Cloud Flight.
But hey, extra buttons couldn’t damage, proper? HyperX has swapped out the aforementioned mute button on the left ear for 4 buttons this time round. The backside nonetheless defaults to mute, however now you can regulate the degrees of the chat and recreation channels with the left- and right-hand buttons, and the highest turns sidetone (mic monitoring) on and off. And if any of the default controls don’t fit your wants, properly, HyperX has a software program suite now. All 4 face buttons are programmable, one other change from the unique—although you’ll want to depart HyperX’s Ngenuity software program working for it to recollect your settings.
The Cloud Flight S additionally ditches the 3.5mm jack discovered on its predecessor and replaces it with one other button. If you ever plugged the Cloud Flight into your telephone or Xbox controller that could be a problem, however I’m strictly on PC myself and the dearth of 3.5mm doesn’t hassle me in any respect. This backside button turns 7.1 capabilities on and off, and sadly that button is not programmable for no matter cause.
…The extra they keep the identical
As I mentioned, HyperX modified greater than I anticipated. It’s as in the event that they ran down my laundry record of complaints with the unique Cloud Flight and checked them off one-by-one. Chat combine? Check. Mic monitoring? Check. A classier look? Check.
That mentioned, the core of the Cloud Flight S stays unchanged. Not the worst verdict, although not all that thrilling both. As I wrote in regards to the authentic Cloud Flight in 2018:
“HyperX’s trademark comfort is mostly intact. Both the ears and the headband feature a generous amount of padding, covered in a soft leatherette. Past Cloud models have been more comfortable, but not much—which is saying something, given that the Cloud Flight has to incorporate the weight of the wireless receiver and battery too.”
Audio high quality is strong as properly, however unremarkable. I applauded the unique Cloud Flight for its passive noise isolation, with the closed-back design blocking out a stunning quantity of ambient noise. But that was one of many solely elements that stood out on the time. Games (and flicks and music) sound nice on the Cloud Flight S, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not HyperX’s high-water mark. It’s clear and exact, however lacks the width and the heat of the Cloud Alpha.
And in a baffling transfer, HyperX’s aforementioned software program suite doesn’t assist any EQ adjustments. The software program remains to be in beta in the mean time—and in reality, the Cloud Flight S solely works with the model of Ngenuity on the Windows 10 Store—however EQ looks like a elementary characteristic you’d need in one in all these companion utilities.
HyperX’s software program additionally fails to raise the so-so microphone. Sidetone is an effective begin, however a noise gate would assist minimize down on background chatter, to say nothing of the results Logitech contains with the G Pro X. Unfortunately, HyperX is very late to the sport in the case of constructing out a software program suite, which suggests I’ve a transparent concept what I would like—and Ngenuity doesn’t do a lot of something in the mean time.
The sluggish burn
So then, Qi charging. Let’s chat.
The Cloud Flight S isn’t actually competitors for the A50 and its elegant charging dock. It simply isn’t. For one, there’s the truth that HyperX doesn’t even embody a Qi charger with the Cloud Flight S. You should buy HyperX’s dual-zone ChargePlay Base for $50, nevertheless it’s not particularly made for the Cloud Flight S. It’s not even a headset stand like I anticipated. You lay the Cloud Flight S on its aspect to cost, which is precisely the kind of weird kind issue workaround I’ve come to anticipate from Qi gadgets.
It’s a common normal, so any outdated Qi charger will do. Amazon is infested with them, and for less expensive than $50, so until you’ll want to cost two gadgets without delay, the ChargePlay Base might be overkill. I’m surprised HyperX didn’t embody an answer within the field although—even an affordable one.
At least then you definitely’d have a cause to provide Qi charging a attempt. Look, plugging in a headset (particularly with a MicroUSB connection) sucks. I get it. I simply want there have been a greater answer than Qi charging. It’s finicky, and positioning the Cloud Flight S on the charging pad isn’t as painless as you would possibly anticipate. Balancing on the left earcup, it’s susceptible to each errant desk bump and wandering cat.
And it’s so rattling sluggish. Does that matter? Probably not, given you’re presumably charging the Cloud Flight S in a single day. The 30-hour runtime ought to carry you thru a number of days even you probably have a Qi mishap from time to time. It’s one other knock towards Qi charging although, a cause I nonetheless see it extra as a novelty than a necessity.
Bottom line
If it comes all the way down to the Cloud Flight versus the Cloud Flight S, you would possibly as properly purchase the latter. They’re virtually the identical value, and the Cloud Flight S provides extra controls in a prettier package deal. I can’t think about why you’d go along with the outdated mannequin, no matter your curiosity in Qi charging. Hell, I don’t actually know why HyperX even sells the outdated mannequin.
The Cloud Flight S nonetheless feels a tad costly to me although. These days, the $150 to $200 wi-fi tier is crowded with loads of wonderful contenders, together with Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB and Logitech’s G533. HyperX’s sophomore wi-fi effort is far improved, however nonetheless doesn’t actually stand out like its wired fashions.