ALTHOUGH I’ve never delved too deeply into other gaming accessories made by HyperX, I’ve always been a huge fan of their headset offerings. They’re well made, perform really well and aren’t ridiculously expensive, which to me is often the holy trinity when recommending any sort of gaming product.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been playing around with the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset, arguably HyperX’s most popular headset offering. After being discontinued years ago, HyperX have just re-released the “Pink” (really white with pink highlights) model of the Cloud II, and as a big lover of the colour pink, I thought: “Why not give it a try?”
Upon opening up the Cloud II and putting on, it’s immediately apparent how well made this device is. Its build is a combination of plastic, aluminium and leather and it feels particularly sturdy in hand and most importantly on your head. Unlike prior renditions of the Cloud II that came with additional velour earpads, this model comes equipped with only the leather ones. While not my usual go-to earpad material, they still feel really cushioned and comfortable, as does the leather headband, making for a headset well equipped for long gaming sessions.
The latest White/Pink rendition of the Cloud II looks pretty and sets itself apart from its other colour offerings; and if this colour scheme doesn’t tickle your fancy, the Cloud II also comes in more traditional Black/Red and Black/Gunmetal colour schemes.
One of my favourite and most underrated features on the Cloud II is the removable microphone, a feature that I love given that I predominantly play single player games. Instead of having the microphone sit in your periphery, you can simply unplug it and put it back on when you need it next.
Another positive is the fact that the Cloud II can be used across a wide array of devices, as it features both USB-A and 3.5mm connectivity. The box indicates that the headset works on PC, PS4, and PS5, but the 3.5mm connection also means that devices such as phones or tablets also enter the fold. If you’re after a headset for various devices, the Cloud II is a worthwhile proposition given its multi platform functionality. If you are using it on PC or PS4/ PS5, do make sure to use it via USB-A, as the audio dongle attachment allows you toggle on virtual 7.1 surround sound and manually mute the mic. Also present on the dongle are buttons to adjust headset and microphone volumes, however this didn’t appear to work for me on PS4/PS5 (although it does on PC).
When it comes to performance, the HyperX Cloud II performs well. I’m not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve always found the HyperX Cloud II to be a very nice sounding headset, both in its standard stereo and virtual 7.1 surround sound modes.
Audio is clear and crisp in the HyperX Cloud II, without any noticeable distortion even when cranked at full volume. Bass is also handled well and makes the headset a good one to listen music with. The Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound is also solid and was advantageous to me when playing Battlefield V, allowing me to pinpoint the location of enemy footsteps and gunshots with ease.
Its microphone also sounds solid and gets the tick of approval for me, allowing me to chat to teammates.
Although I love the HyperX Cloud II, I did have a couple of negatives. As I mentioned earlier, Cloud II headsets used to come packaged with additional niceties such as a storage bag and additional velour earpads, both of which have been removed from this offering. It isn’t the end of the world by any stretch but it is disappointing that they’re no longer included. I also dislike the fact that the USB dongle’s functionality is limited on PS4 and PS5 – admittedly a minor gripe, but it would be nice to have the ability to adjust volume from the dongle.
Overall, the HyperX Cloud II still remains perched at the top of my list for affordable yet high quality wired headsets.
They work on practically any device with 3.5mm connectivity, they sound great with virtual 7.1 surround sound, when plugged in via USB and they both look and feel like a quality made product – plus they come in pink!
At AUD$159 the headset is priced a bit higher than your entry level wired headset, but what you’re getting is well worth the price of admission – especially given the Cloud II often goes on sale and can be nabbed for as little as AUD$89.
Given the style, comfort, and features on offer, not to mention the great gaming audio experience they provide, I can’t help but wholeheartedly recommend the HyperX Cloud II.
#gameonAUS
Written by: @GrumpyGoron
