HyperX Cloud II Wireless 7.1 Gaming Headset Review
Cloud II Wireless, HyperX's brand new gaming headset, and it very well could be the best headset I've ever used from HyperX.
The Bottom Line
Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up
HyperX has released a brand new gaming headset into its long line of gaming headset solutions, and it very well could be the best gaming headset I've ever used from HyperX.
HyperX has debuted the Cloud II Wireless 7.1 Surround Sound, which will be referred to as Cloud II Wireless for the remainder of this review. Throughout this review, we will be running the Cloud II Wireless through a series of tests that examine all of its features, design, audio signature, and microphone. The Cloud II is currently available on Amazon for $149.99, which makes it $50 more expensive than its wired brother, the HyperX Cloud II.
The Cloud II being is the same price as the HyperX Cloud Revolver S, which is also wired. Throughout this review, we will be comparing the Cloud II Wireless against the Cloud Revolver S and some other similarly priced gaming headsets. Additionally, we will be taking a close look at all of the Cloud II Wireless's best features and attempt to determine its faults for applicable gamers. Let's jump into a close-up of the Cloud II Wireless.
Close-up
Firstly, we have a close-up of the Cloud II Wireless's box, and as you can see, there is a nice graphic on the front of the box and some of its key features in the bottom-left corner.
On the back of the box, we have some more simple graphics of the headset's features and the contents of the box in the bottom-left. Note - Discord Certified/TeamSpeak Certified.
On the side of the box, we have a close-up of all of the features of the headset, such as; up to 30 hours of battery life, 2.4 GHz Wireless, Memory Foam, and Virtual Surround Sound.
Here we have an image of the headset out of the box, and we can clearly see that very slick cherry red and black color design. Located on both earcups is a simple and clear HyperX logo in red.
In this image, we have a look at the Cloud II Wireless's detachable microphone that comes with a removable foam filter.
Next up is the left earcup that is very minimalist and only features two buttons; a power button and a mute microphone button. The left earcup also features a LED light and a USB-C port on the base of the earcup.
On the right-hand earcup, we have a volume wheel that very well could be my favorite volume wheel out of all of the gaming headsets I've tested. I will get into the reasons why in the Design section of the review.
Next is the Cloud II's headband, and as you can see, HyperX has stamped the leather with another HyperX logo, completing the overall look.
Here we have a close-up image of the USB dongle that comes with the Cloud II Wireless. These are quite standard with wireless gaming headsets, and the Cloud II Wireless has no abnormal features to report.
Lastly, we have the USB-A to USB-C power cord that is used for charging the headset.
Jak's Test System Specifications
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero X570 (Wi-Fi) (buy from Amazon)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X @ 4.4GHz (buy from Amazon)
- GPU: EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER XC GAMING (buy from Amazon)
- Cooler: be quiet! Silent Wings 3
- RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz (buy from Amazon)
- SSD: GALAX HOF Pro SSD PCI-E M.2 2TB
- Power Supply: Corsair CX Series 750 Watt (buy from Amazon)
- Case: be quiet! Silent Base 600 (buy from Amazon)
- OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (buy from Amazon)
Design & Software
Design
The Cloud II Wireless is everything that was great about the design of the Cloud II Wired. It keeps things very simple with two large oval-shaped earcups that are equipped with very comfortable memory foam cushions. The build quality of the headset doesn't feel cheap, and I believe that is something to do with the metal frame as the headset doesn't creak or cause any sound when flexed.
The left earcup is very minimalist, which is something that I personally really appreciate in a gaming headset. There is a LED power/connectivity indicator, power button, mute microphone button, and a USB-C port located at the base of the earcup. The Cloud II Wireless features a volume wheel on the right-hand earcup, and I can easily say that this volume wheel is in my top 5 volume wheels I've ever used on a gaming headset - the tension is perfect, and so is the grip. It's honestly a pleasure to use.
I believe my favorite part of the Cloud II Wireless design is how strong it feels compared to how light it is. The Cloud II Wireless only weighs 313 grams, and for how strong it feels in hand, this weight is quite surprising. As for the physical aesthetic, I really love that there aren't any flash RGBs and just a solid black and cherry red colors. It creates a very dark low-profile theme that complements the minimalistic functionality of the headset.
Side note - HyperX has also relocated the volume wheel to the right-hand earcup instead of having it on the left-hand earcup crammed in with all the other function buttons like many other headset brands. A very nice touch.
Software
HyperX certainly does drop the ball when it comes to software, and here are just a few reasons why. The HyperX Ngenuity software is quite barebones. There are six options to select from; volume, microphone, 7.1 surround sound, microphone monitoring, and change devices. That is it. There is no EQ control or any advanced microphone settings. Ngenuity is that barebones that I could even say you don't need it if you weren't planning on using the 7.1 surround sound.
Performance & Microphone
Performance
As with all of my gaming headset reviews, I like to use the headset I'm testing from anywhere between 20-50 hours, as I believe this is enough time to gather a decent understanding of the headset's sound signature. The Cloud II Wireless really does pack a punch when it comes to games, but it also doesn't drop the ball when it comes to music or movie listening. The headset is very well-rounded when it comes to audio and sounds very balanced, with not much emphasis put on any end of the sound spectrum.
One thing really stood out when I was testing the Cloud II Wireless, and that was its incredible battery life. HyperX claims on the box that the battery life lasts for up to 30 hours, and from my time testing the headset, I can certainly say that statement is accurate. The Cloud II Wireless lasts an incredibly long time before it needs charging, and to complement the battery life is the charging time. Since the HyperX Cloud II Wireless features a USB-C port, it can charge quite quickly, and in the times I needed to quickly charge the headset, I gained a surprising amount of battery.
Gaming Audio
For game testing, I played a variety of different games. I played many hours of Apex Legends, several hours of Cyberpunk 2077, and some other titles. In all of the games, I noticed a very punctual sound that was very clear and crisp. All of the explosions packed a nice basey punch, footsteps were very clear, and spatial awareness was more than satisfactory.
7.1 surround sound changed things up a bit. I found that when I enabled the 7.1 surround sound, the audio became very distant from me, and I was unable to correctly determine the distance between my character in-game and the source of the audio. However, the spatial tracking was certainly increased over stereo.
All in all, I was very impressed with the audio produced by the Cloud II Wireless. I would easily say you are getting your money's worth if you decided to purchase them purely for in-game sound.
Music/Movie Listening
As I previously mentioned, the Cloud II Wireless doesn't drop the ball when it comes to music and movies. I listened to many hours of music with the Cloud II Wireless and found that the headset was able to easily keep up with my wide range of music taste. I listened to a variety of tracks from artists such as Hanz Zimmer, Eminem, Biggie Smalls, Howard Shore, JunkieXL, and Led Zeppelin. Movies were fantastic as well.
Microphone
MSI Immerse GH61 Effects Enabled
HyperX Cloud Revolver S
Logitech G395
Sennheiser GSP 300
HyperX Cloud II Wireless
Final Thoughts
What's Hot
There are many great aspects of the Cloud II Wireless, but if I was to mention my favorite parts specifically, I would say this; awesome aesthetic design, lightweight, yet feels extremely strong and durable, more than satisfactory balanced in-game sound, very comfortable, and has incredible battery life.
What's Not
There are a few downsides to the Cloud II Wireless, and a couple is; lack of advanced software for more adept audiophiles, exposed wires could lead to breakage if mishandled, and microphone quality is a little lackluster.
Ok, so should you buy the Cloud II Wireless? Well, that depends on a variety of different variables.
If you are looking for a gaming headset that is reasonably priced, produces very good in-game sound, has an extremely long battery with a minimalistic design, then you have found your headset. The Cloud II Wireless is perfect for the gamer aforementioned and will most likely not be enjoyed by a gamer that is looking to tweak their audio settings to perfection, looking for good surround sound, a high-quality microphone, or more function buttons on the earcups. If you are that kind of gamer, check out the Cloud Revolver S.
As you can see, there are quite a lot of things to consider when looking to purchase a gaming headset, especially if you are on a tight budget and are wanting to get the best bang for your buck. I absolutely love the Cloud II Wireless, as I am a gamer that wants his headset to be lightweight, comfortable, produce great in-game sound, and have a low-profile design without RGB's or any unnecessary buttons flooding the left earcup.
If you are a gamer of my description, I can confidently say that you will absolutely love the Cloud II Wireless. To just drive that point home even further, the Cloud II Wireless has become my new daily driver as I swap between new gaming headsets that I need to test. HyperX has officially earned my personal #1 spot for a gaming headset. Incredible work, HyperX!
Performance | 97% |
Quality | 97% |
Features | 85% |
Value | 95% |
Overall | 94% |
The Bottom Line
HyperX has dropped all the unnecessary features that commonly plague many gaming headsets and have nailed the basics. The Cloud II Wireless has incredible battery life, is lightweight yet strong in build quality, awesome comfort, and a minimalistic design that is both slick and gorgeous.
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