A good headset is critical when it comes to gaming, music, streaming, or video calls. One can achieve decent sound with wired solutions, but the convenience of a wireless headset is often too difficult to pass. This is especially true for those who need to take their headphones on the go or play on console. Wrapping a bunch of wires into a bag or untangling them from the back of an entertainment unit is no fun. However, convenience is not the only thing to be considered when picking a wireless headset. Style, sound, and functionality all play a role as well. The HyperX Cloud II Wireless checks these boxes in a fashion that emphasizes luxury and quality.
You can buy The HyperX Cloud II Wireless on Amazon for $149.99. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
It’s a fairly standard unboxing experience. Packaging consists of a straightforward plastic casing surrounding the headset for safe transportation. There is the standard introduction, warranty, and user manuals and reading material. Then comes the mic boom, wireless dongle, a mic pop filter, and USB-C to type A charging cable. Finally, there is the headset itself.
The Cloud II is rated for 30 hours of battery which is impressive. Testing of the headset seems to coincide with this claim as battery drain is indeed slow as portrayed by HyperX’s Ngenuity app. The larger drivers allow for a better low end frequency response at 15hz and the high end can reach as far as 20khz. It is compatible with PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Design
First impressions of the HyperX Cloud II remind me of the interior of a sports car. The red and black blend together in a way that seems called to action or movement. Everything is curved, there’s no angles, sharp lines, or jagged edges. The designers did a good job at creating a headset that looks fluid and sleek. There’s an elegance to the material as well. The earcup supports are aluminum and have a metallic red finish. The adjustment arms come from inside the synthetic leather headband seamlessly. There’s no bare metal adjustment layers revealed underneath once the arms are pulled away. This creates a unified, finished look.
The aluminum arms seem to want to slide in and out of the headband somewhat easily. It’s nice for now, but my mind does immediately wonder if the resistance of the mechanism will hold up to years of use or if the arms will simply fall to their lowest position after a while.
Listen in luxury
The red stitching on the headband is consistent with the rest of the suave appearance of the Cloud II. This is not a low-key headset, it is meant to be seen. But it is meant to be seen with subtlety and class. If the Cloud II Wireless were an RPG character, it would be the enigmatic but reserved rogue-warrior with a royal family history, but not afraid to use the sword should it have to. The luxury continues to the mic boom which is detachable and flexible. A mute led is located at the end of the mic boom, just under the mic itself. This is an unexpected but very nice surprise to be found in a detachable mic.
The one drawback from crafting a headset with better materials is weight. However, the Cloud II wireless tips the scales at only 310 grams. This makes it one of the lightest wireless headsets in its class. The Corsair HS70 weighs in at 343 grams, the Steel Series Arctis 7 is 375 grams, and the Razer Thresher weighs 408 Grams. The HyperX Cloud II Wireless isn’t the absolute lightest wireless headset we’ve tested, but it’s much lighter than any of the other more premium options out there. Your neck and head after long gaming sessions will thank you.
There is the standard array of buttons and rockers. A power button and mute button position themselves on the back of the left earcup and the free-scrolling volume rocker is situated at the back of the right earcup. All three are within reasonable reach and in places that are natural to access.
Performance
Now for the sound. The 53mm drivers offer rich, full audio with no noticeable gaps in response or tone. Playing games, the Cloud II delivers punchy bass that accurately delivers the impact of explosions and collisions. Mids and highs are delivered with clarity and the sharpness that they warrant. Putting the Cloud II through sound stress tests didn’t reveal any fallacies or inconsistencies in the audio. Listening to music was pleasant, precise and distortion-free. Overall, the sound quality is what one would expect from a headset of this caliber.
One tiny gripe is that the volume roller makes a soft, fuzzy sound when adjusted. It’s only an issue when scrolling the volume roller and was never present at any other time. It’s probably just the potentiometer lower or raising the voltage and manifesting through the drivers. But it’s worth a note.
The Cloud II’s come with simulated 7.1 surround sound which does a decent job at amplifying the surround signals. But there’s only so much that dual drivers can do to simulate what really needs to be done by several. What the option does when turned on, is make sounds richer and more powerful. Directional audio may not get a huge improvement from the feature, but audio quality is boosted and enhanced.
Mic check
The mic’s quality is solid. No headset mic is going to win any awards, but the clarity is good enough for game chat and video conferencing without complaints. The mic does offer three features that set it apart. It is removable, and it has a visible red led indicator to tell you when it is muted. This is a great feature and isn’t normally associated with removable mics. Perhaps most importantly, it has a voice monitoring option when connected to Ngenuity on PC.
Ngenuity integration is seamless and useful. HyperX’s software suite for their peripherals allows control over headset functions such as the virtual 7.1 surround sound, mic monitoring, volume, and more. The Cloud II Wireless doesn’t have any RGB or lights to be controlled, but that also means no lights to drain the battery. The percentage of which is displayed in the top right corner of the ingenuity app. Unfortunately, Ngenuity isn’t available on any other system other than the PC, so PS4 and Switch players won’t have access to Ngenuity’s features.
Game in style
The faux leather ear cushions and stitched headband are quite comfortable. Ample padding is provided in the headband for longer gaming sessions and the ear cushions do a good job at keeping the outside world distant for better listening. Headband-weight sensitive individuals might have to readjust the headset for comfort occasionally. However, the Cloud II was constructed to make it as comfortable as possible.
Overall, the HyperX Cloud II Wireless headset was built for both the enthusiast and collector in mind. Those who have a taste for the finer materials, but still wish to have a great sounding experience will find what they are looking for in the Cloud II’s sleek lines and curvy profile. While it’s not the lightest wireless headset on the market, the designers have done their best to craft a great looking design without much compromise in weight. But for what it lacks in lightness, it makes up in class, rich sound, and features which can’t be found on other models. The extremely functional microphone, software integration, 7.1 capabilities, and convenience of wirelessness makes the Cloud II Wireless a serious contender for your next audio solution.
This Cloud II Wireless review unit was provided by HyperX.