HyperX Cloud Stinger Headset Review

HyperX is one of the industry’s leading peripheral manufactures, designing and creating some of the best keyboards, headsets, mice, and mousepads the market has to offer – not to mention their impressive line of RAM kits either. 

We’ve had the pleasure of testing and reviewing some of their best products over the last 12 months, so when we got our hands on their budget offering – the Hyperx Cloud Stingers – we were very interested to see what this headset could bring to the table. 

The HyperX Cloud Stingers are a no thrills, basic headset that lands slap bang in the budget end of the price spectrum. Regardless of the price, the Cloud Stingers still manage to provide one of the best sound quality experiences I’ve heard in a good while, and not just at this price range. Their lightweight design also makes them one of the easiest and comfiest headsets to wear too. 

With that in mind, the following article will be putting the HyperX Cloud Stingers through their paces to see how they stack up against some of the competitively priced alternatives. 

Let’s waste no further time and dive straight into it!

Video Review

 

Specifications

Below we have outlined the main specifications of the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset. 

Headphone Frequency Response	18 - 23,000 Hz
Microphone Frequency Response	50 - 18,000 Hz
Wireless	No
Battery Life	N/A
Drivers	Dynamic, 50mm Neodymium magnets
Weight	275g
Cable Length	3m (with extension)

Inside the HyperX Cloud stinger Box, we see:

• HyperX Cloud Stinger Headphones
• Audio cable extension cord 
• Manual

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Pros

• Nice design aesthetic
• Extremely comfortable
• Great sound quality for music and gaming
• Multi-platform versatility
• Lightweight design
• Clear microphone

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Cons

• Build quality not fantastic

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Setup

Unlike some of the more elaborate headsets we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing recently (Steelseries Arctis Pro +GameDAC and Astro A50s, for example), the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset couldn’t be easier to set up and use. 

There is no user software to install, all you need to do is plug the analog audio jack into whatever device you’re using – this headset works across multiple platforms – and away you go. If you do plan on using the microphone for in-game commands, simply use the microphone jack to do so. 

Design

HyperX has given the Cloud Stinger headset a modest, understated design that doesn’t really follow the same trend as other gaming headsets. This is the sort of headset that, if push comes to shove, you could easily wear these out and about in public – albeit with a microphone attached to the left ear cup.

The Cloud Stinger’s are designed using plastic as the primary material, with some metal used in the headband for additional strength. They offer an all-black color theme with two red HyperX logos on both of the earcups. Further HyperX branding can be found at the top of the headband, this time engraved into the headband with a shiny plastic finish. The main body of the headset has an air-blasted aluminum style finish which looks quite nice, working well with the rest of this headset’s aesthetic.

The earcups are over-ear, fairly large, oval earcups that sit on the head with little to no pressure applied around the ears. The earcups themselves have a thin layer of faux leather that sits on top of HyperX’s memory foam padding. The faux leather brings comfort and ease-of-cleaning to the table; however, I still have some concerns about the longevity of this material.

The microphone is comprised of a rubberized material that allows a decent amount of versatility when not in use. Having said that, you can rotate the microphone 90 degrees so it’s completely out of the way. Further volume controls can be found on the right earcup as well – although extremely basic and flimsy feeling.

Build Quality

Moving onto build quality, I feel this may be one of the areas that HyperX had to compromise in order to achieve the budget price this headset comes to shelves with. 

As mentioned above, the HyperX Cloud Stingers are made, primarily, of plastic which doesn’t feel overly robust- setting the scene for the overall build quality of this headset. Unlike premium offerings, the Cloud Stingers just feel very flimsy when handling them. They certainly wouldn’t last if you have the occasional rage outburst. 

We’ve had this headset now for over a year and it’s seen a decent amount of usage. Unfortunately, and as expected, it hasn’t held up too great during its lifetime. The headband seems to have become stretched and no longer sits in its housing completely flush. The faux leather on the earcups is just starting to deteriorate, and some of the headband’s padding is starting to come away.

On the plus side, the sound quality of this headset is still as good as the day we purchased it, as is the microphone quality. The microphone itself is housed in a fairly robust rubberized casing that feels like it could stand the test of time – as is the headset cable. My only area of concern lies with the plastic throughout the headband, on the whole, it just feels very uneasy.  

Comfort

This headset may have fallen a little short in the build quality department; however, when it comes to comfort, the HyperX Cloud Stingers regain a lot of my respect. 

From a comfort point of view, this might be one of the comfiest headsets I’ve worn in a long time. The headset itself weighs in at a mere 270grams which is one of the lightest we’ve tested in recent months. The headset sits on your head nicely and doesn’t provide much (if any) pressure on the sides of the head. It does have a small amount of “hugging” tension, but definitely on the lower end of the spectrum. The headband has a large amount of adjustment available, meaning even the biggest heads won’t feel awkward using this headset. 

In terms of padding, the Cloud Stinger headset makes use of HyperX’s signature memory foam in the ear cups and headband. The faux leather on the earcups feels extremely soft, while the padding underneath offers decent comfort levels for the most part. The same padding is used in the headband and provides adequate levels of comfort during extended usage. 

I really can’t knock the Cloud Stingers when it comes to comfort, they feel fantastic. Where other headsets start to feel awkward after several hours of use, these feel as if you’ve just put them on. I used them for an entire day, 12 hours, and at no point felt any awkwardness, excessive heat, or achiness from doing so.

Performance

So, design aside, let’s dive into some of the more technical aspects of this headset – the performance review. We’ll be putting the HyperX Cloud Stingers through a number of different scenarios in order to provide a complete and well-rounded review of their overall performance. This includes; gaming, music, TV & Film, and how the headset felt during that time period. 

Let’s waste no further time and get straight into it. 

Sound

Like always, we’ll kick start the sound proceedings by jumping straight into some music. To get a better understanding of the range and frequencies this headset provides, I tested this headset in a number of different music genres before gaming. I started off by listening to some electronic music, mainly fast driven trance, and to my surprise, they sounded fantastic. I think what surprised me most about this headset was how rounded the sound actually was, especially in the bass and mids. Listening to trance was a joy. Basslines sounded rich and boomy, whilst melody lines provided a crisp and cutting sound that seemed well-balanced. I went on to listen to several other genres and came to a pretty similar conclusion across the board, the HyperX Cloud Stingers sounded great for music. 

I decided to put this headset up against the Steelseries Arctis Pro +GameDAC, as that was the last headset I had reviewed, presuming the Arctis Pros – a headset costing over five times more than HyperX Stingers – would sound much, much better. However, that wasn’t the case. The difference between the two headsets was fairly subtle, with the Arctis Pros sounding richer and more defined in the mids and highs. That being said, when it came to bass, the HyperX Cloud Stingers definitely edged it in my opinion. Something I definitely did not expect from a sub $50 headset. 

After being surprised by how clean the music sounded, it’s safe to say I was more than eager to see what these could provide in a gaming scenario. I fired up my go-to game when it comes to testing headsets (or mice, keyboards, basically anything really) CS:GO. This is a game that requires excellent sound awareness, especially in those one-on-one situations where outsmarting your opponent is the difference between winning and losing. 

I played a couple of games of deathmatch to start things off and I was a little disappointed initially. My first impression when gaming was how harsh the gunfire sounded. I was expecting a rich gunfire sound, however, my experience was something much more tinny. The high end really came through during games, and like I’ve said before, I feel this is to increase the user’s ability to hear gunfire and footsteps across a map. Speaking of which, I could hear very clearly while gaming. 

Despite this minor flaw, it was extremely easy to pinpoint where an enemy was coming from, especially thanks to the slightly washed out bass that – if too intense – can sometimes be offputting. Having said that, AWP shots and grenades still offered that boomy characteristic that helps build immersion whilst in-game. Furthermore, gunfire, grenades, and smokes could be heard from far away, giving you enemy information from the start of the round.

Even though the sound didn’t please me as much as it did while listening to music, it was still a pretty damn good show as far as budget headsets go. When compared against the Razer Kraken X, a similarly priced alternative, I would have to say the HyperX wins quite convincingly. 

Microphone

I did manage to use the microphone quite a bit during my time using the HyperX Cloud Stingers, especially during competitive games of CS:GO. The overall thoughts towards the mic were positive ones – but mainly in respect to the price of the headset. 

The microphone is sat inside a rubberized housing on the left ear cup and feels extremely robust. The material used allows users to manipulate the position of the microphone in order to find the perfect seating position. The mic itself rotates 90 degrees allowing you to keep it out of the way when not in use. While in the upright position, the microphone is fully muted thanks to a clever switch inside the lever which automatically toggles muting. 

Design features aside, the microphone sounded loud and clear, with the general consensus being “it sounds a little flat”. After testing the microphone myself, I had to re-iterate what my teammates said. The mic sounds fairly flat with a decent amount of bassy reverb in the backend. It’s also quite sensitive to breathing and picks up a lot of background noise – such as typing on a mechanical keyboard. On the plus side, the microphone didn’t leak much noise and didn’t require any additional software to setup. 

Overall, as far as a $50 headset goes, the quality of the microphone is pretty much what we expected. It’s alright from a gaming point of view, and will do the job. However, I would not recommend this for people looking to broadcast on YouTube or go live on Twitch. 

Features

Features are always the key factor in whether or not the product you’re looking at showcases good value for money. Whether it’s a new mouse or a wireless headset, features play a major role in every hardware purchase we make. 

With the Cloud stingers, I feel HyperX has concentrated more on sound quality and comfort over gimmicky features like RGB and such. Having said that, the headset still comes with some basic features which we have outlined below. 

So, without further ado, let’s jump straight into it. 

50mm Directional Drivers

So, let’s start with the most obvious positive we can find in this headset, the sound quality.

The sound quality is provided via 50mm neodymium directional drivers that have been positioned optimally for gaming – or so HyperX say. Marketing aside, I genuinely think this is one of the best sounding budget headsets out there. With a well-rounded sound that far outweighs its price tag, the HyperX Cloud Stingers even challenge some of the premium offerings out there. 

For me, the main goal in a gaming headset is to provide excellent sound so that you can hear where your enemy is coming from, whilst providing immersion and enjoyment. Well, that’s exactly what this headset offers. 

Multi-platform Support

Unlike many gaming headsets designed for PC use (which offer a USB connector), the Cloud Stingers come equipped with the more device-friendly audio jack connection port. This means the Cloud Stingers aren’t just PC friendly, they’re also Xbox, PS4, mobile, and tablet friendly too. 

Designing a headset that can be used over cross-platforms is a huge plus for gamers as many won’t restrict themselves to one device. Users will be able to play the latest Steam games on PC, then jump straight over to Call Of Duty on the Xbox using the exact same kit. 

It might be simple, but multi-platform support is an extremely effective way of targeting this headset to a broader market. 

Lightweight Design & Comfort

Lastly, is the design and comfort. Gamers – especially in present conditions – are spending more and more time playing their most beloved games. The last thing you want is to be slowed down by the comfort of your headset. Thankfully, that won’t be the case with the HyperX Cloud Stingers. 

Hyperx has designed this headset to be used in complete comfort and over extended periods of time. With a total weight of 270 grams, the HyperX Cloud Stingers are one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve had the pleasure of using in a long time. Excellent job HyperX. 

Our Verdict

So, there you have it, our comprehensive review of the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset. We come to the end of our review where we like to give our final impressions of the headset and answer the big question surrounding it as a whole – is it worth your consideration and cash?

Ultimately, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is a basic, stripped-back headset that does the simple things very well. It offers a versatile mic that can be used across numerous platforms while providing some of the best sound quality I’ve heard in a headset of this price point. However, it does have its downfalls. 

This headset doesn’t offer the greatest build quality in the world and doesn’t really offer any features that separate it from its competition. At this extremely competitive price point, that might be seen as a little foolish to some. However, looking at this headset from a broader perspective, it’s clear HyperX has prioritized more essential areas over gimmicky features, which is exactly what I want to see.

So, is this headset worth your cash? The answer is simple, absolutely. If you’re in the market for a cheap headset that provides excellent sound quality across a ton of different platforms, is extremely comfortable, and has a microphone for more competitive game styles, then the HyperX Cloud Stingers might be exactly what you’re looking for.