Kingston HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset Review

A gaming headset from Kingston? But Kingston doesn't make headphones! They make the memory devices, SSDs and USB drives; don't they? Those were the questions we had when Kingston appointed officials got in touch with us with a request to review their gaming headset, the Kingston HyperX Cloud. I actually had to check this headphone set on Kingston's official website to verify the authenticity of the request! We received our review unit over the weekend at CrazyEngineers office and got a chance to unbox and spend some time with HyperX Cloud.

What We Liked:

• Audio Quality: Is between Good and Great!
• Price: #-Link-Snipped-#. Retails for much lower on Snapdeal; but do you really want to take a chance with them?
• Comfort: Didn't hurt even after wearing it for several hours
• Lots of useful accessories in the box
• Very good product packaging

What We Didn't Like:

• Looks simple
• Mic quality is just above average
• We have doubts about long term durability of the product

First Impressions:

I'd not really bother about the packaging of the product; but this one deserves a special mention. Trust me, the packaging of the HyperX Cloud is designed to make you feel that you're unboxing a premium product!


The outer box contains a black-box -


On the inner side of the box, there's a message from the HyperX General Manager, Anders "G8v1king" Willumsen. You'll also see neatly laid out components and accessories. There are more accessories inside a smaller box marked 'Hyperx'.


Here's an overview of what's inside the box, out in the sunlight:-


Apart from the main head-unit, you'll two interchangeable red velour ear cushions, a microphone unit that can be attached to the main unit, a tiny audio control box with 1m cable, an extension cable (2m), flight adapter (I like it!), a splitter cable and a pouch. Just enough to cover most of your audio-listening conditions apart from gaming.

The braided cables caught my immediate attention because these cables are durable and must have (IMHO) for any headset that has long cables. The typical red+black combo is gamer favourite; but that does not make the product look like a premium one. There's a solid metal chassis to hold the ear-cups together but without causing pain to the wearer. This is extremely important factor to consider if your typical gaming sessions last for more than 90 minutes.

Side Note: Did Kingston Develop All Of It?

The box clearly says that Kingston's developed the HyperX Cloud Headset in association with Q-pad (and it's apparent from the branding on the microphone). Q-pad's known for their peripherals and have previous worked with Beyerdynamics for their QH-90 product. From the looks of it, the HyperX Cloud seems to be rebranded QH-90; which actually is a Takstar Pro 80 headset. That should give you a confidence that this indeed is a rock-solid product that will deliver almost everything it promises.

Note the original headphones were not intended for gaming purpose and Kingston's ensured that the HyperX Cloud builds on the best features offered Takstar and Q-Pad.


Audio Review: No Ear-Canals Are Made The Same

I fall in the category of casual gamers who prefer gaming consoles over PCs. I'd also consider myself an enthusiast level audiophile and these headphones impressed me. I'm fully aware that opinions on audio quality are subjective; but you can have my word that you won't be disappointed. The product delivers more than what you'd expect for the price point it's available.

The product begins to impress as soon as you wear it. The noise cancellation is super - thanks to the real leather cushion offered by the ear-cups. Without turning on any audio; the head-set was able to cut off about 70% of the surrounding noise; which means your mother or wife scolding you during your gaming session won't just hurt as much. Turning on the audio will put you in the parallel Universe where there's only 'the game' and 'the you'. The headphone isn't heavy on the bass; which is a good thing and there were no distortions even at maximum volume. The mids were 'okay' and the game's typical ambient sound was delivered as realistically as it should be. The vocals of the characters and in-game instructions (I played MSG4 and the GoW) were clear and loud. Thanks to the 53mm drivers that offer frequency response of 15-25.000 Hz using a dynamic transducer.

I also tried using the headphone with my Samsung Galaxy Note II - and the headphones work just fine. I tried playing different genres: from Gazals to Hip Hop and the headphones performed quite well. The audio quality for phone calls was decent and I couldn't find nothing extra-ordinary; worth mentioning. Listening to music isn't what these headphones are made for. These are pure play gaming headphones and deliver what they promise.

Final Verdict:

Kingston's HyperX Cloud is a surprise entry in the world of headphones. For the price point, Kingston's delivered a solid offering that's very impressive. These are not your studio-quality headphones and they deliver impressive but not immersive audio. If you are looking to buy a gaming headphone this headphone; this could very well be an easy pick.