Although, it is safe to say the biggest reason for their fame is headphones. HyperX has been the prime manufacturer of gaming headphones for some time now. HyperX was one of the first companies to get into the Esports realm as well. Nowadays, we see HyperX headphones being used by professional gamers in tournaments and on streams all the time. HyperX released the Cloud headphone and got an overwhelming response from the community. The HyperX Cloud II is the newer version of the Cloud headphone. HyperX has managed to maintain all the positive features of the Cloud in this version. All the while taking care of any drawbacks that the Cloud gaming headphones had. What we get with that is one of the best low-price gaming headphones available today. We’re revisiting the much loved Cloud II headphones by HyperX and will be taking a closer and in-depth look at what they have to offer.
Unboxing
The headphones are placed securely in a generous packing of plastic. A black matte box with built-in compartments for the various things you get along with the headphones. You get a variety of different things with the Cloud II. There are the detachable microphone and a USB extension cable that can be attached via 3.5mm jack of the headphone. There are a couple of extra ear cups inside the box as well as the standard user’s manual. You also get a carrying bag or pouch that is of a mesh-like material. All in all, the contents of the box are:
HeadphoneMicrophoneExtra ear cupExtension cable with USB adapterUser manualCarrying pouch
Most of the time customers want more out of the product packaging than just the main item and its required components. HyperX certainly took care of that issue and more. First off, the packaging itself is very sweet. The contents of the box are packed extremely safely to prevent any possible damage. Then you get a couple of ear cups that you can use for when your headphone’s ear cups start showing wear and tear. The extension cable allows you more than one mode of connectivity. This is because of the audio jack wire with the headphone as well as the USB extension cable. The packing as well as the intuitive things included with Cloud II are a bonus to this gaming headset.
Design
The HyperX Cloud II gaming headphone is a very good-looking piece of hardware. The subtle designing makes sure it is not too flashy or flamboyant while maintaining the aesthetic value. Since the design is not bold these headphones can be used in almost any sort of computer or gaming setup and even in an office. These headphones come in two different color schemes. There is the red color of the HyperX logo on the ear cups and the red stripe that goes across on the headband. Apart from that, it is all black. In the red color scheme, the metal slider part of the headphone that connects the headband with the ear cups is red. The rest is the same as the gun-metal color. Starting off with the headband, you immediately notice it is thickly padded. The thick foam padding of the headband is a big plus for comfort. The metal slider allows Cloud II to be suitable for people of all head sizes. Just extend or retract the metal slider to either increase or decrease the headspace. The metal slider itself is also used as a connector between the headband and the headphone. While this connector is made of solid metal, the parts it connects into are plastic. Due to this, the part where the actual pressure will be is plastic and not metal.
This metal portion of the headphone is not under any real pressure. It would have made the Cloud II more durable if the metal portion was the part where there was more pressure. That being said, these headphones are still very sturdy. It is very unlikely that they will break. The build quality is very solid. The ear cups are available in two types of covers. You can go with the leather or the velvet cover on the foam padding of the ear cups. The leather cover is generally better for keeping sound in. You get a pair of each of the leather and velvet covers with the Cloud II package. Choose the one which you like best and keep the other for future use. The microphone comes detached from the headphones. This is because it is easier and safer to pack detached rather than connected to the headphones. You can detach the microphone anytime you want and reattach it when needed. The Cloud II has a connected wire of about 1m that has a 3.5 mm audio jack connector. You can use it to connect the Cloud II to a computer, cell phone, an Xbox or a PlayStation, etc. While the USB extension cable can be used to connect it to a computer when you want to use the button controls. Button controls are generally more durable than a roller. Rollers tend to go out of order in sound controls much sooner than buttons do.
Features
Let’s start off with one of the foremost features of the HyperX Cloud II gaming headphone, its comfortability. These gaming headphones are one of the most comfortable headsets you will ever get your hands on. The generous foam padding on the headband as well as the ear cups give a lot of ease to the parts of your head that will be upholding the weight of the headphones. These headphones are 350 grams in weight. This is not the lightest piece of hardware in the market. As such, you need a very good build and padding to be sufficiently comfortable under the weight of these headphones. HyperX has succeeded in this endeavor admirably. Once you put these headphones on, all your fears of the weight go out the window. You can literally wear these headphones for hours on end and not feel any discomfort. The metal slider allows you to adjust these headphones to your liking as well. If you feel more pressure at a certain level, you can just adjust the metal slider. The pressure will not be shifted to a different region. The build of the Cloud II is very solid and of good material. It is very well made as a whole. There is very little to zero chance of this headphone breaking or losing functionality in a short time. The aluminum frame of the headphones gives it a lot of sturdiness. Even after getting knocked around as hardware tend to do, the Cloud II will be perfectly fine. The included airplane plug and the carrying pouch also give the Cloud II a certain level of portability. The closed cup headphone design is optimal for receiving as little outside noise as possible. This is a big plus for gamers who want to be fully immersed in their gaming experience. This is also great for communication with your teammates in online games. You are not distracted by sounds from outside and can listen easily to what your teammates are saying. This is thanks to the clear and unimpeded sound due to the closed cup design.
There are two ways you can connect the Cloud II. Both of these are wired connections. There are no wireless connectivity options in the Cloud II gaming headphones. This is a slight drawback as wired headphones often tend to show wear and tear in their wire sooner than expected. When there is no wire you will not have to face any such issue. The headphones come connected with a 3.5 mm audio jack connector wire. This wire can be used to connect your headphones to a vast range of different gadgets. You can connect the audio jack to the extension cable that is a USB connector cable when you want to use your computer. The audio box controller is available with the USB connector cable. The good part in the audio box controller is the buttons. Buttons are way more durable than a roller. The audio jack connector has an in-line standard roller for sound control. The buttons give you controls for the volume on both your headset and your microphone. They also give you the controls for turning on surround sound. The slight drawback of this headphone is the lack of software for sound configuration. You can not freely adjust the sound levels via software. Due to this, there is a lack of customization ability in the headphones. However, for the price, these headphones just are the best available today. Their extreme comfortability makes them one of the best gaming headphones in this low-end price range. HyperX has given the Cloud II a two-year warranty. Having a warranty is always a good plus for any product. A two-year long warranty makes you more at ease with buying a product knowing you have that backup in case of a malfunction. Such a warranty also increases your faith in the product knowing that the company is confident about it.
Performance
HyperX Cloud II is not an expensive headphone. That is why you are in for a treat with the sound quality of these headphones. For a modestly priced headphone, the sound they give is absolutely brilliant. In games, these headphones give the clarity between the sounds you want. You are able to distinguish between different sounds in an intense online FPS game or an RPG both. The surround sound 7.1 feature helps to make sounds even clearer and their direction more obvious. It is not too big of a difference from the standard stereo sound though.
You might experience some shortcomings when it comes to extreme frequency range sounds. It is not that big of an issue as the sound quality is still very crisp and neat. When it comes to music, the audio quality is much the same. You will enjoy most of the music with no discrepancy in the sound. There may only be some issues at a high or low frequency. There is no software for the Cloud II. This is one of its major drawbacks. The software will allow you to customize and configure your headphones and their sounds to exactly how you want it to be. All the gaming-related products coming nowadays have software for customization. It has become a rather standard-issue feature. The microphone gives a very steady and neat voice quality. Your teammates will be able to hear you loud and clear. The easy to access microphone audio levels on the dongle is also a nice addition. You can change your mic volume levels very effortlessly. Overall, the mic is very acceptable and should not give you cause for concern.
Who can use such a headphone?
HyperX Cloud II is a headphone that is mainly focused on the gaming community. That much is clear from its extreme comfortability as well as the ease of use that the controls give you. Such easy to access controls will come in handy when you are in a game and have to change your volume level or mic audio level in a jiffy. Gaming sessions tend to go on for a long time and a headphone that gives such a comfort level as Cloud II is quite indispensable. Although this is gaming-oriented, the quite aesthetics of the Cloud II make it something that can be used in an office as well. There is no flashy lighting or RGB and there is no extremely aerodynamic design employed in this headphone. As such, this can be used in an office especially if you have to wear headphones regularly. These are the most comfortable headphones in their price range. Comfort is a priority for all people.
Conclusion
HyperX is one of the most trusted and renowned companies when it comes to gaming headphones. Any headphone of HyperX is sure to be an eye-catcher. Cloud II is no different. It is beautiful without being flashy. That is something which has become quite underrated nowadays. As always, the comfort level and build quality of a HyperX headphone are impeccable. The sound and audio for both the headset and the mic are also very nice for the price range. You get a ton of other intuitive features that many headphones lack. As such, it is quite safe to say that the HyperX Cloud II is one of the best gaming headphones in this price range. It is definitely, the most comfortable.
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