They even invest in making data storage and power-related devices. Overall, HyperX is just one of the biggest names in the gaming industry. The most successful and popular products of HyperX are undoubtedly, their headphones. HyperX has been making gaming headphones for a long time. Some of the best gaming headphones to date are also HyperX products. So do not be surprised when you find yourself in awe of a gaming headphone and it bears the HyperX logo.
HyperX was also one of the first companies to jump on the esports bandwagon and have its products be exhibited at the world stage. They know what constitutes a good gaming product and what the public wants. Although there are several noteworthy HyperX headphones in the ‘Cloud’ lineup, today we look at the HyperX Cloud Stinger. This headphone has been made with the goal to be the best gaming headphone in a low budget price range. We will take a closer look at the HyperX Cloud Stinger and determine if it is a bang for your buck, or have HyperX dropped the ball with this one.
Unboxing
The Kingston HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headphone comes in two types of box designs. One is the all-black box with red accents while the other is a full white box with red accents. The picture of the Cloud Stinger is on display on the box along with some of its key features. Inside the box, the headphone is meticulously packed. First, you find the HyperX card and user manual. Remove the top layer and beneath is the Cloud Stinger headphone packed in foam. There is also a 3.5 mm audio jack to a splitter cable that comes in the package which is a useful addition for users who have a setup that requires them to plug in the headphone and microphone into their respected sockets. You do not need to go looking for a splitter cable as HyperX has provided that with the Cloud Stinger. To round it off, the HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headphone package contains the following things in its box:
The headphoneSplitter cableUser manualHyperX card
That pretty much sums up what you get in the package of the HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headphones. Most users want something extra in the packaging of products. It can be a couple of extra ear cups for future use or maybe some unique stickers or logos that you can put on your setup. With the HyperX Cloud Stinger, you get the splitter cable as a bonus. The people at HyperX know this can be a problem for some users whose setups do not have the all in one analog slot capability. They have added this piece of equipment to help out those users when they buy this product.
Design
The HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headphone has a very standard and even somewhat old-fashioned design. The material used in the making of the Cloud Stinger is nearly all plastic. There is metal in the headrest frame but mostly, it is made of plastic.
This is, after all, a budget headphone so cut downs of features and build quality can be expected. That being said some of the other headphones that fall under the same price range have better quality build. However, even though this headphone is mostly made of plastic, it gives a very good feeling. You do not feel as though you are wearing a cheaply made piece of hardware. There is soft padding of memory foam on the earcups. There is also generous padding of foam on the headband. Essentially, all of the areas of the headphone which will be in contact with a person’s head or ears have been thickly padded with soft foam.
Like we have already mentioned, Cloud Stinger has an old school design. Its ear cups also fall under that category. There is a red HyperX logo on the outside of both the ear cups. The Cloud Stinger only has one color variant of the HyperX logo that is red, present on its ear cups.
There is no RGB or lighting. The ear cups can be rotated 90-degrees on both sides to be able to conform to the needs of the user. The headband of the Cloud Stinger has a metal sliding system. Thanks to this metal slider, you are able to manage the size of the headband to properly fit onto your ears. It is also worthwhile to mention that the metal slider is very smooth. There is no obstruction in its movement. There are 50 mm, directional drivers, in the ear cups. Their positioning is such that they are parallel to the ear of the wearer. Under the right ear cup, there is a volume controller. It is readily accessible so that you can adjust the volume level without having to pause or tab out of your game.
On the left ear cup, the microphone is attached. This microphone is not detachable. The wire also extends out from the left cup of the headphone. This wire is also permanently attached to the headset. The microphone is very flexible. This is mainly done for the purpose of it being accessible to users wherever and however they want it. It also gives a level of protection to the microphone as it is easily bent and hence not broken easily. The microphone is able to swivel up and down as well.
Features
When it comes to features, let’s start off with one of the HyperX Cloud Stinger’s biggest plus point, comfort. Even though it is a fact that the materials used in the making of these gaming headphones are not of the highest standard, they are extremely comfortable. The Cloud Stinger weighs 275 grams. This is a bit heavier than the other gaming headphones that are available in its price range. This bulkiness plays a part in making these headphones durable and sturdy as well. Still, 275 grams isn’t a high enough weight that it will cause anyone issues. These headphones feel light enough that you can wear them for long gaming sessions without feeling any negative side effects. They are also the most comfortable headphones in this price range. So even though they are lacking in build quality, the quality and durability is definitely there to make up for it. Not to mention, these are very modestly priced. For their price, the comfort you get adds massive value to the Cloud Stinger.
There are some intuitive features added into this budget gaming headphone as well. On the underside of the right ear cup, there is a volume controller. Move the bar forward or backward to increase or decrease the volume. The mic has a swivel movement. Moving it all the way up automatically mutes the mic.
This is a very useful feature as you do not need to go to the hassle of pressing a button to mute the mic. Oftentimes, it happens that we are not aware that the mic is muted and keep on talking like it is life. Due to the innovative mute function, there is no fear of this happening. There is also a noise cancellation feature in the mouse to reduce outside or unwanted sound as much as possible. This also helps in making your voice sound clearer on the microphone. The rotating ear cups make a good fit when you want to wear them. If you want to hang the headphones around your neck, you can rotate them so they do not get in the way. The metal slider in the headband also plays a role in making these headphones adjustable for nearly all head sizes. The 50 mm audio drivers in the ear cups are placed so they give the sound directly into the ear preventing any sound leakage.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger has an analog connection. This gives it the ability to be multi-platform compatible. You can connect this headphone to a computer setup, a laptop, even with PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. The splitter cable that comes with the Cloud Stinger gives it the option to connect both mic and headphones with setups that require individual connectivity of the two. Although the fact that it has an analog connection means that the sound quality may vary from device to device. This is where a USB connection will be better than an analog connection since it will not be dependent on the connected device’s audio quality.
Performance
In the performance section of headphones, the most important thing is obviously the sound. The Stinger has good but flat sound quality. There is not much to go by when you are listening to the sounds of excessively low or high frequencies. For standard audio, its sound quality is decent enough. Of course, for a headphone that is as cheaply priced as the Cloud Stinger, you do not really expect it to blow your mind with quality. If you do want the mind-blowing quality of sound, you should look at a much higher price range. For the lower end of the spectrum in prices, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is quite good. It has a standard level of sound that it maintains. For this price range, it is doubtful that you will find a more stable or adequate quality of sound than what the Cloud Stinger will give you.
Another bonus of this headphone is that the Cloud Stinger maintains its high level of comfort even after long hours of use. The foam padding with the leather cover really comes through in this category. The adjustable headband thanks to the metal slider is also a good addition to this product. The metal slider gives it sturdiness as well as adjustability. With software there could have been improvements to the sound but you cannot in good conscience ask for more in such a low-priced product.
Conclusion
The HyperX Cloud Stinger has some very solid competitors in the SteelSeries Arctis 1, the Astro A10, or the Turtle Beach Recon 70. All of these have a very good reputation for being both affordable and of very respectable quality. Both in sound and comfort levels, these headphones are really the best you will find at this side of the price spectrum. The Cloud Stinger, it is safe to say might be the most comfortable among all of these. Although there may be better picks than the Stinger when it comes to sheer sound quality, there is no denying the outstanding comfort it provides. This headphone is primarily made for gamers. That much is clear. With the easy to access volume control, hands-on microphone muting feature, and the standard sound quality all point to this fact. Most gamers who are looking to buy this product will be on a tight budget. There is no other reason why you will be looking for a low-priced headphone. The headphone is an essential component of a gaming setup and unless it is absolutely necessary, you will not be looking for a low-end headphone. However, not everyone can have the freedom to choose the best in the market. This headphone gives low budget gamers the best price along with acceptable sound quality and a high comfort threshold. All in all, this gives users the best of both worlds.
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