In fact, this headset hits just about all the major selling points when it comes to quality wireless gaming headphones. It’s comfortable to wear, intuitive to use and considerably easy to set-up. You don’t have to deal with any convoluted software programs, and it works well with both PlayStation and PCs.
That being said, though, for HyperX to have been able to deliver a high-quality, inexpensive product, they had to make a couple of sacrifices here and there. For starters, you can forget about using the headset with a Nintendo Switch or smartphone because it doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack feature. Another compromise they had to make is not to make the microphone removable, which means you want to use it when you’re out of the house. Also, the overall fit can prove tight for some folks, especially those that wear glasses.
Although, overall, HyperX’s Cloud Stinger is actually a bargain. Furthermore, it’s a wonderful example of what companies can do to keep costs low without having to sacrifice anything that’s important to the functionality of the headphones.
Design
The Cloud Stinger gaming headset has a rather conservative overall design. It has a black-colored plastic chassis that has big, over-the-ear foam cups alongside a padded headband that has an expendable, notched steel bar structure underneath it. On the ear cup on the right, you’ll find the flexible boom microphone, a charging port and the power button. The volume dial is the only thing you’ll find on the left-sided ear cup. The microphone might not be removable nor retractable, however, at least it automatically mutes itself when pushed up, and it does this with a telltale click to boot. It also has a wireless dongle feature people can use to connect to their PS4 or PC.
Okay, the Cloud Stinger is definitely not one of the most aesthetically-pleasing headsets out there, however, it has a solid, smart design with no surprises. A removable or retractable microphone would’ve been really nice, of course, as would a designated dongle storage space because that tiny attachment just wants to get lost. Hardcore gamers might also be a little disappointed that it doesn’t have a separate dial feature to adjust chat levels or game volumes. However, that won’t really matter too much for those people using the device for single player gaming, or for casual multiplayer gaming as well.
Anyway, the one thing that’s really hard to swallow is the fact that it doesn’t have the 3.5mm audio jack function. While this HyperX product is not the first of its kind to not include this port, it’s still something that severely limits the overall compatibility of the headset. It can be used with PlayStation and PC, however, that’s just about it. Yes, the audio jack pin might have made it cost a little more, but at least you’d be able to travel with it outside your home.
Comfortability
The Cloud Stinger is a lightweight wireless gaming headset weighing about 9.5-ounces, and can be worn for long periods of time. It has supportive foam ear cups that don’t get too hot. It also isn’t difficult to get a comfortable fit, largely because of the distinct notches it has that are easily customizable and hard to accidentally adjust. If you have glasses on, the cups will fill a bit tighter, however, this will only be a big issue if you’re wearing the headset for long periods of time. If you’re someone that wears glasses and often have gaming binges that last a daylong, then you’ll need to keep this pitfall in mind.
Audio Performance
HyperX touts their Cloud Stinger Wireless headset as primarily being a PlayStation 4 gaming peripheral. This gaming headphones offer nuanced, rich sound quality that excellently balances sound effects, voice work and music. Whether you’re taking down enemy ships when playing Star Trek Online or whether you’re listening to the riveting conversations between Peter Parker and Mary Jane in Spider Man, this wireless gaming headset will provide clear and crisp sound. The overall soundscape, though, skews a little on the treble sound, however, considering the headset was specifically designed with gaming in mind, this isn’t so bad.
The audio quality you’ll get from PCs is also very good, as seen when the headset was used to play StarCraft: Remastered and Destiny 2. You won’t get audio quality as nuanced as what you’d find on the truly high-end wireless headsets out there, such as the Astro A40 and the like, however, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is not only easy one one’s ears but it’ll also let you concentrate on what’s going around in the games.
The Cloud Stinger will surprise you in the music department, pleasantly though. Every music genre sounds robust and well-rounded. As highlighted earlier, the headphones definitely focus a lot more on the treble aspect. Although, the bass sounds still come through quite clearly and voice work doesn’t overwhelm instrumentation. Because this HyperX headset can be used with smartphones and other hand-held portable devices, the Cloud Stinger Wireless really can’t act as a replacement for your everyday music headphones. However, if you like listening to music on the PC a lot, then the Cloud Stinger actually holds its own.
Feature
The HyperX Cloud Stinger has excellent close range connectivity, although sound does get cut off around the 20-foot marker. Granted, not a lot of gamers are going to have more than 10-feet between them and their gaming setups. That being said, some wireless gaming headphones are operational even from distances of up to 35-feet away, which, sadly, means that the Cloud Stinger from HyperX is not one of the most powerful headset devices you can get your hands on.
Anyway, when it comes to battery life, the HyperX company claims their headset can last up to around 17-hours on a single charge, however, this is something that’s very hard to accurately measure. Near the power button feature there is an LED indicator that lights up in different colors depending on where the battery life is at. However, it doesn’t provide the user with exact power percentages. When tested, though, it seemed to have drained to around 30% after around 5-hours of gaming. For a complete charge, the headset will take about 2 and a half hours.
One downside here is that there are no customization options. Not only doesn’t it have software that can allow users to build their own profiles but it also lacks surround sound and equalization levels. The default soundscape isn’t that bad, but that’s really all users are going to get. There’s not much to say about its microphone other than it does record voices intelligibly, but with a little fuzziness here and there. It’s perfect for your everyday multiplayer gaming needs, however, you might not want to use it for recording projects.
Verdict
There’s no doubt that the HyperX Cloud Stinger leaves out some very handy and useful features, many of which are standard inclusions on high-quality gaming headphones. There are no customization options, no chat mixer and no 3.5mm audio jack. However, depending on the gaming habits you have, you might not have any use for some of this stuff, and if you happen to be one of those people that don’t, then the Cloud Stinger’s reasonably comfortable fit and excellent sound quality, at a relatively low price, should be more than enough for you.
The Corsair HS70 gaming headset, priced at around $90, offers some customization options and similar performance, but its soundscape isn’t anywhere near as robust as what you’ll get with the Cloud Stinger. Though, if you’re able to spend around $150 on a headset, then Logitech’s G533 headphones might be what you should be concentrating on. With that said, the HyperX Cloud Stinger offers a happy, ideal medium between these two.