HyperX’s new wireless headset, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless, looks and feels like its predecessors but that’s a disservice to a device that brings so much value at its price point that it’s hard to ignore. Let’s take a look at what makes this device so compelling to buy.
Table of Contents
Design
The design of the Cloud Core Wireless looks and feels very similar to other headphones in its lineup, especially the Cloud II Wireless which was released a year ago. Does that mean it’s a bad thing? Maybe if you’re looking for something new, but if you’re looking for reliability then you’re all set here. It comes in the usual all black finish that we’ve come to known HyperX devices for. The red certainly stands out here and definitely exudes that gamer aesthetic.
The headphones provide all the necessities, it’s comfortable, lightweight, and sturdy. There’s not a lot you can ask for, and frankly, the headphone doesn’t give you more. The memory foam on the headband and the earpads are very comfortable, even for long uses. It might get a bit hot, but not enough to stop you from playing for long hours. They sit well to my ears, maybe a bit too close for some people, but overall the form and fit of the device is excellent.
The band is made of aluminum which really feels sturdy. You really won’t have any worries about stretching this out and breaking it. The aluminum frame really holds the device together well.
The only gripe I have with the device is that I don’t know how long the memory foam leatherette material will last, that is something only time can tell. It might chaff after a few years and you might need to replace it, but so far I have zero signs of any wear and tear on my unit.
The device has all the basic buttons you would need, the power on button, microphone mute, volume wheel, a port for the detachable mic and a USB Type-C charging port. No RGB here (no fps boost!) and no touch controls either.
Performance
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is a pair of gaming headphones through and through. I enjoyed listening to music with the device and music sounded a bit bass heavy but when it comes to gaming, more specifically, FPS gaming, this device just shines. But let’s talk about music first.
As I previously said, the device is bass heavy, it has a tendency to drown out other instruments in music as the bass gets a bit too loud or strong at times. Some people prefer this though, especially playing hip-hop, house, or electronic music, this device is pretty good at giving you an immersive experience. Going through my playlist of Honne, Tom Misch, a bit of Sam Smith definitely gave me a sense that these headphones are intended for people who want thumping music. The soundstage is not too wide, but it’s nothing that really bothered me.
Gaming though is a different deal, if you use this for RPGs, single player games, it won’t disappoint, but it won’t wow either. It comes with DTS Headphone X Spacial Audio, and what I love about this is that you don’t need any other app to get the benefits of this feature. You just plug the USB transmitter and you’re good to go! It’s very easy to use, no frills here. Give it a first person shooter where audio positioning matters then this headset suddenly goes from okay to amazing. I tried different shooters on this device, Valorant, Overwatch, and Warzone, and the consensus is that it really gives you an edge over your competition. I can hear footsteps clearly, whether they’re coming from up top, or from whatever side, the headphones clearly distinguish that. Sounds of bullets fly past me and the device really gives me a feel of that when it happens in game. I dunno if they made this for FPS games but man, it beats even my personal devices when it comes to this, and some of them cost twice the price of this device.
As for signal strength the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless doesn’t stand out. I can go out of my room, walk to the kitchen that’s about a few meters away and the signal would cut in and out. I just end up removing it when I need to move away from my computer. If you’re within just a few feet or a room right beside you then you should be fine.
Lastly, the one real con for me of this device is the microphone. It leans towards the bad side of microphones in my testing. My voice sounds robotic and a bit muffled when using this device and I would recommend a separate device for your mic if you’re going to use this headset. The great thing is that the microphone can be detached so you don’t have to live with it because everything else is awesome!
Battery Life
The battery life of this device is rated at 20 hours, in my testing I managed to push it to 25 hours. I don’t know if I just got lucky but that’s a pretty great score. No RGB and no extras means extra battery life!
Total charging time for the device was around 3 hours through the USB Type-C Port.
Conclusion
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless manages to excel at all the basics a gamer is looking for in a device. It’s an easy recommendation to people looking for headphones that bring so much value for not a lot of money. If you are looking for sturdy headphones that will last you a long time, decent sound signature for music, a great competitive gaming headset, and comes with outstanding battery life then you can’t go wrong with the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless.
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is priced at PHP 4,899.
