HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Review

Our evaluation of the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless showed it to be an average wireless device with a hefty price tag. We recommend looking at other products in our review before settling on this product.

Comfort

The comfort metric is the most important aspect of our headset review and the first thing a potential consumer should consider before purchasing. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless received below-average marks in this assessment primarily because of its squishy ear cup padding and thin headband cushion. However, testers could still wear the device for up to 8 hours before discomfort set in.

The ear cups and headband are the biggest contributors to comfort. The HyperX's ear cups are fairly spacious, but some tester's ears came in contact with the interior, which caused a little irritation after a while. Additionally, the leatherette-covered padding tends to trap more heat than other models we've tested, thus decreasing the comfort slightly when worn for long periods. That said, the headset has marks on the headband to make sure the adjustments are even, and it is on the lighter side at 11.8 ounces, so you won't feel like you have a weight clipped to your head.

Audio

Following the comfort metric in importance is audio. Our audio assessment focuses on positional sound. In this metric, we ask ourselves — are the headset's speakers good enough for the wearer to identify the direction from which sound emanated? We also look at sound blocking and music quality. When all these assessments are added up, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless received a slightly above-average audio performance.

We use several practical tests to rate a headset's positional sound quality. The first is a test that the gaming hardware company Razor developed wherein one plays a video of a helicopter circling overhead. If the headset is of high quality, the wearer can easily identify where the chopper is — right, left, front, or behind. The HyperX manages this task with ease and accuracy. We also use Counter Strike: Global Offensive to run a similar test, but this time with gunfire and footsteps. Again, the HyperX performed quite well. As for coms with fellow players, the clarity of others' voices was slightly above average — what we'd define as acceptable for serious gameplay.

Music quality was average as well — the bass bumps but the mid-level and treble are so-so. Taken as a whole, the HyperX's music quality is clear and crisp. However, the noise blocking capability is marginal at best. This is somewhat surprising considering that the HyperX has a closed back design.

Microphone

The microphone metric is quite simple but an important assessment of a key component of a gaming headset. We look at the quality of the audio that the mic delivers, the amount of background noise that the mic picks up, and whether or not the muted mic produces static or buzzing. Happily, the HyperX delivered an above-average score in this assessment.

After recording a simple audio file, we compared the sound quality to the other devices in the review. The HyperX's microphone delivers reasonably clear audio, though there are some harsh sibilants. As for muting, the effect was complete. Finally, the background noise picked up by the mic was minimal to nonexistent. But overall, the audio sounds pretty good.

Ease of Use

We tend to assess the ease of use on all technical devices simply because it's no fun to unwrap a new purchase only to spend an hour or two setting it up. Our gaming headset ease of use assessment focuses on the onboard controls, mic adjustment, and software. Surprisingly, the HyperX garnered a below-average rating.

We do not want to give the impression the HyperX is difficult to operate. Quite the contrary, the headset is plug-and-play. However, the charging cable is fairly short, and the microphone isn't detachable. The lack of these features lowered the unit's ease of use performance.

Should You Buy HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless?

While the Hyper isn't a terrible gaming headset, it is one of the lowest ranked devices in the class, and yet, it's also one of the more expensive. As such, we do not recommend it.

What Other Gaming Headsets Should You Consider?