HyperX Cloud Alpha Review

Do you know how they say “you can’t improve on perfection”? Well, HyperX has ignored that saying and have gone out of their way to improve upon their already impressive Cloud Alpha headset. Originally released in 2017 HyperX has rereleased their best-selling headset with their dual-chamber audio system, something that produces the best and clearest sound that I’ve heard in a long time.

Product Name: Cloud Alpha
Product Type: Headset
Manufacturer: HyperX
Compatible With: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mac, Mobile, Switch, & VR
Available: Out Now
Price: $159 (Australian)

Technical Specifics

As you can see below, there isn’t a huge amount of details that you need to know about the Cloud Alpha headset as it is a very basic model, but that doesn’t mean that basic equals low quality. Thanks to HyperX adding the dual-chamber drivers to the Cloud Alpha headset, you are getting some of the most in-depth sounds that an entry-level headset can produce, making the Cloud Alpha headset affordable while keeping to HyperX’s high standards.

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Positives

At first, I was skeptical about using HyperX’s Cloud Alpha headset after spending a lot of time with JBL’s Quantum series of headsets, as JBL have a long history with audio devices like speakers and headsets on a professional level (My Step-Father is a singer and used a lot of JBL products over the years), but when I plugged the Cloud Alpha headset into my PC in order to give it a try, I was shocked that not only the sound quality was better than some of the high-end JBL products, it was actually better at some things like 3D audio than those same products.

In order to test headsets, I do 4 things:

1. Listen to FLAC audio files
2. Watch a 5.1 surround sound movie
3. Talk with friends on Discord
4. Play PC games while streaming

I have to say, in all 4 tests, the Cloud Alpha headset really excels. HyperX has done something special here where they have kept the price down on the unit itself while keeping the audio you get through the headset at a really high quality. With the FLAC audio test, I got a nice clear sound from both the music and the vocals, working hand in hand to surround my head and ears with non-distorted audio… even at high volumes. Watching a movie was a treat as I could hear the explosions around me with no issues, or distortion, and it didn’t shake my head with bass. When talking on discord, the audio was clear, clear enough that I could tell the difference between what type of microphone people were using and their distance from it. As for the game test… Perfection. As someone who is reviewing Tiny Tina’s Wonderland at the moment, as well as joining friends in PUBG again, I could hear all directions as intended, meaning nothing could sneak up on me and I could hear the directional sound as the game intended.

As for the Cloud Alpha headset unit itself, HyperX has always been some of the most comfortable headsets I have had over the years, dating back to one of the first HyperX headsets (The HyperX Cloud Mav Headset) I ever got from the brand after speaking with their Head of Marketing many years ago. If there is something that I will never fault it is how well the Cloud Alpha headset sits on my weirdly shaped head with minimal adjustment. The cushioned ear cups are some of the best out there, shaping to the ear itself and resting against the head without chafing or upsetting the skin over long periods of use. Only of the things that surprised me with the Cloud Alpha headset was how flexible the frame of the headset was, giving it a lot of flex and the ability to be moved on the head without causing stress or fractures to the unit itself, something that a lot of other headsets seem to lack.

Negatives

Honestly, there isn’t anything major that I could negatively say about the Cloud Alpha headset. It is one of those products that you just come to expect from a brand like HyperX. But…

The only issue I have with the Cloud Alpha headset is the same one I have with all headsets: the microphone. While the microphone on the Cloud Alpha headset is a really good microphone, it’s still one that is attached to the headset, so there is always going to be some sort of “audio bleed” when it comes to listening to things in the headset while speaking over something like Discord. But like I said, this is a gripe I have with all headsets and there is nothing that HyperX can do about something like that, it’s up to the end-user to fix that issue, usually with an external microphone.

The only other thing I will say is that I was given the standard Cloud Alpha headset to review at this time, not the wireless one that was announced at CES 2022. As someone who has been turned around on wireless headsets over the last few years, I would have loved to have gotten the wireless version of the Cloud Alpha headset to review as I have yet to get anything else to beat the wireless headset that I currently own and use. But again, that’s a “me” problem, not a Cloud Alpha problem.

Final Verdict

I think that the Cloud Alpha headset is a great entry headset by HyperX, giving you all the great audio experiences that I have come to expect from HyperX at a low price point. Of course, if you are looking to get even better quality in a headset, then you can spend more on other versions of HyperX’s product range and experience their superior quality for yourself, but if you want something to wrap around your head while listening to music, stream, play video games, or just chat with friends, then the Cloud Alpha headset is going to be worth adding to your collection and use time and time again.

Review Disclosure Statement: HyperX Cloud Alpha Headset was provided to us by HyperX for review purposes. For more information on how we conduct and handle reviews here, please visit our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy for more info. Thank you.