Hyper X is a brand you either know & love or have never used, but the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 may just change that.

Let me tell you, during my dark days in retail, I remember when they launched the HyperX Cloud II here in Australia and it was a game changer. It was unlike anything that had previously hit the marketplace; It had the gaming styling, & quality build that we all wanted. Yet for a price point that seemed to be, well wrong & far to cheap for what you were getting. Following on from the Cloud II in 2016, the predecessor to HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2, was realized to the same excitement (And was Editors Dez’s first-ever gaming headset). Fast forward 7 years & next generation of the HyperX Cloud Stinger has arrived. 

Headphones Design

HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2, like it’s the older brother, is a great budget headset that would be the perfect headset for gamers of any ages.

The updated more modern white design of the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2 gives it sleekness & elegance. But looked are deceiving, as though it looks elegance it is built tough! The build quality of this budget headset is better than I expected, it feels sturdy & strong, especially given the price point. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend testing said toughness by throwing it against a wall (How editor Dez’s first pair went), but it survived my cat knocking them off the desk several times, as I kept blocking her spot.

My normal go-to gaming headset is the Logitech Astro a40, as they are so comfortable during those long sessions. And at over three times the price of HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2, I thought they would come close to comparing to them. I couldn’t have been more wrong.  I wear studs in my ears and most headphones can cause headaches or just discomfort after an hour of use. These sit comfortably over ears with perfect about of padding-to-squeeze ratio! (The technical term I just made up for softness vs snugness of fit).

The ear cups are made from a synthetic cloth material vs the usual faux leather that most seem to use these days. This may worry some, the synthetic cloth covering the memory foam cups are so comfortable & breathable that on a bloody hot Queensland day, I didn’t notice I was wearing anything on my ears until I turned the fan on & was confused why I didn’t feel a breeze on my ears.

The microphone functionality is simple, up it’s off, down it’s on. No need to stress about live mics getting you in trouble or hearing how you talk to your mum about dinner. It also does a surprisingly decent job of separating your voice from moderate background noise & the dreaded heavy breathing.

 

Sound Quality

The sound quality of this generation of HyperX Cloud Stinger sees a vast improvement & its 50mm drivers deliver slightly more dominated by the bass tones, leaving the mids & highs feeling a touch to compressed. But that is just me looking for issues, as at this price point, I’ve never found a headset that compares sound-wise. 

Due to the sound quality of the headset being good, I was afraid, they had cut those costs on the microphone. Being equipped with noise isolation instead of active noise canceling that we find with more high-end gaming headsets; It does an amazing job. I had a party chat open more to test the microphone than anything. They didn’t hear the dreaded breathing, we come to expect from more budget headsets, & did an awesome job of not picking up the random room noises. Which was mostly my loveable but annoying cats or that Xbox fridge on my desk…. I may or may not have purchased it.

In regards to testing the headset, I didn’t really know if there were any games in particular I should play to test them out, so I just went with what I’m currently playing. As most casual gamers aren’t super serious & play a great mixture of games!

My current obsession right now is Powerwash Simulator! Laugh all you want but this game is addictive & the best way for my OCD mind to relax & destress after a long day. I was able to wash away all the days thoughts & stress away. As well as feel surprisingly calm by the gentle tones of the powerwasher through the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2. So calm & relaxed in fact, that I didn’t even realize that I had done this for 3 hours & suddenly realized it was 2am. Just the calming surround sound washed over me & washed away the hours. 

Seeing, as I have an upcoming review of Marvel’s Midnight Suns, I was unfortunately forced to play this amazing 2K game. The things I have to force myself to do for this job! 😆 The immersive sound just helped make that game more enjoyable with these. I was already loving the game but the clarity of the audio helped me focus more on the game. Though the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2 didn’t help me in readying the right cards on the screen, so note, it can’t help with bad player choices!  

One thing I do not recommend using the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2 is watching a murder crime show on Amazon prime. Goosebumps happen, as it makes them so so much real! It didn’t help it was a Zodiac type cold case being solved, so very creepy & unfortunately I didn’t miss a word. Gives my shivers just thinking about it. Every ouch of creepy music & horrific detail was heard crystal clear through them but just not loud. 

And that is my only real negative HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2. I just found them to be a quite headset, as when I was playing in my room at night with the ambient sounds being quite low, you didn’t notice them as much. Yet, the max volume seemed quite low & whenever there was noise in the background, I found myself looking for a volume switch to try & attempting to turn them up, to no avail.

Overall Thoughts

I’m completely blown away by the sound being so clean, especially for a headset of this price point. I have an extensive headset collection & the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2 really impressed me. It lacks a little in the volume department, but for a $90 AUD gaming headset, that is the least of your worry. Plus if you a parent, they can’t claim they didn’t hear you when you called them.

If you are in the market for a great little set of headphones that won’t break the bank but will provide you with an amazing listening experience, I highly recommend the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core 2