HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Review
- Sound quality
- The quality of the microphone
- Production quality
- Battery
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless review in three sentences
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless are very good wireless headphones. They present a very good sound quality on the V-shape, as well as a very good sound stage. The only thing missing was a good finish of details and a better microphone, because this one fails.
Gaming headphones are a bit of a myth, a bit not. After all, the only issue is often the design and the bonus to the price. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless review, however, shows that it can be done relatively well, although with a very large surcharge for wireless. Is it worth buying them? Do they have a good microphone? Do they work well in games? What do they sound like? All these questions will be answered by this review, to which I cordially invite you.
Contents
Set and price
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless that is the subject of this review come to us in standard white, black and red cardboard. Inside you will find a fairly standard set, consisting of headphones, a microphone, a USB-A to USB-C cable and a transmitter for the USB-A connector. Personally, I would like to see a bag for headphones and replaceable pads here, but unfortunately you can’t have everything.
The reviewed HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones currently cost USD $195, which places them well below the recently reviewed Logitech G735.
Specification
- Circumaural design
- Eco-leather pads
- Detachable microphone
- Stereo
- Electrotic microphone
- Range up to 20 meters
- Battery up to 300 hours
- Fully charged in 4.5 hours
- The ability to listen from a microphone
- Weight 335 grams
Construction and build quality
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones are made almost identically to their older, wired brothers. After all, HyperX has been continuing this design for years, which was originally a rebrand of the Takstar Pro80. However, this line is still followed by HyperX Cloud II Wireless, and in the case of the Alpha series the drivers have been changed. Whether they are of their own design or come from another source, unfortunately, I don’t know, and the manufacturer does not boast of information in this regard.
Due to the fact that not everyone has had contact with this series before, I will describe from scratch how the headphones were made. One of the most important parts is the headband which is relatively soft. In the lower part, which is adjacent to the head, there is a fairly thin pillow, and on the top we can find eco-leather and the name of the headphones.
The whole thing is, of course, sewn with red thread, which gives it a gaming chin. The earpieces are held by metal forks that look very decent from a distance. Up close, however, I do not like their finish, because they are simply cut and have uneven edges. It is a pity that the manufacturer has not decided to sand them into a company with a delicate roundness.
The outer part of the earcups has the manufacturer’s logo on it and is also made of aluminum. Around it we find a matte plastic that is extremely susceptible to fingerprints . It is a pity, because it is the most touched space. It has two buttons, one of which is responsible for turning the headphones off and on, and the other for controlling the microphone. In addition to them, there is also a jack connector with which we connect the microphone. On the right earpiece, there is a volume roller that works smoothly and changes the system volume, not the headphones themselves.
Overall, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones are made very decently. Nothing creaks and the structure itself is very solid . The materials used are of high quality, although a slight grinding of the forks and a change of the material used to coat both earphones could be needed. Cleaning it is very hard and it gets dirty incredibly fast. Personally, I also think that a slightly longer headband of the microphone itself could be useful. The one used in the headphones is quite short, making it relatively difficult to speak directly into the microphone.
Everyday use – comfort
The headphones under review, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, are fairly typical gaming headphones. Manufacturers often focus on the high pressure of the headphones to the ears, which is designed to increase isolation from the environment. And in this respect, they work very well. Passive isolation is at a very high level , even though I wear glasses. The headphones effectively cut me off from sounds from outside the window or from a cat that keeps meowing, despite being saved and full.
However, high pressure has its drawbacks. In my case, after about two hours, my head starts to ache incredibly. This is precisely due to the high pressure, the fact that I wear glasses, I have a fairly large head and also a bit too skinny headband cushions for me, although that is also due to my very short hair.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless are definitely headphones for people with a slightly smaller head, or for people without glasses. Of course, if you prefer longer sessions, where I can sit in the headphones all day without interruption. Especially in the case of wireless, like the reviewed ones. I don’t have to take them off to go to the kitchen or toilets, so I automatically spend more time in them.
After turning on the headphones, they automatically inform us about whether they have connected, as well as the level of battery charge. They do this by bringing the charge level to tens by rounding it down. We are informed about the entire course by a low voice in English. In the application, you can switch the voice to beep, so we can easily adjust it to ourselves.
Communication
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones, which are the hero of this review, connect to the computer via the included USB transmitter that works in radio technology, at 2.4 GHz. This ensures a long range as well as high connection stability. The manufacturer declares that the range should be sufficient for 20 meters from the transmitter. In my case, it worked fully on the surface of the apartment, so there were a maximum of two partitions + closed doors on the way. Not once did I have a problem with any, even minimal, disconnection.
The delay is practically imperceptible , so we do not have to worry that the headphones will interfere with us during the game. Testing its response time (about 15 times) and comparing the average of the HyperX Cloud Wireless Alpha headphones and the wired set, the average was 3 milliseconds worse, so I would definitely consider the difference to be within the measurement error.
The only problem is the continuous noise you hear in the background. It is not loud, but definitely noticeable. People who prefer the so-called black background will not be satisfied with this solution.
What will be important for some is that it is not possible to use headphones over the cable . The USB-C connector is for charging only. It is a pity, because an additional 3.5 mm jack would be appreciated by people who travel a lot. It is not difficult to forget the transmitter, because it is the size of a USB flash drive.
The microphone is pretty lame
The electret microphone, which is attached to the end of a short headband, is not of a quality. When I went on Discord, a group of friends didn’t recognize my voice and were sure someone else had joined the channel. The microphone significantly raised the tone of the voice, which is not a preferred option for many people. It was slightly better when I took off the sponge that served as the pop-filter.
The loudness of the microphone was also a big problem, because according to my friends’ opinion, it was too quiet and the sound was distorted at the same time. Below you will find some sound samples recorded with Audacity. The first group has not been denoised in any way and the second has been denoised in the easiest way by Audacity, and this is a sound comparable to what you hear on the Discord platform with ear and echo removal built into it.
Sound quality, which is a pleasant surprise
I do not hide that I am usually negative about headphones for players, especially wireless. In this case, HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless changed my opinion a bit. Especially because they sound a bit better than their wired version, which was plugged into your average integrated sound card. This is one of the most popular options, so I find the comparison to it perfectly accurate.
The reviewed HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones play on the set of the so-called V’ka , about which you can read more in the guide on what headphones to buy, which I invite you to visit. In a nutshell, it means an increase in bass and treble, both in relation to the wired version, which sounds a bit more even. The bass is relatively strong, but has a gentle flow. It is not the fastest and can blur on tracks that have a lot of fast bass. In games, it has a bit of a bearing on any outbursts.
The diameter is very specific. It contains voices, footsteps, or the sounds of shots from some of the weapons. In the case of games that are simpler in terms of sound, such as CS: GO, the headphones worked very well. In the case of games with more levels or a lot of surface, where each one makes a different sound, things have been worse.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless pushed the sounds of walking on wood or concrete quite forward, and at the same time retracted the sound of metal or bushes, which are often key in Escape From Tarkov . The treble, on the other hand, is slightly boosted, but I personally did not experience any problems with sibilization or hissing sounds. People who are more susceptible or used to very dark headphones may have a problem with this, but they should switch quite quickly.
However, I very positively assess the soundstage offered by HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless . Headphones very well determine where the opponent is thanks to the precise indication of the directions from which the sound is coming. The only problem is the difference in pitch and the sounds are perfectly behind us.
In the case of altitude, it was very difficult for me to determine if the opponent was above me or on the same level. In terms of the rear, the problem is quite standard. The headphones were not able to present the sound together, so when my teammate was perfectly behind me, I heard him once in the left and once in the right one.
Is it worth paying extra for the wireless version?
As I mentioned earlier, HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless has its wired version. If we want to get rid of the cable, which is a nice option for me, then it’s definitely worth it. The weight difference is not big, because the wireless version weighs only 37 grams more. So it is not a deadly difference that could decide about the choice. If we have a bad sound card in the computer, the wireless version will also sound a bit better , but in return it will hum, which of course can also happen with wired headphones, because it will again depend on the sound card.
HyperX Ngenuity
There is a dedicated HyperX Ngenuity app to support HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones. And when I tried to install it for the first time, the headphones stopped working with the computer. The system saw headphones as audio equipment, but complained that the device could not be operated when trying to turn on the music . In the case of the second computer, the whole thing was installed without any problems and it worked fine.
What does the HyperX Ngenuity application allow us to do? The main issue here are the sound modes, because the rest of the functions are provided by the Windows system and the headphones themselves. However, if we have more products from an American company, we can easily and quickly operate them from the level of this program. Personally, I don’t feel the need to have it because it’s just an extra logo on the taskbar .
Battery level
The manufacturer of HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless declares that they will last up to 300 hours of battery life. I couldn’t check it that thoroughly, but assuming that we use them on average 4 hours a day, they should be enough for two and a half months of use. This would only charge the headphones four times a year. During the review period, I managed to discharge them only by 10 percent. This is an absolutely great result.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Review – Summary
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is a solid, wireless headphones for gamers. They offer a very solid build quality, very good sound and great battery life. Personally, I would have expected a slightly better finish and mic as well as much better comfort, although this is obviously a subjective issue. Personally, however, I think that the reviewed HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless are headphones most recommendable, especially for game fans who care about rarely charging the headphones.
About Post Author
