These days, there’s a vast range of premium gaming headsets with 3D audio, delivering rich audio thanks to 7.1 surround sound, and that can pinpoint specific noises such as the shuffle of feet on an enemy approaching in FPS games – for the pro Esport players of the world.
Without a doubt, HyperX has been at the forefront of delivering high-quality headsets (and keyboards and gaming mice), sponsoring the world’s top Esport organisations around the world. The Cloud Alpha and Cloud Stinger series lives up to that standard.
Now, with the recently released HyperX Cloud Flight S offering wireless freedom, long-lasting battery life and, for the first time in HyperX, it offers a wireless gaming headset with Qi charging, what type of gamer is it catering for?
First off, the Cloud Flight S is for PC and PS4 gamers, which clearly expands its range of gamers. And, for PS4 users, it’s definitely a headset to set your sights on, but for PC gamers, it may be a bit of a mixed bag.
Connectivity – Easy breezy
Being wireless, the HyperX Cloud Flight S already has an advantage, and its range of over 20 metres without any connectivity issues both on PS4 and PC is a big plus. It’s hard not to take them off at all when roaming around seeing as sound quality is never affected.
Though, this isn’t through Bluetooth (the headset doesn’t support Bluetooth). Instead, it comes with a USB stick to plug into PC and PS4. Don’t fret, as there’s no overlong setup to get it started. In fact, there’s none at all – it’s a simple plug in and play deal, meaning connectivity is incredibly easy for those who transition between PS4 and PC. Sure, it’s a big USB stick that fittingly sticks out, but that’s what USB ports are for.
Design and comfort – No neon, no fuss
Speaking of not wanting to take them off, it isn’t just because of the headsets range. It’s comfortable to wear, thanks to wide, flat and generously padded earcups, and an adjustable, padded band. At no point during gaming sessions that last several hours did it feel uncomfortable to irritate ears. It can warm up, but never to the point of it being noticeable.
If you’re after a headset with flashy LED lights or brimming with colour, that’s something the Cloud Flight S doesn’t achieve. It’s black with the HyperX logo branded on its earcups and band – plain and simple. That doesn’t bother us in the slightest, but those looking for something flashy while streaming may not pick these as there first choice for design.
Battery life – Forever long
While the Cloud Flight S boasts the first Qi wireless charging, the Qi wireless dock disappointingly doesn’t come bundled with the headset. That purchase comes separately, which is a chunk of the headset’s features blocked for those who don’t have a charging dock lying around or don’t plan of buying one for around Dhs220.
Apart from this, the Cloud Flight S boasts 30 hours of battery life, which is a huge plus. Through the usual wired charging, it took around two hours to get it to full charge, and for us, it didn’t need to be charged again for another week over the course of using it. That’s reason enough to keep your eyes on it.
Sound quality – Up to scratch?
With a custom-tuned 7.1 surround sound, and a button to toggle this and see the difference, quality is fine. However, ‘fine’ isn’t ideal for the Esport players or long-time gamers looking for that crisp audio and soundscape to hear other players approaching. Switching to its 7.1 surround sound does provide a boost in quality and volume, but largely doesn’t shift the quality from standard to premium.
Listening to either in-game music while playing story-led games or music in general is a delight, offering rich sounds from environments from games such as Final Fantasy VII Remake. Although, there were some slight crackling sounds every so often. Not a major issue, but a surprising one knowing the quality of HyperX headphones.
Microphone – Job done
The Cloud Flight S fortunately comes with a detachable 3.5mm mic that can easily be slotted in and out of the headset. It’s gets the job done in terms of speaking to friends online with clear audio, and thanks to its controls on its left earcup, volumes can be adjusted easily to get the perfect voice to sound ratio.
The Bottom Line
While the latest headset from HyperX may not be completely suited for the professional Esport gamer, especially on PC, the HyperX Cloud Flight S is a fantastic wireless headset with brilliant battery life and comfortability for the more casual gamer who enjoy single-player campaigns or aren’t too fussed about precise soundscape quality when playing competitively in multiplayer.
It’s a gaming headset PS4 gamers should keep an eye out for, while PC gamers may opt for one of HyperX’s other premium headsets. It’s sound quality brings it down, especially as it’s priced around Dhs500, but overall, if you’re after a quality wireless gaming headset, the HyperX Cloud Flight S does the job.
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Key facts:
2.4GHz wireless up to 20 metres
Qi Certified for wireless charging
HyperX custom-tuned 7.1 surround sound
Detachable microphone with LED mute indicator
Customizable onboard controls
Time Out receives products on loan for review. Time Out’s product reviews are not influenced by external sources.
