Wireless charging isn’t exactly a big seller for me when it comes to my PC peripherals but for some reason the Hyper X Cloud Flight S wireless gaming headset has it. Perhaps even stranger is it’s one of the first to do so, but it’s not why I’m excited about this headset. I put the Hyper X Cloud Flight S through the wringer over the past couple of weeks and came away with a new favourite gaming headset for its price range.
Price range is probably one of the first things to note about the Hyper X Cloud Flight S as it’s no budget offering.
As of the time of writing a quick Google search tells me you’ll be paying between $300 – $350 for a pair of these, but the good news is I think it’s money well spent – as long as you’re after a wicked gaming headset with excellent surround sound capabilities.
Hyper X Cloud Flight S Wireless Gaming Headset Review
I like to test headsets out by playing familiar games and seeing if I pick up any new sounds or have a better time pinpointing their in-game sources. I loaded up Sea of Thieves on my PC, which has been a regular in my gaming rotation for a few months now, and it didn’t take long for the soundscape to hit me. Immediately everything was richer and important sounds like footsteps felt isolated from other ambient noises.
I began to run across the jetty to load up my ship and I could hear the wooden planks bowing beneath my feet (or more accurately, foot and peg leg, and yes I could tell which was which). Below them, I could hear the water lap on the shore and I had a weird little moment to myself, appreciating a stolen moment on a beautiful beach in paradise.
In my excitement I made my partner (in life and piracy) try them too. He also remarked on how well the 7.1 setting conveys location regaling me with how he could specifically tell the waves were hitting against the front of the ship while he was below deck as the hull creaked around him.
Our current headsets are at a similar price point if slightly cheaper to the Hyper X Cloud Flight S wireless gaming headset, so I can safely say the sound feels worth the money.
The only caveat I’d add is these are not good headsets for listening to music, or at least music through a service like Spotify. The 7.1 sounds tinny as songs don’t tend to support it and though switching to regular did improve the quality of sound, it somehow loses a good chunk of volume. I can’t say I’d recommend these for purposes outside of gaming, but for video games specifically, they excel.
Test of Time
My other main test subject has been playing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on my PlayStation 4 Pro. It’s always nice when a headset is as plug and play as the Hyper X Cloud Flight S and both my PC and PS4 picked it up and worked immediately. The sound has still been wonderful but this has been a better test of the battery.
The website boasts up to 30 hours of charge, and while I can’t vouch for that I have absolutely been impressed with how long I can get out of one charge. I think I’ve come close to about 20 hours and they seem to charge pretty quickly when plugged in.
I’ve even charged them on a wireless charger since they can do that and it also worked just fine. The cups are balanced nicely so it sits flat and once it’s in the correct position on the wireless charger I haven’t noticed any stop-start issues. I must admit, because I’ve already got a wireless charger at my desk it’s pretty handy to just put it there. I still don’t think it’s something I need in a headset but it’s always nice to have extra options.
Something that always impresses me in a headset is comfort and that’s doubly so if the battery is as beefy as this one. On all my headset reviews I mention that I am pretty sensitive when it comes to an uncomfortable headset. I am pleased to report Hyper X Cloud Flight S absolutely passed my test on this front.
I’ve never had to take the headset off due to fatigue. It doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t squish my head or ears. The cups are nice and soft and also do a good job of keeping outside noise out as a bonus. This is a headset that has the battery to last the long haul sessions and won’t tire you out in the process.
Bodied
There’s a few other points of functionality to touch on, and I make that joke because first, we’re talking buttons. For the most part these are a standard affair power, one that changes between 7.1 and regular sound, and a volume wheel. These all feel fine and I appreciate the way the 7.1 is convex so I can tell it apart from power. However, it does get a bit more interesting. The same ear cuff that supports the wireless charging also has buttons and they’re all programmable. You can change them to be specific things in the Nguity software or leave them to default settings but again, it’s nice to have options.
The lower button by default is mapped to mute/unmute your mic, which kinda has a spy vibe of tapping the side of the ear which I enjoy. Sadly though, the mic itself isn’t really much to write home about. It’s unpluggable which is nice, as I tend to remove it and use a standalone when I play most games. It’s not a bad headset mic by any means and was better than many others I’ve tried – perfectly fine for in game chat. It’s just still a headset mic, and it sounds like one.
Lastly, and least importantly to me personally, is the look. These are really understated for a gaming headset but they feel quite premium. It’s a nice refined matt black with a simple white Hyper X logo on the side and a black smooth logo across the band. There’s no programmable lights or flashing LEDs.
Instead, it’s the kind of headset where without the mic, it just looks like some higher-end regular headphones. This is something that will definitely vary for personal preference but it’s a very mature and classic style, which carries a lot of class. It may not be what you want or expect in a gaming headset, but it’s really nice to have these options for those who don’t want to be blinded by all their mandatory RGB tech.
Get Your Head in the Game
The Hyper X Cloud Flight S wireless gaming headset is in all honesty, pretty great for gaming. It delivers immersive sound which can pinpoint locations and generally enhance gaming experiences.
The battery has some serious guts and the wireless charging is a bonus that you may or may not use. The PC and PS4 compatibility has worked interchangeably for me without any hiccups over multiple play sessions.
It’s comfortable, has programmable buttons, and the mic is decent enough for a headset. As long as gaming is what you plan to do with the Hyper X Cloud Flight S I think most gamers will be very happy with the results.
The HyperX Cloud Flight S was provided to PowerUp! by HyperX Australia for the purpose of this review.
PowerUp! Reviews
Product Name: Hyper X Cloud Flight S Wireless Gaming Headset
Product Description: This new gaming-grade wireless headset offers complete freedom with free-standing, Qi-certified wireless charging1 and up to 30 hours of battery life. Broadcasting at 2.4 GHz, Cloud Flight S provides an immersive in-game audio experience with HyperX custom-tuned virtual 7.1 surround sound3 and 50mm dynamic drivers with crystal-clear highs, mids and lows.
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Truly immersive 7.1 game sound
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Fantastic battery life and charging ability
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Comfortable over long play sessions
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Understated look and good build quality
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Decent microphone but nothing special
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Didn't work well for listening to music
