HyperX Cloud Stinger Core wireless headset + 7.1 review – great bang for your buck

85%

• VERDICT

Yes there are better – and more expensive – headsets but the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core wireless headset + 7.1 offers impressive quality and value. Great bang for your buck.

Playing the latest games are so much more enjoyable with great sound and the new HyperX Cloud Singer Core wireless headset can provide just that without disturbing anyone else in your household.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core wireless headset + 7.1 offers virtual surround sound when playing PC games with the aid of the HyperX NGENUITY software.

It connects wirelessly to your PC through the included USB receiver and also works with PlayStation 4 and Xbox as well.

The headphones are comfortable to wear with nicely padded earcups and headband so you can wear it for hours.

It’s also pretty light at 244g and the steel sliders make it a perfect fit whether you’ve got a small head or a large noggin like we do.

Controls are pretty simple – there is only a power button and a dial that looks after your volume and your mic volume.

You can’t control the volume and mic volume separately so if you like playing your game loud you might not be able to hear yourself talking.

But just over the mid volume level was the sweet spot to hear the action and the mic.

Speaking of the mike, it’s on an adjustable arm that you can easily position near your mouth.

It also a swivel action which not only gets it out of your way but also mutes the mic as well.

The mic arm is not removable but swivelling it out of the way is good enough here.

You can only enjoy the 7.1 virtual surround sound when connected to a PC but you still get decent surround sound when connected to PS4 or the Xbox.

So whether you’re playing a game or watching a movie – you can experience the virtual surround through the HyperX NGENUITY software (sorry Mac users, it’s PC only).

There was distinct difference with the 7.1 virtual sound which sounded amazing while we were watching Star Wars Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.

The onboard 40mm drivers are big and bold and naturally deliver explosions and gunfire and other louder sounds superbly but it does also have the nuance to hear a lot of details as well.

This is especially important with a game so you can hear what’s going on around you.

We also connected the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core to our PlayStation 4 to play Call of Duty Modern Warfare multiplayer and, despite not getting the 7.1 quality you’d get with a PC game, it was still detailed enough to provide a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

It was really easy to hear the footsteps of an approaching enemy player and hear the unmistakable sound of gunfire and explosions.

There is no 3.5mm audio cable or a 3.5mm headphone jack for that matter but that’s not a dealbreaker. The headset works great wirelessly

The battery life on a full charge is about 17 hours which is plenty of play time before you need to charge the headset through the USB-C port.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core wireless headset + 7.1 is just $169 and really punches above its weight.

VERDICT

Yes there are better – and more expensive – headsets but the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core wireless headset + 7.1 offers impressive quality and value. Great bang for your buck.