TL;DR Review: My previous headset broke, so I chose this one after reading/watching reviews. Comfort and durability are excellent, so far. The mic is good enough for calls and gaming. Initially, I was not impressed with the sound of the headphones (sounded like a low bitrate MP3), but then I realized I needed to plug the headset into my motherboard’s USB ports rather than the front panel ports. I am now very happy with this headset and would recommend it to anyone looking for a reasonably-priced, comfortable gaming headset. (Owned for 5 months as of 2/27/16)Full Review:I purchased these to replace my Plantronics Gamecom 780 headset. The Gamecom headset had a 100% plastic headband which snapped one month after the warranty period ended. Apologies in advance, but I sometimes will compare the Cloud II to the Gamecom 780 in this review because its my only point of reference, and I felt like the Gamecom was an excellent headset prior to breakage. Overall, the Cloud II’s have been a worthy replacement, and even an upgrade in many respects, but there are some areas where the Gamecom was better.After looking at YouTube, WireCutter, and Amazon reviews, I settled on the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset. Almost everyone raved about their durability, comfort, and sound. I know a headphone + stand mic combo can provide a better overall experience, but I didn’t feel like spending the ~$200 on that combo just yet.Fit & FinishAfter they arrived, my initial impression of this headset was that it was very high quality. The fake leather on the earcups and the headband is nice and soft, and the stitching on the headband looks good and provides a nice red accent. The red brushed metal on the exposed parts of the frame is also a nice touch. The microphone detaches and reattaches very easily, although I do prefer a flip-up microphone like on the Gamecom 780. However, that’s just a preference and shouldn’t have any bearing on this review. As for fit, I have a larger head (I’m 6’2″, 215 lbs, and probably have a 7-3/8″ hat size) and these fit very comfortably. I’ve worn them for hours while gaming and never felt like the clamping pressure was too hard. Also, they don’t make my head/ears sweat or anything like that. The pads on the earcups provide a comfortable seal around my ears that blocks out a lot of noise, which can be a pro and a con sometimes.DurabilityAfter 5 months of daily use… so far, so good. I recently purchased a hook so I can hang these up rather than just setting them on my desk or on the floor, so hopefully that increases the Cloud II’s longevity, but I still don’t feel like these will break as easily as the Gamecom 780’s. Unless they get stepped on by an elephant or run over by my truck, I don’t think the headband on the Cloud II’s will be snapping after 13 months like the Gamecoms. The drivers in the headphones are still going strong, and the mic still sounds good. I will update if anything changes.Headphone Sound QualityHonestly, the headphones didn’t blow me away at first. There was a noticeable difference from the Gamecom 780’s in this regard. I felt like the sound on the 780’s was awesome for their ~$60 price tag, but the Cloud II’s just didn’t sound as good. It was like listening to 320 kbps vs. 128 kbps MP3. There was a “graininess” (my terminology, sorry) to all sound – gaming, movies, and calls – that was especially noticeable at low volume. After a couple months, it was annoying me so much that I was about ready to buy a good pair of headphones and separate mic. Then I had an epiphany. I always plug my headset (780 or the Clouds) into my front USB ports (Fractal Define R4 case) because sometimes I like to unplug them and listen to movies/podcasts through my speakers. I had tried both the USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports with the Cloud II’s, and the sound was the same on both. One day, I realized I had never plugged them directly into my motherboard’s USB ports (Gigabyte Z170X-UD5). As soon as I did, I noticed an immediate difference in the sound quality. The “graininess” went away and I’m now very happy with the sound quality. I now run a USB extension cable from the back of my computer so I can still easily unplug the headset as needed, and the USB extension doesn’t add any of the noise/bit-rate issues I was experiencing before.Virtual 7.1 Surround QualityI’m really not impressed by the virtual surround performance of the Cloud II’s. I felt like the Gamecom 780’s had a great virtual surround, or at least better than the Cloud II’s. With the Gamecom, I could easily tell when/where an enemy was approaching me in FPS games. With the Cloud II’s, I can hear an enemy approaching, but it’s a lot tougher to tell where they’re coming from. I don’t think it’s enough of a disappointment to lose a star though, since I can try other virtual surround software (Razer) and bypass the “built-in” virtual surround of the Cloud II’s.Microphone QualityThe microphone is great for voice chat during games (Discord ftw) and Hangouts calls, but I would get a separate microphone if I was doing anything more than that. I don’t stream to YouTube or Twitch. I don’t record podcasts. I only use it to talk with my friends. They’ve all told me that it sounds clear and noise-free. If and when I do decide to do more, I’ll pick up a Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica ATR-2100 which I know will have a much more professional and richer sound quality at a reasonable price, but I’m not to that point yet. For a ~$99 headset, the microphone is pretty good.ConclusionI would definitely recommend this headset to anyone looking for something that has great quality and is reasonably priced. I’d also recommend plugging it into your motherboard vs. the front panel USB ports to avoid any sound issues. The fit and finish are pretty nice, and it definitely feels more durable than my previous headset. The sound quality is great, but the 7.1 virtual surround experience is not very dependable. The microphone is good for gaming and voice calls, but look for a standalone mic if you’re doing anything more than that. It’s a great headset that does its job admirably, and I don’t think you’ll find better value for the price.

Pros:- The most comfortable headset I’ve tried over the last 5 years- Light but well built- Great background/ambient noise cancellation- Extra long cord which gives more than enough cable to play with if you have a long run for cable MGMT (could be seen as a con but pretty simple to use a velcro cable strap to make it more manageable)- Speaker/MIC volume controls are easy to find without looking and can be clipped to your clothing to make it easier.- Impressive audio quality with great 7.1 3D surround (hasn’t failed me in FPS type games)- Option to completely remove MIC by unplugging it is very convenient if you aren’t using it and don’t want it hanging to the side in your peripheral vision.Cons:Honestly I don’t have anything I would truly consider a con with this headset. The couple of things that come to mind would be considered more room for improvement or redesign.- At times I find that the mute switch on the side of the main control panel can be difficult to toggle because of its size and lack of protrusion from the slot the slider is in. If the surface had slightly better design for grip or was a button/switch instead I think that would make it easier- If there are issues stemming from the USB section of the headset cord, the section that would still allow you to plug into the standard 3.5″ jack is to short to do without an extension.Overall Review:So I tend to overlook the process of leaving reviews after I purchase new products and have enough time using them to leave a proper review. I just happened to be browsing through the headsets and read through some of the reviews on the HyperX Cloud II and felt that I needed to leave a detailed and proper review for this headset.Let me start by stating that my profession is in the IT industry and I have thorough knowledge when it comes to computers and electronics. I’ve been with the same company for 6 years now and have owned/tried close to 2 dozen different headsets. This headset is hands down the most comfortable headset I have tried to date. The individuals on here that left a review saying they weren’t are not wearing them correctly or didn’t adjust them properly. They are the only headset that I have been able to wear all day, 5 days a week without hurting my ears or where the top rests on your head. That being said the leather ear pieces are by far much more comfortable than the other set which is some kind of velvet material.I’m currently wearing my first headset which I bought over 3 years ago now and have had no issues. I bought a second set in gunmetal grey to leave at work which I have been using for about 2 years now.I don’t baby them by any means, but anyone who treats their possessions with care should have no issues with the audio card failures mentioned in other reviews that I saw. I’ve dropped mine on the floor (which is concrete) a few times and have never really put any thought into much else aside from ensuring I store them properly when I’m done.The complaints and negative reviews left regarding the sound is bogus. That being said this headset is a gaming headset, not a headset specifically designed for listening to music like Beats or Bose which those individuals need to remember when they purchase them. The sound surpassed my initial expectations and the 7.1 surround works very well, but that will also depend on the audio program/driver you use with them on the PC. I suggest that you don’t use what Windows offers natively. As for the MIC and any comments regarding it being to quite, I’ll just come out and bluntly state that they are an idiot. There is a MIC volume control on the control board of the headset to adjust, integrated mic input settings within windows you adjust, as well as MIC input settings that are stand alone within most programs you use with it as well. As I stated in the Pros above the background/ambient noise cancellation is pretty decent as well. Only time I’ve seen it picking up background noise is if I have the MIC sensitivity turned up.When it comes to all the reviews that pertain to individuals that were attempting to use these with a console gaming system like a PS4, they are all null and void if you have no intention to try using these on a console as well. This headset was not designed for use on a console, even though it might still be compatible. Console systems from playstation and xbox have and always will function better with wireless based hardware or hardware made by them.On one last note, regarding all the negative reviews I see due to the fact that someone received a faulty /flawed unit or something was messed up with their shipping, that should not have any direct relevance with a review. The one exception to that would be after you engage customer support to have the faulty unit replaced. 99% of the time you will get great support and expedited shipping with no extra cost so don’t jump the gun just cause you get peeved and for those of you reading through reviews, take any of them based on this topic with a grain of salt.

Comfort: I have a large head and have tried many different sets of headphones for my computer. Most have not worked well or been to tight and caused discomfort after long use. These headphones are comfortable and do not cause irritation even after several hours of use. The headphones come with standard ear cover pre-installed and a second cover that appears to be made of a felt like material. The standard cover was okay, but I: found the felt like cover to be more comfortable for long term use.Sound Quality: The sound quality is good and there is both a standard stereo mode and an enhanced mode that makes things sound even better. I marked it down slightly for noise cancellation as you can still hear background noise somewhat while wearing these, but I don’t consider that to necessarily be bad.Microphone: The headphones come with a detachable microphone which is nice as I don’t need a mic 90% of the time. When needed you just plug the mic into the side of the headphones and enable it on the little control box. The quality seems to be fine as no-one I have spoken with has indicated any issues with hearing or understanding me.Installation: The headphone can cord come in two pieces. The first piece goes from your computer to a small controller with volume and muting controls. The headphones and attached cord then plug into this controller. This means that you can potentially unplug and store the headphones without having to reach or unplug them from the back of your computer.

This headset is pretty great, I have just finished testing it on a PS4, XB1, and a desktop pc. Here is what I can tell you about my experience. First, the packaging is superb and upon opening this headset, it simply oozes with quality. As others have stated, the build quality is fantastic and there are plenty of extras to make this a very high value purchase for the price. The second big thing is the sheer comfort of this headset. I am wearing it now because it is so comfortable. Kingston also gives you the choice of leatherette or a plush type padding to switch out with. Now for the third big important portion for most, how the headset sounds. Before I write that up, I want to clarify that I have a Microsoft Stereo headset, Turtle Beach PX4’s (with optical pass-through), Sony Gold wireless headset, and a pair of Turtle Beach x12’s with as DSS optical connection.I first tested this on my PS4 and this works with the usb connection to the console or the direct small plug into the controller. Both connections performed the same because the 7.1 DAC will not work on the PS4, but do not let that deter you from using this headset on your console of choice. The Cloud II is simply better than anything Sony or Microsoft branded not to mention any of the Turtle Beach headsets I own. The Cloud headset sounded really good on the PS4 with great mid and good bass, but the bass in my opinion is a tad bit low. To get the most out of the headset I went into settings/devices and manually adjusted the volume. For the Xbox One, I simply fired up Forza Horizon 2 and used the headset adapter. The sound is much cleaner than the Microsoft Stereo Headset and I can hear more detail than with previous headsets. As for the pc, the sound is great as well. I went into a session of Neverwinter because I enjoy the music and I created a character to test the 7.1 DAC which worked really well, but I could live without the DAC and go with my Asus Xonar instead.Overall, you are not going to find a better value with this versatility. I am a little disappointed that Microsoft does not allow a USB headset connection, but I look forward to testing the party chat with the microphone. I have not gotten a chance to test that portion yet. Of all my owned headsets, the only one that is close is the Sony Gold and the Cloud II in my opinion is much better. This has to be one of the best gaming headsets of 2015. Sound is subjective to each person, so for my needs and versatility it was a must buy as I plan on gaming on all three platforms this year. I also noticed a one star rating complaining about this headset not working as a wireless headset. It goes without saying that this is a wired headset, so please disregard one star reviews about this great headset. I hope you enjoy this product as much as I am! Happy gaming in 2015!Edit:February 25, 2015I want to give my impressions after using this product heavily. I have used the DAC (wired usb soundcard) with the Elder Scrolls Online and Neverwinter on PC with good results. The simulated sound is more than adequate to bypass some onboard sound solutions. I play mmorpg’s a lot on pc, so that is where I am leveraging my experience. I have not incurred any hissing or popping that has been reported. I run Windows 7(x64) and I do not run Win 8 at this time. I connected this DAC to the PS4 and I also used the small plug into the controller and I did not hear any pops or hissing sounds either way. My negative is again, with Microsoft because this headset performs poorly with the headset adapter, as does most third party headsets with the XB1 console. Again, I stand by my review with this being a must buy for versatility on multiple platforms. If your only buying point is for a console, then I would look carefully as this DAC (7.1 usb soundcard) cannot be used on both the XB1 and PS4. My use is all three platforms(XB1, PS4, and PC) and so far I love this as my main headset for all three. Unless your going to spend 200+ you can forget about getting a headset with this quality. I just gamed a 12 hour session on ESO (Elder Scrolls Online) and the comfort is top notch.

I bought this for my husband as a gift. He is very picky about headsets. He catches the details from how it sounds during the game. I don’t really understand and can’t get the details as well as he does., He is very happy with this product. He can hear the footsteps in the game and the microphone doesn’t catch much background noise. He likes it a lot.He cannot hear my voice when I am trying to talk to him during the game. It’s good for him but not for me. lolWell, it is great for the price. Honestly, he loves my gift. I am happy about it!