Test HyperX Cloud Alpha S
The HyperX Cloud Alpha was, and still is, one of the best gaming headsets of all time. For the price, basically no headset can match it in terms of sound quality, comfort, and build quality , but it had a few flaws: it has an average microphone and no additional features. The HyperX Cloud Alpha S is HyperX's new, more feature-rich premium follow-up.
But is this headset making solid additions, or is it trying to reinvent the wheel?
Editor's note: This HyperX Cloud Alpha S review was updated on April 9, 2021 to include a microphone score, based on our reader poll. Thanks for voting!
Who is the HyperX Cloud Alpha S for?
PC Gamers
looking for the HyperX Cloud Alpha, but with more features.
home workers
who want something comfortable enough to wear all day.
What is it like to use the HyperX Cloud Alpha S?
The headset looks utilitarian, but the features are so much more than that.
Right off the bat, it's pretty obvious where the HyperX Cloud Alpha S comes from: it's unmistakably a Cloud Alpha. Everything from the shape to the materials is either nearly identical or is clearly inspired by the headset we know and all love.
This gaming headset is made of the same material as its predecessor, with a metal headband and hinges and thick plastic ear cups. The ear cushions are made of the same soft foam and leatherette we loved before. velor ear pads would have been a better choice for gamers with glasses, but you should still be able to get a
pretty strong seal
with the extra fabrics included, at least they're softer than leatherette. Overall, it's just as
solid and comfortable
a helmet like the original Cloud Alpha. However, there are also new features.
When surround sound is on, the 7.1 button lights up. The mic mute button also lights up red when muted.
It is much more than a
PC-focused headset
than the original Cloud Alpha.While the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is also a 3.5mm
gaming headset
, it includes a USB adapter with an audio control unit. There are buttons here to activate the included virtual 7.1 surround sound and manage game and chat audio.
In addition to this, the HyperX Cloud Alpha S also features vents on the bottom of both earcups intended to allow bass adjustment, similar to those found on the
Beyerdynamic custom game
.You can open each of them fully or half, and change each headset independently.
The position of the vents feels like it has a greater impact on isolation than the bass output.
Using the headset is pretty straightforward, despite the added bells and whistles. Whether you're using the HyperX Cloud Alpha S with its USB adapter or simply as a 3.5mm headset, it's pretty strictly a
plug in and use
case. If you want to use virtual 7.1 surround sound, you will need to install
HyperX's Ngenuity App
, but once you activate it, you won't need to use the app anymore.
Like the original Cloud Alpha, the HyperX Cloud Alpha S has a detachable 3.5mm microphone and functions essentially the same. other voice chat services. There's not much in the box with the HyperX cloud Alpha S. The headset comes with a detachable microphone, USB adapter, and extra cloth ear pads, as well than an assortment of pamphlets and manuals.
Playing with HyperX Cloud Alpha S
The HyperX Cloud Alpha S is best suited for PC gaming, but it works pretty much anywhere.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha S's gaming experience is pretty solid, all things considered. Playing games like
Surveillance
and
Intrepid
on PC, the
surround sound
feature worked well.The headset was never uncomfortable, even after sessions lasting several hours.I played most of the
Final Fantasy VII: Remake
on Playstation 4 using this, and it handled the orchestral score and chaotic battle sounds extremely well. However, the console experience was marred by the lack of comparable features with the PC.
Not having surround sound on the console is a little disappointing, but the
headset stereo performance
is good enough that it's not that bad - it's not the most glaring problem with using the headset on a console, at least. The original HyperX Cloud Alpha featured an in-line control unit to mute the microphone and adjust the volume, just like the Cloud Alpha S. But now that these controls are part of the USB adapter, there are no in-line controls available while you're gaming on console.
If you move to play
animal crossing
on Switch it's not that important - the volume controls on the handheld are easy to reach and the mic won't work on most games anyway.
If you play on a
Xbox One
Where
PlayStation 4
, you have to adjust the volume in the menus of the respective devices of the consoles, which is frankly very annoying. When I played
Final Fantasy
, every time I wanted to lower the headphone volume, I had to back out of the game to do so, which wasn't exactly a practical solution.
While most of the headset experience is just as good as the original Cloud Alpha, this change makes the HyperX Cloud Alpha S a much less practical option for
console games
.It's the same on newer consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.However, the upside of using Cloud Alpha S with them is that you won't have to worry about missing surround sound - both next-gen consoles offer their own surround sound standards, compatible with almost anything plugged into the controller's 3.5mm jack.
How does the HyperX Cloud Alpha S sound?
There are a lot of variables to consider when determining the sound of the HyperX Cloud Alpha S. The configuration of the bass vents alters the bass response quite dramatically. When the vents are fully closed, the bass output drops down to 'to 15 dB at certain points one-sixth the volume.
response frequency
, here it boosts mid and high range output almost everywhere. Even if you don't have the Ngenuity app installed, just pressing the button and the USB adapter changes things in a very noticeable way.
This is about the least accurate option.
Opening the vents dramatically improves bass accuracy.
Pressing the surround button not only makes the highs and mids sharper, but also a bit louder.
This is about the most precise setting for the helmet.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is most accurate with the vents open and the surround sound button depressed. There are some minor dips here and there, but the headphones deliver fairly accurate bass, midrange, and treble output.
If you're playing on PC you always have the surround sound button pressed whether or not you're connected to Ngenuity. The bass vents are a bit more up to you - maybe you want the bass to be a bit quieter in the game, and therefore keeping them closed, makes more of a noticeable difference in terms of isolation than sound.
If you're playing on console, hitting the surround button isn't an option. That means you'll have to settle for slightly over-emphasized bass, a slight de-emphasis in the mids, and a fairly severe de-emphasis in the treble.
Almost everything will sound as it should when listening to music with the USB adapter. If you're using the 3.5mm connection (or haven't pressed the surround sound buttons), the mids and treble under -accented means that the
sounds of vocals, strings and some cymbals
will come out with much less clarity.
In
Ibitlan
Mdou Moctar's dreamy, heavily affected lead guitar part normally leads the song, but here it fades into the bassline. just isn't with the HyperX Cloud Alpha S. While listening, I flipped the surround sound back and forth, and the results were pretty heinous.
Closing the vents has as big an impact on isolation as bass output.
An isolation chart like this still isn't great for a gaming headset, but clearly having extra holes in the earcups doesn't help.
Similar to its frequency response, the isolation of the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is also a bit difficult to gauge. If you're just going for the most
insulation
you can get, but keeping the bass vents closed is your best bet. In fact, with the vents closed, the Cloud Alpha S achieves pretty solid isolation for a gaming headset - nothing approaching active noise cancellation, but enough to block out some of the usual house sounds. However, as I mentioned above, closing the vents impairs the bass output, so it's really a compromise. Do you want a more focused sound or do you want to block out your environment? Admittedly, changing back and forth is pretty handy, so if your environment changes, being able to adapt is actually quite nice.
What is the quality of the microphone?
If there was one thing the HyperX Cloud Alpha S could have easily improved over the Cloud Alpha, it was the microphone, too bad it wasn't.
The biggest disappointment with the HyperX Cloud Alpha was its
microphone
, which was quiet and understated bass response to the detriment of anyone with a deep voice. These are extremely typical issues with all gaming headset microphones, but with an otherwise exemplary device, it's a disappointment noticeable.The Cloud Alpha S's microphone provides clear sound and works well for programs such as
Discord or Zoom
—but de-emphasis in the bass range (intended to combat the
proximity effect
) can sound like you're talking through a tin can. It's also pretty quiet, so you'll probably need to increase your output. Listen for yourself:
https://www.soundguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HyperX-Cloud-Alpha-S-mic-sample.mp3
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HyperX Cloud Alpha S vs. HyperX Cloud Flight S
The headset's power button and surround sound button are on its left earcup, while its volume wheel is on the right one.
One of the biggest differentiators between the HyperX Cloud Flight S and the Alpha S is the price: the Cloud Flight S is more expensive than the Alpha model. With that extra money, you have a more versatile headset, because the Alpha S is PC-oriented, but the Cloud Flight S is more versatile. The latter works well with PC and Playstation 4, and you don't need any software to take advantage of the majority of features.
Both have a plastic build, but despite the material, neither headset is cheap. Both use a 2.4GHz RF adapter to connect to your favorite console, and both have audio balance controls built-in chat units; however, the Flight S model incorporates in-ear controls, while the Alpha S uses the audio control module.
The Cloud Flight S is the first gaming headset to support wireless charging, but it's probably not a killer feature for most gamers. If you have a Playstation 4 and a PC, you'll be happy to have splurged on the HyperX Cloud Flight S. Anyone who is strictly a PC gamer will be perfectly happy with the Alpha S, and even happier with the extra cash pocketed.
Should you buy the HyperX Cloud Alpha S
If you're a PC gamer, this is a pretty good option if you want a gaming headset. But, you may decide that the extra bells and whistles aren't worth the extra money for you.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha S doesn't improve on the good stuff to really feel like a step up from the original Cloud Alpha.
The
HyperX Cloud Alpha S
is a very solid gaming headset. It's very comfortable, sounds great, provides good isolation, and works on many platforms, but it doesn't always do those things to the same degree. If you're gaming on PC, you'll have Struggling to find a gaming headset with better sound and feel. If you're playing on console, that's not so much the case (but it'll still get the job done).
HyperX Cloud Alpha S
All prices quoted in USD unless otherwise stated. Prices may change over time and vary by region. Unfortunately, we cannot list Amazon prices on the site as they vary widely by currency.
$ on Amazon
$129 at Best Buy
$88 at target
Everything I just mentioned is great, but we think more people will want its predecessor.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
was and is one of the best gaming headsets on the market because it absolutely nails the basics like audio out everywhere, for a low price. The HyperX Cloud Alpha S offers more features, but doesn't offer the same execution .If you play on a console, frankly, you're better off with its predecessor.
If you decide to buy the HyperX Cloud Alpha S, be sure to do a little
research on the best headphone seller
for your needs. Some buyers prefer great customer service over extended return policies, while others just want an all-inclusive warranty. Every retailer has their pros and cons, so make sure you know what you're getting into before to open your wallet.
Alternatives to the HyperX Cloud Alpha S
The Logitech G Pro X Wireless has excellent microphone quality.
However, even if you're gaming on PC, there are still alternatives to consider. Fans of wireless gaming headsets will likely find a bit more to enjoy in the
HyperX Cloud Flight S
or the
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
— the Arctis 1 Wireless in particular sounds basically as accurate as the Cloud Alpha S and performs the same on all platforms (albeit without surround sound).
a decent mic
is what you are looking for, the
Fnatic React
the headset is a great (if barebones) option at a reasonable price.
Logitech G Pro X
also offers great mic functionality through software, but it's more expensive. If you're still on something with a more classic HyperX aesthetic, the
HyperX Cloud II Wireless
will scratch that itch wirelessly (it even comes in classic red and black), which is great for living room gaming setups.
All told, the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is a little confusing. Where the Cloud Alpha has been stripped down, this headset is fully featured. However, the implementation of these features, through the use of vents in the headphones and a USB adapter, affects isolation and audio output in sometimes not-so-great ways. It's still a good gaming headset - great, in fact - but it's not the slam dunk that was his predecessor.
Next:
The best wireless gaming headsets