Hyper X Cloud 3 Review
Hyper X Cloud III - improved design and build quality
I was recently looking for a budget gaming headset on my local gaming gadget store. Found several wireless headsets from Logitech, Hyper X, Corsair, SteelSeries, and Razer. Was about to get the Logitech Pro X Wireless but changed my mind when I found out the HyperX Cloud III is available. I ended up pre-ordering the Hyper X Cloud III wired gaming headset. Why I chose the Hyper X? I have never owned any Hyper X headset and I was kind of interested to try out the latest model even though it's a wired headset.
PROS
✅ Comfortable memory foam earpads
✅ Wide compatibility in connectivity
✅ Volume and Mute button w/ LED
✅ Foam support on the headband
✅ Durable build
CONS
⛔ Setting-up the MIC is a hassle
⛔ Mic is decent and lacks enhancement
Whats in the box and Build quality
The Hyper X Cloud III comes in a nice gamer looking box. The headset fits snugly inside the mold of the box. Cable accessories. detachable mic and paper works.
What I like about the Hyper X is the connectivity options. The Cloud III comes with three different connectors: 3.5mm, USB-A and USB-C. This makes it compatible with a wide range of devices, including PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mac and even mobile devices. The USB-C connection is a nice option as most laptops nowadays have USB-C ports either of the thunderbolt or USB3.2/4.0 standard. I connect the Cloud III USB-C connector to my laptop's thunderbolt port since the lone USB-A port has my mouse/keyboard dongle.
The Hyper X Cloud III design is typical Hyper X with a black and red color scheme and a full metal frame that makes it more durable and robust. The headband and ear cushions are made of soft leatherette and memory foam, which provides a snug and comfortable fit. I played games, listen to music, watch videos for several hours and I did not experience any discomfort. Just like the older model - Cloud II, the ear cups are also angled to match the shape of your ears. The ear cups does not swivel due to the metal fork design. Resting the headset around my neck feels a bit tight so I would not recommend the headset to dangle around the neck.
What differentiates the Cloud III from the previous model is the volume control is now integrated into the ear cup(R) making volume control a lot quicker. There is also a mute button on the left ear cup. Pressing the mute button would turn-on the mic boom led indicator. The 3.5mm wire at first glance seems removable but no it's actually fixed into the headset. The placement of the volume wheel at the headset may take some time to get use to. A couple of times when I reached to adjust the volume wheel I can't seem to locate it at first pass and need to move my finger to feel it.
Specification
Driver: Dynamic, 53mm with Neodymium magnets
Headset design: Closed back
Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 21 kHz
Frame Type: Aluminum
Ear and head pads: Memory Foam Leatherette
Weight (w/o Mic): 317.5 g
PC Cable Length: 4.26ft USB dongle cable
USB Specification: USB 2.0
Microphone: detachable electret condenser design
Uni-directional, noise-cancelling
Setting-up the Hyper X headset without the Mic was a breeze. My laptop immediately recognize the headset and work effortlessly out of the box. What is a bit annoying was setting-up the mic. I've had owned wired gaming headsets and the last headset I reviewed the Logitech Pro X was easy to setup including the mic.
When I first connected the mic into the Cloud III it somehow work but noticed it was not stable. Sometimes it works and more often it does not. When I tried to setup the mic in Windows 11, I noticed that Realtek was the default mic setup which was kind of weird. I did not even see any option for Hyper X and I tried to change to Intel Mic Array. This proved to be more stable but was not satisfied on the Mic volume and clarity. Tried to search for the Hyper X mic input on the windows control panel. Inside the Sound -> recording setting I saw that the Hyper X Mic input was Disabled. Enabling this would automatically set it as default which is what I'm hoping to achieve.
Not sure why, the Hyper X microphone was not detected and setup automatically as default but I just found it to be annoying when the headset-out can be detected while the headset-in needs manual setup.
Setting-up
Control panel setting for sound inputs including microphone. By default the HyperX Cloud III is disabled.
Hyper X Ngenuity
The sound quality of the Hyper X Cloud III is impressive, thanks to the 53mm drivers that have been tuned by Hyper X audio engineers. The drivers deliver crisp and clear sound, with balanced bass, midrange and treble. You can hear every detail of your game, from stealthy footsteps to loud gun fires and explosions. The headset also supports DTS X Spatial Sound which creates a virtual 3D sound stage. I would always turn on DTS X whenever I play games or watch movies as this is necessary to enhance the audio experience. With the DTS X disabled I find the sound to be bland and boring.
I also tried listening using the analog only 3.5mm connection. In terms of sound quality it's ok but lacks bass and clarity. The volume can be set high without distortion but I would say the sound quality is definitely better using the USB digital connection and with DTS X enabled.
Ngenuity is Hyper X software for it's new line of gaming peripherals including gaming headsets. I find the software to be quite simple and user friendly. The adjustment options of the Cloud III is not much which is expected as the headset is a wired budget headset. The equalizer has several options of fixed presets but tweaking the equalizer is not an option. The presets can be saved and linked to any game of your choice. The Hyper X Cloud III is a budget wired headset so the software adjustments and enhancements are limited.
The microphone of the Cloud III is decent when I compare it to the Logitech Pro X(blue edition). In terms of microphone sound adjustments and enhancements the Logitech Pro X does a good job and a lot better than the Cloud III. The mic of the Cloud III should be ok when gaming which should be the primary use anyway. Using it to record your voice like for a video may not be the use case for the Cloud III microphone.
Value and Conclusion
The HyperX Cloud III is a solid gaming headset that offers comfort, sound quality and durability. It is a good choice for gamers who is looking for a wired gaming headset that works with multiple gaming devices. It's a newly release headset and is price at ₱5,395($98). At this price range there are a lot of options, you can get the Hyper X Cloud Core Wireless retailing at $90 with the added feature of being wireless and having the same DTS X Spatial Audio. The old model Hyper X Cloud II is now heavily discounted at ₱3,650($66) it does not have the fancy DTS X Spatial Audio but it do sports 7.1 surround sound.
At its current price point if you're looking for a headset with outstanding build quality and wide device compatibility it's hard to go wrong with the Hyper X Cloud III. If you're looking for a headset with better than average mic quality the Cloud III does not excel on this and other competing headsets from the major brands could provide a better alternative.