Kingston HyperX Cloud Alpha Review: Light and comfortable, but a bit pricey
Kingston's new gaming headphone has a lot going for it, and competes with the SteelSeries Arctis 7
Whether you are playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or FIFA 18, a good gaming headphone is a must. It helps build a more immersive experience in games and allows players at the top of their game. Kingston’s new HyperX Cloud Alpha fits the bill perfectly with its high quality audio, comfortable design and attractive price, at Rs10,999.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is compatible with all major gaming platforms including Microsoft Xbox One, Sony PS4, Windows PCs as well as Android and iOS devices. It is also easy to setup, uses a 3.5mm jack cable to connect and doesn’t require any separate apps to be installed. Kingston is bundling a gold plated 3.5mm cable with volume control module.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is an over-the-ear headphone with oval-shaped ear cups which are big enough to cover the entire ear. Their interiors have been cushioned with soft leather material, while the outer casing is made of good quality plastic.
The earcups are connected to a pair of adjustable aluminium frame which are then held together by a thick headband. The lower part of the headband has been cushioned with soft leather, while the top has a stitched leather finish with HyperX logo carved in the middle. Despite the big earcups and wide headband, the HyperX Cloud Alpha is surprisingly light and weighs just 298g.
The braided design keeps the cable from getting tangled, which is a big deal in wired headphones. Kingston is also offering a detachable noise cancellation microphone for chatting in multi-player games.
In terms of performance, the headphone was able to block out most of the outside noise effectively, such as the sound coming from a TV in the same room. It does leak out some amount of sound especially during music playback at full volume.
Powered by two 50 mm audio drivers, the HyperX Cloud Alpha provides loud and clear audio. Even at full volume we didn’t notice any distortion in sound during games and music playback. It’s good with bass heavy music and can be used for regular music playback too.
Overall, the HyperX delivers an immersive and powerful audio experience, works with all major gaming platforms without felling bulky or unmanageable. However, at the current price point it is in the territory of more-established players such as SteelSeries. Its Arctis 7, priced at Rs11,520, offers big earcups but with fabric finish, a suspension band to ensure the headphone won’t fall off even if you bend your head and works both with 3.5mm and wirelessly. It also supports DTS surround sound technology which means users will get a better feel of where the sound is coming from.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!