Everybody knows that low prices attract people, and when we talk about gaming headsets, it is not any different.
For less than $50, it’s one of the most budget-friendly headsets in the market… but is it a good choice after all? What more does it offer other than a nice price?
Those and more questions will be answered in this review. Therefore, if you want to discover everything about the HyperX Cloud Stinger, then you are more than welcome to give this article a proper read!
Let’s start, so I can answer all of your doubts and questions!
As you can see, even for a cheap price, you can still get a pretty solid headset that will improve your gaming experience.
Now let’s answer all of your doubts and questions in detail, with an in-depth review!
A Complete Review: Design and Sound Quality
Looks and Design:
In terms of aesthetics, it looks decent. It is not as polished or fancy as the Logitech G993, but it still looks fairly well.
The Stinger features a full-black design with the red HyperX logo on each ear cup, and as you can easily tell, red and black go very well together. It comes with a stand, so you can easily place it there when you are not using it.
The headset is made of scratch plastic, which makes it very resistant. Therefore, if it ever falls to the floor, chances are it won’t get severely damaged.
It comes with a volume slider placed on the bottom of the right ear cup. It is easy to reach, so you can adjust the volume without problems.
But here is a critic: the cables are not braided. It is not a surprise for this price but take into account that they won’t look as fancy and that they are likely to get tangled more often.
That’s all for the aesthetics, now it’s time to talk more about its design.
The headset you choose needs to be comfortable, and I’m glad to inform you that the Cloud Stinger will bring you plenty of comfort.
It is very lightweight (just 275 grams), which means it won’t make your head feel heavy, and you know it is an important thing if you play for several hours. It goes perfectly with long gaming sessions, and several gamers can vouch for it.
The unique thing I have to point out is that it may be a bit too tight for some persons, but other than that, it’s pretty comfortable.
Another important aspect is the memory foam padding because it will add another level of comfort during your gaming sessions.
In summary, as you can see, it is a pretty comfortable and cool-looking headset. And this is surprising taking into account it is so cheap because it is normal for fabricants to cut some corners when they launch such a cheap product, which many times puts the comfort at risk.
Now it’s time to review its performance, so you can decide if it is the gaming headset you are after.
The Performance:
I have to tell you, for starters, that the sound quality is quite good. Don’t let the low price fool you!
Great Precision:
It comes with 50mm directional drivers for outstanding sound precision, which means they place the sound directly into your ears. An amazing feature that adds plenty of value to this headset.
Solid Sound Isolation:
Something many persons are aware of is that cheap headsets tend to have a deficient sound isolation, but you won’t experience that with the HyperX Cloud Stinger because it creates an excellent acoustic seal that blocks the noise coming from the outside in order to keep you 100% focused on your game.
Do you prefer stereo or surround? This is important because this is a stereo headset.
Is it good for MOBA and FPS games? Of course, because it will allow you to remain aware of your surroundings, and therefore, make it possible for you to take very quick actions when necessary. It will really allow you to enjoy of vivid and realistic sounds, which will be translated into a better and more exciting experience in every single gaming session.
It doesn’t come with customization options, just take that into account. You won’t be able to configure the sound or use presets like the Logitech G933, which allows you to customize everything to your own needs.
Decent Bass:
The bass is another critical factor, and I am happy to tell you that it is quite good. It cannot compete against other more expensive headsets, but for its price, it does an excellent job. If you are looking for a better bass, then you should check out the Cloud II.
Amazing Microphone:
Well, another concern with affordable headsets is the performance of the microphone. You need to communicate clearly with your team members, be it when playing CS:GO or Dota 2, and fortunately the mic of the Stinger is incredible. Its noise-canceling technology will repel the background noise and allow you to communicate without problems.
Super Compatible:
Compared to other headsets, it defeats most of them in terms of compatibility. You can connect it to any console or device that houses a 3.5mm port.
Conclusion and Final Words:
Should you buy the HyperX Cloud Stinger? If your budget is low, then you will hardly find a better headset than this one because it puts a solid sound quality, plenty of comforts and an amazing microphone at your disposal for a very low price. I dare call it one of the very best headsets on a budget for gamers.
Would I recommend it to advanced or professional gamers? Likely not, simply because it does not offer surround sound and a few other things very important to pro gaming. However, it does offer a good enough sound quality and awareness to be used in a competitive environment. Although I would almost always recommend serious gamers invest in the HyperX Cloud II instead. Which I would claim to be one of the very best gaming headsets in the world right now.
Is it good for newcomers or hobbyists? Of course, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money nor care much about fancy looks. This headset will get the job done very well!