Product Manufacturer: HyperX
Price: $159 AUD
Estimated Time With Gear: 40+ hours
What Is It?: Wired gaming headset
Compatible With: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Eight years since the release of the ever-popular HyperX Cloud II, and HyperX is following up with the third iteration of the much-beloved headset, with more than a couple of improvements. If you’re among the many people recommending the HyperX II as the perfect mid-range headset for friends, prepare to replace that with calls for the Hyper X Cloud III.
Out of the box, this is a sleek and lightweight headset. Thanks to the puffy memory foam earcups, the headset looks like it would weigh more, but it’s just a visual gap as it only ways around 300 grams. The black and red design screams HyperX, and this headset will look as great on your head as it will be placed on your desk or coffee table between use.
Like the headset before, the Hyper X Cloud III is very comfortable and breathable. Wearing a headset for hours and gaming without feeling like it is starting to strangle my ears is always a massive tick. The step-up from basic leatherette to memory foam is a noticeable improvement for someone who has used the Cloud II for a considerable amount. It is, without a doubt, an undeniably comfy headset.
Besides the headphone themselves, you’ll find a detachable microphone and a 3.5mm AUX to USB-C adapter in the box, giving you all the options to plug this headset into a console, PC or mobile.
A step up from the previous release, the Hyper X Cloud III includes 53mm drivers and the incision of DTS Headphone: X Spatial Audio support. Obviously targeted at gamers, the headset is fantastic for any shooter, with my testing of Battlefield 2042 and Apex Legends on PC and PlayStation 5 both proving this with easily picked-up footsteps and mixing of small to loud sounds between sliding characters to the explosions caused by a tank next to you. However, the headset could have been more nuanced when it came to playing games like After Us and its slower, more natural soundscape over explosive action or the mixing of rain on the winds and pouring of coffee in Coffee Talk Episode 2 on my Nintendo Switch. Not to say it’s bad, but this headset, much like the HyperX Cloud II, has seemingly been find-tuned with shooters in mind.
Conversely, I wouldn’t suggest this headset primarily for watching movies or listening to music. If you want that, there will be many better options in similar price ranges. The HyperX Cloud X III is a gaming headset.
I was shocked at just how good the microphone included with the HyperX Cloud III was without messing around with any PC software or gaming console settings. The detachable 10mm microphone features noise-cancellation, and it’s legit, as my tests found it nicely muted background music behind me. The softened keyboard button hits directly in front of the microphone, although it doesn’t entirely delete the click-clacking sounds. And with the internal mesh pop filter, this microphone isn’t going to grind your friends’ gears listening to you say, “pop a shot at purple rain palace” during the upcoming season of Fortnite.
With a price tag of AUD $159 RRP, the HyperX Cloud III is trying to slot nicely into a mid-range headset price bracket, and it’d be hard not to suggest it at that price point if you couldn’t find its previous iteration a lot cheaper on store shelves still. This is the one point of contention for buyers when comparing Cloud III to the Cloud II in-stores. If you have the extra dollars to spare, this super-comfortable headset has excellent gaming sound and a surprising microphone.
