HyperX Cloud Flight S analysis: An enchancment, despite the true fact that Qi charging serene fails to galvanize

When Astro integrated charging into the A50 scandalous predicament in 2016, I figured it became easiest a topic of time earlier than other headsets followed. Within the slay, a headset I’d keep in mind to fee. Within the slay, a headset that wouldn’t die on me mid-sport. The A50 scandalous predicament became so intuitive, so easy, so helpful. Undoubtedly, others would “borrow” the concept in due time.

Alas, four years and an A50 redesign later, nobody’s been so daring.

The unique HyperX Cloud Flight S comes closest to copying Astro though. While nowhere approach as sophisticated as Astro’s function, the Cloud Flight S’s integrated Qi charging facilitates the identical effect-and-neglect behavior—though it can succor if HyperX in actual fact integrated a Qi charging pad in the sphere.

Point out: This analysis is section of our roundup of easiest gaming headsets. Creep there for important choices on competing merchandise and how we tested them.

The more issues swap…

Given the title, I anticipated the Cloud Flight S to be truly the identical headset I reviewed in 2018, but with Qi capabilities—and to a definite extent, that’s the case.

HyperX tweaked larger than I anticipated though. I sometimes ever known the Cloud Flight S after I pulled it out of the sphere. This 2d strive is mighty more just than the vital. The distinctive Cloud Flight felt low fee, and its abundance of plastic, chintzy purple accents, and generic form made it belief to be one of HyperX’s blander attempts.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

The Cloud Flight S is serene very plastic. That hasn’t modified. HyperX has cleaned the function up though, ditching the crimson wires and thereby opening up the fork the effect scarf meets earcup. And on talked about earcups? Crisp, white logos.

These are itsy-bitsy modifications, barely price noting in isolation—and yet it’s wonderful how such itsy-bitsy modifications have an price on the general stumble on and feel when taken collectively. The distinctive Cloud Flight looked cherish a third-price funds headset stumbled correct into a $160 list stamp. Take away a wire, swap the colour plan, and the Cloud Flight S looks slick and trendy.

The onboard controls obtained an enhance as successfully. The distinctive Cloud Flight S featured a energy button, quantity roller, and an outsized silent button on the face of the left earcup, and that became it. And it became ample! The first HyperX headset to in actual fact nail built-in controls—I became reasonably rattling happy with that first Cloud Flight.

Nonetheless hiya, more buttons couldn’t hurt, appropriate? HyperX has swapped out the aforementioned silent button on the left ear for four buttons this time around. The underside serene defaults to silent, but that that you just would per chance now adjust the ranges of the chat and sport channels with the left- and appropriate-hand buttons, and the end turns sidetone (mic monitoring) on and off. And if any of the default controls don’t match your needs, successfully, HyperX has a utility suite now. All four face buttons are programmable, one more swap from the distinctive—though you’ll favor to head away HyperX’s Ngenuity utility working for it to care for in thoughts your settings.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

The Cloud Flight S also ditches the three.5mm jack stumbled on on its predecessor and replaces it with one more button. Must you ever plugged the Cloud Flight into your cell phone or Xbox controller that would per chance be a divulge, but I’m strictly on PC myself and the dearth of 3.5mm doesn’t effort me at all. This bottom button turns 7.1 capabilities on and off, and sadly that button is no longer programmable for whatever cause.

…The more they preserve the identical

As I talked about, HyperX modified larger than I anticipated. It’s as if they ran down my laundry list of complaints with the distinctive Cloud Flight and checked them off one-by-one. Chat combine? Check. Mic monitoring? Check. A classier stumble on? Check.

That talked about, the core of the Cloud Flight S stays unchanged. No longer the worst verdict, though no longer all that thrilling both. As I wrote relating to the distinctive Cloud Flight in 2018:

“HyperX’s trademark comfort is essentially intact. Each the ears and the scarf feature a generous quantity of padding, coated in a relaxed leatherette. Past Cloud fashions have been more happy, but no longer mighty—which is asserting something, provided that the Cloud Flight has to incorporate the burden of the wireless receiver and battery too.”

Audio quality is stable as successfully, but unremarkable. I applauded the distinctive Cloud Flight for its passive noise isolation, with the closed-again function blockading out a magnificent quantity of ambient noise. Nonetheless that became belief to be one of many excellent facets that stood out at the time. Games (and flicks and tune) sound enticing on the Cloud Flight S, but it unquestionably’s unquestionably no longer HyperX’s excessive-water price. It’s swish and exact, but lacks the width and the warmth of the Cloud Alpha.

And in a baffling transfer, HyperX’s aforementioned utility suite doesn’t purple meat up any EQ modifications. The utility is serene in beta in the meanwhile—and in actual fact, the Cloud Flight S easiest works with the version of Ngenuity on the Windows 10 Retailer—but EQ appears to be like cherish a first-rate feature you’d desire in belief to be such a partner utilities.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

HyperX’s utility also fails to elevate the so-so microphone. Sidetone is a just appropriate-trying originate, but a noise gate would succor lower down on background chatter, to narrate nothing of the outcomes Logitech involves with the G Decent X. Sadly, HyperX is very behind to the game when it comes to organising out a utility suite, that means I even have a transparent concept what I desire—and Ngenuity doesn’t fabricate mighty of anything else in the meanwhile.

The leisurely burn

So then, Qi charging. Let’s chat.

The Cloud Flight S isn’t in actual fact rivals for the A50 and its swish charging dock. It correct isn’t. For one, there’s the true fact that HyperX doesn’t even consist of a Qi charger with the Cloud Flight S. You will be ready to to find HyperX’s dual-zone ChargePlay Execrable for $50, but it unquestionably’s no longer specifically made for the Cloud Flight S. It’s no longer even a headset stand cherish I anticipated. You lay the Cloud Flight S on its facet to fee, which is precisely the form of weird compose divulge workaround I’ve technique to demand from Qi devices.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

It’s a universal identical old, so any ragged Qi charger will fabricate. Amazon is infested with them, and for mighty more cost effective than $50, so until that you just would per chance like to fee two devices straight away, the ChargePlay Execrable might successfully be overkill. I’m timid HyperX didn’t consist of an answer in the sphere though—even a low fee one.

Finally then you’d have a cause to give Qi charging a are trying. Seek for, plugging in a headset (especially with a MicroUSB connection) sucks. I acquire it. I correct desire there have been a smarter solution than Qi charging. It’s finicky, and positioning the Cloud Flight S on the charging pad isn’t as painless as you would demand. Balancing on the left earcup, it’s at probability of every errant desk bump and wandering cat.

And it’s so rattling leisurely. Does that topic? Doubtlessly no longer, given you’re presumably charging the Cloud Flight S in a single day. The 30-hour runtime must elevate you thru more than one days even must it is doubtless you’ll desire a Qi mishap sometimes. It’s one more knock in opposition to Qi charging though, a cause I serene search for it more as a novelty than a necessity.

Bottom line

If it comes all the procedure down to the Cloud Flight versus the Cloud Flight S, you would as successfully hold the latter. They’re almost the identical stamp, and the Cloud Flight S supplies more controls in a prettier kit. I will’t imagine why you’d proceed with the ragged mannequin, despite your passion in Qi charging. Hell, I don’t in actual fact know why HyperX even sells the ragged mannequin.

The Cloud Flight S serene feels a tad costly to me though. This present day, the $150 to $200 wireless tier is crowded with hundreds of very just appropriate contenders, including Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB and Logitech’s G533. HyperX’s sophomore wireless effort is a ways improved, but serene doesn’t in actual fact stand out cherish its wired fashions.

• Unusual programmable buttons and a sophisticated stumble on elevate the Cloud Flight S over its predecessor, but the industry’s continued delight in affair with leisurely and finicky Qi charging is baffling.

  Pros

  • Extra onboard controls
  • HyperX added sidetone and chat combine capabilities
  • Restful reasonably happy

  Cons

  • Qi charging is serene leisurely and awkward
  • Moderately costly
  • Tool suite lacks overall choices

Hayden writes about games for PCWorld and doubles because the resident Zork enthusiast.