Editor’s note: this HyperX Cloud Alpha S review was updated on August 26, 2021 to include new scores and charts for sound quality and isolation, based on our new testing setup. This gaming headset is made of the same stuff as its predecessor, with a metal headband and hinges, and thick plastic headphones. Velour ear pads would’ve been a better choice for gamers with glasses, but you should still be able to get a pretty solid seal with the additional fabric ones included—at least they’re softer than leatherette. While the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is also a 3.5mm gaming headset, it includes a USB adapter with an audio control unit. On top of that, the HyperX Cloud Alpha S also features vents along the bottom of both headphones meant to allow bass adjustment, similar to those found on the Beyerdynamic Custom Game. Whether you’re using the HyperX Cloud Alpha S with its USB adapter or just as a 3.5mm headset, it’s pretty strictly a plug and play affair. Not much comes in the box with the HyperX cloud Alpha S. The headset comes with a detachable microphone, a USB adapter, and extra fabric ear pads, along with an assortment of flyers and manuals. I played through almost the entirety of Final Fantasy VII: Remake on Playstation 4 using this, and it handled the sweeping orchestral score and chaotic sounds of battle exceedingly well.
If you’re gaming on an Xbox One or Playstation 4, you have to adjust the volume in the consoles respective devices menus, which is frankly very inconvenient. When I was playing Final Fantasy, any time I wanted to decrease headphone volume, I had to back out of the game to do it—not exactly a convenient solution.
On top of that, while most of the time enabling surround sound doesn’t meaningfully change the frequency response, here it increases mid and high range output almost across the board. Even if you don’t have the Ngenuity app installed, just pressing the button the USB adapter changes things very noticeably.
There are some minor dips here and there, but the headset offers pretty accurate output in the bass, mid, and high range. In Ibitlan by Mdou Moctar the dreamy, heavily affected lead guitar part normally drives the song, but here it fades into the bass line. If you’re just going for the most isolation you can get, but keeping the bass vents closed is your best best bet, and in doing so you’ll achieve pretty average attenuation for a gaming headset—nothing approaching active noise cancelling, but enough to block out some of the usual sounds of the home. The HyperX Cloud Alpha’s biggest disappointment was its microphone, which was quiet and underemphasized bass response to detriment of anyone with a deep voice.
The microphone on the Cloud Alpha S offers clear audio, and works fine for programs like Discord or Zoom—but the de-emphasis in the bass range (meant to combat the proximity effect) can make you sound a bit like you’re talking through a tin can. The Cloud Flight S is the first gaming headset to support wireless charging, but that isn’t likely to be a make-or-break feature for most gamers.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha was and is, one of the best gaming headsets on the market because it absolutely nails basics like audio output everywhere—for a low price. Some buyers prefer excellent customer service over extended return policies, while others just want an all-inclusive warranty.
However, the implementation of those features, through the use of vents in the headset and a USB adapter, affect isolation and audio output in sometimes not-so-great ways.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S Review
While the black and blue color scheme we tested isn’t too flashy, you can also get them in an all-black if you prefer an even more sleek look.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S Review 2021
Bottom Line The HyperX Cloud Alpha S is a gorgeous headset that unfortunately doesn’t offer enough to distinguish itself from its predecessor. For reference, imagine if the Xbox One X couldn’t deliver on the 4K dream in a satisfactory manner so you had to use it in 1080p instead even though you paid extra and you’ll get the picture.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha was a phenomenal headset in the $100 price range – it was super comfortable, it sounded great, and it was quite easy on the eyes, too! This left many wondering: Are the enhancements offered by the revamped Cloud Alpha S worth the extra investment? Name HyperX Cloud Alpha S Type Over-ear closed-back headphone Connection Wired Frequency response 13 – 27000 Hz Impedance 62 ohms Microphone Bi-directional, noise-canceling Weight 321 g This time around, you don’t have to look under the hood to notice all the changes since HyperX updated Cloud Alpha S a new coat of paint.
If you’re a fan of this type of design, you’ll love the alternative Blackout version of the headset in particular, featuring an all-black exterior. We don’t normally gush this much over the color of a headset, but the Cloud Alpha S deserves all the praise for managing to seamlessly blend form and function into one gorgeous whole.
In addition to this, both earcups also feature a nifty bass slider that gives the driver either more or less space to reverberate, depending on whether you keep it opened or closed. Regardless, even if you were to never change the ear cushions once you settled on the ones that suit your better, we have to give HyperX props for including such an option.
All in all, much like its predecessor, the Cloud Alpha S is an incredibly comfortable headset that you can use for day-long marathons without any pain or issues. The original Cloud Alpha was the first headset to incorporate the dual-chamber design and it was a big success, so it’s great to see them double down on that.
The ability to control the chat volume in the middle of a game without having to expose yourself to danger is quite handy, but whether or not this benefit outweighs the detriment of an unnecessarily long cable is questionable at best. To make matters worse, the audio sounded fuller and crisper when the USB cable with the mixer amp was completely left out of the equation!
Considering that these sound great in stereo mode, we can easily see many users opting out of the virtual surround feature altogether to retain the higher quality audio. It builds upon the excellent foundation of the previous Cloud Alpha, so there’s no way we can call it a bad headset, but the features it adds don’t feel very worthwhile.
The microphone sounds better when you aren’t using the mixer amp, which arguably makes up for the whole $30 difference between the two headsets, plus the cables are just way too long. Sure, being able to separately adjust the game and chat volumes through the cable is handy, but this feature alone isn’t enough to make a headset.
Also, while we were left speechless by the new color scheme of the Cloud Alpha S, we simply can’t recommend buying a $30 paint job for a peripheral.
Cloud Alpha S – USB Gaming Headset with 7.1 Surround Sound
Bass adjustment sliders have been added to the ear cups so you can personalize your audio. The Cloud Alpha S still features the dual-chamber driver system which reduces distortion and provides clearer sound, as well as signature HyperX comfort afforded by the memory foam ear cushions, which have been upgraded with extra breathable leatherette.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S Review
The Cloud Alpha S looks and feels very similar to other HyperX headsets we’ve tested, with large, Y-shaped metal arms that connect each oval earcup to the headband. An alternate set of fabric-covered earpads are included, which isolate less sound (which means less bass) than the faux leather, but produce less warmth over time. The bass switches on the Cloud Alpha S can produce a slightly more powerful sense of sub-bass response, but not enough to rattle your head no matter what setting you use. When the song fully kicks in, the electric bass stays slightly in the front of the mix, letting the guitar strums and vocals settle a bit in the background.
It isn’t a wildly unbalanced sound, but the focus on the mids without sculpting for the lows and highs doesn’t make for the most compelling listening experience. The lack of high-end presence comes through in The Crystal Method’s “Born Too Slow.” The opening guitar riffs sound slightly underpowered, and while the backbeat gets enough attention to anchor the track, it doesn’t have quite the ominous, driving low-end thump it should. Playing Doom (2016) with the Cloud Alpha S is satisfying, with the guns, rockets, and demon snarls sounding appropriately powerful, with plenty of low-mid presence. The headset doesn’t reach low enough into the sub-bass to really sound thunderous, but it’s full and loud, with plenty of midrange detail.
Mick Gordon’s industrial metal score sounds excellent through the headset, with all of the music’s sinister sludginess coming through. The headset’s balance lacks much in the way of higher frequencies to really stand out and pinpoint, though the sounds of demons and explosions come through clearly, with some solid left-right panning.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S review
HyperX was lange tijd dé fabrikant om te verslaan als het op headsets aan kwam. Virtual 7.1 is niet iets waar ik zelf wakker van zou liggen, maar de chat mix is wel heel fijn, zo kan je bijvoorbeeld makkelijker je Game en Discount geluiden naar eigen smaak los van elkaar harder of zachter zetten. De kabel ziet er netjes uit en is gevlochten, maar dat maakt ze ook wel steviger.
Op beide schelpen zit een simpele slider waarmee je de bass ‘open’ kan zetten.
Althans, zolang je hem in de “Bass vol aan” modus laat staan (blauwe lijn). Op dat moment is de bass best strak zonder te overdrijven en gaat hij ook goed laag.
Zet je de bass-switch dicht, dan zien we een rare bump rond de 300Hz, met vervolgens stevig verval beide kanten op: tenzij je heel specifiek die frequentie geboost wilt zien is het eigenlijk zinloos. Enfin, rare feature terzijde, in die modus is het gewoon nog altijd een hele fijne headset. Geen ultra esports headset met een mega soundstage, maar wel een headset die zowel flink power heeft voor immersie, goed detail vast weet te houden in muziek, en eigenlijk alles ‘gewoon goed’ kan. Het grote probleem dat HyperX heeft is dat er tegenwoordig heel veel goede opties zijn, de Cloud stond jaren geleden comfortabel voor maar er zijn nu tal van serieuze concurrenten die eveneens geen steken laten vallen. Dat brengt mij bij twee issues: 1) 27 euro extra voor de USB feature op een vergelijkbare headset is fors.
HyperX Cloud Alpha S Gaming Headset Review: Airy Fit, Virtual Surround Surround, New Blackout Edition
However, the bass sliders add a negligible amount of perceptible thump, while virtual surround sound often comes with limitations, making the extra cost a hard sell. Driver Type Custom dynamic, 50mm with neodymium magnets Impedance 65 Ohms Frequency Response 13 –27,000 Hz Design Style Circumaural, closed hack Microphone Type Electret condenser microphone, bi-directional, noise-cancelling Connectivity 3.5mm plug (4-pole) or USB Type-A Weight With mic: 0.71 pounds (321g)Without mic: 0.68 pounds (310g) Cord Length 3.28 feet (1m) Software None Warranty 2 years Today, HyperX introduced the Blackout Edition of the Cloud Alpha S to go along with the black-with-blue version released in September. But for the Alpha S Blackout Edition brings incognito styling by getting rid of bright stitching, ear forks and logos on the cups.
The bass adjustment sliders match this blue, bringing some color to the back while making them easy to spot. The look-at-me ear forks on the black and blue model perhaps mean you won’t take these on the street, but they also keep things fun (this is a gaming peripheral, after all). The headband’s memory foam isn’t the thickest we’ve seen, but, more importantly, it prevented any feeling of pressure points. Like the Cloud Alpha, the earcups connect to the headband with a visible cable, which I personally think makes the headset look like it’s broken or breaking. On a more positive note, the aluminum frame of the earcups and the leather headband fight off fingerprints, unlike so many other pieces of technology these days.
USB connectivity is necessary for using virtual surround sound (the button lights up in white when activated), chat / game audio balance and mic monitoring.
Interestingly, HyperX sells a similar AMP USB sound card for $29.99, but it swaps chat / game balance controls with mic volume buttons. Unfortunately, the control box (which weighs 0.13 pounds and attaches to the 3.5mm plug via a 2-meter braided cable) isn’t well designed as the rest of the headset.
I barely noticed a difference when toggling on and off with various songs, including Ratatat’s “Seventeen Years” and Eminem’s “Chloraseptic.” In Battlefield V, the winds on a snowy mountaintop in Normandy were layered, with a baseline whooshing and a sharper, whirring noise of more aggressive gusts on top. The most keen and advanced of gamer ears may be able to take advantage of the fuller sound–if I could hear rain in a cutscene for a first time, what other auditory clues could a more skilled player pick up? However, if you’re an average gamer, you won’t suddenly be able to pick up on, say, the location of incoming gunfire by turning on surround sound.
While The Strokes’ “Someday” was merely at that higher tone, with the electronic song “Sunset Lover” by Petit Biscuit, the instruments overpowered the purposefully distorted vocals. The Cloud Alpha S originally shipped without companion software, but now the headset’s compatible with the HyperX NGenuity beta app.
The addition of software also brings new “auto-optimized” virtual 7.1 surround sound profiles for APEX Legends, PUBG, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, CS:GO, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege. HyperX told Tom’s Hardware that its audio team tuned each profile based on feedback from gamers and “invited focus groups” that listened to the EQs. It tweaked profiles based on specific game elements, such as opponent footsteps, helicopters, the ring of a rifle shot from a hillside and the thunder of tanks rumbling by, a rep said.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha S doesn’t have the fanciest drivers or features, but those luxuries are made up for with quality audio, impactful surround sound and a successful design that’s as comfortable as it is chic.
HyperX’s all-black Cloud Alpha S is an excellent minimalist gaming headset
A new color option usually isn’t too big of a deal, but the result here is a headset ideally suited for a minimalist, of which there aren’t many on the market. Everything else, from the stitching on the headband to the braided cable and the side arms that hold the ear cups, is coated in a deep black color. We missed our chance to review this model when it originally released, so we’re seizing the opportunity to dive into it now that this new color option has come out. The weight distribution is excellent, and no part of the headset feels like it’s resting too hard on my head or sitting awkwardly on my ears.
If you sit close enough to your TV, this headset also works (along with the virtual 7.1 surround sound feature) with the full USB cable plugged into your Nintendo Switch dock. Whatever you use them for, there’s clear separation in the audio presentation, and the bass breathes naturally without stepping over the high frequencies that tend to get lost in many affordable headphones and gaming headsets. It’s a better value overall, even if it’s still almost as expensive as the wireless Cloud Flight S. The sound performance is a few marks ahead and you can adjust the bass — a nice touch.
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