INTRODUCTION

   Wires may give us the best achievable performance and security results in pretty much every possible application (from audio quality to data transfers) but at the same time they can be quite annoying so wireless devices and networks have risen in popularity and have enjoyed very high sales numbers over the past 5 years or so. PC gaming peripherals are certainly no exception to that rule which is also why manufacturers (both new and old) have released numerous wireless mice, keyboards, headsets and controllers lately. HyperX may not be one of the oldest brands in the PC market (unlike their parent company) but since their introduction back in 2013 they've released a large number of gaming peripherals which have been well received by gamers from all over the world. The CLOUD Flight is not one of their latest gaming headsets but it's also been with us for almost a month now.

   HyperX is the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world’s largest independent memory manufacturer, with the goal of providing gamers, PC builders, and power users with high-performance components. For 15 years, the HyperX mission has been to develop gaming products for gamers – high-speed memory, solid state drives, headsets, keyboards, mice, USB flash drives, and mouse pads – to the gaming community and beyond. The award-winning HyperX brand has carved its name atop the leaderboard by consistently delivering products that deliver superior comfort, aesthetics, performance, and reliability. HyperX gear is the choice of pro gamers, tech enthusiasts, and overclockers worldwide because it meets the most stringent product specifications and is built with best-in-class components. HyperX has shipped over 3 million headsets worldwide.

   As its name clearly states the CLOUD Flight is the very first wireless gaming headset by HyperX (closed back model) which is based on two 50mm neodymium magnet dynamic stereo drivers that feature a maximum frequency response of 15Hz-23KHz (20Hz-20KHz when used wirelessly) with 32Ohm impedance and 106dB sensitivity. The CLOUD Flight also features a detachable boom noise-cancelling microphone (electret condenser type) that features a frequency response of 100Hz-7KHz with -45dB sensitivity, earcup audio and mic controls, steel frame, 90 degrees rotating earcups, LED illumination with 3 modes and a built-in 1500mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack which can power the headset for up to an impressive 30 hours. In terms of connectivity the bundled 2.4GHz USB transmitter/receiver can be used to connect the CLOUD Flight wirelessly with both PC's and PS4's (PS4 Pro included) whereas the bundled 1.3m long 3.5mm cable can be used to connect the headset with pretty much anything with a 3.5" audio output (including gaming consoles like the Xbox One).

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

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PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The CLOUD Flight arrived in a black and red box that has a large product picture at the front right next to the company logo and some of its main features.

All the eSports teams sponsored by HyperX are printed on the left side of the box right over the 3 LED modes indicating the various battery levels (steady up to 13 hours, breathing up to 18 hours and off all the way up to its max of 30 hours).

Taking a look at the rear of the box we see yet another large product picture used to showcase several of its features.

The headset with its bundle is placed inside a formed piece of plastic and beneath a clear plastic cover.

Contained inside the box are the CLOUD Flight Wireless Gaming Headset, detachable boom microphone, 2.4GHz USB transmitter/receiver, 1.3m long 3.5" cable (gold plated ends), USB to micro USB charging cable, warranty information paper, product catalog and a quick start guide.

THE CLOUD FLIGHT

The 300g heavy CLOUD Flight is primarily made out of hard plastic and it doesn’t really stand out much as its predecessors.

In terms of design the CLOUD Flight is quite simple but that's not a bad thing for everyone.

HyperX has placed their logo on the exterior of both earcups (illuminated) and as you can see you can press the left earcup to mute the boom microphone.

Left and right markings are placed just over both earcups (the red cables are a nice touch).

At the base of the left earcup we find the 3.5mm boom microphone port along with the micro USB charging port and the 3.5mm audio input port.

The on/off power button is placed at the rear of the left earcup.

A small volume control knob is placed at the rear of the right earcup.

As expected the detachable boom microphone is quite flexible.

Once again HyperX has used PU leather and a good amount of memory foam for the earpads.

Both earcups can rotate up to 90 degrees for easier storage or transport in your bag.

The memory foam headpad is also dressed with PU leather.

Each of the two sides of the headband can extend up to 37mm via 11 visible increments.

HyperX has placed their logo on the exterior side of the headband.

The 2.4GHz USB transmitter/receiver is more or less the size of a USB flash drive.

NGENUITY SOFTWARE

Before you start using the CLOUD Flight you might want to download the HyperX NGENUITY Software from their support page seen above.

The reason we say might is because it offers very little in terms of available settings so from here you can adjust the volume of the speakers and the microphone and check the current battery level.

You can also download the user manual for your product from the tools tab.

Red LED illumination may not be for everyone (especially since we live in the RGB era) but we like it.

CONCLUSION

   Much like pretty much everything released by HyperX to date the CLOUD Flight is a high-build quality (something which you wouldn't tell from its plastic body) product aimed towards serious gamers looking for a wireless headset with good audio performance (crisp mids and highs with good bass levels), excellent comfort levels (just 316g heavy with the microphone) and an impressive battery life (up to 30 hours according to HyperX – almost twice compared to competing products). I need to point out that we never did hit 30 hours of use (even after 3 full recharges) but we did hit 26 after the 3rd recharge which is not a bad number for a wireless gaming headset. Wireless range according to HyperX is up to 20 meters and much like most 2.4GHz peripherals we've ever used that is accurate (we were able to listen to music with 2 concrete walls in between at 11 meters). Of course the CLOUD Flight is not without its flaws since on one hand it doesn't feature surround sound and on the other its plastic body may discourage some people. We were also somewhat surprised to see that there's almost no reason for people to use the HyperX NGENUITY software but that might be a good thing since there are no "dedicated" settings for PC users only.

   Just like with the CLOUD Revolver S which we reviewed a while back price is perhaps the single largest drawback of the CLOUD Flight by HyperX since it's currently set at USD157.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 141Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Of course even though the competition is quite fierce at around that price point if you're looking for a high-quality wireless gaming headset with excellent battery life, superior comfort and good audio performance (and you care not about RGB illumination or a design that stands out) the CLOUD Flight will certainly deliver and that’s why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Good Build Quality
- Very Comfortable (Large Earpads / Memory Foam Padding)
- Good Mids & Highs
- Good Bass Levels
- 2.4GHz Wireless Connectivity (Up To 20 Meters Range)
- Up To 30 Hours Of Battery Life
- Detachable Boom Microphone (Easier To Replace)
- Playstation 4 Compatible
- Wireless & Wired Use
- 90 Degrees Rotating Earcups

CONS

- Design (Too “Simple”)
- Price (For Some)
- No Virtual Surround Sound (For Some)