HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston, shared with the world their first wireless headset priced under $100 in the Cloud Stinger Wireless gaming headset. The company says the headphones have a long-lasting battery of up to 17 hours, 90-degree rotating ear cups, and is lightweight at just 270 grams.
The HyperX Cloud Stinger uses "gaming-grade" 2.4 GHz wireless connection to cut the cord and allow for greater freedom of movement. To connect the device, a small adapter is included which plugs into a USB port. The Cloud Stinger is all black with the boom mic protruding out of the left side. We will not find any RGB LEDs on the device, saving on costs, but the familiar HyperX logo is etched on both ear cups. The headband is built with adjustable steel sliders said to provide a comfortable fit as well as durability along with the use of memory foam and a padded headband designed for comfort in long use scenarios such as gaming.
The ear cups are circumaural (around the ear) with a closed back. Inside is a single 50mm driver using neodymium magnets. Frequency response is listed at 20Hz-20,000Hz with a 109dBSPL/mW @ 1KHz efficiency with less than 2% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). Impedance is 32 Ohms, so driving these cans shouldn't be an issue. Volume controls are located on the base of the right ear cup while the microphone uses a swivel-to-mute feature where it cuts off when raised up out of position.
The microphone element is an electret condenser type with noise-canceling capabilities. Frequency response ranges from 100Hz to 7,000 Hz with a sensitivity of -47dBV. Battery life is said to be up to 17 hours on a single charge, so a full day of gaming shouldn't be an issue. The wireless range using the 2.4GHz band is said to be up to 12 meters (almost 40 feet). The device is compatible with a PC, PS4 and PS4 Pro.
The main selling point is $89.99 MSRP. This is the first headset from Hyper X under $100 and can currently be found on Amazon for $79.99. Its bigger brother, the Cloud Flight, comes in at $139.99 with a few more bells and whistles including longer battery life and RGB LED goodness.
