HyperX Cloud Stinger Review: Now in Pink

We often complain here at Tom’s Hardware about the lack of color selection in today’s tech. Well, HyperX just threw us a bone. The company originally released its Cloud Stinger in 2016, draped in black. Nearly five years later, HyperX has upped the ante, making the Cloud Stinger, one of the PC-focused headsets in the brand’s extensive Stinger lineup, also available in pink. It comes with what you might call a pink tax though: The pink version currently has a $50 MSRP, while the black version is $35 as of writing.

Beyond that, you get all the features you could expect from a gaming headset and even quality, noise-canceling microphone, and virtual 7.1 surround sound. But despite its lightweight, this is a bulky set of cans. The Cloud Stinger can’t quite compete with the best gaming headsets on the market, but what it lacks in flash, it makes up for with affordability. This is a solid entry-level option.

 HyperX Cloud Stinger Specs

Design and Comfort of HyperX Cloud Stinger

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The HyperX Cloud Stinger has a chunkier look to them, and although they lack RGB lighting, the new baby pink color adds some pizazz. The new, glossy pink Cloud Stingers will make its sibling the HyperX Cloud Alpha, very jealous. The Cloud Stinger’s mostly pink plastic with grey earcups and grey HyperX logo ensure these entry-level cans are able to stand out in a crowd. And I love that.

Despite a more bulky look, it weighs only 0.6 pound, which puts it on par with the Razer Kraken V3 X and lighter than the slightly pricer Razer Kraken (0.7 pound), which also comes in pink. The Cloud Stinger is somewhat easy to store away, thanks to earcups that can rotate 90 degrees, allowing the headset to lay flat. The earcups themselves feel solid, but the hinges feel a bit flimsy. Those earcups are comprised of HyperX’s homebrewed memory foam and topped off with luscious leatherette. The memory foam padding is quite comfortable, however, they’re not as soft or plush as those on some higher-end gaming headphones, such as the Asus ROG Delta S and the Epos H3. Still, I gamed for 5 hours at a time without my ears getting hot or experiencing any discomfort.

On the right earcup, you find the volume wheel, while the left earcup holds the microphone (more on that in the dedicated section below), as well the headset’s 4.2-foot-long 3.5mm cable, which is shorter than the average 6 feet we’re used to but wasn’t an issue for me. Thankfully, the earcups are far enough apart for most gamers, so there was no added pressure there.

Overall, the Cloud Stinger shows decent build quality; however, the plastic frame feels a little cheap, despite the headband being reinforced with a strip of metal. Remember, this is a rubber audio cable. And although it seems durable enough for its type, it doesn’t compare to the more premium braided cables many pricier cans come with.

Audio Performance of HyperX Cloud Stinger Pink

The HyperX Cloud Stinger uses a pair of 50mm neodymium drivers with a frequency response of 18 - 23,000 Hz, a bit wider than the 20-20,000 Hz many gaming headsets, especially in this price range, carry. They don’t have the most thump to them, meaning bass isn’t very powerful. But overall, the Cloud Stinger is a very clear and loud headset without any detectable distortion.

While playing Borderlands 2, the unit’s bass performance was solid enough and gave the sounds of varying guns a nice amount of pop. I wouldn’t call the audio immersive, but it does come through clearly enough that you’ll have the awareness to avoid getting blown up. For example, when I shot out a barrel filled with explosives, I enjoyed a nice, mid-to-low rumble.

When I  tried the Cloud Stinger with Batman: Arkham Knight. It was easy to hear the nuanced sounds that characterize the game and make it more enjoyable, like bone-crunching punches, and then my favorite sound, the firing of the Batmobile’s rocket thruster. The latter was bombastically reproduced with a rich explosive sound, as it launched me through streets at blazing speeds. The unit provides loud, clear audio but I wouldn’t refer to them as thumpy or having powerful deep bass.

I also did some jamming out on the Cloud Stinger, turning to a bass-heavy mix of Busta Rhymes, starting with "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See." The bold basslines were reproduced clearly but weren’t as powerful as what you get with other headsets, like the Razer Kraken X3 X. 

On the other hand, the Cloud Stinger is a very fine headset for watching movies or TV shows. I used it to finally finish Avengers: Endgame. I had left off right when the heroes were about to enter their final battle, accompanied by triumphant horns blaring for extra effect. Rubble crumbling around Ant-Man, War Machine, and the Hulk came through crisp and clear through all the madness. The headset’s loud volume and ability to pick up the different layers of sound going on during intense action scenes with a lot going on made for a solid experience.

Microphone on HyperX Cloud Stinger Pink

The HyperX Cloud Stinger features an electret condenser microphone that’s unidirectional and has noise cancellation. HyperX specs it with a frequency response of about 50-18,000 Hz. For comparison, the Kraken V3 X’s mic is specced for 100-10,000 Hz, so the Cloud Stinger’s mic has a broader range, despite its cheaper price.

During videoconferences, all of my colleagues confirmed that my voice was coming in loud and clear. The mic also picked up my voice’s deep timbre. I also used the Cloud Stinger for a radio appearance, and the producer told me that I sounded like I was actually in the studio.

The mic’s noise-canceling feature is solid and better than not having it all but not perfect. During some test recordings, the microphone still picked up some background sounds, like my girlfriend reorganizing our cast iron pans while listening to Sade. However, the noise picked up was very faint, and when you take into consideration the entry-level price, it’s a win.

While the Cloud Stinger’s microphone isn’t detachable, it is easy enough to get it out of the way, thanks to its swivel-to-mute feature. Just flip the mic up, and it won’t only be out of your face, but you’ll be silenced too. In a world where virtual calls are becoming more common, knowing for sure that you won’t be heard when you don’t want to is a nice feature to have.

Features and Software of HyperX Cloud Stinger Pink

The HyperX Cloud Stinger gaming headset does not come with any software, and it’s not compatible with HyperX’s Ngenuity software. But to be honest, it doesn’t really need to be. For one, many gamers seeking a $50 or cheaper headset are likely fine without doing extensive tweaking to their audio. Additionally, the sound that comes from the headset out of the box is really good. Bass is decent, and mid-tones and highs come through appropriately as well. Indeed, this is a plug-and-play headset.

Bottom Line

The new pink shade available with the HyperX Cloud Stinger turns a fine pair of entry-level cans into something that can steal the show on your next Twitch stream. More importantly, although they look a little bulky, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The swivel-to-mute microphone is a standout here, with a swivel-to-mute function and decent noise cancellation, especially for the price. And if you want a pair of cans in pink, you now have another quality option at an attainable price. The Razer Kraken also comes in pink, but is a bit bass-heavy for our liking and $30 more than our review focus.

If you’re not committed to pink and want something similar and in the same price range as the Cloud Stinger but with more bass, take a look at the Razer Kraken V3 X. And if you’re okay spending a bit more money and still want a headset with a 3.5mm jack, consider the HyperX Cloud Alpha, which features a removable mic and cable.

However, if you want a solid, entry-level and affordable gaming headset, the HyperX Cloud Stinger is a good buy, whether in black or pink. But if you want that extra flair, pink is the way to go.