HyperX Cloud Alpha - Gaming Headset, Dual Chamber Drivers, Legendary Comfort, Aluminum Frame, Detachable Microphone, Works on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One/ Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Mobile – Red

Let me just start this off by saying I never leave reviews. I'm not very easily impressed. I usually buy something, receive it, and carry on with my day. However, I've had these for over two years now, and it only just recently dawned on me how much of an anomaly this headset has been compared to others I've had in the past. In the hundreds, if not thousands of hours I've used this headset for, not once has it ever consciously occurred to me that they're being worn while in use. You slap them on out of the box, adjust the earcups to your liking, and then forget they're there. These things are so damn comfortable that I regularly forget I'm wearing them when I leave my apartment to go do other activities. I can't sing its praises enough in terms of comfort, since it feels like wearing nothing at all once properly adjusted. As for the sound quality, it's pretty damn good. I've never really been much of an audio snob, but this is more than sufficient if you're just looking for something with quality sound. I've used them for everything from games to podcasts, and there has never been an instance where I was underwhelmed in any capacity by the sound quality here. Absolutely zero complaints from me in this department. The noise cancellation is pretty good, too. I mean, it's not gonna completely tune out anything and everything, but background noise is definitely reduced. My apartment's AC is only about ten feet from my desk, and it gets to be decently loud at times. Though the noise from it is still noticeable when wearing them, it still becomes maybe 30% quieter; even at that close a range. Get sucked into a game, movie, podcast, or album wearing these, and you'll soon forget about any white noise going on in your immediate vicinity anyway. You can also buy HyperX's 7.1 surround sound USB adapter to beef up the sound a bit should you so choose, but I mainly use it for additional volume control and ease of use instead of the surround sound. Maybe I'm using it wrong, but it's just never worked for me. If you're sometimes rough with your peripherals like me, you probably are looking for something that can take a bit more punishment than most. Rest assured you won't be disappointed here, because this thing's rock solid. Just off the top of my head, my Cloud Alpha has survived: -Being slammed in the heavy wooden door leading to my apartment -Being slammed in a car door -Being accidentally rolled over at least two dozen times by sixty pound steel office chair -Being tossed onto hardwood flooring when I missed my intended target of the couch more times than I can count -Being dropped six feet onto solid concrete -Being stepped on at least two hundred different times -Being vomited on on more than one occasion, though that can probably be attributed to luck more than anything else Seriously, there are times when throw this guy around and have the headband pretzel in a concerning fashion, only to pick them up again, put them back on, and continue where I left off none the worse for wear. Every time I'd get a little alarmed at the aggressive way that I'd just manhandled my headset, it'd be a completely irrational fear. Barring smashing these things with a hammer or actually trying to bend the headband 180 degrees in the opposite direction, there's no conceivable way to me you could break these in day to day use. I've included a few pictures of the wear and tear they've accumulated over the years, as well as the lengths to which they regularly bend just to give you an idea of the punishment they can take. Believe me when I say the build quality is second to none. Now, at this point you know the headset itself is durable, but you might still be wondering about the cable used to connect said headset to your preferred device. Wonder no more. The included cable is 48 inches of (what might as well be) braided steel, and in my two years of usage, it's accumulated nary a scratch save for a small, nearly nonexistent kink below the volume control. It's detachable too, so you never have to worry about the annoyance and potential stress point that comes from having a cable permanently anchored to your headset. I've coiled this thing up all sorts of ways, tossed it into my pockets and backpack in a ball, and it's none the worse for wear considering. Even if you DO somehow manage to break the cable or render it otherwise unusable, don't worry; it can be replaced with any other 3.5mm audio cable with zero hit to sound quality. Trust me. I've checked. My only real gripe about this product is that my microphone has never worked; even brand new out of the box. I've since bought a replacement mic that also hasn't worked either, so my guess is that it's a manufacturing defect rather than something that broke during use over the years. This is really only something that you should think about if you don't already have a mic and/or will be using this mainly for games. Even if yours also turns out to be broken, I'm sure the folks in customer support would be more than willing to exchange your defective set for a functioning unit. But yeah. This has got to be the best headset I've ever purchased in the ten odd years I've been using them. The price is a bit steep compared your standard headset fare, but the price of admission is well worth it. I've used these things so much that the pleather on the earcups is starting to peel off, and I'll continue to use them until I literally can't anymore, for whatever reason that may be. Can't recommend them enough.

Short of plugging these into a HyperX Quadcast mic, I doubt you'll find a much better setup for gaming....especially at this price point. The sound quality is amazing for headphones in any context and the earcups are very very comfy. The built-in mic sounds very good for a headset mic, but I digress... I started off with the Cloud I's first and absolutely loved them, but the volume pot started getting scratchy and I worried about damage to the attached cable becoming an issue. So I figured I'd stick with HyperX and give these Cloud Alpha's a try, since the cable does detach. I love the Cloud I's, so I'll just stick to comparing the two of those as they are both phenomenal headsets and would both be a good buy. -Build and Comfort- HyperX is just KILLING it on the comfort front IMO. The earcups are basically like tempurpedic memory foam and are a joy to wear. Where the Alpha differs from the Cloud I's is how they feel out of the box. The Alphas still super comfy, but firmer than the Cloud I's. After some wear-in, they soften up, but I can imagine the Alphas lasting longer because of this. Still comfy, just not quite as squishy. Some people may prefer a firmer feel, YMMV. Both headphones feel very solid and have a good weight to them. Could use some more padding in the headband, but I don't really feel much discomfort after wearing them. This is about the only comfort area I could see them needing improvement on. Not sure if it really amounts to build quality, but the previously mentioned attached cable on the Cloud I's has become an issue for me (the volume pot is really scratchy), but the Alphas have a removable cord and the volume pot feels much more sturdy as well. -Sound Quality- Holy crap, I have literally returned $500 Shure headphones in favor of these. And to all assuming I have unrefined, plebian ears...16 years as a guitarist/bassist, audio engineering work for 6 of those years, running PA boards at a few venues, and a gig as a backing bassist for a solo artist (using in-ears) would put me a cut above the typical dude listening to Spotify on his iPhone. I know a good pair when I hear it. Now the Shures were not flat response for mixing or monitoring, they were listening headphones, but while there is a slight EQ curve and some "signature" enhancements on the Alphas, they are surprisingly flat in a good way...albeit with some extended bass and very smooth highs. The difference is the Cloud I's seemed to have more bass due to an EQ bump in the low-end response along with the seal being tighter on your ears with their squishier earcups. The Alphas are firmer and so the seal isn't quite as tight on my head, making for less perceived bass at first, but if you squish them on your ears you catch a bit more of the low-end. I will also say the low-end on the Alphas is much cleaner than on the Cloud I's, which may not be caught by some listeners. When you hear explosions, rumbling, or are listening to bassy music you won't hear these buzzing or bottoming out like the Cloud I's can. I use an external Sound Blaster card with one of my PCs and my custom EQ curve for music listening is handled beautifully by these Alphas. This by no means is an insult to the Cloud I's, they are easily contenders with most $100-$250 listening headsets out there, but in comparison to the Alphas, these are the differences you'll experience. -Noise Isolation- The Alphas are, again, not as tight a seal as the Cloud I's but that could change in time. FWIW, these cut out a noticeable amount of noise...with only really rumbly or booming sounds getting through. A neighbor firing up a giant truck or thunder outside will catch my attention, but high pitched sounds get drowned out when you are listening to music or playing a game. I'm sure with wear they'll get even better, but for a passive headset they do a fine job. -Mic Quality- The mic is perfectly fine and right in line with most $100+ gaming headset mics. Don't expect something on-par with a dedicated mic like the HyperX Quadcast or a Razer Siren, this is a totally different league of mic, but does a respectable job. Most people use these for Discord or Zoom calls, or want to cut down on background noise as opposed to using an external mic. -Connectors- The core cable has the headphone/mic conductors built into one 3.5mm plug, the same as old iPhone headsets and many other gaming headsets do. There is an extender cable that splits it out to a headphone and mic plug separately. One thing I found weird, is my Cloud I's were the same, but when I plugged the single 3.5mm combo jack into my HyperX Quadcast they flat out would not work. HOWEVER, the Alphas DO work for some reason. Not sure why, seems like basically the same cable. Either way, the cable is long enough for most folks' rigs so no worries on that. -Overall- If you want a gaming headset, or even just a headset for listening to music at your computer comfortably, this is an amazing headset. If you're fine with over-ear headphones for listening on the go, there's no reason not to use these IMO. If you're a streamer and want to save money and still get great performance...BUY THESE!! Some people might scoff at these and not consider them good since they aren't "Pro Level" gear, but honestly for monitoring and even music listening I would put these up against nearly any sub-$600 headset. I don't abuse the hell out of my headphones, but they definitely get put to use for hours on end every day and I've still had no issues. The Cloud I's (non-USB) are great too, but for a bit more the Alphas are just plain amazing. The only thing you need to worry about these is if they discontinue them!

I will start by explaining that I've never reviewed a product on Amazon before. I just feel highly compelled to share my incredibly positive experience with anyone shopping for a high-quality headset. I have used a variety of different headsets, either for gaming, or music listening. I have spent anywhere between $60 and $300 on headsets, with the ultimate goal of finding something exceptional. Before I ordered this headset, I had settled for something mediocre (Turtle Beach XO Seven). I decided to give this headset a try, and I cannot begin to describe how pleased I am with this purchase. Comfortability: 5/5 This headset is without a doubt the most comfortable headset I've ever worn. The ear cups sit lightly but snuggly against your head. You can even wear them with glasses for extended periods of time without any discomfort at all! This is important to me, as I often am required to wear glasses while playing video games, which is the primary function of this headset for me. These ear cups are also ventilated somehow, as my ears do not get hot at all while gaming. With other headsets, I found my ears becoming hot during long gaming sessions, not the case at all with these. Sound: 5/5 This is arguably the most important aspect of any headset, and it's an area in which this headset blows away. This headset is so crisp with its sounds, it's almost unnerving. I play competitive first-person shooter games, and it's of extreme importance to distinguish sounds clearly, and directionally. I am able to pinpoint exactly where each individual sound is coming from while wearing this headset. Not only can I hear where they are locationally, but I can even tell what surface my opponents are walking on due to the clarity of sound. *This headset provides stunning bass, that's deep and full, without sounding muddy. I figured I'd mention that as well because that's nearly impossible to find in headsets. Durability: 5/5 I believe this headset is made from aluminum. It is certainly metal, and extremely durable, despite how lightweight it is. My children knock my headsets off my desk it seems 3 times a day. This headset is still rock-solid, despite the abuse my children throw at it. I also highly appreciate the braided cable, I have mistakenly rolled over the cable with my chair before realizing it had been knocked off my desk again; luckily, it still remains in excellent shape. Quality: 5/5 Everything about this headset is top-notch. From the packaging to the little things like the tightness of the microphone (it's removable). I like how I can plug it into my Xbox controller and play, plug it into my phone and have a conversation, or listen to music. Then I can turn around, swap out the cables (takes 2 seconds), plug it into my computer, and I'm good to go on the PC. Final thoughts: I am extremely pleased with this product, Kingston truly knocked it out of the park with this one. I have bragged about this thing to all of my friends, whom now are dying to purchase one for themselves. I must say that this headset is a must-have for anyone that values quality. This headset will surpass all expectations from the casual gamer all the way up to the professional. Enough good things cannot be said about this product. IF THIS PRODUCT BECOME BROKEN OR LOST, WOULD I GO OUT AND PURCHASE A NEW ONE TODAY? Absolutely!

The HyperX Cloud Alpha is a solid headset, especially for the price point. The sound quality is excellent — crisp highs, solid mids, and the kind of bass you’d expect from something in this tier. The mic quality is also surprisingly good for a non-premium headset — my friends on voice chat have never had any complaints. That said, I’ll be honest — I’m a bit spoiled by Astro headsets, and in direct comparison, the Cloud Alpha just doesn’t hit the same in terms of comfort. I usually game in 3+ hour sessions, and with these, I find myself constantly adjusting them on my head. They’re not unbearable by any means, but they’re definitely not as comfortable as I’d like for extended use. Build quality overall is very solid. The headset feels durable and well-made — nothing about it feels cheap. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly headset with great audio and a decent mic, this is a strong choice. But if comfort during long gaming sessions is a priority for you, you may want to spend a little more. 4 out of 5 stars from me — mostly for the sound, mic, and build quality.

Here's my personal take on the HyperX Cloud Alpha headset, on my actual experience over the past 3 years. Long-Term Durability Honestly, the main selling point for me after all this time is how solid the HyperX Cloud Alpha is. The aluminum frame is genuinely tough and has survived a lot of daily abuse. I've been using it pretty much non-stop since I bought it back in 2023 for use at work at a Call Center and PC and console gaming, plus music and movies in my off time... The only real sign of age is the material covering the cushions. After about three years, the leatherette on the top of the headband and the earcups started to peel and rip a bit. It looks a bit rough now, but the headset itself is still completely functional. It's a common issue with the material, but overall the build quality is excellent for the price, and replacement ear pads are a thing. Comfort When I first got it, comfort was amazing. The memory foam earcups felt plush and made a great seal, which helped with noise isolation. I could wear it for hours without any issues. Now that the earcups are worn down, though, my ears get kinda squished against the inside, and it gets uncomfortable during super long sessions. A simple fix is just to buy some new, sturdier earcups, which should solve the problem. Sound & Features I wouldn't call myself an audio snob, but the sound is seriously good for gaming. The dual-chamber drivers do a great job of separating sounds, so it's easy to hear subtle things like footsteps in games, which is a huge advantage. It also handles music surprisingly well, with a clean and dynamic response. The features are simple and straightforward, which I like. The in-line volume control and mute on the braided cable is also super convenient for quick adjustments. Final Verdict All in all, I'm a big fan of the HyperX Cloud Alpha - Gaming Headset. It's not perfect—the earpads wear out and the mic is just okay—but its exceptional durability and great sound quality make it an incredible value and a reliable workhorse.

This is nothing but a downgrade over my original HyperX Cloud headset that I bought these to replace. Nothing wrong with my current headset, it was just several years old and showing some wear and tear. These are actually worse than those original Clouds. The sound isolation is far, far worse, to the point of offering almost no sound isolation at all. Best guess that lack of sound isolation is due to the different ear-pad material and the fact that there are several small hole at the top of each ear cup. What purpose those holes serve I have no idea, but I do know they allow sound to leak out of the ear cups, so that means they are allowing sound to leak into the ear cups as well. The clamping force is almost non existent as well. This adds even more to the lack of sound isolation. The ear-pads are not maintain a tight seal and I can hear the difference if I physically press them tighter against my head. The removable cable creates the same issue that every headset with a removable cable has. It transfers the vibrations of the cable rubbing against your shirt into the ear cup. A hardwired connection doesn't transfer those vibrations as much to the point where they are as noticeable. But when you have a removable cable, the socket and metal connection amplify those vibrations. Not a huge deal, and I knew this before I made my purchase, but its important to point out as I am comparing how they are worse than my original Clouds. I have not been able to test the mic quality with a third party yet but testing the mic for picking up that sound leakage I mentioned earlier, its really bad. Running a recorder and playing a song in the background, the song is clearly picked up through the microphone and that's why my volume at only 48%, which is where I run it at all times under normal conditions. I did not have this issue with my original Cloud headset. I am finding no benefit to the advertised "dual chamber" design. They sound no better than my original Cloud headset, but at least they sound no worse. A final parting thought, while I appreciate that the inline control is smaller than the original, the new one is obvious garbage. I guarantee the volume wheel will be the first point of failure on this headset. Especially since they put it so close to the ear cup that its basically designed to get bumped around by the user. I can't tuck it away safely on my desk like I could with my original Cloud. Edit: Lowered to 1 star as I've determined what the holes at the top of the ear cups are for. They lie and bill this headset as a closed back design, but as I mentioned before it doesn't have the sound isolation like it should as a closed back headset. Well its because of those holes. Compounding that issue is the drivers used in this headset sound terrible if you convert it into a closed back design by plugging those holes. I put a piece of electrical tape over each row of holes on the ear cups. It helps with the sound isolation, but made them sound terrible. The original clouds are fully closed back and sound great. Like I thought, the whole dual chamber design is a gimmick. The drivers they're using are simply garbage compared to what they used previously when they were really just slapping their branding on a headset made by someone else. You can test what I'm talking about without using tape. I have a fan running in my room, so its easy for me to notice the sound isolation. With these Alphas on, if I run my fingers along the top to block those holes, the sound from my fan drops significantly. You can run that same test if you don't want to stick tape on them. But doing so reduces the sound quality. I can hear the bass drop in the song I was listening to. Edit 2: There terrible placement of the in line controls means it smacks into my desk the second every time I take the headset off. Its at that perfect, terrible, height to ensure that the second it comes off your head it will hit whatever is around you. Its at a terrible height when you're wearing it too, you have to lift your hand up off your desk and bend your wrist to reach near your left nipple. The original cloud had the inline controls far enough away from the headset that it could rest on your desk. Which was perfect because it was all of 2 inches from your hand if you needed to adjust something. While some people may not like that, if they wanted to keep it up off the desk it would better if it was up closer to your collarbone. Its a more natural position to reach for. If you simply bend your arm at the elbow, like doing a curl, your hand comes to rest near your collarbone. It would be more comfortable to reach and wouldn't smack on your desk the second you take the headset off.

Last a long time, noise is cancelled completely. Easy to use and quite comfortable. Good price. Function well!

I've owned these for 5 years going on 6. Coming from astro headsets, audio quality and build was night and day for half the price. Dual driver's make a massive difference in sound quality. Didn't realize it's been nearly 6 years with this robust headset. The only headset I've considered upgrading to is the cloud alpha 2. These are amazing for music and movies, more so for gaming. They fall somewhat short for 7.1 surround sound. I can't ask for much given the headset goes for 100 or under most of the time. A gold standard for gaming headsets in my opinion.