The mid-range gaming headset market is a saturated space. With the Cloud III Wireless, HyperX aims to cut through the noise with their trademark high performance, no frills approach. The latest iteration of the Cloud headset is a gaming headset in the classic sense, offering everything one would expect from a modern accessory of this type while doubling down on a familiar form factor. Is it enough to set the Cloud III apart?
Out of the box, the HyperX Cloud III Wireless confidently presents a reliable air with great-feeling materials and a sturdy frame. Nothing here feels cheap; the headband can be bent and twisted with quite some force without looking any the worse for wear, while the ear cups are spongy enough to remain comfortable but sturdy enough to reduce outside noise. The all-important microphone is completely detachable, which is a nice touch to ensure the Cloud III remains attractive to those who prefer singleplayer experiences.
The HyperX has just two buttons on the underside of the left ear cup: a power button and a mute button. The 2.4GHz wireless connection means that no connectivity button is necessary, which comes at the cost of bluetooth’s universality. On the right ear cup, a volume wheel occupies a similar position. Both the buttons and the volume wheel feel sturdy enough to withstand a long time of regular use, and they’re positioned so thoughtfully that the Cloud III requires virtually no time to adjust to for users who’ve never owned a HyperX headset before.
The aforementioned 2.4GHz wireless connection is achieved via a USB dongle. The dongle itself offers a USB-C connection, but a USB 2.0 adapter is thoughtfully included in the box to accommodate older units like the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4. It’s worth noting that the Cloud III Wireless is only advertised to work with PC, PS4, PS5 and the Switch sorry, Xbox owners but the 2.4GHz dongle makes connecting to the supported hardware a breeze, even if it feels somewhat archaic.
On that note, the lack of a bluetooth connection means that the Cloud III Wireless only works with the above four formats, so gamers whose setups require more flexibility may find themselves somewhat let down by this. There is a wired version of the Cloud III available as well, which is worth considering for those who fall into this group.
Every great mid-range headset has one or two areas where it excels in order to attract would-be users. For the Cloud III Wireless, it’s a mightily impressive battery life of up to 120 hours. Indeed, over the course of this review, a recharge wasn’t even close to necessary, with the onboard battery monitor announcing there was still 80% capacity after a dozen or so hours of usage on a full charge. This is undeniably a boon for players who tend not to be proactive with recharging wireless accessories after every usage.
When it comes to the crucial audio performance, this reviewer is pleased to report that the Cloud III Wireless performs as expected from a competitive mid-range gaming headset. The audio profile is well-balanced and crisply clear at every range, offering great feedback in multiplayer and singleplayer experiences alike. Nothing stands out as overly revolutionary but the performance is largely in line with expectations at this price point, and the 2.4GHz connection means there’s virtually no discernible audio lag. The microphone runs without a hitch as well, with great quality audio that, again, is to be expected from a modern gaming headset no more, no less.
Overall, the HyperX Cloud III Wireless updates the HyperX’s reliable Cloud model to a tee, bringing it in line with current expectations from reliable mid-range headsets. It fits into this category effortlessly when many of its peers too easily fade into obscurity, and as such it’s very easy to recommend as long as it’s for a PC, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch player, of course.
