HyperX Cloud Earbuds II
Feature
For Gaming on the Go
Style and Design
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds II follow a similar design to the original, with a flat ribbon-style plastic cable, splitting to the two earbuds and their silicone tips. It is'’t the most elegant of designs, but there are clear reasons for the design choices that HyperX have made. The Cloud Earbuds II come in two variations – red with black accentuations, and black with white highlights.
The flat cable does allow the earbuds to be flattened in a compact way for portability, and also reduces the tangling that can often occur with standard cabled earbuds. Of course, this doesn’t happen for wireless earbuds either, but then you run the risk of running out of battery at an inopportune time.
HyperX have ensured that the Cloud Earbuds II can fit most sized ears, with four different sized silicone ear tips included. These ear tips fit into the main part of the earbud via a small slot and are easily swapped out for a more comfortable size. I did find with the previous iteration of the HyperX Earbuds that the silicone tips did pop out a bit too easily if the cord was yanked, leaving the form fitting buds stuck in your ear. Unfortunately, this still seems to be the case, although it does take a little more to separate the two.
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds come with a sturdy hard-shell carry case. The earbuds and the cable can simply be rolled up and placed into the case and transported anywhere. With the case only being 9cm in length, it can be placed snuggly in most pockets or in a backpack where the earbuds won’t get lost. The extra ear tips too, can be stored within the zip-up case as well.
Features and performance
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds II feature a 3.5mm connection that gives users a large range of functions with the audio jack having a low-profile 90 degree plug. I’m a big fan of the 90 degree plug as it enables the audio jack to tuck in nicely against the device, whether it is a PC, and mobile device, a Switch or even a controller. If you have a smartphone that doesn’t come with a 3.5mm audio jack, then you’re out of luck though, as there are no other connectivity issues. But if you’re gaming on the go, the Earbuds II will satisfy most of your needs.
The Earbuds come with a multi-function button in the housing that contains the microphone. As such, it is positioned reasonably high on the cord, so that it is optimally placed for conversations. This is great for its main purpose but feels a little high when you want to access the button. But as I mainly used it for pausing tracks when listening to music, it didn’t affect me that much at all.
The audio on the Earbuds II works great, even with devices set to a low volume. Voices are clear when chatting with colleagues via Zoom or Teams calls. The same can be said when watching streamed movies and TV show, YouTube videos and even TikTok’s. The same can be said when listening to your favourite tunes. The directional drivers allow music and game sound effects to be pinpointed to the optimal location with surprising clarity. There seems to be a more pronounced bass than the previous model, with some nice bass produced from the Prodigy's Diesel Power and Massive Attack's Angel. Although this isn't at the level achieved from a quality over-ear headset, it is as close as I've heard from a wired set of earbuds.
Also surprisingly clear - considering the size if the inbuilt device – is the microphone itself. When chatting to squad mates in your favourite co-op game or to colleagues via Teams, the Cloud Earbuds give a good account for themselves, allowing voices to be heard clearly. Unfortunately, the Cloud Earbuds II do not do a great job of blocking outside noise. The clicking of a mechanical keyboard, or the clicking of fingers can easily be picked up. But if you’re gaming on the go, you’ll unlikely be clicking away at a mechanical keyboard anyway.
Verdict
I love my over ear gaming headset, but there are times when a bulky headset can be inconvenient. Listening to music whilst jogging or commuting in a sweaty train or bus or a hot day are not conducive to comfortable listening with a standard set of gaming headphones. It is cases like this that the HyperX Cloud Earbuds II are the perfect alternative. They are comfortable (once you find the tip size that suits your ear), portable, rarely tangle, and most importantly produce quality audio and voice recording. And at a budget price, they're perfect for the gamer on the go.
In the Box:
HyperX Cloud Earbuds II
Hard Carrying Case
4 x Tip Sizes
Quick Start Guide
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