As a society we are always on the go. We want everything in our lives small, efficient and portable. One of the things I do the most on the go is listening. Listening to the world around, voices, video game content and to my music. Having sound directed straight to my ears makes that escape a reality and more immersive.

In saying that, I am sick of having earbuds that are a tangled mess, bad quality or to be brutally honest, just plain cheap and nasty sitting in the bottom of my bag. In my quest for better earbuds how did the new HyperX Cloud Earbuds stack up against the rest?

On first appearances, the Cloud buds look like any other set of earbuds. However, on further inspection these silky, matte, red and black buds have a thicker, durable, rubber cord, compared to other generic styles on the market. I love having thicker cabling, as it really does make it easier to unravel them and stops the internal wires from breaking. I’m forever mourning the death of losing one earbud to deterioration.

The box includes the earbuds with a 3.5mm jack and mobile multifunction button attached, two other sets of interchangeable ear sizes and a nifty little carrying case. I loved this cute, little case and with no more tangled mess, it was a welcomed inclusion.

The genius inclusion of their difference, patented, ear sizes was refreshing to see. Not every ear is the same and giving the consumer the ability to customise their fit means HyperX realise we are all different. To be honest, I’m sick of throwing away sporadic purchases because they are too big to even fit my tiny ears. While we are on this topic, they are actually really comfortable, the choice of silicone over foam is effective as they slip right in with ease, once you have your size of choice.

So how did they actually perform? I had these bad boys cranked, at a whisper, in my tablet and phone, on the Nintendo Switch and I even have them plugged into my phone while I had another headset over the top of them while I spoke in party chat on XBOX. If it had an AUX jack, I tested their sound quality. Now they may not be a set of Beats, but I was really quite blown away by the quality of sound they produce. The sound was crystal clear and fairly bassy, which I need in my life, nothing is worse than that flatline, brassy sound some products have. It had a kind range of tones which spread across a range of platforms, making for one enjoyable sound experience.

It does also have a multi-function button, that to be honest is a little too high up the cable for my liking as it is a bit awkward to reach up to grab. I do understand why they did it though as it is close to your mouth, perfect for in-chat talking or taking calls. I only really used it as a pause button though on Spotify, which is still just as handy.

Now, these were designed for mobile but also surprising aimed at the Nintendo Switch. In a clever marketing decision from HyperX, this is a perfect decision since the Switch’s base earbuds that are included in their packages are absolutely terrible quality. With the Nintendo Switch pumping out games left right and centre, it’s a must you find a set of buds with a bit more power and dare I say it, actual bass. Playing Doom of my Nintendo Switch was a much more exhilarating experience than the tinny, treble I was getting from my original set of Switch buds. The HyperX Clouds definitely made my gaming experience that more enjoyable and that more inclusive.

Now, the HyperX Cloud Earbuds aren’t the most expensive on the market if you do the research, but at about $79AU they are certainly a leg up on most basic sets. These classy earbuds are perfect for the Nintendo Switch, as they are just as portable on the go. With their sleek design, comfy fit and their decent sound quality, HyperX are stamping their ground in adding more audio accessories into the market other than basic headsets. Happy gaming these holidays!

Specifications

Headphone
Driver: Dynamic 14mm with neodymium magnets
Frequency response: 20Hz–20,000Hz
Impedance: 65 Ω
Sound pressure level: 116dBSPL/mW at 1kHz
T.H.D.: < 2%
Weight: 19g
Cable type and length: 4 pole, 1.2m

In-Line Microphone
Element: Electret condenser microphone
Polar pattern: Omni-directional
Frequency response: 100Hz-6,300 Hz
Sensitivity: -42dBV (0dB=1V/Pa,1kHz)

Written by: Stacey