Kingston’s original HyperX Cloud had been widely touted to be one of the better gaming headphones out in the market according to pro-gamers. Now whether or not that statement is true is not something I can answer as I’ve never tried it on myself. However, what I can tell you is how its successor, the HyperX Cloud II, performs. So does it live up to the hype its predecessor has?

Moderately Sized

Right out of the box, the Cloud II is smaller than I imagined it to be. It’s not exactly compact sized but it’s not gargantuan either. The ear-cups are big enough to accommodate anyone and is comfortable made that I’m able to use it for an extended period of time. The clamp for the cans is tight enough to

prevent any sound leakage while not being uncomfortably painful.

Seven Point One

Paired with the headphones is the USB-powered audio control box that comes with a built-in Digital Sound Processer (DSP) system. This audio control box is in stark contrast to the ASUS STRIX headphone’s DSP that I’ve reviewed earlier as it is comparatively smaller. This little gadget is where you’ll activate the 7.1 feature of the headphones.

Noise Amplified

One thing to note is that this headphone isn’t a true 7.1 surround sound system. It is a virtual solution and as far as performance goes, it works incredibly well. The output from the headphones when the 7.1 setting is toggled on superbly augments music, movies, and most games. Simply put, if you aren’t picky with the way the Cloud II handles 7.1, you’ll find plenty to like here.