Quick take
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is a premium 2.4 GHz headset with specifically-tuned audio for competitive gaming. The Cloud Alpha Wireless features the same ergonomics and reliability that’s elevated HyperX to one of the leading headset brands, with a remarkable 300-hour battery life that blows the competition out of the water. I was impressed by the Cloud Alpha Wireless’ no-frills design. The headset doesn’t include any fancy features like ANC or RGB lighting, and it isn’t compatible with all devices (sorry Xbox owners), but it nails the aspects that matter most, like stellar sound quality for gaming and all-day comfort.
- 300-hour battery life
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent spacial audio
- Not compatible with all platforms
Table of Contents
Headset specs
- Connectivity: Wireless
- Design: Closed-back
- Compatibility: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch (docked)
- Drivers: 40mm
- Weight: 335 grams
- Frequency Response: 15-21,000 Hz (wireless)
- Microphone: Detachable Boom
- Battery life: 300 hours
Alternative headsets
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a premium gaming headset loaded with innovative tech features. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless features ANC, transparency mode, Bluetooth and wired capabilities, and a wireless OLED base station. The wireless base station can connect to multiple devices simultaneously and charges the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless’ extra battery.
Logitech G735
The Logitech G735, introduced in 2022, is a dual-connection wireless headset with onboard chat mixing and customizable RGB lighting. The G735 also features Bluetooth and wired capabilities, and an impressive 56-hour battery life.
HyperX Cloud II
The HyperX Cloud II is a wired counterpart to the Cloud Alpha Wireless. The Cloud II features 53mm drivers that produce accurate sound for gaming, making it easy to hear footsteps and other critical audio cues. Although the Cloud II has a similar design and sound quality to the Cloud Alpha, it’s available for about half the price.
Ergonomics
Ear cups
The Cloud Alpha’s closed-back ear cups are oval-shaped and spacious, with plenty of room to accommodate ears without feeling cramped. A foam layer protects ears from being agitated by the driver coverings on the inside of the ear cups.
The ear cushions are made from memory foam covered in a soft leatherette material that creates a passive noise seal when pressed against the face. The overall design of the Cloud Alpha’s ear cup makes an inviting experience suitable for marathon gaming sessions without causing fatigue.
Headband
A solid piece of aluminum extends along the Cloud Alpha’s headband and holds each ear cup in place. The aluminum headband makes the Cloud Alpha durable and allows the headset to be twisted and manipulated without fear of breaking.
The Cloud Alpha’s headband is furnished with leatherette and exposed stitching along the seams, covering a thick layer of memory foam that expands the length of the headband. The headband does an outstanding job bracing the Cloud Alpha’s weight and is suitable for various head sizes.
Clamping Force
The Cloud Alpha Wireless has an ideal clamping force. The ear cups press against the head and take some of the headset’s weight off the headband without being overly tight. Due to the headband’s aluminum construction, it’s pliable and can be widened to lessen the clamping force if needed.
Audio
| Driver Size (mm) | Wired Frequency Range (Hz) | Wireless Frequency Range (Hz) | Nominal Impedance (ohms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | n/a | 15-21,000 | 62 |
Gaming
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless has a punchy, vibrant sound mix that’s superb for casual and competitive gaming. The Cloud Alpha uses 50mm drivers and a closed-back design to accurately produce game audio, creating an immersive experience that’s sure to put a smile on your face.
The Cloud Alpha Wireless uses a 2.4 GHz connection that’s low latency and reliable enough for competitive gaming. The headset does an excellent job enhancing vital game sounds like footsteps, and the directional audio makes it easy to determine the distance and location of enemy players.
The Alpha’s sound mix helps reduce the volume of loud sounds like gunshots and explosions. This makes the Cloud Alpha Wireless one of the best headsets for Escape From Tarkov, allowing you to turn up the game’s volume without losing your hearing to a frag grenade.
Music
Music with the Cloud Alpha Wireless is clear and crisp, and the sound doesn’t become muddled while playing complicated tracks, like Touch of Grey by the Grateful Dead. The headset doesn’t have heavy bass, and with no Bluetooth or ANC, the Cloud Alpha Wireless probably won’t replace your regular pair of listening headphones.
Features
Tech
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is a no-frills headset that’s light on tech features, and most customization options can be accessed via the NGENUITY software. The lack of features like ANC or RGB lighting helps make the Cloud Alpha Wireless one of the most efficient headsets, with over 300 hours of battery life.
Software
The Cloud Alpha Wireless is compatible with the free HyperX NGENUITY companion software. NGENUITY is a bare-bones software that adjusts some of the Alpha’s essential functions like game volume, microphone volume, and mic monitoring. The NGENUITY software also enables DTS:X spatial audio and features several EQ presets.
Controls
The Cloud Alpha Wireless features basic onboard controls located directly on the ear cups. The left ear cup features a concave power button above a convex mute button. The shape of the buttons makes them easy to distinguish once you learn which is which. The right ear cup houses an infinity volume dial with a tone that indicates minimum and maximum volume.
When the Cloud Alpha is powered on, a clear voice conveys the headset’s connection status and remaining battery percentage. I like that HyperX decided to use voice communication instead of tones, making the headset more straightforward.
Connectivity
Connections
| 3.5mm (wired) | USB (wired) | Bluetooth (wireless) | 2.4 GHz (wireless) | Dual Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | Yes | No |
Using a small USB transmitter, the Cloud Alpha Wireless strictly connects via low-latency 2.4 GHz. During testing, I didn’t notice any latency between game audio and visuals or experience any connection drops. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is one of the fastest connecting headsets, taking less than 5 seconds from when you power on the headset.
Compatibility
| PC | Mac | PS4 | PS5 | Xbox One | Xbox Series X/S | Switch | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Since the Cloud Alpha Wireless only connects via 2.4 GHz, it has limited options for compatibility. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is meant for PC and Playstation consoles; it doesn’t play nice with Xbox, only works with a Nintendo Switch while docked, and requires an adapter to be used with mobile devices.
Battery life
Maybe the most impressive feature of the Cloud Alpha Wireless is its 300-hour battery life, which is far superior to any other headset we’ve come across. The Cloud Alpha’s battery life allows players to game for months without recharging, pushing the limits of what’s possible for wireless peripherals.
Pro tip
Check out our list of the 11 best gaming keyboards to see other wireless peripherals to pair with the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless.
Microphone
The Cloud Alpha Wireless features a detachable boom microphone that inserts into the left ear cup of the headphone. The boom microphone is flexible and can be bent to the perfect distance from your mouth.
One of the best features of the microphone is a red LED status indicator on the tip. The LED status indicator turns on when the mic has been muted, so you always know the mic’s status without removing the headset.
The Cloud Alpha’s boom microphone is one of the best we tested. It reproduces voice accurately and does an exceptional job of eliminating background sounds. HyperX also includes a foam pop filter for the boom microphone that can further reduce unwanted noise. Listen in below to our in-house recording to hear the microphone quality yourself.
In the box
- Wireless Gaming Headset
- USB Wireless Adapter
- USB Charge Cable
- Detachable Mic
- Pop Filter
- Quick Start Guide
