HyperX Cloud Revolver S

A sweet set of gaming cans to get your head in the clouds.

The Cloud range built itself a reputation on great sound and supreme comfort at an affordable price. But as the family grows, are the top-of-the-range cans bringing enough to the table to warrant their loftier prices?

Considering you can get the original Cloud Revolver headset for $119, the key question here is really, “Is the addition of surround sound worth $110?” The answer is a rather limp, “That depends.” If you’re playing games that have dedicated surround support, the Revolver S’s sound impressive, with a balanced, immersive sound that envelops you as you play.

However, in games that only deliver stereo output, the headset’s integrated USB soundcard can muddy the acoustics when trying to deliver a virtual surround experience, although you can switch to regular stereo at will. We did find that the directionality of sound sources was obscured, and the overall audio generally distant, with a slight echo.

Thankfully, the comfort of the original Revolver headset has carried across. The earcups and headband both have luxurious memory foam, and the latter sits on elasticised suspension to alleviate any undue weight.

The build feels sturdy, with metal elements and braided cables; however, the in-line USB soundcard feels a bit cheap and plasticky.

For just listening to music, these perform fairly well, too — the soundcard has three selectable EQ options (bass, vocal or flat) and the 50mm drivers, combined with the semi-open-back design, make for an impressive sense of space.