HyperX Cloud Flight S

Expensive, but mostly a joy to use.

The Cloud Flight S is somewhat similar to the original Cloud Flight, although not as much as the names might suggest. Whereas the earlier model featured striated ear cups, red highlights and loose wires in the headband, the Cloud Flight S is a much more low-key, elegant device. It’s almost all black plastic, with an adjustable, notched headband and a white “HX” logo on either ear cup.

The left ear cup is where most of the special features live, including a detachable, flexible mic, a power button, a 7.1 surround sound button and a micro-USB charging port. But what’s more interesting are the four circular indentations that dot the left ear cup like directions on a compass rose. You can program these buttons to do almost anything, but by default, they control game/chat balance, as well as mic muting and sidetone. These are one of my favorite parts of the Cloud Flight S, as they give you lots of options without being obtrusive in the slightest.

On the right ear cup, there’s a volume dial, and that’s it. It’s well-placed, and easy to find without looking.

Thanks to its plush ear cups and padded headbands, I found the Cloud Flight S extremely comfortable to wear for hours at a time. While rigid, unnumbered notches aren’t my favorite way to adjust a headset, I quickly found a good fit, and didn’t have to mess around with the sizing again until I handed the device to a co-worker.

I ran the Cloud Flight S through a variety of games on the PC and PS4, including Overwatch, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and World of Warcraft. In every case, the soundscape was robust and nuanced, from the impassioned pleas of Lara Croft’s friends, to the shots fired from Ashe’s shotgun, to the clanks of armor at a medieval blacksmith.

HyperX has also optimised surround sound for a number of games. Most games are developed with stereo sound, and 7.1 surround sound doesn’t do them any particular favors. As such, HyperX has developed algorithms for improved surround sound with games such as Apex Legends, Fortnite and Overwatch. I didn’t think these options provided much better experiences than traditional stereo sound, but it’s a good option to have, at least.

Like a lot of other HyperX gear, the Cloud Flight S runs on the HyperX NGenuity software. This software is profoundly OK, combining a barebones

whereas the rest are all about audio variety. The Toslink optical output is there if you want to set up your TV or game console that way. A 3.5mm linein port is perhaps the easiest and most common of them all. Then you have four line-outs for sound systems.

We didn’t find the Sound Blaster X3 difficult to set up, though we should also note that there are several different configurations and settings to note. You also need Creative’s Sound Blaster Command app on iOS or Android to help facilitate some of the features, especially Super X-Fi. For example, if you’ve never used Super X-Fi before, you would need to download that app to map your face and ears and create a personalised audio profile. If you already have a profile, it’s easy to link it to the Sound Blaster Command app, which then applies it to the X3.

From an audio perspective, the X3 can handle up to 32-bit at 192KHz, putting it above just about any pair of headphones you probably own (audiophile gear, notwithstanding). The amplifier inside is a nod to more discerning audio listeners, where Creative says the DAC and Super X-Fi are able to push out great sound to them.

It’s like an external sound card that’s compatible with PS4, PC and Mac..