Kingston is no stranger to gaming headsets, particularly with its HyperX Cloud series performing surprisingly well for the last several years. Its latest HyperX Cloud II headset, at the time of this writing, stands at a 4.3 star rating on Amazon, a notable feat for any headset in the higher $90-100 range that has over 1,500 ratings there.
Attempting to continue the success of the series, the HyperX Cloud Revolver, releasing today, redesigns the headset with numerous adjustments and a lighter, more flexible build.
Coming in a red and black rectangular box, the Cloud Revolver is a circumarual, closed-back, wired headset that replaces the typical plastic band with a steel frame above an elastic band that automatically fits your head without any needed adjustment. Its faux-leather earcups are noticeably large, fitting snugly around my big ears and head without me experiencing any discomfort after several hours of Battleborn play. (I asked one of my friends who has a larger dome than me and he didn't report any discomfort either after several hours of play.)
The two-strip black steel frame gives the headset a light and sturdy build, though it does reverberate like a tuning fork if you happen to hit it against something. Since the metal bands attach directed to the earcups, you'll hear it vibrate. I suppose that's good if someone in the room wants to get your attention by bonking your headset, but really, this isn't that much of a problem as I don't imagine most people will be bumping the headset against something anyway. The only other issue with the build is that the elastic band, as comfortable as it is, will wear over time; the larger your head, the less durable the headset will be in the long run.
The headset comes with a detachable mic that has some noise-cancelling properties, so that it doesn't pick up everything in the room. It's flexible and holds its shape quite well, so you'll be able to find the perfect distance between the microphone and your mouth easily. There's no function, though, to mute your voice by flicking the mic to a vertical position.
The muting function is reserved for the extra dongle that comes with the Cloud Revolver which has a mute switch and a volume dial. Effectively extending the 1-meter wire of the 3.5mm jack on the headset to 2 meters, the dongle also splits the wire into two jacks, one for the mic and one for the audio. However, it doesn't have a USB adapter, and it would have been nice to see the volume dial be embedded in the headset instead. In fact, the circular rim-like frame on the back of the earcups would have been perfect for adjusting volume and changing the audio-to-mic volume ratio, a function which the headset doesn't have.
But for a mid-range headset at around $120, the headset performs well enough. The audio quality is solid, though not necessarily for bass-pounding music, and its design ensures that people around you won't hear what you're playing for the most part. The Cloud II is currently priced about $20 less if you're looking for a more budget-priced option that has pretty much the same audio quality with a few more added accessories. For comfort and build, though, you're better off paying a little more for the HyperX Cloud Revolver.
