HyperX Cloud Earbuds II Review
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Quick Summary
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds II are a decent set of earbuds. They don’t really excel at anything, and the sound is just okay, but they’re a complete package for anyone not too picky about details.
Compatibility and Controls
These earbuds are compatible with anything that uses a 3.5 mm headphone port. That means PS5 and Xbox Series S|X controllers, Nintendo Switch, PC, you name it. In order to use the mic on a desktop PC, it will require putting it into a combo jack (usually at the top or front of the PC). Otherwise, you’ll need a splitter.
There is a media button on the left wire. One tap pauses and plays tracks or answers/hangs up on calls. Two presses skips forward a track and three goes back a track.
Headphone Audio Quality
Passable. That’s the best way to describe the audio of these earbuds. The sound is hollow due to the lack of bass. The upper mids and treble are elevated, though they’re not particularly open. These have less fullness than the HyperX Cloud II and Cloud III headsets.
Fortunately, these don’t distort easily with EQ, so if you’re on PC you can tune them to match your tastes a bit better.
Microphone Audio Quality
While the microphone audio is a bit muffled, it’s otherwise very useable. Even with such a generous pickup pattern, rustling and outside noises only creep into the sound slightly. For such a tiny mic placed how it is, I give it a thumbs up.
Comfort and Build
Lot of pros and cons here. The wire is flat which makes it very tangle resistant and it comes with a cable cinch. Unfortunately, it’s only 48 inches long. That’s good for laptop users and anyone using it in their controller or phone. However, for desktop PC players, that short length is a nightmare.
One thing I really love is the carrying case it comes with for travel.
4 sets of eartips are included so you can find the right fit for you. They even have a wing tip on them which attempts to hold them in place by the folds of your ears.
Ultimately, I found the tips to be too stiff, not snug, and just overall uncomfortable. This is a pretty dated eartip design and HyperX could have done a lot better.
Verdict
The Cloud Earbuds II are primarily for HyperX fans who don’t want or need a bulky gaming headset. However, if you’re not a company loyalist, there are a slew of other IEMs I’d recommend instead. My favorite right now is the KB EAR Rosefinch due to the bass, but a more conservative pick for a balanced sound is the 7Hz x Salnotes Zero.
