Is the HyperX Cloud II Still Worth It in 2022?

Better options without breaking the budget

Alex Rowe
8 min readFeb 1, 2022

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Photo taken by the author.

The HyperX Cloud II is the gaming headset that simply will not die — and one that I’ve covered more than almost any other tech product aside from the M50X headphones. It first launched in 2015, itself a revision of the original Cloud headset, which was itself a revision of a QPad product called the QH90. The QH90 was itself a Takstar Pro 80 OEM headphone with a mic stuck to it.

Phew!

The Cloud II just keeps selling and selling, in spite of the wider market and HyperX themselves both offering better options for the same unmoving $99 price point. That’s right, this thing still goes for its $99 launch price even though it’s over seven years old.

Now, the Cloud II did get a stealth revision in the last couple of years; the model you can buy right now isn’t exactly the one that launched in 2015. The soft touch material on the ear cups was replaced with a basic matte plastic. The headband ornamentation and design are simpler. The slope of the ear cups and the port for the mic were tweaked, making the older mic incompatible with the newer headset. And finally, the current model no longer includes a carrying bag or a little rubber plug to cover the mic jack when it’s not in use.

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Alex Rowe
Alex Rowe

Written by Alex Rowe

I write about gaming, tech, music, and their industries. Audio producer, video editor, and former magazine game critic. Look mom, I’m using my English degree!