HyperX Cloud III Wireless is the follow-up to the well-received Cloud II Wireless, and the cable-free sibling of Cloud III Wired. The headset has a tough act to follow but comes armed with some headline features to help hold its own. These include a 120-hour battery life, a lifetime licence for DTS Headphone:X, and the ability to hook its 2.4GHz wireless dongle up to an array of devices. HyperX Cloud III Wireless’ USB-C dongle (and included USB-A adaptor) allows it be used on PC, Android smartphones or tablets, PlayStation 5 and PS4.

We’ve tried HyperX Cloud III across all its compatible devices to see if it’s worth the €179/$169/£169 price tag.

Series Refined

HyperX Cloud III Wireless is a fitting device for the series. The closed-back design is comfortable with good noise isolation. The large 53mm drivers have a wide audio spectrum, with some fat and defined low end with no less definition at the high end. The device is extremely easy to use, something that the millions of casual gamers tempted to accessorise their gaming experience will value.

So far, so Cloud.

HP HyperX build quality metal aluminium heavy

The headset continues the trend of premium PC accessories moving towards minimalist, less aggressive, and less overtly ‘gaming’ visual designs. HyperX Cloud III Wireless Gaming Headset comes in two colourways. The company’s signature black with red accents, and an all-black affair.

Our review model, the all-black variant, looks very cool in its matte finish. There isn’t much detail to break up its lines or disturb the finish of the high-quality materials. There is a HyperX logo on each cup, shyly whispering the brand name upon inspection.

HyperX Cloud III Wireless vs wired battery life lag

The stalks and how they meet the cups present some macro detailing, as do the interface between the brushed metallic outer part of the cup and the plastic casing closer to the ear pads. Without the mic, HyperX Cloud III Wireless present much like the self-assured minimalism you see on expensive audiophile gear.

Audio Spectrum

Gaming audio tends to need a delicate and detailed high-end to recreate the spatial signature of moving footsteps or gunfire. They also need some low-end grunt to recreate a battlefield or the roar of dragon to help immerse a player into its digital realm.

Consequently, gaming headphones of good quality are generally excellent for TV and movies, and can do wonders for listening to music.

HyperX Cloud III Wireless definitely has the range and chops to excel in all three media. The voice is mostly neutral by default, with just a little boost to the high-end and low-end. It’s not u-shaped, or particularly musical out of the box.

But, after a little messing with your device’s equaliser (or the 10-band NGenuity equaliser on Windows PC), HyperX Cloud III Wireless can sound amazing while bopping to your favourite music tracks. Funk, house, and bouncier hip-hop sound especially nice with that sparkling high-end floating above a bone-humming bass.

Surround Soundstage

The surround capabilities of HyperX Cloud III Wireless are definitely good enough to allow the 360 degree soundscape of DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio. There’s also enough detail to allow for software-specific surround solutions to work their 3D magic.

However, the closed-back design and cosy earcups don’t allow for a great deal of depth to the 3D audio. It’s beyond good enough for placing footsteps or gunshots, and it will give a little extra aural immersion to your action films, but the soundstage is a little cramped.

Intuitive Hardware Design

All of the headset’s inputs are placed where the thumbs land naturally when you reach for the ear on that side of your body. The power and mute mic buttons are on the left cup, the volume dial is on the right. It’s simple and intuitive.

Volume wheel on wireless PC console headphones

A tiny detail we liked is that the volume dial has a little resistance so it’s easier to fine tune the loudness in the heat of battle.

The detachable mic comes with a red mic mute indicator light that will be at the edge of the peripheral vision while gaming. When the light is on, you are muted; when it’s off, you are live. This is genuinely handy in avoiding making callouts to your squad while unknowingly muted. It’s handy for the opposite, speaking too freely while thinking you are on mute.

Build Quality

The metal frame and ear cup outers gives the headset a reassuringly dense and solid feel. The soft faux leather seal with a generous layer of padding make HyperX Cloud III Wireless very comfortable to wear over long periods. The seal and padding also combine to enhance noise isolation.

The package contains the HyperX Cloud III Wireless Headset unit, USB-C 2.4GHz wireless dongle, USB-C to USB-A adaptor, and a short USB-A to USB-C charging cable. You also get a fabric drawstring bag to sling your headset and its dongle etc. into when on the move.

The USB dongle works with PlayStation 4, PS5, PC and Android mobile devices right out of the box. Your dongle is already hooked up to the unit, so start-up is as simple as plugging the dongle into your gaming or mobile device, and turning on the headphones. The whole thing is very easy and intuitive.

The dongle is a little large, sticking out around three centimetres (around 1.2 inches) from your device of choice. This won’t be an issue on your desktop or console, it can be something you’ll need to consider when using on a laptop or smartphone.

NGenuity Engine

For Windows PC users, you can unlock all of the nifty features that come with HyperX Cloud III Wireless though the NGenuity app. However, when hooking up to NGenuity for the first time, there are a few firmware and driver updates. The whole lot will only take a few minutes before you can get back into the action.

This suite includes drivers for DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio, which warns that the drivers will bring a little extra latency. It’s not a great message to receive but I didn’t notice the added lag once I had installed the lot.

The NGenuity app is streamlined and intuitive. While casual users may baulk at the idea of downloading PC software, it’s extremely easy to use. The app places the most useful, and most used, functions front and centre once you click the headsets tab along the left. Equaliser, DTX on or off, volume for the headphone and the mic, mic monitoring switch.

You can also bring up Windows Sound Settings, and find other options in their buttons visible on the page. The more complex stuff is there too, you just have to look a little harder. Keeping it simple was a solid decision – it’s uncluttered and undaunting for new users.

All-Rounder

HyperX Cloud III Wireless’ delicate yet powerful sound is, unsurprisingly, good for more than gaming. For TV and movies, the surround compatibility and deep bass offer a lot of immersion. The wide frequency range and low distortion also allow music to sound excellent on the headset.

However, HyperX Cloud III Wireless only uses the 2.4GHz radio standard to communicate. There is no Bluetooth option. If you want to bring the headset on the bus to stream Spotify, you will need to plug the dongle into your phone.

HyperX Cloud III Wireless Gaming Headset PS5 PlayStation Android Steam

This is likely put a lot of people off using the device on the go. Foostering with the dongle when you want to listen to music, and putting it away when you are finished is inconvenient, at best. Plus, if you lose the dongle while travelling, that would be a nightmare.

And this feels like a missed opportunity. The sound quality is as good as you would expect from headphones at this price, gaming or otherwise. Many people won’t have other audio gear of this quality, or don’t have wireless on-ear headphones for music.

Battery Life Boon

One of the exceptional features of the device is its 120-hour maximum runtime from a single charge. While we didn’t get the stopwatch out, we found that at several hours’ use per day across a variety of systems and a variety of media, the unit lasted 21 days. Three weeks at several hours of everyday use worked out close enough to 120 hours that we’ll vouch for it.

The use of USB-C to charge HyperX Cloud III Wireless makes the infrequent charging that bit easier. When you’re not going to be using a cable for three weeks at a time, the ubiquitous standard is a perfect choice.

The device can be charged via USB while in operation. However, there is no audio passthrough via USB, so you will still need the dongle plugged in to use the headset.

Specifications – HyperX Cloud III Wireless Gaming Headset

Drivers:	Angled 53 millimetre dynamic drivers
Microphone:	Detachable, Condenser, uni-directional, noise-cancelling
Headphones frequency range:	10Hz-21,000Hz
Connectivity:	2.4GHz via USB-C dongle (adapter for USB-A included)
Surround Platform:	DTS Headphone: X Spatial Audio
Battery:	Up to 120 hours
Sensitivity:	95dB
Weight:	Without mic – 330g With mic – 342g

HyperX Cloud III Wireless is a quality piece of kit that aims to open the door to a premium audio experience for the casual player. The hardware is intuitive and the software equally so.

The attractive design, robust feel, and wide range of compatible devices add value to the package. The 120-hour battery life and use of USB-C dongle and charging standards add convenience to the proposition.

HyperX Cloud III Wireless Gaming Headset comes at a suitably premium price. But, considering the utility, features and design, we feel it would be worth every penny for those who would spend many hours a day with their headset on across a multitude of content.