I'm an avid gamer on both PC and the PS4. I usually have two audio solutions - one for my PC and another for my console. For the longest time, I've used the Sony Gold Wireless headphones as my PS4 audio device but it came with two big problems. One - it ran out of batteries very quickly, so I upgraded the battery with a 2000 mAh 3rd party battery for the Dualshock 4 but it still runs out way too fast, and two - I replaced the cups with 3rd party ones that get really warm really fast.
Now those things wouldn't normally warrant me going out and trying to find a new headset just to get over a few inconveniences, but then I saw the Hyperx Cloud Stinger Core headphones for less than the $40 SRP at iTech. I snatched them up right away. I had heard good things about the Stinger anyway so figured I might as well try it out. You can get yours from Lazada, too.
Unboxing
This is a barebones HyperX product so you can't expect it to come with much. In the box, there's literally the headphones and two inserts that are essentially useless.
Specs
Headphones
Microphone
Build Quality
Everything seems to have been built with a pretty hard plastic, except for the actual band and the piece of metal that allows for the cups to slide down. The band is made with a very flexible plastic, which lets you twist it in ways you probably shouldn't try with other headphones.
The cups are made with fabric, which might make it very stinky over the course of a few months. Not sure if they can be replaced, though. Underneath the band, there's a pad made with the same material cushion against the top of your head.
Motion on the cups is actually very limited. It's only really useful for adjusting its angle to accommodate your head. If you twist the joints too far, you run the risk of snapping them off.
Each cup has a cable coming out of it, which means there are no cables running across the top. I guess that's why it can be bend and twist the way it does. It also makes it a little cheaper to manufacture. Initially thought it would be annoying, and it was for a while until I got used to it. Cables are not braided but they're reinforced but it probably wouldn't survive a very strong tug.
The microphone can be moved up and down and is actually quite bendy while retaining the position that you bent it into quite well.
Overall, I'd say this is a fairly durable set of headphones especially along the headband, with the cable and the joints on the actual cups being the weakest parts of it.
Comfort
With its weight, it feels as if you're wearing nothing on your head. These are so light, they almost feel like cheap corporate giveaways - you know, the freebies you get for signing up for a credit card or something. But that lightness actually benefits the headphones, making it very comfy to wear over extended gaming sessions.
Since the headband is so bendy, it accommodates for various head sizes and shapes. Yes, even massive pear-shaped noggins.
Despite the cups not being leather, the softness of the synthetic fabric more than makes up for it. It does feel quite nice against your cheeks.
Sound Quality
Before I even begin to talk about sound quality, you should know that I am not an audiophile. I love listening to all kinds of music and I love listening to music really loud. However, I'm not super picky when it comes to headphones. I've tried various headsets over the years and I find that there's a level of quality that marks my bare minimum and once a pair reaches that, everything falls under the same category of "good." As long as it doesn't sound like two empty aluminum cans tied together by a string, it's all gravy.
On that note, I'd say that if you're anything like me, you're going to be very satisfied with the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core headphones. They sound loud enough, but not probably not as loud as the regular Stingers because those have 50mm drivers, while these only have 40mm drivers. When gaming, left and right channels are very distinct so you should be able to use it competitively if you want. It'll also make for a very immersive single player experience.
When watching movies, it does quite nicely as well. There's a lot of oomphy bass when there are explosions and stuff. I can't speak towards the mids and highs because I have no idea how to.
For gaming, if you're not too picky, it's perfect.
Microphone Quality
With mic quality, I'm a little more picky. It's quite easy to tell if a headset has a terrible mic. I've used some gaming headsets (like the Sony Gold Wireless headphones) that have crap microphones. Some gaming headphone mics make you sound so robotic. Thankfully, the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core microphone is actually really good. And not just really good for its price kind of good. But it's actually, legimitately good. It's not going to beat stand-alone microphones like the Razer Siren or Blue Yeti but for a budget gaming headset microphone, it even blows some of the more expensive ones out of the water. Some people even say that it sounds better than the Cloud II's.
The Stinger microphone goes on mute when it's in the folded position, and I thought that was a pretty neat touch. The Stinger Cores, though, don't do that. They're always on until you mute it through the in-line controls.
Here's a video of me rambling on it.
Other Considerations
The cable on it is short - just 1.3m long, and when gaming, that's pretty much the perfect length. At no point during your session will your controller be farther from your head than 1.3m. I guess, unless you throw your controllers but you shouldn't be doing that anyway so... you know, don't do that.
The Stinger Cores were designed for the PlayStation platform but you can use it for your phone, your Nintendo Switch, your Xbox One, your laptop, or any device that has a 3.5mm female jack. You can use it on the PC if you have a splitter.
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The controlls are easily accessible and are pretty easy to use. There's a switch to mute the mic and a dial to turn volume up or down, and they're both found in the in-line control. That's basically it, though - no 7.1 virtual surround, no wireless capabilities, no nothing. It's barebones and stripped down, and that's perfectly fine.
Overall Verdict
If you skipped through the whole article and didn't watch the videos, essentially if you pick up the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core headphones, expect to get a really comfy, good sounding, durable, usable basic pair of headphones. It isn't going to win any awards but it works really well for console gaming and should suit any gamer's needs, especially if they're not too picky about having the latest and greatest audio solution possible.
8.3Overall7Sound8.5Comfort9.5Microphone