Verdict: Cheap and good don’t usually overlap, but the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 is the exception to that rule. This sub-Php 5K wireless gaming headset delivers excellent sound quality and wireless performance, as well as crystal clear audio pickup for multiplayer games. The only knock against it is the fact that it doesn’t have RGB nor 3.5mm jack connectivity, but that’s not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Pick this up if you want a great pair of wireless cans for gaming without breaking the bank.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 is priced at Php 4,390

Pros

• Light
• Affordable
• Excellent sound quality for the price
• Good sound pick up

Cons

• Software is barren and borderline useless
• No RGB
• All plastic build feels a little cheap

Grabbing a pair of gaming cans during the pandemic isn’t as bad of a move as you’d think, especially if you’re the sort of person that gets dragged to multiple Zoom meetings every day that should’ve been emails. While HyperX’s Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 doesn’t have fancy extras like RGB lighting, its solid performance and sub-Php 5K price tag make it perfect for both WFH professionals and casual gamers alike.

Design

The Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 is primarily made out of plastic and uses steel sliders to guide the two large earcups. Its overall weight is a mere 244 grams. This is a mixed bag – while the relatively low weight of the headphones makes it easy to wear during extended gaming sessions (or long, boring Zoom meetings), the lack of heft makes it feel cheaper than it actually is.

Like I mentioned earlier there’s a distinct lack of RGB on the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The cans are mostly made out of hard, molded plastic, with the HyperX logo printed on both left and right earcups. There’s a HyperX logo engraved on the top of the headband as well.

The left earcup holds the microphone and microphone boom. One feature I really like with this is the auto-mute function when you flip the microphone up, which saves you time fiddling with buttons on the side.

Speaking of buttons on the side, a single power button is located on the rear of the left earcup, along with an LED indicator, volume rocker, and a USB Type-C connector for charging.

The earcups use light cushions that feel good when worn, and there’s a fair amount of clamping pressure that makes sure that the headset stays on your head. I usually sweat through the earcups of over-ear headphones, which didn’t happen with the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1. The earcup and headphone design of the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 may be basic, but it’s guaranteed to last and won’t start flaking off after a year or so, unlike the offerings of other brands that utilize faux leather on their earcups and cushions.

Connectivity and features

The HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 connects to your PC via a USB 2.4GHz dongle that you connect to your PC. There’s no secondary connection mode to connect the headphones to your PC, so you can’t really use this without the dongle, limiting its use to laptops and desktops.

Sound is delivered through 40mm neodymium directional drivers, with virtual 7.1 sound. Frequency response range from 20Hz to 20kHz for the main drivers, and with the microphone sporting frequency response range from 50Hz to 18kHz.

As for the software side, HyperX offers the NGENUITY software to manage audio levels and stuff, but it’s incredibly barebones and next to useless. You’re better off using Windows Sonic for the 7.1 surround sound experience.

Performance and battery life

I wasn’t really expecting a lot as far as sound quality goes for the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 considering its price, but I was very pleasantly surprised at what I got.

It managed to deliver really good sound quality in games, and that virtual 7.1 surround sound comes in handy in realistic shooters like Squad, Post Scriptum as well as other first-person shooters like Rainbow Six: Siege. Positional audio allows you to accurately track the enemy’s movements based on the sounds they make and gives you a huge advantage with the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1.

As for the microphone, it’s pretty good, and while it doesn’t have features like active noise suppression, it still managed to pick up what I was saying clearly, though I wouldn’t recommend it if you stream a lot. It’s also a good microphone for work purposes too – not once did anyone else at Unbox complain about my audio quality during our usual 1 1/2 hour Monday meeting.

Battery life is around 16 hours, close to HyperX’s 17-hour battery estimate for this headset.

Wrap-up and conclusions

If you’re looking for a solid over-ear headset to use in both gaming and WFH meetings over Zoom or Google Meet, it’s hard to beat the value that the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless 7.1 brings to the table. At slightly under Php 5K, it brings tangle-free wireless capabilities with zero lag, excellent positional virtual 7.1 audio as well as solid all-day battery life for not much money.