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HyperX Cloud MIX wired gaming headset with Bluetooth review


REVIEW – If you have kids and you haven’t been hiding under a rock, your child has probably been playing one of those “battle royale” type games, such as Fortnite or PUBG. My now 12-year-old son is no different. Since dad here is a bit of a microphone dork, I wanted to check out this wired/wireless headset with the detachable mic, the HyperX Cloud MIX Wired Gaming Headset with Bluetooth.

What is it?

The HyperX Cloud MIX is a gaming headset that can be used with a standard wired connection or with Bluetooth with a 20-hour battery runtime. The microphone boom is detachable.

Hardware specs

Headphone
Driver: Custom dynamic, 40mm with neodymium magnets
Type: Circumaural, Closed back
Frequency response: 10Hz–40,000Hz
Impedance: 40 Ω
Sound pressure level: 100dBSPL/mW at 1kHz
T.H.D.: < 2%
Weight: 260g
Weight with mic: 275g
Cable length: Detachable Headset Cable: 1.3m
PC extension cable: 2m
USB charging cable: 0.5m
Connection Type: Detachable Headset Cable: 3.5mm plug (4 pole)
PC extension cable: 3.5mm stereo and mic plugs

Boom Microphone
Element: Electret condenser microphone
Polar pattern: Noise-cancelling
Frequency response: 50Hz-18,000 Hz
Sensitivity: -42dBV (0dB=1V/Pa,1kHz)

Built-in Microphone
Element: Electret condenser microphone
Polar pattern: Omni-directional
Frequency response: 50Hz-8,000 Hz
Sensitivity: -33dBV (0dB=1V/Pa,1kHz)

Bluetooth: 20 hours
Bluetooth Version: 4.2
Wireless Range: Up to 10 meters

What’s in the box?

The headset includes the flexible, detachable boom mic, a 3.5mm audio cable with inline remote, PC audio breakout cable, microUSB charging cable, and a cloth storage bag. The cables are braided and feel fancy.
 Detaching the boom microphone makes for easier traveling.

Design and features

The headband is padded in this leather-like material. It’s very soft.

The earpads are also covered in this material. I found that wearing glasses posed no discomfort. The ear cup is just under 2-1/2 inches high on the inside.On one ear cup is the volume control, LED indicator, power button, and microUSB charging port.

The other side has the oval boom microphone connector, wired audio connector (3.5mm), and hidden on the side is a multifunction Bluetooth button, which can be used to play/pause, take phone calls, or skip tracks.Here’s the boom microphone plugged in, and the supplied 3.5mm cord connected as well. The “headphone” cable tag is still attached. It can be removed if you like.

A close-up view of the wired inline remote. There’s a microphone mute slider and a very hard to photograph volume dial on the side.

Setup

The LED indicator glows red when charging via microUSB.

To via Bluetooth, press and hold the power button (when off) until the LED flashes red/blue. Follow your wireless device’s pairing instructions (computer, smartphone) for the rest.

Performance

I found the headphones sounded just fine, which they should at this price. The closed-back design probably helps with that part. I was more concerned about how the microphone performed. Was it any better than say, using the microphone built into your laptop?

To test this, I recorded myself reading a recipe with and without the headset- while my son nagged “DAD!” in the background. Realistic test, right? I recorded this in our dining room with no special acoustical treatment whatsoever.

The first sample: No headset. Just the laptop microphone.

Next, the HyperX headset with the built-in microphone. No boom mic.

Finally, the HyperX headset with the flexible boom mic.


The boom microphone makes a huge difference in ignoring outside noise.

What I like

Very comfortable, nice sounding audio. Flexible boom microphone really helps pick up your voice while minimizing noise. Subdued appearance.

What needs to be improved

My son discovered that you can at least pair a second device (his phone) but the instructions aren’t clear about it.

Final thoughts

If you like flashy, portable headphones, this may not be for you.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Best Buy
Source: The sample of this product was provided by company HyperX.

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HyperX Cloud MIX wired gaming headset with Bluetooth review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2018 at 9:51 am.

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Roccat Score gaming headset review


REVIEW – I picked up a Nintendo Switch over the summer because I loved the portability. One thing that is annoying about it is that Bluetooth headphones do not connect to it without an adapter. This meant most of my headphones didn’t work with it. I saw the Roccat Score and thought that maybe they would be a good fit to go along with the Switch, since they are small, portable, and meant for gaming.

What is it?

The Roccat Score gaming headphones are styled like earbuds but designed with gamers in mind.

Hardware specs

  • Headphones:
    Measured Frequency response: 20~20.000Hz
    Sensitivity at 1kHz: 108dB
    mid/high frequency driver diameter: 6.8mm (12 ohm impedence)
    low frequency driver diameter: 10mm (16 ohm impedence)
  • Microphone:
    Sensitivity at 1kHz: -42dB
    Impedance: 2.2kO
    Signal-to-noise ratio: >55dB
    Measured Frequency response: 50~12.000Hz

What’s in the box?

In the box, you’ll find the Roccat Score headphones, case, seven different styles of eartips, PC adapter (for microphone/headphone ports), and instruction manual. Six of the tips are standard, but the seventh is memory foam which was interesting.

Design and features

The thing that makes these headphones more unique compared to standard gaming headphones is that they are in-ear with no microphone that goes in front of your mouth. Like I mentioned above, this seemed like an ideal combination for the Nintendo Switch and mobile gaming in general.

Out of the wide variety of ear tips, my favorite ended up being the memory foam ones. It took a few tries to get the fit to be comfortable, but after I got the knack of it, they stayed in my ears and were comfortable for almost two hours straight.

After the headphones are inserted into the ear, the cord is looped up and over the ear with a nice and pliable cable that reminded me of soft (but not fuzzy) pipe cleaners. This kept the cord in place but also was comfortable on the top of my ear.

The microphone is located partially down the audio cable which was the one drawback these had. My friends noted that I sounded very ‘tinny’ because the microphone was picking up a lot of background noise and echoing due to being so far from my lips. They could understand me just fine but I sounded wrong to them.

Music sounded decent, with a nice mid-range and bass, and average quality highs. During games, you could hear footsteps and different sound effects pretty well, though you won’t get the huge booms when a bomb blows up near you since the bass is not extremely powerful. On the Switch, the music and sound effects from Breath of the Wild sounded great.

What I like

  • Variety of ear tips

What needs to be improved

  • The microphone sounds ‘tinny’

Final thoughts

Overall, I thought the Roccat Score headphones were a decent companion to the Nintendo Switch due to the portability, but I would not use them on my PC. The sound quality was decent but the microphone left a lot to be desired. If you can pick up a pair for around $50 or less, the Roccat Score headphones might be nice to toss in a backpack for travel, but I wouldn’t recommend them for much more than that.

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Roccat.

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Roccat Score gaming headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headphones + SuperAmp review


REVIEW – I have enjoyed my Turtle Beach Elite Pro gaming headset since I got my hands on them and have felt little desire to try to upgrade to another higher end pair, that is until the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 came out. They are made for the two gaming devices I use most; the PS4 and PC, and it was a great opportunity to see how much they’ve improved from the first generation.

What is it?

The Turtle Beach Elite Pro gaming headset is a pair of gaming headphones with a SuperAmp included to allow for an optimum gaming experience.

Hardware specs

  • Headphones
    Frequency: 12Hz – 20kHz
    50mm Nanoclear speakers
    Unidirectional microphone with TruSpeak technology
    Athletic fabric, leather, & cooling gel-infused memory foam build
  • SuperAmp
    Bluetooth compatible
    App-controlled
    Amplified DTS: Headphone X 7.1 surround sound support

What’s in the box?

In the box, you’ll find the Elite Pro 2 gaming headset, Elite SuperAmp, audio cable, optical cable, Mini USB power cable, quick start guide, and a Turtle Beach sticker.

Design and features

I have played too many hours to admit on the first pair of Turtle Beach Elite Pro headphones, and so I had high expectations for the newest version. I took out all of the components and quickly plugged in the SuperAmp using the same cord as the Turtle BeachElite Pro TAC, attached the microphone to the headphones, and plugged them in. They were ready to go very quickly. Next, I installed the Turtle Beach app and paired the SuperAmp to my iPhone via the Bluetooth button on the side of the SuperAmp. The app itself allows you to control the headphones just as if you had the Elite Pro TAC. I could change between several presets or customize it to my own liking. Lastly, I attached the Mini-USB and Optical cable to my PS4 for when I wanted to switch back and forth.

After countless hours, the padding on my old pair of headphones is still very good and quite comfortable. After using the new headphones, however, it would be very hard to return to the old ones. The gel memory foam cups are extremely comfortable and do not put much pressure at all on your head. They also claim to work well with glasses, though I do not wear glasses so I could not test that out.

They adjusted easily to my head to allow for maximum comfort. I could barely feel the band across the top of my head. They also were sturdy when pulled on and off and tossed onto the computer after each use. I loved that they stayed in place on my head and that I did not have to adjust the fit every time I used them. I noticed this happens often with my standard, cheaper headphones.

The microphone picked up the sound very well when talking. My friends had no problem hearing my voice and thought that the sound quality was better. When recording and playing back my voice, I had to agree; my voice came in clear and loud. One of the only flaws that I noticed in the design of the headphones came with the microphone. While I can remove the microphone entirely, it is not possible to move the microphone out of the way when not in use as the previous model.

Now let’s get to the sound quality. The first thing that I did was listen to music. I thought that the quality was very good overall. The highs were not as prominent as the mid and low ranges, but that’s fine with me. I could understand all the words clearly, hear the background beat to the music, and still get that nice bass sound. For playing music, they did well.

These are gaming headphones, so I was happy to try out different games to see how well they performed. My main game is Overwatch, and it is important to hear footsteps and gunfire around you when you are a healer. They were about on par with the previous model and definitely did an excellent job of letting me hear all there was around me. In Battlefield 1, I really loved hearing the boom of (my) grenades going off around me. The footsteps weren’t as prominent, though I could hear the gunfire very well and generally what direction the shots were coming from. These are the only two games that I play where having surround sound was very important. The sound quality on other games was just as good as listening to my music.

After using the headphones on my PC, I moved the SuperAmp over to the PS4 and tested out a few games there. The Mini-USB and Optical cables were both long enough to where I could sit comfortably on my bed and play. My PS4 recognized the headphones and switched over right away, and I was ready to go. The sound quality was similar to when using them on the PC. Since I always play with my TV speakers and not headphones, I could definitely hear the sound improvement. Now that I have used these headphones with my PS4, I will likely continue to plug them in whenever I play on the PlayStation and I seriously wonder why I went so long without using any headphones on my PS4.

What I liked

  • Extremely comfortable
  • Bluetooth capability
  • Versatile
  • Excellent microphone sound

What needs to be improved

  • The microphone doesn’t fold out of the way

Final thoughts

Overall, I absolutely loved the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headset and SuperAmp. The ear cushions are even more comfortable than the previous version and the sound quality is better as well. The only gripe I had about was the microphone sticking out all of the time, but not enough to switch back to the previous headset I was using. I would definitely recommend taking a look at the Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 headset and SuperAmp if you are in the market for high quality gaming headphones.

Price: $249.95
Where to buy: Turtle Beach Website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Turtle Beach.

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Turtle Beach Elite Pro 2 gaming headphones + SuperAmp review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 5, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know

NEWS – People are already accustomed to streaming TV shows and movies, and Xbox is bringing that capability to games, too. There’s no word yet on pricing for Xbox’s game-streaming option — known as Project xCloud — but the brand plans to launch public trials of the service next year.

Open to Third-Party Developers

In June 2018, people who attended the E3 technology conference heard from Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s vice president of gaming, that Microsoft intended to bring Xbox games to mobile devices. Project xCloud is the result of those efforts.

Early details indicate game developers could put content on the streaming service. That would mean people would not be limited to interacting with first-party titles. According to a blog post about the service, developers “will be able to deploy and dramatically scale access to their games across all devices on Project xCloud with no additional work.”

The Mobile Availability Could Be a Competitive Advantage

The part of the quote above that references being able to use Project xCloud on all devices is significant. PlayStation Now is another major entity in the streaming game market. But, people who subscribe to that service can only interact with the content on a PlayStation 4 console or a PC.

Notably, more than a minute’s worth of a YouTube video Microsoft released about Project xCloud discusses how its service will not be device-dependent. So, anyone in the world with a device capable of handling streaming content could use the technology.

Some Hardware Is Already in Place

Microsoft has some of the console hardware for Project xCloud installed in one of its data centers now. Moreover, the company broke down an Xbox console into its separate components. The purpose was to build a “blade unit” capable of hosting numerous Xbox systems simultaneously, as well as the necessary infrastructure.

Multiple Ways to Play

Besides being able to get engrossed in Xbox games on any device, people who use Project xCloud won’t even need controllers. Indeed, one way to interact with the games is to connect a wireless controller to a Bluetooth-compatible device. Microsoft demonstrated that option in its YouTube video.

Information has also emerged about a game-specific, touch-sensitive overlay that allows playing the games controller-free. In that setup, buttons might appear on a tablet and respond when a person presses them, making that Project xCloud possibility particularly attractive for people on the go and traveling light.

Rumors and Speculation Are Rampant

Microsoft still needs to publicize crucial details about Project xCloud, such as the cost and the available library of games. Due to those unknown factors, people are weighing in with their thoughts rapidly. For example, some people think Project xCloud will not be fee-based and could target people who subscribe to Xbox Gold.

Such a subscription gives people access to advanced multiplayer games on their consoles. Some individuals think Microsoft might position Project xCloud as a free extra for Xbox Gold subscribers.

Also, Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation Now is Xbox Live. It allows people to browse from an ever-growing library of games, then download and play them as often as they’d like. The prevalent assumption is that Project xCloud wouldn’t replace Xbox Live.

What Sets Project xCloud Apart From the Pack So Far?

Despite the lack of concrete details, there is something exceptionally significant that differentiates Project xCloud from other offerings available from Xbox or otherwise: the ability to play on any device. It’s not difficult to see how that benefit opens gaming to people around the world who can’t afford consoles.

In India, for example, stores sell both consoles and games at a significant markup compared to their U.S. counterparts. Also, the country doesn’t benefit from Black Friday sales that could make game equipment more affordable for a small window of time. It doesn’t help that professionals in India earn less than people in numerous other countries, either.

But, if Project xCloud offers people the chance to access a library of games and never buy a console, a monthly rate for the service could make such entertainment affordable in India and elsewhere. It’s worth remembering Playstation Now allows console-less playing, too, if people use their PCs.

Smartphones are especially ubiquitous, though, making the availability of Project xCloud on those devices seem like an undoubtedly positive point. One report predicts there will be 5.5 billion smartphone users by 2021. To put that another way, only 5.3 billion people in the global population can get running water.

Device Independence Could Accelerate Gaming’s Appeal

It’s too soon to say when Project xCloud will get its first paid subscribers or how much they should expect to get charged. However, being able to play Xbox games on any device could make them more accessible forms of entertainment, both for experienced gamers and the casually curious.

Photo by Arturo Rey 

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro gaming mouse review

REVIEW – I’m a huge fan of good accessories for my PC for home or work. I need a good sturdy keyboard and solid mouse for regular tasks as well as some light gaming. I prefer first-person shooters like Overwatch and CS:GO, and got the chance to review the HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro mouse, I had to give it a try!

What is it?


The HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro is a gaming mouse equipped with RGB lighting, precision sensor and six programmable buttons for customization. I was also sent the HyperX FURY S Pro gaming mouse pad which its optimized for use with the HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro.

Hardware specs

  • Pixart 3389 sensor with native DPI up to 16,000
  • Attached braided USB cable
  • RGB lighting
  • Six programmable buttons
  • Onboard memory to store customizations
  • Extra-large mouse skates for smooth, controlled gliding
  • Weight: 4.6 oz
  • Dimensions: 5in x 2.8in x 1.7in

What’s in the box?

  • HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro
  • User manual

Design and features

The HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro comes in a sleek slate grey color, with an RGB backlit HyperX logo on the palm of the mouse and RGB backlight on the scroll wheel. It has a good hefty weight to it and fits the palm of the hand nicely.

On each side of the mouse, there are black, textured side grips to prevent slippage.

The USB cord is braided, which allows flexibility in movement around the desk.

The bottom of the mouse has nice large surface skates to glide over a desk or mouse pad.

Setup

Setup was a breeze as the mouse is wired USB. Upon connection, I was prompted to install the HyperX NGenuity software. This allows for customization of key bindings, RGB lighting, and macro recording on various profiles.

Full range of RGB color effects are customizable as well as DPI sensitivity levels.

The HyperX NGenuity software also allows for six customized button assignments and macros.

Performance

The HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro gaming mouse is a pleasure to use for both gaming and everyday tasks. The cursor tracking was excellent, as I was able to customize the speed and sensitivity to my preference. The weight is perfect and feels smooth due to the ergonomic design of the mouse.

As mentioned previously, I was sent the extra large HyperX FURY S Pro gaming mouse pad, which was great to keep my speakers, keyboard, and mouse on top of. It was nice to use with the Pulsefire FPS Pro mouse, but not too necessary for the desk I use.

It has anti-fray stitched edges and a rubber textured underside, so everything on top of it stays stable and doesn’t slip around.

What I like

  • Well built construction
  • Smooth optical sensor
  • Software for customizable buttons and DPI settings

What needs to be improved

  • The mouse is a bit big for my medium sized hands, but this is a personal preference and doesn’t affect usage
  • The HyperX Fury S Pro mouse pad had a strong chemical smell uponopening, but lightens after time

Final thoughts

I really enjoyed using the HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro even though it was a bit big for my grip. I tend to pick up the mouse alot while moving it, so that may or may not work for you. It feels great in hand otherwise, and I like customizing the lighting and programmable buttons via their software. If you want a smooth user experience and mouse upgrade, I’d recommend picking one up. The HyperX Fury S Pro mouse pad is optional, but good if you need a large anti-skid surface for the mouse to glide over.

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: HyperXgaming.com and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by HyperX.

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HyperX Pulsefire FPS Pro gaming mouse review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 23, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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