HyperX Cloud Mix 2 review: A premium headset for busy gamers

The HyperX Cloud Mix 2 has deep appeal for me because it’s the kind of headset I can use anywhere at any time. Why? Because despite its on-ear controls, Active Noise Cancellation, and premium sound, it’s both compact and lightweight and its headphone aesthetic looks great in any environment.

The Mix 2 is also extremely comfortable and has excellent connectivity. Gamers looking for deep functionality like a dedicated boom mic and game chat mixer wheel won’t find it here, but for portability and versatility this headset really can’t be beaten. If you’re a casual gamer and you need something to match your busy lifestyle, this headset will fit like a glove.

HyperX Cloud Mix 2 design and build

If ever there was a versatile gaming headset suitable for just about any kind of listening, this is it. There are no obvious gaming traits that stand out in the Mix 2’s design, no RGB lighting or boom microphone. Instead, these cans display discrete black-on-black logos and an on-ear microphone that sits flush against the earcup’s outer rim.

The headset’s build is flexible and durable. It sports a strong metal frame, swiveling cups, and an adjustable headband. The plush leatherette coverings are just the right thickness to prevent overheating, and the top cushioning keeps comfort levels high.

The Cloud Mix 2 is a petite size, measuring just 8 inches from top to bottom. The earcups are also small, measuring a mere 3.5 inches at their longest point. This compactness allows it to pack away into a slim hard case that takes up just a sliver of a backpack. One tip though: You will want to keep it cased when you’re not using it to prevent the exposed wires near the yokes from being severed.

As well as being so versatile, the Mix 2 serves up equal dollops of comfort. The black leatherette earcup coverings are just the right thickness to prevent your ears getting hot.

The Mix 2 totally nails clamp pressure too, with just the right amount of grasp. Indeed, you can wear this headset for many hours without getting the uncomfortable feeling some bulky headsets give you. So, if you’re thinking of working through long playlists or staying put for long gaming marathons, you can!

HyperX Cloud Mix 2 compatibility, connectivity, controls

The Cloud Mix 2 has good cross-platform connectivity. It connects to PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and mobile devices, so it can be your sole headset if you don’t own an Xbox.

Connectivity consists of low-latency 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, or you can use Bluetooth. Everything you need is packed into the headset’s case — a dongle for the Wi-Fi and a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging and a USB extension adaptor. Additionally, a 3.5mm cable lets you plug in an old-fashioned analog cable.

The Cloud Mix 2’s controls are evenly split between the left and right earcups. On the left is the power button, mute button, a USB-C port, and the 3.5mm jack.

The right houses the volume wheel, ANC button, and a multifunction button. The latter allows you to control your media or answer and end phone calls at a second’s notice. I found the controls quite easy once I mastered the different press combinations that activated things like hybrid listening mode, or media controls like play, pause, or skip tracks.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Special mention goes to the volume wheel, which had a tight friction that makes micro adjustments very easy. This allowed me to get the perfect volume setting each time.

HyperX Cloud Mix 2 performance

The Cloud Mix 2 may have pint-sized earcups, but it has a big sound presence. In my testing, I was impressed by the power of the game music and effects like rings, pings, pops, and chimes beamed into my ears

The audio sounded just the right distance away, neither too far nor close. The sound quality was also very refined. There was a distinct absence of the kind of distortion I hear sometimes when I switch from Wi-Fi mode to Bluetooth mode. To be sure, this headset sounded clear and crisp playing all kinds of media.

I listened closely to how the frequencies played out, and in default mode the Cloud Mix 2 was strongest across the mids and treble frequencies.

It dropped bass admirably too, although lower tones did play second fiddle to higher tones. That suited me to a tee, accentuating my go-to games that were riddled with medium-to-higher tones. For instance, the frantic throng of the music and realistic swipes and slashes of swords and staves in Black Myth: Wukong made the action a whole lot more frenetic.

Music was equally enjoyable. Instrumentals in the treble zone floated above the rest of the audio while vocals occupied more of a middle ground, sounding natural and unstrained. That said, the sound from the microphone was less impressive. It had a veiled quality at times, which a dedicated boom microphone might have avoided.

The ANC worked well to keep noise at bay too, but it blocked sources further away better than those close by. It subdued the low groan of a leaf blower outside my house, but not the knock of my coffee cup against my table.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

As well as ANC, the headset has a hybrid listening mode, which allowed me to hear environmental sounds like family members talking.

This worked well most of the time, although I did find the headset’s algorithm needed a second to drop out the audio source in the earcup closest to the direction the sound was coming from. This meant I lost a little of the first part of what was being said to me.

What I loved most about the Cloud Mix 2 was its portability. It’s a lot smaller and more portable than other headphone-like headsets like the Razer Barracuda Pro, which makes it lighter to carry and easier pack away. Consequently, it became a permanent fixture in my travels between work and home, where I put it to good use for gaming, music, and or podcasts.

To be sure, passengers on my morning bus ride would never have suspected that I’d just finished up a session of Black Myth: Wukong and was now making my way through my song playlist — it really was that discreet.

The battery life is also excellent. HyperX says you can expect approximately 110 hours of playtime between charges. I didn’t drain the battery in my playtesting, but it was still going strong after 27 hours of intermittent use, which is a promising result.

HyperX Cloud Mix 2 software

I made settings changes to the Cloud Mix 2 in the Ngenuity software app. I was pleased to see that the app found my headset first go, and that it had five readymade presets that covered most of my audio requirements. I could also adjust the master volume and the mic volume and toggle control of the ANC on or off.

The app also gave me the option to create or export my own profiles, although upon trying to do this there didn’t appear to be any equalizer with which to adjust frequencies.

I’m not sure why that was… whether the Cloud Mix 2 just doesn’t support this feature, or if the app required further updating. Either way, its absence limited my personalization options with the Cloud Mix 2.

Should you buy the HyperX Cloud Mix 2?

With its clear and refined sound, excellent controls, and a full smattering of connectivity options, the HyperX Cloud Mix 2 makes a great headset for causal gamers.

If you need a mixer wheel and boom microphone for your gaming, then this headset won’t suit you. But, if you just want tons of comfort and control in a headset that is so headphone-like you can use it anywhere at any time, then look no further — the Cloud Mix 2 is ideal.