HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Core - Gaming Headset for Playstation, Lightweight Over-Ear Headset with mic, Swivel-to-Mute Function, 40mm Drivers - Black

Why it's worth it

The Cloud Stinger 2 Core is the lightest wired headset HyperX offers, at roughly 260 grams, with 40mm drivers tuned for bass and a mic that mutes when you flip it up. It's the one to hand a kid or buy for a first PC.

If this is your first real headset, it's a big jump from whatever came with your console. The 40mm drivers are tuned to push bass, so explosions and engine noise land with some weight instead of sounding tinny. Owners who upgraded from cheap headsets describe the difference as dramatic — and specifically say it doesn't have that hollow, in-a-can sound that plagues budget gear.

It's light. At roughly 260 grams it's the lightest wired headset HyperX makes, per Rock Paper Shotgun, and that's most of what makes a headset wearable for a long session. Nothing digs into the top of your head. If you're buying for a teenager who plays for hours, weight matters more than driver size does.

From our review of 8 hyperx gaming gear

What we like

• +If this is your first real headset, it's a big jump from whatever came with your console
• +It's light. At roughly 260 grams it's the lightest wired headset HyperX makes, per Rock Paper Shotgun, and that's most of what…
• +The swivel-to-mute mic is the feature you'll actually use every day
• +It's built for PlayStation but works broadly over 3.5mm, and it costs a fraction of what the Cloud III S does

What to know

• –The mic is the recurring complaint
• –Build materials are plainly cheaper here — plastic where the pricier models use aluminum, and thinner cushions
• –There's no detachable cable and no wireless path