The gaming headsets are ruling the roost in the market today. Thanks to the pandemic, gamers, and WFH professionals have taken it upon themselves to purchase these headsets for home use.
Needless to say, they are a happy lot. On that note, we decided to make a comparison of two dynamite models. They are the SteelSeries Arctis 5 vs HyperX Cloud Alpha gaming headsets. If you are planning on updating your headset, then today might be a good day.
Both these headphones are under the same price range. The Arctis 5 is a wired unit and comes with several features that are ideal for gaming. We also were happy with the performance with gaming and watching movies.
The comfort, sound quality, and design of the headset were sublime. The HyperX Cloud Alpha has lots happening for itself at the price range. It comes with an exceptional sounding headset, the cables are detachable, excellent microphone, the build quality is good, and it is comfortable.
Probably, the only flaw we found in it was the issue of compatibility with the PS4.
Who will fix that?
Will HyperX or Sony do that? Only time will tell.
Can that make it lose to the Arctis 5? Let us read the post to find out.
 |  |
|---|---|
| STEELSERIES ARCTIS 5 | HYPERX CLOUD ALPHA |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| It is incredibly comfortable to put on your ears for long periods. The aesthetics are outstanding. The audio performance was sublime. It comes with decent software infused in it. The design was aggressive and elegant at the same time. | It has a premium and slim design. The earcups are cozy and comfortable to wear. The audio quality was imposing. Its cables are versatile. The unit is affordably priced under $100. |
| CONS | CONS |
| The cables can be long and convoluted. | Its microphone is average and picks up noise. |
| SPECIFICATIONS | STEELSERIES ARCTIS 5 | HYPERX CLOUD ALPHA |
|---|---|---|
| Product Name | Arctis 5 Wired DTS Headphone Gaming Headset | Cloud Alpha Wired Stereo Gaming Headset |
| Brand | SteelSeries | HyperX |
| Sound Mode | Stereo | |
| Connection Type | Wired | Wired |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Fit | Over-the-Ear | Over-the-Ear |
| Adjustable Headband | No | |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
DESIGN & COMFORT
The earcups on the Arctis 5 come with adequate cushioning and padding. The material is quite soft and breathable. It allows plenty of airflow in and around your ears. Besides, you do not sweat much, even when you reside in a tropical region.
The top part of the earcups added some pressure on the bottom side. That means you do not feel any flimsy headset on your head or ears. It comes firmly fitted on your head. Its clamping force was just right, and the headband depends on how you can adjust it.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha, on the other hand, has plenty of depth. It has to cushion that is simply comfortable, ensuring that your ears do not touch the driver. Our tester has a large head, and he did not have any issues wearing them all day.
We also found the headband to be thick. Though the ear cushions are a lot different, they really release well. We need to keep in mind that these are priced cheaply, and you may not want to expect too much from them.
The Alpha unit comes with a braided cable that is detachable and convenient, providing you with in-line audio control. The design and comfort on the headsets were good, and you can adjust them according to your facial alignment.
BUILD QUALITY
The build quality on the SteelSeries Arctis 5 is one of the best in the market. The unit has a thick plastic material, which you can bend when you want to. It comes made from the same material having a matte grate.
It does not cause fingerprints to stick on to that easily. The headset weighs light, and we felt as if nothing is on the head. It was pretty good. We noticed that the earcups could tilt it mildly if you want them to.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is no slouch and is a robust unit. It was light, and you can put them on your head for long hours without feeling any discomfort. The earcups can tilt, allowing ample comfort depending on the shape of your head.
The red stitching on the headset comes exceptionally premium. It is made from aluminum, and this model can withstand falls. The sides are marked inside the earcups. Besides, you can tell which is your left because everything is on the left side.
Overall, we felt that both the headsets are quite strong and will not break unless you want to do it. They come made of aluminum and are quite light. The earcups are also sturdy and comfortable to use.
AUDIO PERFORMANCE
Our tester was blown away by the fact that these are $100 units because they sounded great. The EQ was flat, and it is going to come with plenty of excitement. The lows were quite congested and slightly muffled.
The bass was good but lacked the depth that we were looking for. We were not convinced about the highs because they sounded flat and dull. But they were acceptable from a gamer’s perspective.
They sounded a bit sharp, accurate, and mildly processed because of depth and texture. We were quite happy playing FPS shooter games because they did an exceptional job, probably because of directional quality.
However, you may find it slightly challenging to hear the gun sounds and the mild noises around you. You can listen to the different sounds and the directions they are coming from. This is something that most units are unable to do.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha gives you a solid sound capability. This is an excellent value for your money unit. It is a closed-back unit that eloquently breaks up everything that you want your ears to listen to.
It has dual drivers and bass that help you hear the explosions accurately. For example, you can easily listen to footsteps coming from a mile away. Additionally, it sounded fantastic. We were quite impressed with the music factor too.
Usually, the trend is gamers and users preferring the bass. But you may not like it when you are going to lose other things with your music. We could clearly hear everything and offering the bass and impact.
We found that the impedance level on the headset was 65. You can also use them with the volume high. There should not be any problem, but you can stick on to that if you prefer medium volume.
The music was sublime on the PC and other devices. As we said, the bass was exceptional. It is something that you would want to take advantage of. We do not wish to exaggerate here, but you can hear that kind of bass, miss, and treble, spending only $100.
The Alpha is entirely a warrior in front of the A40. We were stunned having it on our ears and besides the construction too, feels great. Our tester felt that using the gaming headsets with an upgrade of earcups for $20 might be a good idea.
MICROPHONE PERFORMANCE
You will be stunned to know that the SteelSeries Arctis 5 is a Discord-certified Clearcast bidirectional microphone. The headset comes with an explicit cast microphone that is capable of delivering studio-quality audio.
Besides, we were quite happy with the cancellation effects of the unit. The clarity of your voice will be efficient. We felt that it comes with a much better sound than most headset microphones in the market.
When we spoke to our members on the apex legend games, the microphone sound was alright. A notable feature of the microphone was the detachable noise-cancellation microphone. As mentioned, it is Discord, and TeamSpeakTM certified.
On the other hand, the Alpha connects into your voice as it should. Besides, it is quite bendable to how you want the headset to be. It comes through quite clear. This noise-cancellation microphone does not get the windscreen to stop the popping noise.
You do not notice this often getting the windscreen from having some of the popping noise out when you are speaking through it. The bass tone sounded quite incredible and crisp. But if you are a vlogger or somebody who makes videos, then this may not be the best option there is in the market.
However, it comes under the $100 price that may well suit your requirements without having to break your bank account.
COMPATIBILITY
The compatibility of the headset is excellent. You can connect on several devices. Its cable length can be increased with the help of the chat mixed dial. There is an increase in the cushions on the earcups.
They come with ample padding for ensuring that the sound offers deep bass. You can find the mute button on the left earcup that you can use for shutting down the microphone if you want. The microphone feels cushy to press when it is muted.
That highlights the LED found on the microphone indicating you are muted. The volume dial is plastic in texture and comes with moderate resistance. The software gives you the ability to use the DTS headphones.
There is also the bass enhancement when you want to opt for high. When you want to boost other voices, then you can do that as well. In the Arctis 5, you have an ECE 6 cable using which you can connect to the chat dial to your PC through the USB.
There is nothing on the right side of the earcup. Overall, this gaming headset is a flexible unit letting you with multi-platform compatibility. The Alpha comes with exceptional compatibility on your PC, smartphone, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Instantly we noticed that everything could be detached. That is an excellent thing. You can disconnect your microphone and the headphone cable. It means that you can easily replace them. They can last you forever.
When you want to use the headset on your PC, then you can use the split cable. This is a very nice addition. You can also make use of it on your gaming consoles, including Nintendo, PS4, Xbox One.
All the controls can be connected to the wire itself. There is a game microphone mute button, the game volume, which comes built-in and is a nice, braided cable. It comes as no surprise knowing that the materials infused in it outshine most of the other brand units.
PRICE
Both the gaming headsets are priced similarly. Besides, you will be glad to know that they are quite cheap and affordable. The SteelSeries Arctis 5 is priced under $100. You can get them cheaper during the sales period.
They can come for $80 or even lesser during that period. For the features that are embedded with it, the unit is definitely a must-have. The HyperX Cloud Alpha is priced under $100. Coming with solid features like robust build and phenomenal sound quality, you may want to consider placing an order for the Alpha today itself.
VERDICT
So, which among the SteelSeries Arctis 5 vs HyperX Cloud Alpha was the better? Well, this was quite a tough choice to make in the end. On the one hand, you have the Arctis 5 that is a good gaming headset, delivering exceptional in-game audio and a sublime microphone.
In case you did not realize by now, it also comes with RGB lighting. How cool is that? SteelSeries have designed created a gilt-edged headset that provides you with several options, too, among the SteelSeries Engine to satisfy your requirements.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha gaming headset is a sterling unit. Sadly, the functionalities of the headset get limited to the device you want to connect. To be honest, you do not want to expect too much from a priced unit at $100.
As both the gaming headsets’ price is identical, you may have to take it as a whole package before making your decision. The Cloud Alpha was a great headset, and when you want a device for use on several consoles, then it would be good.
But when you want to play on a barrage of consoles, experience stunning audio functionality and have the RGB and software, then the Arctis 5 will be great for you. Our choice would go with the SteelSeries Arctis 5 gaming headset.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.