Steelseries Arctis 3 vs Hyperx Cloud 2: Which is Better Budget Gaming Headset?

steelseries arctis 3 vs hyperx cloud 2 (1)

This is the comparison between the Steelseries Arctis 3 and the Hyperx Cloud 2 headsets. Both the headsets are good budget gaming headsets but both have different features. and price rate. So, you can decide which one will be better by this review.

steelseries-arctis-3- (1)Hyperx cloud 2
Steelseries Arctis 3Hyperx Cloud 2
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PROSPROS
Comfortable fit.
Good sound quality.
Clear mic.
Great sound quality.
Luxurious finish.
Thoughtful extras.
CONSCONS
Hard to customize.
Music sounds great only on PC.
Weakest headset in Arctis line.
Headphone cord doesn’t detach.
Flimsy carry case.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MODELSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 3HYPERX CLOUD 2
BrandSteelSeriesHyperX
SeriesCloud
ModelArctis 3Cloud II
HEADPHONESSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 3HYPERX CLOUD 2
Headphones Form FactorFull size
Connectivity TechnologyWired
Sound Output Modestereostereo
Frequency Response20Hz-20KHz15Hz–25,000 Hz
Sensitivity98dB S.P.L. at 1KHz98dB S.P.L. at 1KHz
Impedance32 ohm60 Ohm
Diaphragm1.6 in2.1 in
MICROPHONESTEELSERIES ARCTIS 3HYPERX CLOUD 2
Microphone Technologyelectret condenser
Response Bandwidth50Hz-18KHz
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 3HYPERX CLOUD 2
Width
Depth
Height
Weight11.29 oz
FEATURESSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 3HYPERX CLOUD 2
FeaturesSki Goggle Suspension Band.

Clear Cast Mic.

SteelSeries 7.1 Surround Sound.

Exclusive Air-weave Ear Cushions.

Multi-platform and Mobile-Ready.

On-Ear Audio Controls.

S1 Audio Driver.

SteelSeries Engine 3.

Retractable Mic.

Lightweight Design.

Share Jack.

Advanced USB audio control box with built-in DSP sound card.

Hi-Fi capable with 53mm drivers for supreme audio quality.

Hardware-driven virtual 7.1 surround sound.

Comfortable, 100% memory foam on headband and leatherette cushions.

Intuitive volume control on headset ear cup.

Compatible – USB connectivity for PC & Mac. Stereo compatible with PS4, Xbox One and mobile.

Xbox One stereo adapter required; not included.

Expert Reviews of Steelseries Arctis 3:

By TechRadar
The SteelSeries Arctis 3 Bluetooth is a bit of a Swiss Army Knife when it comes to who it’s for. It’s not the most portable pair of gaming headphones, but it’s plenty more portable than lots of other gaming headsets, plus Bluetooth and a long-lasting…

By AndroidGuys
A great option for those of us who have a variety of ways of consuming music and audio, these work exceptionally well for gaming purposes. They’re not quite perfect, but the Arctis 3 Bluetooth make it easier for me to pack for…

By kitguru.Net
SteelSeries’ Arctis range of headsets are known for their versatility, coming with a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows the headsets to connect to pretty much any device. The SteelSeries Arctis 3 Bluetooth takes this one step further, however, giving…

By videogamesuncoverd.com
The Arctis 3 is a comfortable headset but for £15 more, you can get the same comfort but a more versatile headset in the same family. If you are on a budget though, the Arctis 3 will offer you a good experience but there are better out there for the…

By Play3r
I am quite impressed with the Steelseries Arctis 3 Bluetooth, the headset offers great audio performance with the added bonus of being quite portable. Being able to combine the wired and wireless capabilities is a great option and works very well. The…

Expert Reviews of HyperX Cloud 2: 

By Techspot 
For me, it’s between the Kingston HyperX Cloud II and Polk Striker P1 Multiplatform. The HyperX Cloud II looks and feels better in my opinion, but you have to use USB audio instead of your sound card if you want the inline control box. When spending this much on a headset we’d rather not have to choose between having less features or lower quality audio.

By IGN 
The HyperX Cloud II is attractive for many reasons, including its modular and comfortable design, premium build quality, great 7.1 surround and stereo sound, and affordable price. It’s also great for laptop gamers since it obviates the need for a dedicated sound card, and overall is one of the best headsets I’ve ever used.

By Enos Tech 
When all is said and done, the HyperX Cloud II headset offers the full package. As mentioned, they only thing that tops their quality looks is the quality of the performance which comes at a very fair price when considering other options currently on the market. The Cloud II is a well worthy headset and its versatility only helps to make sure you get the most from them possible.

By WCCFtech 
Then it struck me. That comic book I bought so long ago, it was so cheap and yet I got so much enjoyment out of it. I don’t want to use the word cheap because that has some negative connotations to it, but the value it provided for the price was genuinely amazing. The Cloud II’s are the same and at this moment in time, they are without a doubt my favorite headphones for gaming and general PC usage.

By TheStraitsTimes
The Kingston HyperX Cloud II is one of the most well-rounded gaming headsets on the market.It is a very comfortable and understated headset, backed by solid construction and performance. It is also pitched at a price that will not break the…

Detail Review:

INTRODUCTION:

Steelseries Arctis 3

This headset is a predecessor of Arctis 5. Almost everything is the same between these headsets but there are little bit changes, especially in sound.

Hyperx Cloud 2

This is a budget gaming headset with some decent features. The comfort and the sound quality of mice and also the actual sound quality are just nice and good enough for the price of the headset.

steelseries arctis 3

DESIGN:

Steelseries Arctis 3

Aesthetically, there is nothing different about these compared to the Arctis 5 except they took at that RGB strip right around the back of the ear cups. Other than that, they look the same and they do still have that soft matte black touch. That’s the one I didn’t like because it shows all of the fingerprints and then any scuffs or scratches they show up really easily.

Hyperx Cloud 2

When you pick headset, you’ll immediately notice how high-quality this thing feels, whether it’s the braided cable or the metal sides or the leather tops. Everything feels really high-quality and bear in mind, this really isn’t the most expensive gaming headset. I was really impressed with how good this thing feels.

COMFORT:

Steelseries Arctis 3

They feel is exactly like the Arctis 5. You got the little adjustable headband that you can adjust by the velcro. The ear cushions are like the same sports material which is super soft. Then inside, you have a pleather bit to kind of lock-in some of the sounds. As far as comfort, I mean they nail it. I mean they are cozy, exact comfort as the Arctis 5.

Hyperx Cloud 2

It’s very comfortable as well and if you do find that you’re overheating a little bit with the leather, you can swap the pads out for cloth. I didn’t actually need to use the cloth ear pads though because I found the leather was very comfortable which created a nice seal and my ears didn’t overheat a long period of time.

hyperx cloud 2 2 (1)

FEATURES:

Steelseries Arctis 3

This one is a newer version of Arctis 3. It’s pretty much the exact same, a little bit more cushion in the ear. So, your ears don’t touch inside and then they made your up buttons and everything a little bit more noticeable. They said they made the drivers a little bit better.

The cable is detachable, same with on the Arctis 5 and you have that little notch on the bottom and then your little cable just connects. As far as controls on your headset, on the side of the ear cups, there is your mute for your mic. When it’s in its active and when it’s out you see the red, you are muted and then you have your volume control rocker right on the bottom there.

Also in your box, they give you a little PC splitter for your headphone and mic and it’s a pretty long one. It feels pretty solid and so nice that they include that.

Hyperx Cloud 2

This headset equipped the detachable USB DAC. This headset can work with PC, consoles, or anything that has a three-and-a-half millimeter jack. In the box, you will get leather and cloth ear pads. So, if you don’t get on so well with the leather, you can swap them out and vice versa. You’ll find the USB junction box, so that’s a DAC that plugs into the headset itself which uses a 3.5-millimeter jack. You also find the detachable microphone, a headphone splitter for using not an Xbox one but lots of different ways you could use that and you get the spare set of earbuds.

The USB portion of the device connects to your computer over USB type 2 and it has a DAC built into this little controller/junction box and this is your 7.1 audio. So, if you hit that 7.1 button, it enables 7.1 audio which a point does work but personally I would tend to leave off for things like music because this is a detachable headset. You can use this with something like a mobile phone and you can detach that 3.5-millimeter jack and then you can insert it into something else. Found it was still very usable and still sounded very good.

steelseries_arctis_3 1 (1)

MICROPHONE:

Steelseries Arctis 3

It’s the exact same style that pulls out right there and then goes back in. It’s bendable than any position, it’s got some nice length in it as well. So, it’s not kind of hitting away from but really nice. I like sitting a tuck it away if you never decide to use it. The mute button is on the back. One thing I do miss compared to the Arctis 5 is whenever the mic muted, it would light up red on the tip of the microphone. Here, I kind of missed that feature because it’s a really nice feature.

The sound quality of the mic is also the same as the Arctis 5. This mic is not the best or the worst, it definitely gets the job done. This mic sounds clear and crisp and there are no lots of pop sounds that you can hear. So, it’s definitely good enough for games and other informal things.

Hyperx Cloud 2

As for the microphone quality though, this is not too bad. This has a detachable microphone and this is at a moderate distance to the face. So, as you can probably tell it’s pretty good but it’s hardly class-leading and it’s gonna be suitable for in-game chat and Skype but nothing professional.

SOUND:

Steelseries Arctis 3

The sound and that’s where things start being a little bit different between the Arctis 5 and 3. They didn’t sound too great on PC. They didn’t sound bad, they weren’t horrible by any means but if the Arctis 5 sounded better. They plugin via USB but this Arctis 3 plugin by the 3.5. So, maybe if that’s kind of creating a little bit, I’m not too sure but the Arctics 5 noticeably has that difference.

I did a test of this headset with some uncharted on the PlayStation and then I dabble on the switch as well and on the console, this headset sounded better. This headset sounded great on a console like really solid for the console. 

Hyperx Cloud 2

It is genuinely great. I wasn’t expecting this because gaming headsets as you know are never necessarily the best things out there and if you’re really clean into your audio, you should get the money and spend it on a dedicated pair of headphones.

This doesn’t sound better than headphones but they’re more expensive, it’s irrelevant and these don’t sound as good as my headphones. For a gaming headset that costs $60, this is easily the best I’ve heard and it really is very impressive indeed. There are quite bass-heavy but I don’t think too many people are going to be upset.

hyperx-cloudii-1 (1)

WHICH TO BUY?

Both the headsets are good at gaming and as a budget gaming headset. In my opinion, the Hyperx Cloud 2 will be great for the PC players and also for consoles and mobile devices even though it’s a little bit expensive compared to Arctis 3. Also, the Arctis 3 sound is not impressive in the PC.