Recently announced, Cloud Stinger S is the new entry-level headset from the Stinger line by HyperX and arrives with the proposal to deliver good sounds, comfort, and a beautiful look. There is not much mystery; just connect to your PC or cell phone, and presto, the drivers have installed automatically and already deliver good results to the user.
Joining the “two sides of the coin” with the gamer with Sony and Microsoft consoles, the Turtle Beach Recon 200 gamer headset works on the last two generations of consoles. The proposal aimed at the console audience is impressive, with a simple selector switch to switch between PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Series X.
General
| HyperX Cloud Stinger S | Turtle Beach Recon 200 | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | HyperX | Turtle |
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Colors | Black | Black, White |
| Weight | 275 g | 499 g |
| Connectivity | Wired | Wired |
Design
| HyperX Cloud Stinger S | Turtle Beach Recon 200 | |
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Wireless | No | Yes |
| Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 50 mm | 40 mm |
| Dimensions earphone | 191 x 186.9 x 71.1 mm | 239 x 208 x 94 mm |
| Foldable Design | No | No |
HyperX Cloud Stinger S
Its construction is largely made of plastic, but make no mistake: the material is not lacking and ensures a lot of strength, making the phone very firm and not so susceptible to fragile breakage. Yet, it remains flexible enough to fit the player’s head.
Its housing has a foam headband on top to ensure more comfort on the head, but perhaps this is one of the only negative points in the device’s construction since, after 1 hour of use, it starts to bother due to minimal pressure. On the other hand, its interior has a thin steel bar to adjust the size of the earpiece and has two shells that fit the ear, covered with a specific foam that allows the “memorization” of its shape.
These shells also have the ability to be rotated through a 90-degree angle, with the foams facing the “outside” of the Cloud Stinger S. As simple as it is, it is extremely functional when you put the headset on or off your head and even support it on your neck while you’re not using it.
Like other headphones in the line, the Cloud Stinger S has a matte finish in black and the HyperX symbol in white stamped on the shells and with a shiny texture on the upper rim, reiterating its construction and showing that the purpose here is to be as casual as possible.
Plus, there’s the mic that’s non-removable and has a more rubbery, flexible material to adjust, with a feature that lifting it automatically mutes. In one of the shells, there is a small scroll to increase and decrease the volume, while in the other, there is a cable for a connection built into the headset.
Speaking of connections, the Cloud Stinger S comes with a good quality thin, rubberized cable with a 3.5mm P3 connector. Normally most desktop PCs don’t have this connector, but HyperX ships with the headset a P3 to USB adapter, allowing easy connection to your computer. The headset is also compatible with smartphones.
Turtle Beach Recon 200
The Turtle Beach Recon 200 features a lightweight design and a metal tiara, working on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 Pro, PS4, and PS5 consoles. There are a pair of 40mm speakers and a high-sensitivity microphone. It also features synthetic leather cushions and memory foam for added comfort (and better insulation). On the left side, we find a switch for console selection, the wheel for adjusting the headphones’ volume, and the volume adjustment for the microphone monitor.
What really surprised me when I took the Turtle Beach Recon 200 out of the box was that I couldn’t connect it to a device and test it right away; after all, it runs on a battery – yes, even wired. The justification? The Recon brings amplification audio and Bass Boost. The manufacturer’s estimate is 12 hours per full charge, recharging it via micro USB. By the way, its connection with the video game controllers is via the P3 plug.
A common annoyance for those wearing glasses and headphones is how comfortable this combination stays during hours of play. Headphones over-ear must stay firm without pressing the point between your ear and the frame of the glasses, which on its own is a design challenge. Because the Turtle Beach Recon 200’s materials are very malleable and light, we can say that even after two hours, the headset was stable and gently placed over the highest pressure point. That is, it is subtle and imperceptible.
Features
| HyperX Cloud Stinger S | Turtle Beach Recon 200 | |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Music Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Quick Charge | No | No |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 18Hz-23kHz | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Impedance | 32 Ohms | 32 Ohms |
HyperX Cloud Stinger S
The HyperX Cloud Stinger S was an extremely positive surprise in terms of sound quality, as it can offer great performance in games, especially competitive ones, such as Battlefield and Call of Duty: Warzone. The sound of the footsteps of enemies, of paramount importance for victories, or the characteristic and realistic sound of war is even more evident with the headset.
For songs, it’s no different. HyperX knew how to balance the bass and especially the treble well and allows the user to enjoy a series of exciting notes and melodies, both on the computer and the cell phone. The big difference lies in PCs’ ability, through the INGENUITY software, to enjoy 7.1-channel surround audio and ensure greater immersion in matches.
Another interesting highlight is the Cloud Stinger S’s ability to isolate external noises. With the earphone in the ear, the perception of sounds is considerably reduced. This happens because of the foams surrounding the ears well and don’t let much noise through. This feature can be excellent if you are looking to dive into that match, song, or movie. Still, on the other hand, it may not be that interesting for content producers since while we are talking about a recording, it is necessary to measure the height of the voice to balance the sound in the future.
Many who are looking for a good gaming headset are also looking for a good built-in microphone, and that was the factor that made me most curious about the Cloud Stinger S. Fortunately, the experience has been enjoyable, but with reservations.
HyperX characterizes the microphone as a unidirectional condenser, so it only captures sounds for the part it is aimed at, following the industry standard. Its great advantage is the scheme to lift it, and when you hear a popping noise, it is automatically mutated. This is very useful for online matches, Discord calls, and video conferences, as no one wants to have their microphone open in an important meeting accidentally.
Its audio capture is excellent and clean, with very little noise. However, if you have the fan or any device a little noisier, there are no miracles that will save you from that. Its rubberized structure still ensures a good fit for the mouth, and this is where some things started to bother.
As much as the Cloud Stinger S has good sensitivity, it is necessary to make many position adjustments on the microphone so that it doesn’t catch your breath until finding the ideal shape can take a while. Interestingly the Stinger S is the first phone I’ve tested to have this kind of “problem.” Everyone else rarely caught breath. The absence of a foam pop filter covering the accessory could also be hampering sounds.
Turtle Beach Recon 200
As it is a phone with an amplifier that depends on a battery to work, it is appropriate to comment simultaneously on these pillars in our analysis of the Turtle Beach Recon 200. When connecting it to the Xbox Series X, it was necessary to go to the audio output settings to realize one of Recon’s strong points: having Dolby and DTS pass directly from the console. The only problem is that the license for both is paid – in the case of the Dolby Atmos for headphones, it’s almost $30. The free option is Windows Sonic for Headphones.
The Turtle Beach Recon 200 has 40 mm drivers, a normal among these headphones. Their size and frequency response (20Hz – 20kHz) translate into a reasonable range between bass and treble.
Immersive, competitive first-person shooter or stealth games, where the opponent’s footsteps and minimal noise help, encourage you to play with headphones for a better sense of space. Anyone who wants to play the new 3×3 mode of Apex Legends, for example, will be able to take advantage of the perception of the environment provided by the Recon 200. It also insulates the external audio well and eliminates functions like active noise canceling – it has physical cancellation due to the over-ear headphones.
The Turtle Beach Recon 200’s performance with songs really shows what it came from. The volume is deafening, as expected. Even so, for use in routine outside games, its differential leans more on comfort than necessarily on sound quality. The memory foam of the headphones “hugs” the ears and makes the insulation ideal for those who want to concentrate on work while listening to good music.
Connectivity
| HyperX Cloud Stinger S | Turtle Beach Recon 200 | |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Multi-Device Connection | No | No |
| Connection Type | 3.5 mm | 3.5 mm |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless |
| Cable Length | 4 feet | 4 feet |
Conclusion!
HyperX Cloud Stinger S is an interesting cost-benefit, which combines good sound quality with a simple but resistant construction. Designed for gamers, the headset is great for competitive games, music, and mobile phone use.
Aimed at the console gamer (who already needs to worry about charging the controller’s battery), the Turtle Beach Recon 200 has excellent sound quality and easy connection via the P3 cable. If it didn’t have an amplifier and didn’t depend on battery recharging, it would be perfect. As a bonus, its cost-benefit ratio could also be a little better.
