HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 (PlayStation): problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-18
Summary
The most common complaints are the flimsy all-plastic build, a microphone that three of four testing outlets call quiet or distant, and thin leatherette earpads that can wear or tear; the mic boom also does not detach. Running costs are effectively zero — this is a wired analog headset with no battery, dongle or subscription. It is a good buy at the $49.99 HyperX US price (2026-10) and harder to justify above $60.
Common problems and fixes
- Quiet or distant microphone — Tom’s Guide calls it cumbersome and quiet, PC Gamer a little distant and RTINGS mediocre for phone calls, while Wirecutter rates it excellent, so treat mic quality as unit- and context-dependent. [3][4][2][5]
- Thin leatherette earpads — PC Gamer says the pads feel thin and could wear or tear over time; no replacement parts are documented. [4]
- Poor noise isolation — RTINGS lists poor passive isolation as a con, and the “noise-cancelling” in the microphone name is passive bidirectional noise cancellation of the mic element, not isolation for the wearer. [2][6]
- Mic boom does not detach and some phones will not work — the boom is fixed and the headset will not work with some newer smartphones; the console variant also offers no processing or customization. [3]
- Warranty length is unverified — the HyperX US page carries a 30-day hassle-free return and a warranty section, but the wired variant’s warranty duration could not be verified; only the wireless model is documented at 2 years. [1]
Parts and consumables
No replaceable parts or consumables reported. The analog headset has no battery, firmware or subscription, and no parts or repairability research exists for this model.
Yearly running cost
$0 per year. The headset is passive analog over a 3.5 mm cable: no batteries, no dongle, no required software subscription and no consumables. The only long-term cost is eventual earpad wear, for which no replacement price is reported; the PC variant’s DTS Headphone:X code runs for two years and then requires payment, but this PlayStation variant includes no DTS processing at all. [4][6]
When it is a good buy
- At $49.99 from HyperX US (2026-10) it is a solid budget pick for sound and comfort; Tom’s Guide recorded $49.99 at Best Buy for this white PlayStation variant in February 2024. [1][3]
- PC Gamer saw the PC variant near $46 in September 2022, and Tom’s Guide recorded $49.89 at Newegg in February 2024, so street prices in the mid-$40s make it a stronger pick. [4][3]
- Above $60 it is hard to justify against better-built or wireless alternatives. [2]
- Better-built wired alternative: the HyperX Cloud Alpha and Cloud II tier, which RTINGS places above the Stinger 2 on build quality. [2]