The HyperX Cloud Alpha is hands down the best gaming headset in the $100 price bracket. HyperX really knocked it out of the park and made the lives of their competitors a living hell because from now on, every single reviewer will compare their products to the Cloud Alpha - and that's a battle most of them won't be able to win. It's so good that I'm prepared to question the point of considering getting one of the HyperX's more expensive models. My stance on it wouldn't change much even if it cost twice as much, which is why I decided to give it the "Great Value" badge along with the "Editor's Choice" one.

In terms of build quality and comfort, it's almost an exact replica of the Cloud Gaming II. It feels luxurious and durable, and after a brief break-in period, it also becomes very comfortable. Both the cable and the microphone are detachable, which is always nice to see. The same goes for the removeable ear cushions - yet another noteworthy and admirable feature.

All of that is nice, but it fades in comparison to the pure sound quality. HyperX redesigned the speaker drivers by introducing a secondary chamber and splitting the frequencies between them. That results in a powerful, warm, full, and accurate sound that's equally enjoyable while gaming, listening to music, and watching movies. Thanks to that, the Cloud Alpha could easily become the only pair of headphones for all your needs. You can use it as a headset while you're gaming, and after you remove the microphone, nothing - except perhaps the aggressive gaming aesthetics - will prevent you from taking it outside of your home and using it on the go.

In case you want to swap the good supplied microphone with an excellent one, which might be interesting to streamers and podcasters, the ability to detach both the microphone and the audio cable allows you to combine the HyperX Cloud Alpha with something like the V-Moda BoomPro, as shown on the bottom of the previous page of this review.

If you're looking for your next gaming headset and have $100 to spare, look no further - the HyperX Cloud Alpha is the one.