HyperX Cloud Core review: A good value for a basic headset
The HyperX Cloud Core is a wired gaming headset that delivers the basics for a reasonable price, often under $40 USD. It has a solid aluminum construction and a comfortable headband, alongside a detachable microphone that’s easy to use for long voice chats and gaming sessions. But how does the audio quality compare to other headsets in this price bracket?
Editor’s Note: This review was updated on June 8, 2023 to address formatting changes as well as to add a microphone score, thank you to everyone that voted!
About this HyperX Cloud Core review: We tested the HyperX Cloud Core over a period of one week. The original date of publication is May 10, 2022.
The HyperX Cloud Core is a solid choice for gamers looking for a simplified and easy to use gaming headset with decent sound and a detachable microphone. It’s also a decent choice for anyone wanting a headset with a detachable microphone and a design that isn’t overly flashy.
What is the HyperX Cloud Core like to use?
The Cloud Core uses a 3.5mm headphone connector and features a detachable microphone.
The wired Cloud Core headset has a sturdy aluminum and plastic design, with a fair amount of padding on the metal headband which makes it comfortable for long-term use. Although I wouldn’t describe it as “Legendary Comfort” as HyperX does on the box, it is fairly enjoyable for several hours of listening or gaming. The headset comes with a non-detachable headphone cable, as well as an extender that splits it into two different connectors.
The headset sports thick leatherette ear cups which offer a nice degree of padding. They can heat up over long gaming sessions due to being less breathable than some other headsets. Additionally, the ear cups can rotate a few degrees horizontally to form around the user’s head, but cannot be laid flat. The all-plastic construction of the outer ear cup can sometimes lead it to unpleasantly introduce outside sound when the headset is pressed against clothes or chairs during wear. However, these a pretty minor concerns—the only real mark against the comfort of the headset is that it feels rather heavy at 309g.
The Cloud Core is great for late-night gaming sessions and long voice calls thanks to its comfort and detachable microphone.
The HyperX Cloud Core is a solid gaming headset thanks to its detachable microphone and input compatibility. While it doesn’t have the software support of USB-based gaming headsets, its use of a 3.5mm connector makes it compatible with a wide variety of devices. With Fallout 4, the headset portrays the gunfire and orchestral soundtrack quite pleasantly. We are also impressed with how it handles other games like Halo 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
How do you control the HyperX Cloud Core?
The Cloud Core features an inline control section so gamers can adjust the volume and mute the microphone. Thanks to its simple design and use of a 3.5mm jack instead of a USB connector, the headset lacks any additional controls that you might find on more advanced headsets. There is no noise canceling or sidetone adjustment here which may be exactly what you’re looking for, if you’re in the market for something simple.
How does the HyperX Cloud Core connect?
The HyperX Cloud Core has a 3.5mm connector with an optional splitter that separates the microphone input from the audio output. If you’re not using the splitter, the headset connects using a TRRS cable, which passes both through a single connection. We primarily tested this headset with the Steam Deck, but it also supports all consoles with a headphone jack, including the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. The headset also supports any PC with a 3.5mm connection.
How well does the HyperX Cloud Core block out noise?
The Cloud Core isolation is adequate, but not incredible, voices and music can sometimes be heard over music and games.
The HyperX Cloud Core generally has good sound isolation, but it’s not fantastic. The headset only blocks out frequencies higher than around 1kHz, but if someone is playing music or having a conversation next to you then you may hear them, even through moderately loud music. The headset won’t do much to block out the hum of an A/C unit or nearby street traffic, though.
How does the HyperX Cloud Core sound?
The Cloud Core (cyan) follows our house curve (pink) through the bass and mids, with a slight roll off in the sub-bass and some deviation in the treble range.
The HyperX Cloud Core has a fairly accurate frequency response in the midrange where most instruments tend to sit. However, its reduced sub-bass response may be less appealing to those that enjoy bass-oriented music or games that have major low-frequency elements with sounds like firearms or car engine rumble.
The biggest issue with the frequency response lies in the mid-to-high end, around 4500Hz. Some parts of speech and high instrument details tend to sit in this range, and this is where the frequency response deviates the most from our target curve. The misshapen response around 4500Hz impacts the headset’s sound more than the graph might indicate, though overall, it’s still fairly enjoyable for both gaming and music.
Low, mids, and highs
The HyperX Cloud Core succeeds in some areas. In Heartbeat (Cenzo Townshend Version) by Late of the Pier, the HyperX Cloud Core complements the distorted synth and guitars quite well. However, in some other songs the cymbals and hi-hats sound off due to the odd high-end response—in Heaven by The Rapture where they have an excessive hiss. In the song Raise Your Weapon by Deadmau5, which has a nice mix of calm vocal sections and bass-heavy dance sections, the headset reproduces the vocals acceptably well, though the higher-end portions sound a little odd. However, it performs quite well in the bass-oriented dance sections.
How is the HyperX Cloud Core microphone?
The Cloud Core’s microphone has a frequency response that is acceptable for voice calls, but generally poor for almost anything serious.
The HyperX Cloud Core’s detachable microphone is quite useful for late-night gaming sessions and long Discord calls. The quality of the microphone isn’t incredible, but it’s perfectly adequate for everyday use. Thanks to the splitter included with the headset, it’s easy to hook up the microphone to devices that use a TRRS connector and devices that have separate connectors for audio output and microphone input. The headset also has a mute button inline on the cable.
HyperX Cloud Core microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
HyperX Cloud Core microphone demo (Office conditions):
How does the microphone sound to you?
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Should you buy the HyperX Cloud Core?
Although the Cloud Core has some flaws, it’s still an excellent option considering the price point.
The HyperX Cloud Core offers a lot to like in this price range. Thanks to its well padded headband it’s reasonably comfortable for long sessions. The use of a standard headphone jack makes it simple, easy to use, and compatible with a very wide range of devices. The detachable microphone is a nice bonus, as are the inline controls. The sound quality is really the biggest mark against this headset, as well as its unremarkable isolation performance — the Cloud Alpha this ain’t.
However, considering the discounted price this headset sometimes sells for, it seems a great option if you want to save some money. It’s a solid choice for extended gaming sessions, long Discord calls with friends, and casual music listening.
HyperX Cloud Core
HyperX Cloud Core
Solid aluminum construction • Comfortable • Detachable microphone
MSRP:
$69.99
The HyperX Cloud Core is a solid budget-oriented headset with a nicely minimalist set of features.
The HyperX Cloud Core offers a solid aluminum and plastic design that delivers on solid comfort in an inexpensive price bracket. This is an excellent option for anyone wanting an easy to use gaming headset with a standard headphone jack instead of a USB connection.
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What should you get instead of the HyperX Cloud Core?
If you’re looking for a similar wired headset with a 3.5mm connector, the first option we can recommend is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1. It’s around the same price as the HyperX Cloud Core ($57 at Amazon), and delivers when it comes to comfort and quality in the price range. Another option is the Audio-Technica ATH-GL3, a closed-back headset with very similar features and a comparable level of comfort that costs $99 at Amazon. Alternatively, if you’re open to a USB-based headset, you might want to consider the Razer BlackShark V2, which costs $98 at Amazon and has a very similar design to the HyperX Cloud Core but with the addition of Razer’s Synapse software suite. The Razer Barracuda X (2022) is another good option if you’re a Razer fan. The Barracuda X (2022) offers wireless connectivity via USB wireless adapter and Bluetooth. For that extra functionality, you’ll pay $99 at Amazon.
Frequently asked questions about the HyperX Cloud Core?
The HyperX Cloud Core includes a TRRS connector and a split TRS connector in its box that enables you to connect it to different devices that all use a standard headphone connector. The primary way you can tell the two apart is by looking at the number of rings on the connector. A TRRS connector will have two ring sections (hence the name, Tip Ring Ring Sleeve) and a TRS connector will have a single ring section. TRS connectors are often found on desktop computers, whereas TRRS connectors are more commonly found in smartphones, laptops, and other portable devices. You can read all about audio connections here
HyperX Cloud Core Wireless review: Quality gaming, no fuss
At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Decent audio quality, with deep bass and clear mids and highs
- Durable, strong and portable design
- Highly comfortable earcups with memory foam cushioning and leatherette coverings
Cons
- No Active Noise Cancellation
- Metal headband attachments can sometimes trap your fingers
Our Verdict
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless hits all the right notes for sound quality, comfort and affordability.
Best Prices Today: HyperX Cloud Core Wireless
A gift is infinitely better than a promise, and unlike some headsets that manufacturers promise will do it all, the HyperX Cloud Wireless actually delivers, staying on point for audio quality, style and comfort. It’s also one of the most compact gaming headsets, removing the hassle of trying to wrangle it into a full satchel or backpack.
By focusing on things that matter most to gamers without worrying about dedicated software support, “no-fuss gaming audio” could be the headset’s motto. Admittedly, that may not suit EQ tinkerers who want to fine-tune everything. But for those who want a wireless option with quick connectivity and excellent spatial audio, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is exactly that.
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless delivers a sublime audio experience you’d expect from a more expensive gaming headset, but at a fraction of the price.
HyperX Cloud Core Wireless design and build
It’s usually a good sign when new headsets appear like favorites we know and love. The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless is a case in point, looking almost exactly like the HyperX Cloud II Wireless headset, except for the latter’s flashy red earcup holders and striated black and red headband.
Comparing both devices, I much prefer the Cloud Core’s mostly black exterior styling, the only coloring being its red HyperX logos on each earcups, since it sports a cleaner, tidier look. Besides that, the more muted styling allows the Cloud Core Wireless to seamlessly double as a headphone once the detachable boom mic is pulled off, so it’s a little more versatile.
Bulky headsets are cumbersome and often cause pain and discomfort for gamers, but there’s no unnecessary cargo weighing down the HyperX Cloud Core or putting undue pressure on your head or ears. Picking it up, it’s immediately apparent that it’s a lightweight in the category – the whole unit weighing just 10.4 ounces which is a fait accompli of its lightweight aluminum frame.
HyperX
Speaking of which, the frame feels sturdy everywhere – immeasurably more than the (far pricier) Razer Barracuda Pro’s mostly plastic headband. It also provides plenty of flex. I could easily pull the earcups apart until the headband was lying completely flat; upon releasing it the headset then just returned to its original position. This hardiness isn’t that surprising considering the likes of the Cloud Alpha and the Cloud II Wireless, but for its $99 price tag, it’s a triumph worth celebrating.
HyperX have also done a superb job keeping the size concise, despite the sizes of traditional over-the-ear gaming headsets creeping upwards this year. In fact, it’s so tightly made that with the headband packed down, it measures a mere 7.5 inches from top to bottom. Unsurprisingly, it’s dwarfed by rival headsets like the Razer Barracuda Pro or the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, but everything you need is still at your fingertips – earcups, headband and padding. It doesn’t compromise on sound quality either.
Reaching up above your ears, the headband’s circular metal earcup holders feel extremely tactile and provide plenty of horizontal movement for the cups. However, be warned: you’ll want to keep your appendages away from these when clamping the set down on your ears, since they can sometimes be finger traps.
Dominic Bayley
If your ears are accustomed to luxury, they’ll find an equally plush experience here. The Cloud Core Wireless’ earcups are doughy and soft, feeling remarkably smooth. They sport HyperX’s signature memory foam over a leatherette material that seems identical to what you’ll find in headsets that cost upwards of $250.
Like the whole unit, the cups are also quite compact, but they’ll fit snugly over all but the very largest of ears. The top of your head is also cozy thanks to more leatherette padding beneath the top band – another nice touch that pays dividends in long gaming sessions.
HyperX Cloud Core Wireless compatibility options
Although marketed just for PC, it was a pleasant surprise to discover the Cloud Core Wireless is also compatible with Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles. Conveniently, you can also find instructions for the latter in the Cloud Core’s Quick Start Guide. We can’t say exactly why HyperX kept mum on console compatibility. Regardless, it’s a welcome feature that saves you from having to purchase separate headsets for your different devices.
Usually I’d go into great detail about the software enhancements that the headset supports but unfortunately for the tinkerers among us, the Cloud Core Wireless doesn’t support HyperX’s Ngenuity software app so there’s no modifying sound settings like volume, EQ levels or checking battery status externally. Is this a big deal? Not really, since there’s no RGB lighting to tweak, and the audio seems perfectly balanced as it is.
HyperX Cloud Core Wireless audio performance
Powering the Cloud Core Wireless’s audio are generous 53 mm drivers, which I found to deliver a crisp, natural and full-bodied sound that’s sure to delight gamers. This was beamed via a reliable 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signal that never dropped out or suffered interference.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
Listening closely to the tonal range in the audio, the bass notes didn’t quite drop down as low as some headsets (like the Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X or the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless) but they were still deep and commanding. The mids and highs hit the mark exactly as expected, as I found out trialing the headset in Elden Ring’s rich audio environment. Here it produced scintillating tinkling sounds for my Astrologer character’s spells and the mids in the soundtrack sounded warm and rounded when the music become more dramatic in battles.
The guttural grunts of enemies like Mounted Knights were also pronounced and strong. And random environmental sounds, like the patter of raindrops and the hoof beats of the sheep in Limgrave, were brought to life with a clarity that added to the overall game realism.
Moving on to the surround sound experience, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless headset uses DTS Headphone:X for its spatial audio, which is managed in the third party DTS Sound Unbound app. The app leverages Microsoft Spatial Sound Technology to replicate the experience you’d get when listening to multiple speaker systems, so it gets decent Windows support and it’s easily downloadable via the Microsoft App Store.
DTS Headphone: X is still a relatively new technology, so the list of games that currently support it isn’t huge. However, it’s considered to be one of the best spatial audio technologies currently available thanks to its low audio compression capability, which packs down audio metadata at a ratio of 4:1 – lower than near rival Dolby which compresses to a 12:1 ratio.
Dominic Bayley
I trialed the feature in Metro Exodus and was well impressed by what I heard. DTS delivered immersive sound positioning, while keeping distortion to a minimum. Footfalls, explosions and falling debris sounds were conveyed through 360 degrees, implying the action was all happening around me in real-time rather than in the game itself.
The Sound Unbound app was also easy to use, allowing me to select from among two spatial audio profiles: a default ‘Balanced Mode’ that delivered the most realistic spatial audio experience and a Spacious Mode – that made the spatial audio sound further away.
Although DTS Sound Unbound is not normally a free service, you get two years subscription with your HyperX Cloud Core Wireless purchase and without having to fill out any personal information. After that time you can either choose to make a one off purchase of $29.95 USD to continue using the app, or just let your spatial audio lapse, since it’s not compulsory.
Overall the HyperX Cloud Core’s Wireless sound quality was incredibly impressive. What was most interesting was the range and clarity of the sound achievable without having to tinker with sound enhancement settings, presets or any other settings that I would normally use to get similar results. Considering the headset ships for under $100 that seems extraordinarily good value.
HyperX Cloud Core Wireless microphone performance
In my voice chats, the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless’s condenser mic did a great job keeping my voice sounding clear and unmuffled. The mic is quite ergonomic too, being both very flexible and with a large boom for dampening sound. It’s also easily detachable, clicking in and out of place with minimal effort.
HyperX claims the mic has noise-cancelling technology and to its credit I never noticed ambient noise becoming an issue in games. The mic’s Discord and TeamSpeak certification made it a cinch to connect up to these apps. It was easily muted via the button on the left earcup too.
Conclusion
The HyperX Cloud Core Wireless delivers a sublime audio experience you’d expect from a more expensive gaming headset, but at a fraction of the price. It’s also highly comfortable, durable and packs down to a convenient and portable size. The supported spatial audio works a dream, arguably providing the most realistic surround sound experience in gaming today. Plus, it’s also cross-compatible with your consoles, preventing you from having to buy multiple headsets.
Another interesting feature of the modules from the HX426C15FBK2/16 kit is that they support temperature monitoring and their thermal conditions can be monitored using popular diagnostic utilities directly from the OS. This became possible due to the fact that the HyperX Fury DDR4 modules use a 4-kilobit STTS2004 chip, which is equipped with a built-in thermal sensor, as the SPD EEPROM. However, this feature is unlikely to be of great practical value: DDR4, especially working at a voltage of 1.2 V, is a very economical thing.
It only remains to add to the above that, like the overclocker memory of the upper price category, Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 kits undergo multi-level testing before they go on sale and are provided with a lifetime warranty (in Russia, due to the peculiarities of the legislation, such a warranty period is 10 years). Along the way, the manufacturer also speaks about the proven compatibility of its kit with an extensive list of Intel Z170-based motherboards manufactured by ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte and MSI, a complete list of which can be found on the manufacturer’s website.
⇡#Description of the test system
Due to the fact that the Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4-2666 memory kit considered in this material is designed to work as part of systems with a Skylake processor, it was tested on the ASUS Maximus VIII Ranger motherboard, which is based on the Intel Z170 chipset. At the same time, in order to obtain results that fully meet the interests of enthusiasts, the Core i7-6700K processor installed in this board was overclocked to a frequency of 4.7 GHz with an increase in the supply voltage to 1.46 V.
In general, the following hardware components were used in testing:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K (Skylake, 4 cores + Hyper-Threading, 4.0-4.2 GHz, 8 MB L3), overclocked to 4.7 GHz.
- CPU cooler: Noctua NH-U14S.
- Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VIII Ranger (LGA1151, Intel Z170).
- Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2/16 (2×8 GB, DDR4-2666 SDRAM, 15-15-15-35).
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (6 GB/384-bit GDDR5, 1000-1076/7010 MHz).
- Disk subsystem: Kingston HyperX Savage 480 GB (SHSS37A/480G).
- Power supply: Corsair RM850i (80 Plus Gold, 850 W).
Tested on Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Build 10240 using the following driver set:
- Intel Chipset Driver 10.
1.1.8;
- Intel Management Engine Interface Driver 11.0.0.1157;
- NVIDIA GeForce 355.98 Driver.
⇡#Testing for overclocking
The main characteristic of modern memory kits that has a primary impact on platform performance is their operating frequency. Therefore, the possibility of increasing it above the standard values \u200b\u200bis an important feature of overclocker kits. The Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2/16 memory kit looks quite promising in this regard. The modules included in it use universal SK Hynix chips, which are also used in much faster overclocker memory kits, and their nominal voltage is not too high relative to the value set by JEDEC. The reputation of the manufacturer also speaks in favor of the existence of a considerable overclocking potential. Over the years, Kingston has been known for its solid “safety margin” of products.
Practical testing of the HX426C15FBK2/16 kit for overclocking was carried out as follows:
- The DDR4 SDRAM supply voltage was increased to 1.
35 V – it is considered safe for long-term use. With it, neither the processor memory controller nor the modules themselves usually degrade.
- A “weak” delay scheme 17-19-19-40 was set, at which the maximum frequency of stable operation of memory modules was determined.
- With the maximum DDR4 SDRAM frequency set, a search was made for the most aggressive timing scheme, at which the modules retain their ability to function stably.
- The stability of the memory subsystem was verified by running the LinX 0.6.5 AVX Edition test 10 times using all available memory and additional testing in the Memtest86+ v5.01 test.
However, before talking about the achievements in overclocking, we consider it necessary to say that the parameters of the HX426C15FBK2/16 modules declared in the specifications do not fully describe their properties. As a practical test showed, even without increasing the voltage above the nominal 1.2 V, this kit is able to work with lower delays than the manufacturer promises. For example, we easily managed to achieve stable operation in DDR4-2666 mode with a 14-14-14-35 timing scheme, which allows us to get slightly better performance. However, the full potential of DDR4 modules based on SK Hynix chips is revealed much more efficiently when the voltage is increased. Moreover, setting the “overclocker” voltage of 1.35 V allows you to both increase the frequency of the modules and reduce their delays.
In the first experiment, we tried to find out what is the most aggressive delay scheme possible for the HX426C15FBK2/16 set, if its frequency is left at the nominal 2666 MHz. And as it turned out, this kit retains full stability up to timings 13-14-14-35. In other words, the CAS Latency parameter can easily be reduced by 2 cycles.
However, we would not call this achievement impressive. The fact is that overclocker DDR3 SDRAM kits, with which you willy-nilly want to compare the new DDR4 memory, at a frequency of 2666 MHz usually provide even more aggressive timings. However, no one promised low latency for DDR4. The advantage of the new type of memory lies primarily in the ability to operate at higher frequencies than before. This is exactly what the second experiment demonstrated, in which we tried to squeeze the maximum frequency out of the Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2 / 16. As it turned out, the stability of this kit is maintained up to the DDR4-3000 mode. Timings, however, in this case had to be raised to 17-19-19-38, however, the overall performance of the memory subsystem still increased, since in modern systems the critical parameter is the memory bandwidth, and not its latency.
⇡#Performance
To conclude our acquaintance with Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2/16 memory modules, we tested their performance in nominal mode and under various overclocking options described in the previous section. Comparison of the obtained results will make it possible to conclude what difference in system speed DDR4 SDRAM sets with different characteristics can provide and how expedient it is to overclock memory in systems based on Skylake processors.
The following set of tests was used to measure performance:
Synthetic benchmarks:
- AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark 4.1.643-x64 – measuring the speed of operations with RAM.
- ASUS MemTweakIt 2.02.16 – DRAM Efficiency Score measurement.
Comprehensive benchmarks:
- BAPCo SYSmark 2014 ver 1.5 – Testing in scenarios Office Productivity (office work: word processing, spreadsheet processing, e-mail and visiting Internet sites), Media Creation (working on multimedia content – creating an advertising video using pre- captured digital images and videos) and Data/Financial Analysis (statistical analysis and investment forecasting based on some financial model).
Applications :
- Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 – Graphics performance test. Measured is the average execution time of a test script, which is a creatively redesigned Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed Test, which includes a typical processing of four 24-megapixel images taken by a digital camera.
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.1 – Performance testing for batch processing of a series of RAW images. The test scenario includes post-processing and export to JPEG with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and maximum quality of two hundred 12-megapixel RAW images taken with the Nikon D300 digital camera.
- Blender 2.76 – testing the speed of the final rendering in one of the popular free packages for creating three-dimensional graphics. The duration of building the final model from Blender Cycles Benchmark rev4 is measured.
- WinRAR 5.30 – archiving speed testing. The time taken by the archiver to compress a directory with various files with a total volume of 1.7 GB is measured. The maximum compression ratio is used.
- x265 1.7+357 8bpp — testing the video transcoding speed into the promising H.265/HEVC format. To evaluate performance, we use the original 2160p@24FPS AVC video file with a bitrate of about 22 Mbps.
Games Shader Quality = Very High, Shadow Quality = Very High, Reflection Quality = Ultra, Reflection MSAA = Off, Water Quality = Very High, Particles Quality = Very High, Grass Quality = Ultra, Soft Shadow = Softest, Post FX = Ultra, In-Game Depth Of Field Effects = On, Anisotropic Filtering = x16, Ambient Occlusion = High, Tessellation = Very High, Long Shadows = On, High Resolution Shadows = On, High Detail Streaming While Flying = On, Extended Distance Scaling = Maximum, Extended Shadows Distance = Maximum. To complete the picture, we also added “regular” DDR4-2133 modules, which work with delays of 15-15-15-35. This is the standard DDR4 memory mode supported by LGA1151 systems, and this is the frequency and latencies of most low-cost “nameless” DDR4 SDRAM modules sold in stores. First of all, let’s turn to the results of synthetic tests. Both the operating frequency and timings have a certain influence on the speed of the memory subsystem. However, increasing the frequency gives a noticeably greater increase in the results in tests of real throughput. In addition, the gap between the results of DDR4-2133 and DDR4-2666 is significantly larger than between the performance of configurations with DDR4-2666 and DDR4-3000. This is explained both by the greater difference in frequencies, and by the fact that the transition to high-speed modes requires a sufficiently strong attenuation of delays. By the way, the need to use high timings leads to the fact that from the point of view of practical latency, DDR4-3000 turns out to be a less advantageous mode than DDR4-2666 with CAS Latency equal to 13. However, it should be understood that the results in synthetic tests show some kind of ideal picture that does not reflect real performance. How strongly the performance of the platform as a whole depends on the speed of the memory, will be shown by complex tests that use tasks from real life to measure the performance. The SYSmark 2014 1.5 benchmark, which measures the weighted average performance in user tasks, paints a much less vivid picture of the dependence of performance on the parameters of the memory subsystem. The speed difference between DDR4-2133 and DDR4-2666 on the same system is only 2.5 percent, and the effect of further increasing the memory frequency is so small that it is almost impossible to notice. However, we will not rely on only one comprehensive test package and additionally look at the speed of work in popular applications that react more sensitively to the performance of the memory subsystem. Applications for which the speed of the memory subsystem is very important really exist! The effect of installing modules operating in the DDR4-2666 mode into the system is well manifested when the archiver is running and in the case of image processing. However, fast memory also has a certain effect in the case of final rendering or when transcoding high-resolution video. But at the same time, it’s more correct to say not that it’s better to have fast memory in an LGA1151 system, but that it’s better not to have slow memory. DDR4-2666 allows you to get a quite distinct increase in performance compared to the standard DDR3-2133, but further overclocking does not affect performance so much. But the most interesting part of our testing is the measurement of gaming performance. The fact is that, theoretically, modern 3D games are among the tasks that need fast memory, and it can be expected that when used in games, fast memory will be able to fully reveal its advantages. As you can see from the above diagrams, in fact, the speed of the memory subsystem practically does not affect the real gaming performance. The maximum performance difference between DDR4-2133 and DDR4-3000 at FullHD resolution with high image quality settings is just over one percent. The main determining factor here has long been the video card, and the frame rate depends on its power the most. The effect of memory is manifested if the graphics subsystem is significantly unloaded by lowering the resolution and turning off anti-aliasing. So, the difference in frame rate when using regular DDR4-2133 and kits like HX426C15FBK2/16 can be up to 10 percent. And if such a memory kit is also overclocked, then the increase can reach 12-13 percent. True, to see this advantage in a real gaming load, you need to have a very powerful graphics subsystem, perhaps even built using one of the multi-GPU technologies. However, the radical reduction in the quality of graphics in this case is a completely artificial situation, and these results can only be of interest for research purposes. ⇡ # Conclusions The entire series of Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 RAM is positioned as a compromise between performance and price. And the dual-channel 16 GB kit HX426C15FBK2/16 we’ve reviewed today is a very vivid example of how such an ideology is put into practice. The cost of this set of modules belonging to the DDR4-2666 class is only slightly higher than the price of conventional DDR4 SDRAM sticks, but their nominal mode of operation and the performance they provide are much better. Therefore, there is no doubt that such modules are perfect for high-performance assemblies based on the flagship Skylake processors. Moreover, the use of such DDR4 SDRAM will allow you to be absolutely sure that in the resulting configuration the memory subsystem will certainly not be a bottleneck. But even if you suddenly have some doubts about this, the HX426C15FBK2 / 16 kit can be easily overclocked to a frequency of 2800 or even 3000 MHz, which is more typical for high-end overclocking systems than for ordinary personal computers. However, the advantages of Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 kits are not limited to this alone. While these modules may be of interest to high-performance enthusiasts who are fine-tuning and squeezing the juice out of their system, they are also well suited for less experienced users. The Kingston PnP technology implemented in them solves all the problems with the correct configuration, without requiring any intervention in the BIOS Setup parameters after installing the memory. And if we add pleasant little things to the above, like built-in thermal sensors, spectacular appearance and size of radiators compatible with any coolers, then it becomes clear that the Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 HX426C15FBK2/16 kit is one of the best memory options for LGA1151 systems today. Fortunately, the proposed 16 GB volume is not only quite sufficient for a modern computer, but it gives a good margin for the future, and in terms of performance, DDR4-2666 seems to be almost the best option. Settings for Resolution 1920×1080: DirectX Version = DirectX 11, FXAA = Off, MSAA = x4, NVIDIA TXAA = Off, Population Density = Maximum, Population Variety = Maximum, Distance Scaling = Maximum, Texture Quality = Very High, Shader Quality = Very High, Shadow Quality = Very High, Reflection Quality = Ultra, Reflection MSAA = x4, Water Quality = Very High, Particles Quality = Very High, Grass Quality = Ultra, Soft Shadow = Softest, Post FX = Ultra, In-Game Depth Of Field Effects = On, Anisotropic Filtering = x16, Ambient Occlusion = High, Tessellation = Very High, Long Shadows = On, High Resolution Shadows = On, High Detail Streaming While Flying = On, Extended Distance Scaling = Maximum, Extended Shadows Distance = Maximum.
Settings for 1920 × 1080 resolution: Texture Quality = Very High, Shadow Quality = Very High, Depth-of-field Quality = High, Texture Filtering Quality = 8x Anisotropic, SSAA = High, Screenspace Reflections = On, Parallax Occlusion Mapping = On, FXAA = On, Contact Hardening Shadows = On, Tessellation = On, Image-based Reflection = On.
However, only one test manages to see such a picture.
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Kingston Technology, Fountain Valley / Articles / Sudo Null IT News0002
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
7 min
Views 37K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Gadgets Computer Hardware Peripherals Games and game consoles
HyperX products have been aimed at those who need maximum performance and reliability from the very beginning: professionals, gamers, overclockers. The first products – selected and tested memory, ready to work at aggressive timings and fast SSDs with excellent performance and extended warranty, easily won the hearts of buyers. The experiment with headsets built on the same principles: reliability and efficiency turned out to be successful, and now it’s time for another peripheral device.
Every time a new (gaming) keyboard theme appears on GT, it creates a big war in the comments. It all starts with a debate on the ISO’s “bent” Enter versus ANSI’s “straight”, then comes criticism of additional buttons, backlights, selected switches, case materials … In general, you yourself will follow the traditions in the comments, but for now, meet: Alloy FPS mechanical keyboard. Red backlighting, trendy minimalism and the emphasis on reliability that has become classic for HyperX products are included.
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Total votes 20: ↑17 and ↓3 +14
Comments
49
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
10 min
View count 13K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Hard Drives Desktop Computers
Hi %username%! You must be tired of the cloying stories of IT companies, in which impeccable directors tirelessly make ingenious, ahead of their time products, and in their free time speak in aphorisms or walk on water. The legendary Kingston Technology was not born under fabulous circumstances – two IT engineers lost all their savings in the stock markets at once and went to the bustling computer market as a tiny young company. And now we will tell you how it turned out that from the very first months the company gained credibility in the computer market.
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Total votes 16: ↑15 and ↓1 +14
Comments
29
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
3 min
Views 16K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Desktops
Hi Giktimes! You can’t cheat on the chaff, and it is almost impossible for an experienced ironman to prove the benefits of an integrated core and high-frequency RAM. Nevertheless, in 2015 a significant breakthrough was made in Intel graphics, and under the cut, I propose to evaluate how much the frequency of RAM affects the performance of the GT3e graphics core (aka Iris Pro 6200) built into the Intel Core i7-5775C processor.
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Total votes 16: ↑15 and ↓1 +14
Comments
54
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
2 min
View count 7.1K
Kingston Technology Blog
Hi Giktimes! Another novelty for gamers from HyperX is the Cloud Core gaming headset. This entry-level model in the HyperX Cloud line will be the most affordable and priced to match formidable market-leading competitors. And we will leave the comparison of quality and technical characteristics, available now for the same money, to the buyer. HyperX took one of Michelangelo Buonarotti’s brightest testaments, they took the successful and popular HyperX Cloud model and cut off everything superfluous from it, leaving only high-quality sound and unsurpassed comfort. Under the cut, details and technical characteristics of new items
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Total votes 14: ↑14 and ↓0 +14
Comments
3
Kingston_Technology
000Z” title=”2015-07-23, 11:55″> Jul 23, 2015 at 11:55 am
Time to read
3 min
Views 33K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Storage Desktops
Hi Giktimes! Most users do not think about what file system they have formatted flash drive or memory card. And in fact, why delve into such subtleties – it’s easier to entrust the formatting to the camera or agree with the choice of the desktop. Under the cut, I will remind you about the nature of FAT32, NTFS and exFAT and I will figure out how the file system affects (if it affects at all) the performance of the drive.
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Total votes 28: ↑21 and ↓7 +14
Comments
40
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
5 min
Views 11K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Hard Drives Desktops
Hi Giktimes! I continue the good tradition when, after the announcement and press release, a full review of the device appears in our blog. This time we will focus on the Kingston KC310 solid state drive with a capacity of 960 gigabytes. Such volumes already make it possible to fully compete with classic hard drives in terms of data storage and will continue to provide an advantage in speed. What else is new? Under the cut – performance testing and an overview of the features.
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Total votes 16: ↑15 and ↓1 +14
Comments
13
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
4 min
Number of views 4.1K
Kingston Technology Blog High performance *Data storage *Computer hardware Hard drives
Hello Habr! This year, CES 2021 Consumer Electronics Show took place in an online format that is already familiar to many. And although many of the brands that exhibited at the exhibition last year did not announce their new products at the beginning of this year, Kingston continues to follow the tradition. Going online allowed the company to tell about its plans to a much larger number of people without intermediaries than in the traditional exhibition mode.
So… at CES 2021, we discussed not only new trends that the company will follow throughout the year, but also showed new devices for professionals, as well as enterprise-class solutions. Further in the text we will tell you which ones.
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Total votes 13: ↑13 and ↓0 +13
Comments
9
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
8 min
Views 10K
Kingston Technology Company Blog High Performance *IT Infrastructure *Storage *Networking
You asked for real-life examples of our enterprise SSDs and professional tests. Here is a detailed review of our Kingston DC500R and DC500M SSDs from our partner True System. True System experts built a real server and emulated absolutely real tasks that all enterprise-class SSDs face. Let’s take a look at what they did!
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Total votes 15: ↑14 and ↓1 +13
Comments
2
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
14 min
View count 106K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer hardware Old hardware Desktops Notebooks
“Test cannot be diagnosed” – where would you put the comma in this sentence? We hope that after reading this material, you can clearly answer this question without any problems. Many users have ever experienced data loss for one reason or another, whether it be a software or hardware problem of the drive itself, or a non-standard physical impact on it, if you know what we mean. But today we will not talk about physical damage. Let’s just talk about what does not depend on our hands. Is it worth testing an SSD every day/week/month or is it a waste of its resource? How about testing them? When you get certain results, do you understand them correctly? And how can you simply and quickly make sure that the disk is in order or your data is at risk?
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Total votes 19: ↑16 and ↓3 +13
Comments
69
Kingston_Technology
000Z” title=”2018-06-25, 18:03″> 25 Jun 2018 at 18:03
Time to read
6 min
Views 16K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Desktops Processors
Hello! Kingston is pleased to introduce its first RAM kits featuring advanced RGB lighting. Now your computer will become not only more productive, but also more beautiful.
Total votes 15: ↑14 and ↓1 +13
Comments
9
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
14 min
View count 19K
Kingston Technology Blog Soft
Hello GT! RAM is like money. Or as free time. Well, in a sense, it diverges for everything and always lacks it. In general, the same rule applies here: the more, the better. And even if your PC is rather average in terms of performance characteristics, with, for example, 8 gigabytes of RAM, then switching to 12 gigabytes of the same mediocre memory will brighten up your life very noticeably. In general, in terms of memory, there are two main ways to make using a computer bring maximum joy:
- Optimize the OS itself so that the memory already on board is used optimally within the scenarios familiar to the user.
- Buy the right dice in your PC, increasing the memory to the required amount.
But first things first.
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Total votes 25: ↑19 and ↓6 +13
Comments
55
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
5 min
Number of views 15K
Kingston Technology Blog Gadgets Computer hardware Hard drives
Whatever Jobs is a genius, MicroSD in the phone is cool. Of course, by removing the ability to expand memory from users, Apple has greatly increased the popularity of its cloud services, subscriptions and expensive versions of smartphones with normal amounts of built-in data storage. Moreover, many vendors have picked up the trend, and some time ago, finding a smartphone with a microSD slot was a real epic.
Fortunately, we have USB-OTG and Kingston Duo 3C: maybe not such a convenient way to add extra gigabytes to your gadget as a regular connector, but much more versatile.
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Total votes 15: ↑14 and ↓1 +13
Comments
35
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
5 min
View count 48K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer hardware Hard drives Desktops Notebooks
Someone says that the production of processors is marking time, there is no progress, and in general everything is decaying. In fact, modern CPUs have simply reached a level where for most simple everyday tasks it doesn’t matter what kind of processor you have – a modern one? Yes. Supports new instructions? Certainly. Working in the browser on i7 and i3 will differ minimally, there are no problems with multimedia, even “photoshop” will run almost the same until you go beyond the boundaries of reason. What then plays a role?
Of course, the hardware in the “bottleneck” is RAM and storage. For the experiment, let’s take the younger Core i3 two years ago (and even in the ULV version) and supplement it with modern RAM and high-speed SSD.
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Total votes 21: ↑17 and ↓4 +13
Comments
17
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
8 min
Number of views 24K
Kingston Technology Blog Computer Hardware Desktops
Hi Giktimes! The road is a spoon for dinner, and overclocking records – to the term of the conveyor life of computer hardware. But enthusiasts also have discipline “for the soul” – the so-called retroclocking, when long-out of production and already rare components “jump over their heads” under the influence of nitrogen, helium and outlandish modifications. What is the old horse capable of if you give him a new doping, and what is the meaning of such an activity?
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Total votes 27: ↑20 and ↓7 +13
Comments
29
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
7 min
Views 52K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Gadgets Computer Hardware Hard Drives
Hi %username%! You can call a mobile phone the title of “smartphone” or “pocket computer”, but gadgets do not yet smell of computer modularity, and buyers are often offered a wonderful solution to the problem in response to criticism – not to buy a device. And even a drive upgrade, a rare exception in the “one-time” design of tablets and smartphones, manufacturers are trying to abolish. It’s time to figure out why memory cards got to phones in a roundabout way, why they did not please electronics manufacturers, and how today you can stop depending on the memory capacity in gadgets. I ask under cat for
scandals, intrigues, investigations, details.
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Total votes 27: ↑20 and ↓7 +13
Comments
115
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
5 min
Views 16K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Hard Drives Desktops
Hi Giktimes! The flash drive, which caused a lot of comments from the habrazhites, came to me for a test. We are talking about the sensational DataTraveler 2000 , a drive that is not 100% a Kingston product, but at the same time, users were very interested. I will say right away that I will not hack the established PIN code with improvised means, for all the other details, I ask under cat.
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Total votes 15: ↑14 and ↓1 +13
Comments
44
Kingston_Technology
000Z” title=”2015-12-24, 10:11″> Dec 24, 2015 at 10:11 am
Time to read
3 min
Views 10K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Hard Drives Desktops
Hi Giktimes! Despite the widespread belief that solid state drives are the achievement of technologies of the last ten to fifteen years, the first devices of this type appeared as early as 1978 in the United States. The first manufacturer of a semiconductor drive using volatile memory was the company StorageTek (now defunct). What else has happened since the advent of SSD – read under the cut.
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Total votes 15: ↑14 and ↓1 +13
Comments
12
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
2 min
View count 12K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer hardware Desktop computers
Hi Giktimes! On August 5, 2015 at the GamesCom game show in Cologne, Intel introduced a new Socket 1151 desktop platform codenamed Skylake-S . This is the sixth generation of Intel Core processors and one of the most notable events was the change in the type of RAM from DDR3 to DDR4. HyperX also released new Fury DDR4 dual-channel memory kits for the Intel Z170 chipsets at the same time. For details about the new modules, please under cat.
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Total votes 17: ↑15 and ↓2 +13
Comments
9
Kingston_Technology
Time to read
3 min
Views 11K
Kingston Technology Company Blog Computer Hardware Storage Desktops
Hi Giktimes! USB Type-C, which has already been written about in detail on the GT, has not yet become the most common, but manufacturers are starting to build the infrastructure. Most recently, the Kingston microDuo 3C flash drive was presented at Computex 2015, and it’s time to evaluate its real characteristics and performance.