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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• Hidizs ST2 — biggest strength: a real ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC inside the USB-C plug, dual 10 mm titanium dynamic drivers, 20Hz–40kHz response and 32Ω / 118dB sensitivity, so it works as a plug-and-play IEM on PC, Mac, iOS, Android and HarmonyOS.
• Hidizs ST2 — biggest trade-off: it terminates in USB-C only, so older consoles and 3.5 mm controllers need an adapter, and the tuning is aimed at detail and soundstage rather than a bass-forward gaming thump.
• HyperX Cloud Earbuds III — biggest strength: an ultra-light cable under 30 g, a patented Intra-Concha tip design in four sizes, and ambient sound seeping through so you keep situational awareness.
• HyperX Cloud Earbuds III — biggest trade-off: a 3.5 mm jack with no DAC and no noise control, so it leans on whatever audio hardware your device already has.
• Pick Hidizs ST2 if you want one wired set for lossless music, streaming and low-latency gaming on USB-C devices.
• Pick HyperX Cloud Earbuds III if you want the lightest, simplest earbud for handhelds, controllers and long sessions where you still need to hear the room.
The Hidizs ST2 is not really a gaming earbud that happens to play music. It's a compact in-ear monitor that happens to game very well. The core of that is the ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC built into the USB-C connector. That chip handles up to 32Bit/384kHz PCM plus DSD128 and 8X MQA unfolding, with 122dB dynamic range and 0.0012% THD. In plain terms: the earbuds are doing the decoding themselves instead of leaning on your laptop or phone. Plug into a PC, Mac, Android, iOS or HarmonyOS device and you get a clean, quiet floor and a wide 20Hz–40kHz range without an external dongle or sound card.
Who should buy it: PC and laptop gamers who also want a genuine hi-fi set for music, podcasts and streaming, and anyone who wants one cable to do everything without charging. The skin-friendly German-imported resin housing, oval earpiece shape and three pairs of silicone tips point to long wear sessions, and the in-line remote plus HD mic (converting voice to 24-bit/48kHz) covers calls and team chat. The braided OFC cable resists tangling, and a sample-rate indicator light tells you at a glance what your source is feeding it.
Who should skip it: If you mostly play on a console with a 3.5 mm controller jack, or you want the lightest possible earbud for sleep, the USB-C termination and denser build work against you. This is a desk-and-device earbud, not a bedside one.
HyperX Cloud Earbuds III: Who It's For
The HyperX Cloud Earbuds III takes the opposite approach: strip the weight, keep the basics, make it disappear in your pocket. The whole cable weighs under 30 g, and the earbuds ship with a protective hardshell case, so they're genuinely pocket-ready in a way most gaming audio gear isn't. The 3.5 mm angled connector is true plug-and-play across mobile, handheld, controller and PC — no batteries, no pairing, no dropped connections. For a handheld or a controller with a headphone jack, that simplicity is the entire point.
The audio story is a single 14 mm dynamic driver tuned for powerful bass with clear highs and maintained tonal balance. For in-game cue detection, that balance is more useful than raw slam, and it explains why the tuning stays fairly neutral instead of burying mid-range detail. The bigger differentiator is the fit: a patented Intra-Concha ear tip design in four sizes, from XS to L, meant to relieve ear pressure rather than plug the canal. Ambient sound seeps through on purpose, so you keep situational awareness — you can hear a doorbell, a teammate in the room, or traffic while you play.
Who should buy it: Anyone gaming on the move — handhelds, phones, console controllers, laptops — and anyone who wants an earbud light enough to forget. The soft cushioning and range of tip sizes make it a reasonable candidate if you're hunting for the best clip on earbuds for sleeping or the best in ear headphones for sleeping, since the low clamping feel and ambient passthrough suit lying down far better than a sealed IEM.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for audio quality and detail → Hidizs ST2. Dual 10 mm titanium drivers, a built-in ESS DAC, 20Hz–40kHz and 0.0012% THD put it in a different league for music and positional game audio.
• Best for PC gaming → Hidizs ST2. USB-C plugs straight into modern desktops and laptops with no adapter, and the DAC bypasses your motherboard's noisy onboard audio.
• Best for handheld, controller and console use → HyperX Cloud Earbuds III. The 3.5 mm angled jack is the universal fit that USB-C simply isn't.
• Best for all-day and sleep-friendly wear → HyperX Cloud Earbuds III. Under 30 g, four tip sizes and ambient passthrough beat a sealed IEM for long, low-pressure sessions.
• Best for zero-latency, no-battery gaming → both, in different ways. Neither has a battery; the Hidizs runs a DAC-fed USB-C signal, the HyperX runs an analog 3.5 mm signal.
• Best for team chat and calls → Hidizs ST2. The HD mic converts voice to 24-bit/48kHz and pairs with a full in-line remote; the HyperX mic handles chat but is a simpler omnidirectional design.
• Best for travel and storage → HyperX Cloud Earbuds III. The hardshell case and sub-30 g cable are built for a bag.
• Best for critical listening at a desk → Hidizs ST2. Sample-rate indicator, OFC braided cable and MQA unfolding point at a deliberate listening setup.
In my opinion, the Hidizs ST2 is the one to buy if gaming and music listening share the same device. The built-in ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC, dual 10 mm titanium drivers and 20Hz–40kHz range mean you're not buying earbuds so much as a tiny audio chain, and that shows up in game audio positioning as much as in music. I'd only steer you to the HyperX Cloud Earbuds III if your priority is 3.5 mm universality, extreme lightness, or something comfortable enough for sleeping and bedside use — there, the sub-30 g weight and ambient passthrough win outright. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in different budget brackets.
what is gaming earbuds
Gaming earbuds are in-ear headphones built for games: wired or wireless, usually with a microphone and in-line controls, and tuned so you can hear footsteps, reloads and directional cues. The Hidizs ST2 is a USB-C in-ear monitor with a DAC and HD mic; the HyperX Cloud Earbuds III is a 3.5 mm earbud with a 14 mm driver and in-line mic.
what is best gaming earbuds
There's no single answer, because "best" depends on your platform. In my opinion the Hidizs ST2 is the stronger pick for USB-C PC and laptop gaming thanks to its ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC and dual 10 mm titanium drivers, while the HyperX Cloud Earbuds III is the better fit for 3.5 mm handhelds, controllers and long low-pressure sessions.
what gaming earbuds are good
Good gaming earbuds get three things right: low latency, clear positional audio, and a fit you can wear for hours. The Hidizs ST2 nails latency and detail through its wired USB-C DAC path, and the HyperX Cloud Earbuds III nails fit with four Intra-Concha tip sizes, a sub-30 g cable and ambient passthrough for situational awareness.
what is the best gaming earbuds for pc
For PC specifically, I'd point to the Hidizs ST2. It connects over USB-C with no adapter on modern desktops and laptops, its built-in DAC decodes up to 32Bit/384kHz PCM with 122dB dynamic range, and the wired signal keeps latency effectively at zero for competitive play.
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