We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a do-everything headset that juggles PC, console, handheld and phone without breaking a sweat, choose HyperX Cloud Mix 2; if you need a lighter, folding, travel-friendly pair built around immersive spatial audio and rapid charging, choose Skullcandy Hesh 540. Both are over-ear wireless headphones with active noise cancellation, and both run Bluetooth 5.3 — so the real decision comes down to how you'll actually use them.
• HyperX Cloud Mix 2 — biggest strength: dual wireless (2.4GHz dongle + Bluetooth) with latency as low as 20ms, plus enormous battery life — up to 110 hours over Bluetooth or 72 hours on the dongle (52 with ANC on).
• HyperX Cloud Mix 2 — biggest trade-off: it's the heavier of the two at 266 g, and its feature set is clearly gaming-leaning rather than lifestyle-first.
• Skullcandy Hesh 540 — biggest strength: THX Spatial Audio, wear detection and Rapid Charge (a 10-minute top-up gives around 4 hours of listening), all in a flat-folding, collapsible frame.
• Skullcandy Hesh 540 — biggest trade-off: battery tops out at 65 hours with ANC off (around 50 with ANC on), and it's Bluetooth-only — there's no low-latency dongle for gaming.
• Pick HyperX Cloud Mix 2 if you split your time between a PC or console and a phone, and want one headset to cover all of it.
• Pick Skullcandy Hesh 540 if you mostly listen on the move — commuting, travel, movies and music — and want a lighter, packable pair with spatial audio.
The Cloud Mix 2 is the more flexible of the two, and that flexibility comes from its dual-wireless design. Alongside Bluetooth 5.3, it ships with a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle that pushes latency down to as low as 20ms. That's the number that matters if you care about audio staying in sync with what's on screen — it's the difference between gunfire and footsteps landing when they should, rather than a beat late. It's also the reason this headset works across PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and mobile without you having to think about which device you're on.
Comfort and build lean practical: memory foam earcups wrapped in soft leatherette, an aluminum-and-plastic frame, and a 266 g weight. In my opinion, this is the pick for someone who wants one headset that works for gaming, calls and everyday listening — and who doesn't mind carrying a slightly heavier pair to get the low-latency dongle. If you never game and never need the dongle, you're paying for capability you won't use.
Skullcandy Hesh 540: Who It's For
The Hesh 540 tells a different story. Its centrepiece is THX Spatial Audio — a 3D, dimensional presentation that's aimed squarely at music and movies rather than competitive gaming. If you like the feeling of sound wrapping around you during a film or an album, that's the feature doing the work. Wear detection is the other genuinely useful touch: audio pauses automatically when you lift the headphones off and resumes when you put them back on, which is the kind of small convenience you notice constantly once you have it.
Noise cancelling here is adjustable and handled by a four-microphone array, with three modes to move between — Active Noise Canceling, Stay-Aware, and a Sidetone setting for hearing your own voice on calls. You can fine-tune all of it, plus Personal Sound by Mimi, inside the Skullcandy app. Battery is quoted at up to 65 hours with ANC off (roughly 50 with it on), and Rapid Charge gives you about 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge — handy when you've forgotten to plug in the night before.
The design is the practical selling point: a flat-folding, collapsible frame in a bone colourway, with faux leather, metal, plastic and silicone in the build. At 0.24 kg it's the lighter of the two, and it folds down small enough to live in a bag without drama. There's also a 3.5mm jack and a cable in the box, so you can go wired when the battery runs dry. The catch is that it's Bluetooth-only — there's no low-latency dongle, so it isn't the tool for someone chasing 20ms gaming audio.
• Best for gaming and low latency → HyperX Cloud Mix 2. The 2.4GHz dongle and its 20ms latency are built for it.
• Best for maximum battery life → HyperX Cloud Mix 2. Up to 110 hours Bluetooth, or 72 hours on the dongle (52 with ANC on).
• Best for spatial, cinematic sound → Skullcandy Hesh 540. THX Spatial Audio is the standout feature here.
• Best for travel and packing → Skullcandy Hesh 540. Flat-folding, collapsible design at around 0.24 kg.
• Best for a quick top-up charge → Skullcandy Hesh 540. Roughly 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute Rapid Charge.
• Best for multi-device switching → HyperX Cloud Mix 2. PC, PS5, Switch, Steam Deck and mobile are all covered by the dongle.
• Best for hands-free convenience → Skullcandy Hesh 540. Wear detection auto-pauses and auto-resumes.
• Best for wired backup → Skullcandy Hesh 540. It includes a 3.5mm jack and cable; the HyperX relies on wireless.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the HyperX Cloud Mix 2. In my opinion the dual-wireless setup is the deciding factor: the 2.4GHz dongle makes it genuinely useful for gaming and video work, while Bluetooth 5.3 keeps it perfectly normal for music and calls, and the battery figures mean I'd rarely think about charging. The Skullcandy Hesh 540 is the better pure listening companion if you want lighter, folding, spatial-audio-first headphones — but it can't match the Cloud Mix 2's flexibility. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that could swing it either way.
ANC stands for Active Noise Cancellation — microphones listen to the noise around you and the headphones generate opposing sound to reduce it, so you hear less of the room and more of your audio. Both headphones here include it: the HyperX Cloud Mix 2 uses hybrid ANC, and the Skullcandy Hesh 540 uses an adjustable four-mic system.
It means the headphones can actively quiet your surroundings over a wireless Bluetooth connection, rather than just sealing your ears with padding. On the Hesh 540 you can switch between Active Noise Canceling and Stay-Aware, while the Cloud Mix 2 pairs ANC with a Transparency mode for hearing the outside world.
It's most useful in noisy, sustained environments — commutes, shared offices, flights and busy rooms — where you want to focus on audio or calls. Both sets also let you turn ANC off to save battery: the Cloud Mix 2 runs up to 110 hours in Bluetooth mode, and the Hesh 540 up to 65 hours with ANC off.
For gaming, I'd lean toward the HyperX Cloud Mix 2 because its 2.4GHz dongle delivers latency as low as 20ms and it works across PC, PS5, Switch, Steam Deck and mobile. For travel, I'd lean toward the Skullcandy Hesh 540 for its lighter, flat-folding design and THX Spatial Audio.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: ClaspVital OTC Hearing Aids vs Pmjebe MP3, JSAUX Headphone Adapter vs ASKUBSKU Open Ear Headphone, commountain Earpiece vs ERIPHA 2-Pin, Kinnect Now Edge vs Sony WF-C510: Bluetooth Multipoint