How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a complete wired gaming headset with a detachable boom mic and oversized drivers, choose IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4; if you need a cheap replacement boom mic for a specific HyperX Cloud II / Cloud Core / CloudX 2nd Gen headset, choose REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom. These two products share exactly one idea — a detachable mic — and almost nothing else. One is a whole headset. The other is a single spare part. That difference decides everything.
• IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 — biggest strength: a full over-ear wired headset built around 57mm dynamic drivers, with a twist-lock detachable boom mic and a 3.5mm splitter cable in the box.
• IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 — biggest trade-off: it's a wired, PC-first headset with a bulky plastic build, and there's no wireless option or console-specific tuning.
• REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom — biggest strength: a plug-and-play unidirectional boom mic with a foam windscreen for one narrow job — replacing a lost or broken mic on a 2nd Gen HyperX Cloud.
• REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom — biggest trade-off: it fits only straight-jack 2nd Gen models (roughly 2021 and later) and will not work on angled-jack 1st Gen headsets or most other Cloud models.
• Who each pick is for: IO CREST if you need a whole headset for PC chat and gaming; REEYEAR if you already own a compatible HyperX and only need the mic back.
The IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4 (model PC200-I, part of the Cruiser line) is a stereo over-ear wired headset aimed at PC owners who want one box to cover both listening and talking. The headline spec is the driver: 57mm dynamic drivers at 32 ohms with a 20Hz–20KHz frequency range. That's a large driver for a headset, and large drivers generally move more air and give you a fuller low end — useful when footsteps, gunfire and engine noise need to sit apart from each other in a busy mix. The 32-ohm impedance also means it doesn't demand a dedicated amp; a normal motherboard jack or controller output can drive it.
The detachable mic is the feature that ties this article together. On the PC200-I the boom mic attaches with a twist lock, so removing it and reconnecting it is a deliberate, simple motion rather than a friction fit you fight with. That matters if you use the headset for music, video or solo play and don't want a mic arm in front of your face. IO CREST also includes a 3.5mm 4-pole headset plug plus a 3.5mm audio splitter, which is the practical detail people miss: a 4-pole single plug works on devices with a combined headphone/mic jack, while the splitter separates mic and audio for desktops that still have two distinct ports. Between the two, you're covered on PC, Mac, tablets, phones and consoles with a standard 3.5mm connection.
Comfort is handled with floating ear cups designed to follow the shape and angle of your ears, which is the right approach for long sessions — pressure points are what make people rip a headset off after an hour. The enclosure is ABS thermoplastic, and IO CREST leans into that by describing it as surviving backpack travel and desk drops. There's also a volume control and sound-isolation noise control, and a 1-year warranty.
Who should buy it: someone who wants a single wired headset for PC gaming, online chat, Discord and general media, and who values a mic they can physically remove. Who should skip it: anyone who wants wireless freedom, anyone who needs a slim travel headset, and anyone who already owns a headset they like and only needs a replacement mic — for that person this is the wrong product entirely. Also note the over-ear plastic build is a full-size design, so if you dislike big cups, look elsewhere.
The REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom is not a headset. It's a 3.5mm boom microphone with a foam windscreen, sold as a third-party replacement part for a very specific family of headsets: HyperX Cloud II, Cloud Core and CloudX 2nd Generation models that use a straight mic jack, typically produced in or after 2021. That's the whole product. One mic, one windshield, no headset included.
The compatibility note is the most important thing on this page, so read it twice. HyperX shipped the same headset names with two different mic jack designs depending on production year. This REEYEAR mic fits the straight-slot 2nd Gen versions. It does not fit 1st Gen models with angled or slanted jacks, and it does not fit Cloud II Wireless, Cloud III, Cloud Core Wireless, Cloud Alpha, Cloud Stinger or Cloud Pro Silver. REEYEAR specifically tells buyers to check the shape of their headset's mic slot against a comparison image before ordering. If you skip that step, there's a real chance you buy a part that physically won't seat.
Where it does fit, the design is sensible. The polar pattern is unidirectional, which means it favors sound arriving from directly in front of it — your mouth — and rejects more of what's happening around and behind it. That's the correct choice for a chat mic, and combined with the foam cover it's aimed at cutting breath noise and plosives. REEYEAR describes the result as crisp, clear audio for online gaming, streaming, Discord calls and Zoom meetings. It's a corded part with no battery and no drivers to install: plug it into the straight jack, and it seats snugly without wobble. It weighs almost nothing, which is normal for a mic boom.
Who should buy it: someone who owns a compatible 2nd Gen HyperX Cloud headset and has lost, damaged or worn out the original mic. Who should skip it: everyone else. If your headset isn't on the compatibility list, or if you're not sure which generation you own, this part is a gamble. And if you don't already own a compatible headset, buying this gets you a mic with nothing to attach it to.
• Best for a complete audio setup → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. Drivers, cups, cable, splitter and mic all come in one package.
• Best for replacing a lost mic → REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom. It exists for exactly that scenario and nothing more.
• Best for big-driver stereo sound → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. 57mm dynamic drivers at 32 ohms across a 20Hz–20KHz range.
• Best for mic flexibility → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. The twist-lock boom comes off and goes back on, so you can run mic-free when you want.
• Best for precise fit on a HyperX → REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom. Unidirectional capsule, foam cover, snug straight-jack seating.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → REEYEAR Mic Replacement Boom. No tools, no drivers, no setup — assuming your jack matches.
• Best for PC + console + mobile coverage → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. The 4-pole 3.5mm plug plus the included splitter covers combined and separate jacks.
• Best for buyers who hate compatibility homework → IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. It works with a standard 3.5mm jack; the REEYEAR requires you to verify your headset generation first.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the IO CREST GamesterGear PC PS4. It's the only one of the two that works as a product on its own — a complete wired headset with 57mm drivers, a twist-lock detachable mic, floating ear cups and a splitter cable that makes it genuinely usable across PC, console and mobile. The REEYEAR is a well-targeted spare part, and if you own a compatible 2nd Gen HyperX Cloud and just need your mic back, it's the smarter and more sensible purchase. But that's a repair, not a setup. For most people reading this, the IO CREST is the one that actually gets you gaming and talking tonight.
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: Puiixur QC35 vs YUEHEMEI Gaming Headset, CCA KZ Zax vs syeindunce Tangzu Xue Tao, Krone Kalpasmos Beats Solo 3 vs LUCKDANO Headphone Earpads, Anker Soundcore Sport X20 vs EaseBurn Open Ear