HyperX Cirro Buds Pro review: Gaming without oomph
A good pair of wireless earbuds can be a lifesaver when gaming on the go, giving you the freedom of flexibility without having to compromise on sound quality. While there are plenty of options to choose from in the hardware market, HyperX offers their Cirro Buds Pro at the midpoint between the high-end and budget markets.
These buds unfortunately don't strike that balance particularly well and end up lacking in multiple departments. It does have some benefits though - especially in the connectivity department.
GGRecon Verdict
You can have a good time with the HyperX Cirro Buds Pro if you're just looking for something that's easy to use on the go. They're comfortable and lightweight, which is very much appreciated when you're just looking to relax.
However, they lack when it comes to full-bodied sound, leaving a lot to be desired in anything beyond casual listening. Their narrow soundscape makes competitive titles suffer quite a lot too, and I found that music often sounded flat even with my own personal EQ.
More amateur than pro
Click to enlargeFundamentally the most important thing when it comes to earbuds and any audio device is the quality of sound that it can produce. Having a well-balanced sound profile with enough energy to impress not only makes your music and games sound 'better', but can even give you a veritable advantage in competitive titles.
While it does avoid any tinny likeness that you'd typically associate with poor-quality earphones, the Cirro Buds Pro, sadly, aren't that great when it comes to audio quality. The pervasive feeling I had when listening with these was the lack of oomph that they produced - where everything just felt devoid of life and energy.
Many earbuds make the mistake of tuning far too heavily on the bass end, but the Cirro Buds Pro generally feel lifeless out of the box and without any tuning. I was able to adjust them with EQ of my own to make them feel better, but they still sounded thin in almost every scenario.
This was partly down to their inability to get very loud, as I often found myself maxing out my volume, especially when using them outside - but they also have an incredibly narrow soundscape.
As someone who is used to gaming with open-back headphones, I know how important a wide soundscape is to playing competitive games. It can help so much with both immersion and your ability to place certain sounds like enemy footsteps - so having every noise feel so immediate can make certain games a struggle.
They'll perform just fine when playing most single-player titles though, and could be a good pairing with something like a Steam Deck. I've sometimes found over-ear headphones to be quite cumbersome when playing for long sessions on Deck, so having a much lighter option is welcome - even if it is a compromise on sound quality.
Great connections
Click to enlargeOn the flip side, where the HyperX Cirro Buds Pro really did impress me was its great connectivity. You're still going to have issues when it comes to dealing with consoles like the PlayStation 5 due to its lack of Bluetooth support, but these earphones will link up wonderfully to pretty much anything else.
It's a genuine relief any time that a product works seamlessly out of the box, and that's very much the case when it comes to the Cirro Buds Pro. All I needed to do was unbox them, pair them with my device, and then a small audio signal let me know I was all good to go. I never had any issues with the earphones failing or pairing or being connected after the fact too, which made grabbing them in a pinch feel reliable.
They also felt reliable from a battery perspective, measuring up to seven hours on their own and up to 35 overall with the case. This decreases when you factor in additional features like ANC and Gaming Mode, but I didn't feel like I was rushing to charge them despite using a fair amount.
This does go down a fair amount when you're using Gaming Mode as mentioned though, and is something you'll definitely want to consider enabling if you're primarily using this with a console or handheld device.
Bluetooth connections can often fall victim to a small delay, which you'll never notice when listening to music, but can cause a problem when playing games. This feature successfully reduces the latency between the device and the headphones - making gaming feel that much smoother despite the hit to the battery life.
Are they comfortable?
Click to enlargeAnother benefit of the Cirro Buds Pro is their comfort, as the last thing you want is earbuds sitting in the wrong place in your ears. I've always struggled to find earphones that feel natural in my ears, but the HyperX options are easy to wear and never feel at risk of falling out either.
I couldn't comment on how well they'd hold up in rigorous activity like a run - as they lack any securing mechanisms that you'd typically see from sports earbuds - but I don't expect to go for a run with my Steam Deck any time soon anyway!
It would have been nice to have had a wider selection of buds included in the package, as there are only three silicone options supplied with no foam buds either, so you might have to source some third-party pieces if none fit or you prefer different materials.
The Verdict
While there are plenty of benefits when it comes to the connectivity and comfort of the HyperX Cirro Buds Pro earbuds, they are ultimately let down by subpar audio quality. It'll get by when listening to podcasts or just playing your average single-player games, but it struggles when it comes to music and lacks significantly in a competitive edge that you'd gain from other options.
For the price, of course, you can't expect top-of-the-range quality - but I think there are better options within the midrange unless you simply want something that's convenient, reliable, and easy to pick up and use.
2.5/5
Review unit provided by the manufacturer.
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