Hands-on review of the HyperX Naruto Shippuden collection

HyperX has launched one of its splashiest collaborations to date. A full set of Naruto Shippuden gaming accessories is now available from HyperX and WIN.gg is here to review it.

The Naruto gaming accessories are all based on established pieces of the HyperX gaming accessory catalog. The set includes a keyboard, mouse, mousepad, and headset with each one reskinned with a Naruto-themed aesthetic.

Each piece of hardware has the same specs, dimensions, and features as its counterpart. The full set of Naruto accessories from HyperX includes the following hardware:

• HyperX Alloy Origins Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
• HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset
• HyperX Pulsefire Haste Gaming Mouse
• HyperX Pulsefire Mat XL Gaming Mousepad

The Naruto Shippuden gear from HyperX isn’t truly a “limited edition” because of that. Though the Naruto aesthetic is getting a limited run, there’s a strong chance that the standard versions of these accessories will be available five years from now. 

There are two sets of Naruto gaming accessories, one themed around the lead character Naruto Uzumaki and another based on fan-favorite antagonist Itachi Uchiha. The Naruto set sports a color scheme based on the character’s distinctive Naruto Shippuden look, with black and orange patterns. Itachi’s is red and black, with different parts of the set sporting accents based on the iconic Akatsuki clouds or a flock of crows, depending on the piece of hardware.

Here’s how much each one costs, what it offers, and whether you should get it.

Note: WIN.gg received a review copy of the whole set based on Naruto Uzumaki.

HyperX Naruto Shippuden headset offers form and function, at a price

HyperX is one of the biggest brand when it comes to gaming headsets and there are many, many different models to go over from the enduring Cloud II to the recently released Cloud Stinger 2 budget model.

Pros	Cons
Looks amazing	Wired-only
Detachable mic and cable	No surround sound
Solid sound quality	Shaky noise cancellation with mic
Comfortable earpads	Higher price tag than similar models

The feature list includes the following: 

• HyperX Dual Chamber Drivers
• HyperX signature comfort
• Durable aluminum frame
• Multi-platform compatibility

The features and style are identical to the HyperX Cloud Alpha headset, with the only difference between the two being the Naruto Shippuden aesthetic. Worth noting is that, as of this writing, the HyperX store has other Cloud Alpha headsets available for as low as $70, while the Naruto Shippuden version is selling for $110.

That’s a fairly steep price difference, which is made starker when one notices that “dual chamber drivers” is the polite way of saying that this headset doesn’t have surround sound. The drivers instead “reduce distortion by separating bass frequencies from the mids and highs to provide more accurate, smoother in-game audio.” The lack of surround sound is most certainly noticeable in certain titles and could be a deal-breaker for some, especially when the HyperX Cloud II offers similar features and a comparable price tag with 7.1 surround sound.

The sound quality is still generally strong for gaming despite that, but not necessarily for other forms of entertainment. The lack of surround sound can be felt when watching movies or television, and the headset doesn’t have the thudding bass many look for when listening to music. The headset’s value pitch mainly lies in its aesthetic appeal and quality-of-life features, and it definitely shines in those two departments.

Right from opening the package, the headset has an eye-catching box with the Konoha symbol on one side and a headband plate on the other. It comes packaged with an orange drawstring bag adorned with the Konoha symbol for carrying it. 

After pulling it out, the distinctive orange headband with the metallic orange ear cups pop and set it apart from basically anything on the market. The headset itself comes with a detachable microphone with an adjustable arm, which will actually hold the shape it’s bent into instead of slowly straightening out.

The headset itself is a budget model at a mid-shelf price due to its Naruto branding. HyperX sells similar options for cheaper, but for those willing to spend extra to flaunt their Naruto fandom will not be disappointed by it.

Naruto gaming mouse is lightweight, affordable, but least Naruto-esque part of set

The Naruto Shippuden set also includes a HyperX Pulsefire Haste Gaming Mouse for $59.99. The Naruto version of the mouse is a straightforward recoloring of the standard version of the mouse, with a mac-and-cheese orange coloration and a markup from its standard price of $49.99. 

• Ultra-light hex shell design
• Pixart 3335 sensor
• 16,000 DPI / 450 IPS / 40G
• Customizable with HyperX NGENUITY Software

Side-by-side with the rest of the set, the mouse looks out of place. Its brighter, vivid color stands out from the darker metallics of the headset but that’s not especially troublesome given the mouse’s other features.

Pros	Cons
Amazing cable	Wired-only
Customizable	Software isn’t available on all OSs
Highly breathable	Only two programmable buttons
Extremely lightweight	Higher price tag than similar models

The HyperX Pulsefire Haste Gaming Mouse is designed specifically to be maneuverable and lightweight, and does that exceptionally well. The highlight of this is the “HyperFlex USB cable,” which basically feels like a shoelace rather than a cable. While that might sound bad, it makes the mouse absolutely perfect for a cluttered desk, removing that awkward feeling when pushing a stiff cable into a drink.

The light comes from a honeycomb case on the mouse, something that leaves it weighing only 65 grams. It feels like almost nothing in your hand which might sound odd, but that design also makes for a breathable feel that makes it quite comfortable to use in a long game with long sessions like World of Warcraft or Dota 2. Its pads also glide effortlessly along mousepads, making it a fairly unique experience.

The specs on the mouse aren’t the most jaw-dropping, but HyperX NGENUITY software makes it a bit more adaptable than the numbers suggest. Unfortunately, Mac users won’t be able to take advantage of this.

HyperX Alloy Origins Naruto Shippuden keyboard is the highlight of the set

The most expensive and also most fetching part of the Naruto Shippuden HyperX set is the Alloy Origins keyboard. The keyboard normally retails for $110 in the HyperX store with the Naruto version costing $120. The standard version of the HyperX Alloy Origins keyboard can be found for cheaper with other online retailers.

Pros	Cons
Excellent aluminum case	Wired-only
RGB lighting	Gummy-feeling space bar
Keys feel snappy	No macro keys

The keyboard has a metallic case with HyperX’s proprietary mechanical switches. The keyboard is set apart from its standard edition by the distinctive orange and black pattern or red and black for the Itachi version. It also has a fully detachable cable, connecting via an included USB-C cable.

The aesthetic is specifically meant to bridge the gap between the mouse and headset. The keyboard’s case has the metallic sheen of the headset, while the keys have the plastic-looking, crayon orange color of the mouse.

Alongside the color scheme, there are a number of little wrinkles that make this a distinctly Naruto gaming keyboard. There is full RGB lighting in the keyboard and keys that allow the light to shine through the letters, something that makes it very nice to look at. The escape key has either the Uzumaki clan symbol or Akatsuki cloud, with the Konoha logo on the spacebar. Both shift keys have a kunai design that lets the RGB lighting shine through.

The one knock on it is that as a gaming keyboard, the space bar is very soft and pliable. That’s preferable when gaming but the difference in feel between the space bar and every other key can actually be distracting when simply using the keyboard for typing. 

Naruto, Itachi mousepads actually the prettiest part of the set

The keyboard and headset are both aesthetically strong, but the enormous HyperX Pulsefire Mat is actually the prettiest part of the set. The enormous mousepad has a straightforward but distinctive design with a red or orange stripe down the middle and village symbols at the top. /The Naruto set has accented kunai and shuriken, while the Itachi set has the Akatsuki cloud.

The mousepad itself is quite good, coming in at a whopping 90 x 40 centimeters, or 35 x 16.5 inches. Alongside being big and looking good, it’s also quite weighty, which is good for anyone that likes to have low sensitivity and elongated flicks.

The only trouble is that the asking price is $40. Even for a big, high-quality mousepad, that’s a big ask. The standard version of this mousepad goes for $10 less on the HyperX store and there’s no shortage of comparable options on Amazon or elsewhere. The asking price here is for the Naruto branding, but it definitely delivers on that front.

Are the Naruto HyperX gaming accessories worth it?

The Naruto Shippuden line of gaming accessories from HyperX is a strong roundup of some of its budget peripherals that fans of the series should definitely check out. Unfortunately, the Naruto branding comes with a markup that pushes the price tag past some of HyperX’s higher-quality alternatives.

This is most apparent with the headset, where the price tag is above some solid alternatives and significantly higher than some superior models that are on sale as of this writing. Offsetting this is the fact that the hardware looks very good, captures the energy of the series, and is still a generally solid piece of hardware.

Each piece of the Naruto Shippuden gets a solid review here, but the price difference between them and HyperX’s other options is stark. Whether the Naruto style is worth it is ultimately up to the person buying it.