HYTE has been on a roll lately as one of the newest companies stepping into the PC building space. This sister company of iBuyPower has recently launched a range of mid-tower and mini ATX cases, including the HYTE Y60 and Revolt 3, along with a small assortment of peripherals. Now, HYTE is breaking into the world of gaming headsets with theHYTE Eclipse HG10, a pair of gaming headphones that is not only compatible withPCbut also the PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. HYTE promises that the Eclipse HG10 delivers an all-performance, “no-frills” gaming headset experience.
“No-frills” is undoubtedly an apt way to describe the HYTE Eclipse HG10, taking less than 60 seconds to unbox the headset, get them connected, and start listening. No extra software, mixers, or cables are required here. However, HYTE’s “no-frills” approach to its first-ever gaming headset does end up leaving many features on the table that other headsets at the $99 price point would likely offer. Despite that, the Eclipse HG10 is remarkably well-built and takes some considerations into its design that many other brands continue to forget. For its first attempt at a pair of gaming headphones, HYTE’s Eclipse HG10 headset is an admirable product that just needs some refinement.
HYTE Eclipse HG10: Specs & Design
The HYTE Eclipse HG10 includes the following:
HYTE’s main selling point with the Eclipse HG10 is in crafting a pair of gaming-oriented headphones that don’t include all the baggage that typically comes withgamer-focused headsets. As many gamers may know, the higher the price for a pair of gaming headphones, the more likely they will come with all sorts of extra software, drivers, and lighting, and they can often look aesthetically uninviting. In contrast, the Eclipse HG10 is entirely non-intrusive. Set up is quick and straightforward, requiring gamers to simply plug in the included 2.4 GHz wireless dongle to their PC and let the headphones do their work. It’s plug-and-play in every sense.
For a $100 pair of headphones, the Eclipse HG10 feels like it’s punching above its weight class in build quality. The whole headset is crafted with premium-feeling hard plastic that doesn’t seem like it will crack any time soon. Most notably, the HG10’s adjustable headband sliders are reinforced with a brushed aluminum layer that goes a long way in ensuring that the mechanic parts of the headset–which are most likely to break–stay in working order for a long time. The earcups' hinges are also made of brushed aluminum, further reinforcing the headset and improving longevity. While these are more minor features, many otherheadphone manufacturersoften elect to cut costs in these areas, and HYTE’s efforts here make the HG10 feel like a premium device and are appreciated.
Aesthetically, the HYTE Eclipse HG10 look quite nice, keeping a lower profile than most gaming headsets. Its matte white finish combined with the silver accents along the earcups look great, and the HG10’s detachable microphone removes a lot of the “gamer” aesthetic. Users can safely leave their gaming rooms and look like they’re wearing a regular pair of headphones that aren’t adorned withRGB lightsor contain any ostentatious stylings. Unfortunately, the HG10 lacks any wired mode and can’t connect to mobile phones, so it can only go wherever users play games. While being wireless is one of the Eclipse HG10’s best features, being able to tether it with a wire would be nice in case gamers find themselves in a situation where the battery ran dry. Fortunately, the battery life on the HYTE Eclipse HG10 is fantastic, living up to their marketed 30-hour-long battery life.
The Eclipse HG10 is compatible with the PS4, PS5, andNintendo Switch, so it does have some versatility for multiple console users, but it does require a separate adapter for the Nintendo console. Xbox users are excluded from using the HG10 altogether, as the dongle is incompatible with the whole console family. Ultimately, the Eclipse HG10 mainly targets the PC audience and potentially the PlayStation crowd too, but falls in line with lacking multi-platform compatibility typical of wireless headsets in this price range. Having a “no-frills” headset that can work with all consoles could have been a great way to stand out and make up for the HG10’s lack of features and few shortcomings.
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HYTE Eclipse HG10: Comfort
The HYTE Eclipse HG10 features a unique half-moon shape design for its earcups that, on the surface, looks more claustrophobic than the standard circular design in mostgaming headsets. However, in practice, they are roomy enough for most ears. Its sleeker profile means the drivers will sit a little closer to gamers' ears due to lack of depth and could be annoying for those whose ears often touch the driver. Gamers that wear glasses should be fine wearing these headphones, as the vegan leather cushions aren’t very stiff and have slight breathability. Unfortunately, the Eclipse HG10 does become uncomfortable after some time, and it comes back to its excellent build quality also containing a few downsides.
The HYTE Eclipse HG10’s biggest issue with comfort comes from its clamping force. Even though its premium hard plastic is worthy of praise and makes them ahearty pair of headphones, the trade-off is having a rigid pair of headphones that don’t flex very well and can’t accommodate every head. The HG10 has plenty of vertical range with its eight-notch headband, so that should likely not be an issue for most. Still, its lack of horizontal flex makes these headphones uncomfortable after a few hours despite granting an excellent seal that hardly leaks audio. Those with smaller heads may do just fine wearing the HG10s, but otherwise, gamers could need frequent breaks.
HYTE Eclipse HG10: Audio and Microphone Quality
The audio quality on the HYTE Eclipse HG10 is a mixed bag. This headset’s sound profile elects to go with a sharp “V” shape in its audio mix, meaning the HG10 has excellent bass and crisp highs, while the mids seem quite flat. So while explosions sound huge and boomy, and gunfire sounds punchy and visceral, dialogue gets drowned out between the high and low frequencies. As a result, the HYTE Eclipse HG10 has a good sound profile for first-person shooters likeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,as the headphones provide a clear soundscape for footsteps and gunfire and, overall, can still feel cinematic when needed. However, for narrative-centric and dialogue-heavy games that are far more dynamic in their sound range, the HG10 can’t hold up.
For music, the HYTE Eclipse HG10 similarly does well in some genres and fails in others. Due to its sharp “V” shaped audio profile, the HG10 sounds great in bass-heavy pop and rap music but doesn’t sound as good in rock, metal, or alternative. When faced with music featuring multiple instruments or anything that is particularly noisy, the Eclipse HG10 has trouble making every part of the audio experience shine. Ultimately, the Eclipse HG10 only manages to sound great under specific conditions and isn’t much of a jack of all trades, which is a shame because these headphones can get quite loud and could sound far better in all scenarios if properly tuned.
Moreover, the HG10 lacks some features that other headsets in this price range include and are nice to have. Virtual surround sound, 50mm drivers, a 3.5mm jack, and compatibility withXboxare all features that wireless headsets around this price range can deliver, and the HG10 falls short in those regards. Being simple to set up and with an adequate listening experience is nice, but the long-term quality of life for these headphones would benefit from all of these features.
On the other hand, themicrophone qualityon the Eclipse HG10 is surprisingly solid. While HYTE’s microphone can’t seem to escape the always-present low-quality static noise built into these cheaper gaming headset mics, it does a good job of isolating vocals and never seems to pick up on breathing or background noises. Voices during testing always sounded loud and clear. However, the HG10’s microphone doesn’t include a pop filter, resulting in a very unpleasant reproduction of plosive sounds that may not be great for whoever is on the other end of the mic.
The HYTE Eclipse HG10 is a decent choice for wireless gaming headphones but doesn’t do much to stand out from the growing crowd of wireless gaming headsets. The HG10s excel at getting players up and running quickly and sound great for popular games likeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2orCounter Strike: Global Offensive; however, it needs some refinement in its audio profile and feature set before it becomes a solid recommendation for anything else. At $100, several wireless gaming headsets sound better and have better quality-of-life features that make them worthy of the price tag. Unless customers value the “no-frills” approach to design, setup, and listening experience, the HYTE Eclipse HG10 might be best at a lower price.
HYTE Eclipse HG10 Wireless Gaming Headsetis available now. Game Rant was provided a unit for this review.
