The Best Microphone for Gaming | Buyer’s Guide (2024)

The craze of gaming has been getting wider in 2023. Everyone is building PCs and investing in high-end accessories to enhance their gaming experience.

A microphone plays a really important role in gaming. So, In this Guide, we’ll compile a list of the best microphones for gaming that will take your gaming setup to the next level. And at the end of this article, we’ll conclude our picks and finalize the best product for you.

In this scenario, people usually prefer USB microphones for gaming, because of their plug-and-play flexibility. But, now we’re going to list down the top-notch microphones for gaming including USB and XLR microphones.

People usually don’t wanna get mics with a huge setup and junk wires. They like an easy-to-use and affordable mic that is suitable for gaming. So, according to all these requirements of gamers, we’ve collected the most promising models available in today’s market.

Top 10 best microphones for gaming

Quick tips to identify the best

Before jumping to the product, first, let’s see the best practices to consider before buying the best microphone for gaming. We’ll try to share what you should consider before picking a mic.

Budget:

Budget is an off-course an initial thing to focus on, before any purchase. When we talk about a proper gaming mic with reliability. This is a simple concept, if you spend more, of course, you’ll get the best product. But, that doesn’t mean there is nothing Budget-Friendly. We’ve also covered some affordable microphone models for gaming.

If you’re just starting and wanna get the mic for fun gaming and rough like that, you can pick any affordable variant. But if you’re serious and starting gaming as a career and want to get an exceptional product, then you’re free to grab the best product in the industry.

Which type of microphone is best for gaming:

However, there are tons of different categories of microphones. But we’ll try to suggest to you the best for gaming. It’s important to choose the type according to your purpose of use.

People usually make the mistake of purchasing a mic that comes with good design or popularity. But, if you spend $1000 on a mic that is not suitable for your needs, there might be 200 dollars mic that can fulfill your requirements better than a 1000 dollars mic. So focus on your needs and be careful while making any decision.

Condenser: In order to pick the best type of microphone, we’ll have to consider some important things. The condenser is a popular type of microphone and we can find a lot of its examples such as Blue Yeti, Rode NT-1 A, etc.

According to professionals, the simple concept is, a condenser microphone is pretty useful in a quiet environment. Now if you haven’t, this is not recommended. Because it captures the sound from a distance, it might be picking up some noise around you. So, if you’re using it, make sure you’re in a quiet situation.

Dynamic: Dynamic can be more useful for gaming and I personally like this type of microphone. If you record being closer to the mic, then it will record well, which means it considers closer sounds and rejects the noise that comes from outside.

So, you have to keep it closer to your mouth. The result is, if you have a quiet room for gaming then both of these types are the best. But if you’ll be recording in a noisy environment, the Dynamic microphone is ideal.

Best Settings for gaming:

If you use the desktop stand with the microphone for gaming, it will create a problem by picking your keyword’s noise, especially if you use a condenser microphone. I always recommend using a separate Boom Arm. It makes the recording experience more convenient.

You can’t take the mic off your video frames. People usually keep the microphone at a bit of distance. But honestly, It won’t give you better results, you’ll have to keep the mic near to you and closer to your mouth, in order get to achieve better audio.

1. Blue Snowball ICE | Lightweight & Best gaming mic

The first product we’ve selected is a very decent and lightweight microphone. Most people are here to find a budget-friendly microphone, so this one is dedicated to them. It comes with some impressive features with reliability and great audio quality.

You can take it off from its default desktop stand and attach it to a boom arm. Although this is the most popular studio condenser microphone in the industry. But it’s a mid-budget microphone and when we look at its flexibilities, Snowball is ideal for gaming.

Now, you might know, there are two variants of this microphone available. Snowball and Snowball ICE. But, we’re suggesting you ICE variant here.

Blue Snowball VS Snowball ICE

There is a simple difference between these two mics. Blue Snowball has two microphone capsules that allow the mic to switch to the polar pattern.

E.g you can record in a cardioid pattern which will pick the audio from the front and you can also record in an Omnidirectional polar pattern which will capture the audio from all around the mic. This is good for meetings and conferences.

On the other hand, there is an ICE variant which is our today’s product. This microphone has a Cardioid pattern that has the ability to pick audio from the front and there is no other pattern. You might be thinking why am I suggesting this.

First of all, in gaming, we only need a single cardioid pattern. Now it depends on you. If you’ll be using it for other purposes as well then you can pick Snowball. But if you’re just searching for gaming, then Snowball iCE is a versatile option.

Why Blue Snowball for gaming

Although it has an all-plastic body, it’s well constructed and durable. It won’t disappoint you for built quality. It has a nice & attractive design. Snowball ICE provides plug and play facility, and you can connect it directly to your personal computer or laptop.

Its desktop stand is sturdy but not recommended for gaming, because it might be picking some bumps and keyboard noise. So, Boom arm is a better choice. So, overall this is a top pick of any USB condenser microphones list and one of the best and cheap microphones for gaming.

Specifications:

Polar Patterns	Cardioid
Frequency Response	40 –18 kHz
Sample/word Rate	44.1 kHz/16 bit
Weight	460g
Dimensions	325mm (circumference)

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2. HyperX QuadCast | Great quality microphone for gaming

If you’re looking for all in one professional gaming mic, HyperX brings an incredible model with impressive features. This is a mid-budget but gamer’s choice USB Condenser Microphone. This is specially designed for pro gamers. You’ll get a pre-installed shock mount. It also brings a desktop stand but HyperX also includes a small amount in the box, so you can remove the desktop stand and use it on a separate mic stand.

Build quality is absolutely amazing. Professionals mostly like those mics that come with the Mute button and gain controls, and this microphone provides gain controls and a mute button at the top of it. It has all-metal construction, and its whole is covered with red LED lights to indicate that the mic is hot.

The back of this microphone has a Headphone jack and USB port. Because it is an all-in-one gaming microphone, it has all the features that pro gamers usually wanna get. A good thing is, it has four polar patterns Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Bidirectional. So, not just Cardioid for gaming, you can record in any situation.

Overall, it is fully packed with great features, but in gaming or streaming, you would want a Cardioid pattern only. So, if you’re on a limited budget, and want to get a reliable mic specifically for gaming, this might not be a good choice.

But if you’re serious and want all premium features on a budget to improve your gaming or streaming experience with a high-end microphone, then this is a perfect choice.

Specifications:

Power Consumption	5V 125mA
Sample/bit rate	48kHz/16-bit
Polar patterns	Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Bidirectional
Frequency response	20Hz–20kHz
Sensitivity	-36dB (1V/Pa at 1kHz)
Impedance	32 Ω
Frequency response	20Hz – 20kHz
Maximum power output	7mW

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3. Rode NT-USB | Versatile option for gaming

When we talk about the Best USB gaming microphones, it’s unfair if we don’t consider NT-USB. This is a uniquely designed Studio condenser microphone with massive controls. It also comes with a pre-installed pop shield and desktop stand and a very long 6m USB cable. So you can connect it to your machine from a long-distance conveniently.

Although it’s a professional studio microphone for vocals, and instrument recording. But professional gamers consider it a suitable mic for gaming, podcasting, and streaming.

You’ll get almost every control on the mic that you can expect. Rode NT-USB is perfect for those who’re familiar with the basic tech ticks of recording. In my opinion, it is the mid-budget and best microphone for gaming because it has a cardioid pattern that is ideal for gamers and streamers.

On this mic, you can control the sound source, Headphone volume from the side Knobs. If you hold this microphone, I’m sure you’ll be impressed with its build quality. It has an all-metal body. Unfortunately, the desktop stand is plastic and has no shock absorption, so will be picking noise from your desk or keyboard. So separate boom arm is necessary for gaming. But if you use it for YouTube, Chats, and conferences, then a desktop stand would be useful.

I was shocked by listening to its audio because it does a supremely amazing job at background noise rejection. Because it has a Cardioid polar pattern, this mic mostly focuses on the audio that comes from the front and rejects every bit of bumps, peaks, and noise that comes from all around the mic.

Specifications:

Polar Pattern	Cardioid
Capsule	0.50″
Frequency Response	20Hz – 20kHz
Resolution	16 Bit
Powered option	USB
Maximum SPL	110dBSPL

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4. Blue Yeti Pro | Best Multipattern Microphone

There are dozens of competitors of Blue Yeti Pro, but all of those are complicated and a bit hard to use. Blue Yeti Pro is designed to provide a high-quality recording experience on your computer, laptops.

This is an upgrade of Blue Yeti which is really popular in the USB microphones world. But the main upgrade is XLR support. In Blue Yeti people loved its all features but they’re not much happy with the USB connector. So, that is why Blue decided to upgrade and introduce a Pro version.

It has an all-metal body and has all features that are required to get phenomenal results. It is extremely simple to use and provides an ultra-high-quality 24-bit/192KHz digital sampling. Yeti Pro comes with multiple polar patterns i.e Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, bi-directional.

Although in gaming, you’ll be using a Cardioid polar pattern. But in this budget, none of the other mics provides these polar pattern combinations. If we’re getting some extra features in the same budget, we shouldn’t have a problem picking this microphone.

But, in my opinion, this is not a big issue because in gaming we don’t really need XLR. But in case we use XLR for Instruments or vocals, we don’t use latency-free monitoring. Yeti Pro does a good job in rejecting noise and background rumble in the Cardioid pattern.

If you’re looking for an in-one mic for gaming that contains all necessary features with some extra polar patterns and functionalities, then this is a superb microphone for you.

Specifications:

Sample Rate	192 kHz
Bit Rate	24-bit
Capsules	3 Blue-proprietary 14mm condenser capsules
Polar Patterns	Cardioid, Omni & Bidirectional, Stereo
Frequency Response	20Hz – 20kHz
Sensitivity	4.5mV/Pa (1 kHz)
Max SPL	120dB (THD: 0.5% 1kHz)

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5. Samson Q2U | Budget-friendly mic for gaming

This is a very compact size and budget microphone. It comes with all-metal construction and nice build quality. Its adynamic podcasting kit, which means you’ll get some extra stuff with this such as Samson Monitor headphones, etc. Surprisingly Q2U provides USB and XLR support.

Having all these features, this is an amazing product at this price range. This microphone has a Cardioid polar pattern that we can expect from this kind of mics.

This is a dynamic microphone, so you’ll have to be closer to the microphone in order to get good audio quality. For gaming, this mic is perfect for beginners which means if your budget is low and you want a durable & an awesome recorder, then this is the absolute best choice. And you’ll also find it in professional studios.

According to professionals, getting a microphone with USB & XLR support, Headphones and durability is a great deal. So, not just gaming or streaming, you can utilize it for professional podcasts, voice-overs, instruments, and vocals. Overall it’s a budget-friendly option for gaming.

It also performs well, if you’re in a noisy environment. One good thing is, it’s provided by a trustworthy brand which is SAMSON. It has a reputed brand in the microphones industry. If we compare it with its competitors like Shure SM58 or others. Q2U comes with more excellent features on a budget. So, overall it’s a versatile option for gamers.

Specifications:

Polar Pattern	Cardioid (unidirectional)
Frequency Response	50Hz–15kHz
Sensitivity	-54dBV/Pa
Bit Depth	16-bit; Sample Rate: 44.1kHz/48kHz

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6. Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ | Top quality mic for gaming

The desktop microphones trend is getting bigger in 2020 just because of their simplicity. Audio-Technica is a manufacturer of dozens of great microphones in the industry. AT2020 USB+ is also one of those. There is an XLR version of this mic available also, this is the USB version of that. It is designed to provide more flexibility and simplicity to the user.

It is a Standard USB condenser microphone with an all-metal body and substantial weight. Because it is provided by Audio-Technica, there is no issue with the build quality. You can plug it directly into your PC or laptop.

On a really nice budget, it provides premium build quality and features, that’s why we’ve considered it in our list. On the mic, there is a Blue LED light to indicate that the microphone is getting powered. You’ll get a headphones port and volume controller. It comes with a single pattern which is Cardioid and good frequency response. So, with all these specs and features. It can be a reliable option for gamers and streamers.

It can work perfectly in the modern and latest software. If we look at its features, it’s not just perfect for gaming, but it will also work amazingly for vocals and instruments recording. It is available in two packages, there is also a Podcasting and streaming pack that includes Audio-Technica’s professional Monitor headphones. AT2020USB+ is a condenser microphone, so it will also pick audio from a distance to produce smooth and natural sounds.

Now, I would recommend it to those who’re struggling to pick a standard condenser mic with nice features and specs on a mid-range budget. But honestly in order to get better sounds, make sure to use a quiet keyboard and record in a quiet room. Because it is a condenser mic and might be capturing some noise around you.

Specifications:

Polar Pattern	Cardioid
Frequency Response	20Hz–20kHz
Sample Rate	44.1/48 kHz
Bit Depth	16-bit

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7. Rode NT1-A Anniversary | Best price value

Now, this is our special product. NT1-A is s professional Studio microphone. The build quality is Excellent with complete metal construction. A good this is, it is provided by RØDE which is a mega microphones brand for any type of mics such as Dynamic, Condenser, Shotgun, etc…

Because this is a complete recording package and you get premium quality and sturdy Shock mount and dust cover. In almost every professional recording studio, you’ll find this microphone. Because it is ideal for Pro studio work and vocals.

This is an XLR condenser mic so it requires 24 – 48v Phantom power. It’s very sensitive which means it will capture more details in a quiet environment. People think that having a single Cardioid pattern is a Con of this microphone.

But honestly, you get everything that you pay for. In gaming we only need Cardioid, so there is no problem with that. But if you’re also want to pick fr interviews or meetings, then there are tons of other options available for you.

So wouldn’t recommend this mic to beginners who are just starting, because this is a bit expensive, and you can get much cheaper than this one. But if you’re upgrading from an entry-level microphone and want to improve their audio quality to take your work to the next level, then this is highly recommended. Overall it’s a good and all-in-one mic and would be the best microphone for gaming.

Specifications:

Pickup Pattern	Cardioid
Frequency Response	20Hz–20kHz
Max SPL	137dB SPL
Output Impedance	100 ohms

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8. Samson G-Track Pro | Quality USB microphone in a budget

This is a new but amazing microphone in the industry, provided by SAMSON. Although this is a new microphones company, now a reputed brand. G-Track Pro is the most popular USB condenser microphone from SAMSON’s G-Track series. I personally love this microphone because of its interesting features. It comes in the mid-budget mics and you can get it on a reliable budget.

We can see many improvements from G-Track. It comes with a really nice design and builds quality, and is all-metal constructed. A good thing is, its desktop stand is also sturdy and metal built. So in terms of build quality, this thing feels awesome.

The most important thing is, G-Track Pro is a multipattern microphone that means you can switch to the different polar patterns. In front of the microphone, there is a small LED to indicate that the mic is getting powered. All the buttons and switches are very clicky and strong. At the top, you can navigate to the polar patterns. The front knobs allow you to control Mic and Instruments gains and Headphones volume.

You won’t have to download any third-party software or driver to use the mic with your PC. This is just plug-and-play. So it is also useful for YouTubers and Podcasters. So, overall it’s a good-sounding and budget-friendly microphone and versatile for gamers.

Specifications:

Polar Pattern	Cardioid (unidirectional), bidirectional, omnidirectional
Capsule	Dual back electret condenser
Frequency Response	50Hz — 20kHz
Sensitivity	+6dB FS/PA (all polar patterns)
Max. SPL	120dB SPL
Bit Depth	16 or 24-bit
Sample Rate	Up to 96kHz

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9. Audio-Technica AT2020 | Best & budget option for gamers

As you know we talked about AT2020USB+ on no. 6, so this is the XLR version of that microphone. You might be thinking why we’ve listed this mic after that USB mic.

So, in terms of gaming professionals mostly recommend USB mics because they’re simple to use and you can plug them directly into your machine. But this XLR version is also suitable for gaming and people use it for streaming and gaming.

AT2020 comes with exceptional build quality and clear audio. But this is a Condenser microphone so you’ll need 48v of Phantom power to use it properly. However, it is a professional Studio microphone and ideal for Home Studio projects. But when we look at its features and flexibility, it can be suitable for gaming.

It comes with a microphone mount and stands adapter and this will make it easy to mount it on a Boom arm. But here is the disclaimer. This microphone doesn’t come with a Microphone cable, so you’ll have to purchase it separately. This mic also comes is an affordable budget, but it has an all-metal body and a nice weight to it.

It has nice sensitivity and frequency range and captures natural and smooth sounds. AT2020 rejects noise but being a Condenser mic it will pick the sound that the human ear can hear. So, you’ll have to be careful about your environment and other noise sources.

But this is not for newbies, I would recommend it to those who are serious and want to improve their audio results. Overall it has a good build quality and a nice sounding device. And for those who can invest in audio interface and microphone cable. But this provides a good value for money.

Specifications:

Polar Patterns	Cardioid
Frequency Response	20 – 20,000 Hz
Open Circuit Sensitivity	-37 dB (14.1 mV) re 1V at 1 Pa
Impedance	100 ohms
Phantom Power Requirements	48V DC, 2 mA typical

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10. Shure SM58 | Low budget but superb quality mic

SM58 is last but not least. This is an extremely strong, durable & popular dynamic microphone. It is specially designed to provide a high-end vocals recording experience. In terms of build quality, this thing is like an absolute “Hamer”. You might have seen some popular durability test videos on social media.

It is also provided by a well-known mic company. Almost every stage performer uses this microphone because of its simplicity, durability, and wonderful audio quality. It is amazingly constructed, you won’t have to be sensitive about it.

The good thing is, it’s noise rejection capability. It will also work fine if you use it in a noisy environment. If you occasionally drop it, this will survive in any situation like this. The special thing about this mic is, it reduces your hand’s noise like if you switch it from one hand to another, it will work smoothly.

If you’re trying to get great build and audio quality, Noise rejection capability, and simple to use a dynamic mic for gaming on a low budget. This is the absolute “BEST” microphone.

It has a frequency response of 50 to 15,000 Hz and an Impedance of 150 ohms that is so quiet. Most of the microphones pick some hands holding bumps and peaks when we speak the words like Ph, Th, etc… But this mic does a great job of reducing those noises and producing warm tones. So, in any case, this mic is ideal and also the best microphone for gaming.

Specifications:

Frequency Response	50 to 15,000 Hz
Polar Pattern	Cardioid
Sensitivity (at 1,000 Hz Open Circuit Voltage)	–54.5 dBV/Pa (1.85 mV) 1 Pa = 94 dB SPL
Impedance	Rated impedance is 150Ω (300Ω actual) for connection to microphone inputs rated low impedance
Connector	Three-pin professional audio connector (male XLR type)

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Conclusion | Best microphone for gaming

Now it’s time to conclude everything. Gaming mics is a bit of a crucial question to answer. All of the microphones we share are the best and most suitable for gaming. This was the guide to help you make your decision better. These were our recommendations for gaming. You just have to decide how much you want to spend according to your situation.

We’ve listed the microphones for gaming in every budget. You can pick according to that. But people mostly ask to recommend one product.

So, would love to suggest some of the best choices for gaming. If your budget is low, and don’t wanna spend more than 100 bucks, Blue Snowball is a perfect choice for you this is the best but cheap microphone for gaming.

But if your budget is good and wants a midrange mic, then HyperX Quantcast would be a better option, and for high-end microphone users who are upgrading or want their recording more professional, then Rode’s NT-USB or NT1-A Aniversary, etc are the ideal and leading microphones, especially for gamers.

Now, if you’re not caring about the budget, you can check out the rest of the microphones and their test videos to analyze the tones of those microphones, there you’ll get a better idea, of which type of tone you wanna get and pick according to your needs. If you’re beginners you should go with a cheap gaming mic. If this article was helpful, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

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