The 13 Best Microphones For Gaming

A pair of terms that you’ll come across a lot in your quest for the perfect gaming microphone are USB and XLR. We all pretty much know about the former, but what is XLR?

XLR (external line return) microphones capture an analog signal and their connectors look different to USB ports. Essentially, more high-end microphones will be XLR mics. There are advantages and disadvantages to anything though, and to balance out the better quality and flexibility that comes with an XLR mic, you will need other equipment to support it. They’re also a little more expensive. There are just two XLR microphones on the list.

When you’re searching for different microphones, you might have come across these strange diagrams that look like random, irregular shapes inside of circles. These are called polar patterns, or pickup patterns. What they’re showing you is basically a top-down view of where exactly the microphone is going to pick sound up from. A standard cardioid polar pattern is the most common and is going to work well in most cases, but depending on the environment around you, perhaps you’ll need something different. Every single one of the microphones on our list offers cardioid, with some offering two or three more options, just in case you need them at any point.

Type: Condenser

Connector: XLR

Polar pattern: Cardioid

The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a great choice for someone that wants something that’s somewhat entry level, while still being advanced and premium quality. It picks up audio very well with a warm sound. Of course, it is an XLR microphone so you will need to get an XLR cable and a mixer to go along with it. If you’re interested in this mic but want a USB connector to avoid the extra hassle and expenses that come with an XLR, the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is definitely worth checking out.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

Beyerdynamic is a name known to audiophiles for their great product selection. One of their headphones even made our list for the best options under $200. You can check that out here. The Beyerdynamic FOX is a great option for incredible quality from a USB microphone, arguably the best on the market. The FOX has been applauded for having the same quality as what you can expect from a studio level microphone and its 96 KHz/24-bit quality means it can even be used for recording music. That means it’ll handle you while gaming perfectly fine.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

The Blue Snowball iCE is widely considered to be the best microphone that comes at the cross section of being cheap and having good enough audio for the money you’re paying. No, you won’t get much glamour for the money. – the Snowball iCE doesn’t come with any any added features or physical controls – but that’s the sacrifice you’re making for such a low price point. This is one of the easiest mics out there to use because it’s plug and play and it comes with its own tripod that you can simply prop up on a desk. It’s also portable, weighing just 460 grams.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, stereo

As its name suggests, the Blue Yeti X is a sort of upgrade from the Blue Yeti. By all accounts, if you already have the original, there’s no real need to upgrade. But if you’re in the market for a first time buy, it’s tough to go wrong here. The Yeti X’s best feature is that it has a dial which allows you to switch between different polar patterns and this could come in handy depending on how many different environments you game in. The front panel is also LED-lit which gives it a slick look. Blue’s Blue Vo!ce software allows you to adjust the tone. There’s more features here than most casual users will ever need.

Connector: USB

This microphone really does what it says on the tin. In this extremely low price range, there isn’t a better option on the market. The eBerry Plug And Play is good enough if all you need covered are the absolute basics, but for anything more than that you will need to spend a little bit more money. It will provide listenable audio for people you’re gaming with just like any microphone that comes with a decent headset.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

A lot of this list is going to be great entry level options that are good purchases for people who want a microphone even though they only game casually or are new to it. Some of those might even act as premium level mics. But the Elgato Wave:3 is one of the most premium mics on the market. It’s easy to use, but that doesn’t mean that it lacks in many departments. The Wave:3’s digital audio mixer supports up to 8 channels of audio and it integrates with the popular Elgato stream deck, if that’s your thing. All of this means it’s great for streaming, but if you’re just someone who needs a mic to game with but want to spend a little more because you get what you pay for, you can’t go wrong here either. If you want to spend a little less but like the look of this, try the Wave:1.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

Another good budget option is the FIFINE K668. It comes with a tripod and not a lot of extra equipment or software for you to fuss over. It should be mentioned that while the microphone is labelled as having the standard cardioid polar pattern, it acts more like an omnidirectional because it can pick up some background noise here and there. It’s also worth noting though that this microphone is not compatible with Xbox, but it does support Windows, Mac and PlayStation.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, stereo

It’s impossible to do research on the best microphones on the market for gaming and not come across the HyperX Quadcast or some variation of it. It’s either in first or second place when you talk about USB microphones for gaming and if all you want to do with it is talk through it with friends while you game, in all honesty, it’s likely overqualified. For those gamers that want to get into streaming though, the Quadcast is perfect. It has a great design, multiple polar patterns, an internal pop filter and a good mute button.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, stereo

The JLab Talk is far from the most expensive microphone on this list, but it’s not the cheapest either. For that mid-range price though, it does offer multiple polar patterns with its three condenser capsules. With that being said, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need more than one polar pattern in your setup, so think twice if you’re considering paying a little more than you would for a cheaper microphone for something you won’t use anyway. If you want some of the cool extra features that this offers and some more, you could splurge a little more too.

Type: Condenser

Connector: XLR

Polar pattern: Cardioid

One of the few XLR microphones on this list, Mackie’s 91CU from their EleMent series is one of the better large diaphragm condenser mics on the market at this price point. There’s really not so much to say about it other than the fact that it performs considerably well in pretty much all areas. It’s tough to pay what you’re paying here and be disappointed.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

The MAONO AU-A04 comes with a shock mount, a boom arm, a foam windscreen and a pop filter, a very impressive range accessories for a microphone that doesn’t ask for too much from your wallet. There’s no need to go and buy any additional pieces of equipment here, even items that some would consider luxury are already standard with this package. Another surprise is that the design is made of metal, although there are no onboard controls. Also, the extended frequency doesn’t work as well as you’d like, although sticking to 48kHz should do the job for you.

Type: Dynamic

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid

If you’re into gaming, then you already know the respect that the name Razer has in the community. The Seiren Elite is considered one of the best USB microphones on the market and it’s one of the few dynamic mics we would still recommend for gaming, which is why it’s the only one on this list. The high-pass filter works great to cancel out background noise and another great touch is the LED peaking indicator which warns you if you’re being too loud. Just like the HyperX Quadcast and some of the other more expensive options on this list, it’s probably best suited for streaming, but if your budget allows for it, you won’t regret Razer’s Seiren Elite. If it doesn’t, try another option on the list or the Seiren Mini.

Type: Condenser

Connector: USB

Polar pattern: Cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional

Arguably one of the best USB microphones around, the Samson G-Track PRO feels like a studio microphone with its heavy, premium build. It weighs 1.6KG and is made of diecast zinc. It’s going to cover gaming perfectly, but if you want the option of being able to record a podcast while sitting across from someone, the bidirectional polar pattern is perfect. If you ever feel like you might record a song, it does also support vocals and instrument tracks being recorded at the same time. You don’t have to pay a ton for having those options down the line either.