So, you’ve fallen in love with gaming but your mic just isn’t up to scratch – maybe your team members can barely hear you making it nearly impossible to coordinate in multiplayer games. Or, perhaps, you simply want the most premium gaming experience possible.
Getting a high-quality standalone mic for gaming is a surefire way to level up your gaming setup and even improve your gameplay.
There are some incredible options out there, and the best gaming mics are capable of noise-reducing. With fewer background sounds, such as your mechanical keyboard or air conditioning unit, your voice can be heard as clearly as possible.
Keep reading to find out what features you should look out for when selecting the right gaming microphone for you, and the list of 7 best gaming microphones available in 2024.
Top 5 microphones for gaming – shortlist
- Elgato Wave:3 – the best gaming mic overall
- HyperX QuadCast S – a mic loved by pro gamers
- Audio Technica AT2020USB+ – a great mic for budget gaming
- Logitech Yeti Orb – designed for the best gaming experience
- MAONO PD200X USB – most versatile gaming mic
How to choose the best PC microphone for gaming
To choose the best microphone for gaming, there are several things you should consider such as:
- Microphone type. There are four main types of mics – dynamic, condenser, ribbon, and piezoelectric – all of which are designed with a different purpose in mind. For gaming, a Large Diaphragm condenser is considered to be the best. These are built specifically for recording vocals and are ideal for reducing background noise.
- Directionality. Different mics have different polar patterns. In other words, the direction and area in which the mic captures sound. The Cardioid pattern is the most popular choice for pro gamers as it only picks up the audio right in front of it i.e. you. This helps prevent unwanted sounds such as nearby traffic or anything else that could disrupt your audio.
- Sound quality. Of course, sound quality is really important when buying a microphone. You want clear crisp audio and top-tier vocal-enhancing features. For the best quality, you also need a mic capable of picking up 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz sounds which is the same frequency range as our ears.
- Connectivity. Some microphones support a very limited number of devices. You should check the compatibility of the mic to ensure it works with your gaming device of choice.
- Mounting and positioning. Most vocal mics come with a desktop stand. But, if you plan on gaming for long amounts of time, you might want something with more flexibility – like a boom arm. You could buy a mic with one included or buy one separately, just make sure it fits otherwise you need to get an adapter too.
- Headphone monitoring. You need a microphone capable of headphone monitoring. Otherwise, you can’t hear the audio quality in real-time. You might record an entire gaming session only to realize it doesn’t sound good and is unusable!
7 Best gaming microphones – our detailed list
To select only the best gaming microphones, we scanned the web, thoroughly researched, and reviewed tons of mics. Below are the 7 best mics for gaming that we picked:
1. Elgato Wave:3 – the best gaming microphone out of all
| Directionality: | Cardioid |
| Sound frequency: | 70 Hz – 20,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Rejects some low-volume sounds |
| Mic monitoring: | Adjustable real-time monitoring |
Elgato’s Wave 3 is an excellent choice for any gamer – offering premium quality audio as well as game-optimized features.
Sound quality. The Elgato Wave 3 is designed specifically for podcasters, gamers, and livestreamers. Its Clipguard feature works in real-time and adjusts the volume automatically as needed. This, along with its wide frequency range, makes it the perfect option for professional gamers – offering high-quality audio at a very reasonable price.
Connectivity. The microphone works on Windows 10 devices along with anything running macOS 10.15 or higher. You can also update the firmware and use the mic on PS5.
Mounting and positioning. The Wave 3 comes with a desktop stand. But you can also mount it to any boom arm that has a 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, or 5/8 inch screw. Alternatively, you can buy the complete bundle which includes a boom arm.
2. HyperX QuadCast S – professional gaming microphone
| Directionality: | Stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, and bidirectional |
| Sound frequency: | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Reasonable background noise suppression |
| Mic monitoring: | Sidetone – real-time |
The professional-sounding and easy-to-use QuadCast S is ideal and already loved by many pro gamers – it’s got everything most people need in a gaming mic.
Sound quality. Thanks to its excellent audio quality, the QuadCast is a favorite amongst streamers. With minimal configurations, we found this microphone to capture and produce clear vocals with great bass, midrange, and highs. Plus, its built-in foam prevents pressure spikes so you don’t need a pop filter.
Connectivity. Like the Elgato Wave, the QuadCast supports PC, Mac, PS4, and PS5.
Mounting and positioning. The microphone comes with a boom arm adapter too, for both 3/8” and 5/8” thread sizes.
3. Audio Technica AT2020USB+ – a budget gaming microphone choice
| Directionality: | Cardioid |
| Sound frequency: | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Pop filter required |
| Mic monitoring: | Built-in headphone jack with volume control |
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced gaming mic, you should consider Audio Technica’s AT2020USB+ – it’s very good value for money.
Sound quality. The Audio Technica AT2020USB+ produces professional-sounding audio. It’s pre-configured with vocals in mind, making it perfect for gamers. The only downside is that it's very sensitive and tends to pick up some unwanted background sounds.
Connectivity. It officially supports both Windows and Mac.
Mounting and positioning. It comes with a compact 5/8" desktop mount – perfect for smaller spaces. There’s also a 3/8" adapter included if you need it.
4. Logitech Yeti Orb – exceptionally designed gaming microphone
| Directionality: | Cardioid |
| Sound frequency: | 70 Hz – 20,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Ok with software |
| Mic monitoring: | G Hub software required |
The Yeti Orb is another fairly cheap gaming mic, but it’s better suited to tech-savvy gamers who want to, and know how to, configure microphones.
Sound quality. Logitech’s Yeti Orb offers reasonable audio quality for a very fair price. Although not as good as our top picks, our vocals with this mic sounded full and clear. But we did have to stay quite close to get picked up correctly.
Connectivity. It officially supports Mac, Windows, PS4, and PS5. You can also connect it to an Xbox One with an audio splitter and headset adapter. This microphone is specifically for gamers so set up on different gaming systems is pretty simple.
Mounting and positioning. The Yeti Orb is mounted on a hardy plastic desktop stand and can rotate 360 degrees.
5. MAONO PD200X XLR/USB – one of the most universal gaming mics
| Directionality: | Cardioid |
| Sound frequency: | 40Hz – 16,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Ok |
| Mic monitoring: | Real-time monitoring |
If you’re looking for a gaming microphone for a more advanced setup, you should check out the PD200X – it has a very wide range of connection options to choose from.
Sound quality. The PD200XS captures incredible audio, typically this quality is only found in mics at a much higher price point. Plus, it does a great job of avoiding background noises. There’s some room for improvement for louder noises like keyboards and noisy offices – but considering its price point it's fantastic.
Connectivity. Like the others, this mic is compatible with PC and Mac. Plus, you can plug it directly into PS5 without any complicated setup or extra adapters.
Mounting and positioning. The PD200X kit comes with a high-quality and adjustable boom arm. But, if you have one already which you prefer, there’s a shock mount and a 5/8” to 3/8” adapter.
6. Blue Yeti X – fantastic pro gaming microphone option
| Directionality: | Stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, and bidirectional |
| Sound frequency: | 20 Hz to 20000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Ok when configured |
| Mic monitoring: | Live monitoring |
The Blue Yeti X captures near-perfect audio and can connect to most modern gaming consoles, it’s a fantastic option as long as you’re not on a tight budget.
Sound quality. The Blue Yeti X has near studio-level audio quality. With its wider frequency range, it’s ideal for intense gaming sessions where your voice goes from whispering to shouting.
Connectivity. It’s easy to connect to PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One. But you need an audio splitter so you can hear the audio captured.
Mounting and positioning. There’s a desk stand included in the box. Unfortunately, if you want to mount it to a boom arm, you need to buy a mount adapter separately.
7. Razer Seiren Mini – one of the most budget-friendly gaming mics
| Directionality: | Supercardioid |
| Sound frequency: | 20 Hz to 20000 Hz |
| Noise reduction: | Good |
| Mic monitoring: | No in-house real-time monitoring |
If you have a very restrictive budget and want the best gaming mic you can get at a reasonable price, we recommend Razer’s Seiren Mini.
Sound quality. The audio is not 100% clear and it's unforgiving when it comes to ambient noises. However, it’s also the cheapest gaming microphone on the list and still offers decent quality for the price.
Connectivity. The Seiren Mini supports PC and Mac OS devices. Although it’s not officially supported, we were able to connect to a PS5 easily. Unfortunately, it currently doesn’t work on Xbox One.
Mounting and positioning. There’s a heavy-duty desktop stand included. The mic is detachable too, and you can connect it to a boom arm if you have one with a 5.8” thread.
Comparison of top 3 gaming mics
Let’s take a look and compare the top 3 gaming mics for 2024.
| Model | Elgato Wave 3 | HyperX QuadCast S | Audio Technica AT2020USB+ |
| Directionality | 70 Hz – 20,000 Hz | Stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, and bidirectional | Cardioid |
| Sound frequency | Rejects some low-volume sounds | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz | 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz |
| Noise reduction | Adjustable real-time monitoring | Reasonable background noise suppression | Pop filter required |
| Mic monitoring | 70 Hz – 20,000 Hz | Sidetone – real-time | Built-in headphone jack with volume control |
| Main features |
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How did we select these mics for gaming?
We selected the best mics for gaming by considering:
- Sound outcome quality. With every gaming mic we reviewed, we tested how well it captured our voice at different volumes. The gaming mics we picked are capable of producing crisp audio whether you're whispering or screaming at the top of your lungs.
- Noise Rejection. We searched for microphones that are excellent at picking up your voice and rejecting unwanted noises. So, whether it’s your neighbor’s dog barking, a mechanical keyboard, or an air conditioning unit – you won’t have to worry about your gaming audio being ruined.
- Directionality. We only selected microphones with a Cardioid pattern – which is the best pattern choice for gaming. We also opted for Large Diaphragm Condensers which are the most popular type of mic for podcasters, streamers, and gamers because of their incredible voice-capturing ability.
- Connectivity. The best gaming mics support lots of devices. After all, you might game on a PC, Mac, PS5, or Xbox. We chose mics that were relatively easy to link to these sorts of devices.
What microphones do pro gamers use?
A lot of pro gamers use HyperX’s QuadCast range. Although, slightly more pricy than some of the other options on the market, QuadCasts are incredible value – configured and designed with gaming in mind. The mic range is renowned for its impeccable audio quality and easy-to-use nature.
Audio Technica’s AT2020USB+ is another popular choice for gamers on a lower budget. This mic is very reasonably priced considering it still delivers professional-sounding audio appropriate for both gaming and streaming.
What mic has the best quality?
The Elgato Wave 3 is the best quality mic you can get for streaming and gaming at a very fair price. It has a ton of unique built-in features specifically designed to enhance your gaming experience.
The audio quality is excellent, out of the box, without needing any complex configurations. So, it’s ideal if you’re looking for a mic that’s easy to use. All you need to do is plug it into the PC and it does all of the hard work for you.
FAQ
What mic do most streamers use?
Most streamers opt for Logitech’s Blue, Elgato’s Wave, or HyperX’s Quadcast range. However, the specific model they choose depends on their needs and budget. If you’re looking for a well-rounded and affordable microphone for gaming, we’d recommend the Elgato Wave 3.
Are microphones worth it for gaming?
Yes, a microphone for gaming is worth it especially if you’re playing multiplayer games. With a professional standalone microphone, your teammates can hear you clearly and there’s a reduced risk of miscommunication. Plus, as an added bonus, you can record and publish your gameplay with an audio quality that you’re proud of.
What mic pattern is best for gaming?
The Cardioid mic pattern is the best for gaming. This pattern is the most common choice for vocal mics. It has a narrow cone, picking up sound only where it’s pointing – so, it’s great for avoiding unwanted ambient sounds.
What kind of mic picks up the whole room?
An omnidirectional microphone can pick up a whole room. This type of microphone receives sounds in all directions, so all you need to do is place the mic in the center of the room to pick up all the audio.
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