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Here are the best gaming microphones that are worthy of your money. If you’re a gamer, you’ll find a gaming mic for your needs.
| Rating | Price | Type | Connection | Pick-up pattern | More info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Antlion ModMic Wireless
Best wireless
|
4.4
|
Under $120
|
Mod mic
|
Wireless, Bluetooth
|
Uni & omnidirectional
|
|
|
Elgato Wave:3
Best standing
 
|
4.8
|
Under $140
|
Standing, condenser
|
Wired – USB
|
Cardioid
|
|
|
HyperX QuadCast S
Best streaming
 
|
4.8
|
Under $160
|
Standing, condenser
|
Wired – USB
|
Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Bidirectional
|
|
|
Antlion ModMic USB
Best wired mod mic
 
|
4.3
|
Under $80
|
Mod mic
|
Wired – USB
|
Uni & omnidirectional
|
|
|
PowerDeWise Lavalier Microphone
Best lavalier
 
|
4.3
|
Under $50
|
Clip-on (lavalier)
|
Wired – 3.5mm
|
Omni-directional
|
|
|
4.6
|
Under $150
|
Standing, condenser
|
Wired – MicroUSB
|
Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Bidirectional
|
||
|
Zalman Zm-Mic1
Best cheap
 
|
3.7
|
Under $10
|
Clip-on (lavalier)
|
Wired – 3.5mm
|
Omni-directional
|
|
|
V-Moda BoomPro
Best detachable
 
|
4.4
|
Under $30
|
Microphone, mod
|
Wired – 3.5mm
|
Omni-directional
|
Picking the best microphone for gaming isn’t a straightforward process. There are many different types of gaming microphones, and you have to know what you need them for. This is a buyer’s guide to the best gaming mics.
- Gaming microphone: get a detachable microphone or mic mod like ModMic and BoomPro or a clip-on lavalier microphone.
- Streaming microphone: you should up your game and get a quality microphone like Blue Yeti X or iCE. Twitch streaming and YouTube video production are getting more competitive, you need the right streaming microphone to be successful.
- Serious production microphone: get a professional condenser microphone or an XLR setup with a dynamic XLR microphone with a single cardioid polar pattern, XLR cable, and other necessary equipment. Do it like the pros.
Whatever type of gaming microphone you use, set your budget beforehand and stick with it.
How much does a decent microphone cost?
You can pay hundreds of dollars, $300-$400 or more for high-end mics, but you can get a good microphone for around $100. And, a decent gaming microphone for around $50.
If you’re just starting out with a Twitch streaming career or your own YouTube channel, a mic is an essential part of your gaming hardware.
However, you don’t need hundreds of dollars of additional equipment. Pick between more affordable USB microphones and upgrade once you grow and become successful.
To eliminate annoying pops, you might want to invest in a pop filter (if you don’t already have a built-in pop filter) if your gaming microphone supports it. So that you don’t have to worry about breathing too loudly. They’re cheap and effective.
Related:
The Best Gaming Microphones
1. Antlion ModMic Wireless
Best wireless
AntLion ModMic Wireless is the best gaming microphone and our top pick.
Connection:
Bluetooth
Driver size:
/
Frequency range:
50-20.000Hz (response range)
- Crystal clear voice quality
- Reliable performance
- A short delay (aptX Low Latency)
- Sturdy build quality
- Nice carrying case
- Easy setup
- Pricey
- 12h battery short for heavy users
A great thing about this mic is its reliable connection and over 12 hours of battery life. It works without any noticeable delay, so you don’t miss any important sounds. Also, the microphone is well built and has a lovely, functional carrying case.
On top of that, it sounds clear and without distortion, suitable for professional use too. You can even choose from a uni-directional or omnidirectional mode.
You can use this mic with any kind of headphones you have. You attach it with strong magnets that keep it on the headphone. Setup is simple and doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
If you already own a great pair of headphones but lack a good microphone, AntLion ModMic Wireless is the best gaming microphone right now.
Antlion ModMic Wireless review
2. Elgato Wave:3
Best standing
A simple and one of the best gaming microphones for your streaming and videoconferencing needs.
Connection:
Wired – USB
Driver size:
17 mm electret condenser
Frequency range:
70-20.000Hz
- Great sound quality
- Easy operation
- App with a digital audio mixer interface
- Subdued lower-bass frequencies
The Wave:3 gaming microphone only works in cardioid mode. Still, it can pick up your voice with excellent neutrality, with just a slight hump in the lower treble.
While it has crystal clear audio, frequencies below 150Hz are cut off.
That means this desktop microphone is great for everyday use as a streaming microphone or if you want a better mic for online calls. However, it isn’t suitable for professional studio music recording.
With the USB mics from Elgato, you get the WaveLink software that acts as a virtual audio mixer (so you don’t have to buy a physical one to manage all the audio sources).
Elgato Wave:3 comes with easy-to-use controls and a built-in stand so you can put it wherever you want. You plug them into a gaming PC via a USB cable.
3. HyperX QuadCast S
Best streaming
What makes this gaming mic excellent for streamers is the amazing RGB light show it can put out on top of sounding excellent.
Connection:
Wired – USB
Driver size:
Three 14mm condensers
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz
- Great voice quality
- RGB lighting effects
- Multiple pick-up patterns
- Most features accessible without the app
- App only works on PC
The QuadCast S has a very flat pickup sound signature, with only a few dB drop towards sub-bass frequencies.
That makes it highly versatile for everything from simple video calls to recording vocals or instruments in your home studio.
This high-end gaming microphone can toggle between multiple polar patterns: cardioid, bi-directional, omnidirectional, and stereo mode.
Learn the difference between directional vs. omnidirectional polar patterns.
QuadCast S is made of quality materials and comes with a mic stand that you can mount on the boom arm. The one downside is that you can’t unmount it from the built-in shock mount.
By using Ngenuity software, you can access the mic and headphone volume control and play around with RGB lighting effects.
Thankfully, since the app only works for PC, you can mute the mic during a Twitch stream, perform zero-latency monitoring, and select recording patterns without any software.
4. Antlion ModMic USB
Best wired mod mic
A wired mod mic that doesn’t cost too much yet delivers good clarity for your gaming.
Connection:
Wired – USB (USB-A)
Driver size:
n/a
Frequency range:
50-20.000Hz
- Clear voice recording for gaming, Skyping, and more
- Uni-directional and omni-directional modes
- Works out of the box
- Smart, sturdy design
- The double cable is heavier and can be annoying
For a mod gaming microphone, the sound is excellent and on-par with the best gaming headsets. It works best in quieter environments but still does an admirable job when your room gets overly noisy.
ModMic USB microphone supports two pickup patterns, unidirectional and omnidirectional. The physical toggle is located on the microphone itself, as well as the Mute button.
Omni-directional mode is great for live streaming as it picks up sounds from all directions. So, your Instagram Live streams, for example, will have much better sound quality.
USB microphone uses a strong neodymium magnet to attach to your headphones, so you can use the ones that you already own.
The connection runs through the USB port, and you can also opt for a version with a 3.5mm connection, which is also a bit cheaper.
5. PowerDeWise Lavalier Microphone
Best lavalier
PowerDeWise Lavalier Microphone is the best cheap clip-on gaming microphone (lavalier).
Connection:
Wired – 3.5mm
Driver size:
Lavalier mic
Frequency range:
50-16.000Hz
- Great in quiet environments
- Long cable
- Plenty of accessories
- Not the best in windy situations
PowerDeWise mic is among the affordable ones, yet it still delivers solid sound quality.
It can sound a bit flat compared to more premium offerings and not with the widest frequency response. The included windshield also doesn’t do wonders in windy conditions but will provide clear audio inside a quiet room during gameplay.
Lavalier microphone comes with a nifty carrying pouch, cleaning cloth, a TRRS to TRS adapter, Y cable, and extension cord. Just be aware that every time you add a wire, it might degrade the audio quality.
The mic’s cable is long (2 meters), so you can easily wire it under your shirt and into your interface of choice.
6. Blue Yeti X
Blue Yeti X is a highly regarded gaming microphone that offers almost studio-level sound quality.
Connection:
Wired – USB
Driver size:
14mm (4 condenser capsules)
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz
- Great sound quality
- Good performance in non-ideal situations
- Quality construction
- Pricey
While it struggles with sibilant letters like s, sh, ph, and so on, the Yeti X handles very well in even the least ideal situations with lots of ambient sound. And that’s without any extra accessories.
Overall, your voice sounds nice and full, and for a self-standing mic, you get a better sound quality than most USB mics. It’s almost professional-like.
That makes Yeti X an excellent choice for gamers with not-so-ideal room acoustics. It offers four polar patterns, and you don’t need other expensive interfaces since it’s simply plug & play.
Blue Yeti X has a volume gain control with tiny LED lights in the center. They indicate how much volume you applied as well as how loudly you’re speaking.
The only downside is its relatively high price.
7. Zalman Zm-Mic1
Best cheap
Zalman Zm-Mic1 is probably the most popular clip-on microphone on the market due to its low price and reliable performance.
Connection:
WIred – 3.5mm
Driver size:
/
Frequency range:
n/a
- Dirt-cheap
- Easy to use
- Decent voice pick-up quality
- Easily picks-up background noise
It works well, especially for under $10. It’s simple to use with a clip-on design, plug and play without the need to play with audio settings.
Like the lower price range would suggest, this is the simplest possible gaming microphone you can get. And that’s its advantage.
You get a good mic for gaming, and when needed, you can use it for streaming, Zoom calls, or Discord as well.
If you’re playing in a quiet room, it will work fine, but if ambient sounds are present, you won’t have the best sound quality.
Zalman clip-on microphone has no background noise reduction. It will pick up a lot of unwanted background noise. From air-conditioning, mechanical keyboards, washing machines, and even sound from headphones at higher volume levels.
For the absolute cheapskates, Zalman Zm-Mic1 will do the job better than any other cheap lavalier microphone.
See gaming earbuds with microphone.
8. V-Moda BoomPro
Best detachable
V-MODA BoomPro is the best budget microphone and a great choice to upgrade your existing headphones.
Connection:
Wired – 3.5mm
Driver size:
/
Frequency range:
n/a
- Easy to use
- Affordable price
- Good voice quality with little background noise
- Only works with headphones with removable wires
The sound is clean without hiss or distortion and has just the right amount of sensitivity. It will pick up very little unwanted noise which is exactly what you want for a gaming headset.
If you have headphones with detachable cables, V-Moda BoomPro is the best gaming microphone.
It’s basically a new headphone cable with a boom microphone attached to it. Replace the old wires with this one, and you have a very nice headset.
The good thing about it is that you only need one 3.5mm (headphone jack) input to use it, so it works with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with the new controller or the separate adapter. And there’s even a mute button on the cable as well.
Honorable Mentions
Shure SM7B
The most popular professional microphone among most streamers. For the price of $400, it ensures excellent audio quality and selectable EQ presets for smooth and warm-sounding vocals. It’s best used for close-proximity applications. (Check SM7B price)
Antlion Audio ModMic 5.0
This is one of the best microphone with a headphone jack that can be attached to a headphone. The voice quality is good compared to any gaming headset mic out there. (Check ModMic 5.0 price)
Blue Snowball iCE
Still one of the best budget gaming microphone for streaming and a go-to mic for many beginners. And for a good reason. The mic itself looks sturdy and is quite heavy, which gives it a premium feel. It’s a small and portable standing mic that’s a cheaper copy of the Blue Yeti. (Check Snowball iCE price)
Audio-Technica AT2020
One of the best professional microphone for your streaming setup under $100, but it’s quite old to this point. You can buy many different accessories for it, either the more professional mic arm stand, a shock mount, or regular table legs. (Check AT2020 price)
Razer Seiren Mini
Razer Seiren Mini is one of the best USB mic for under $50. It’s a great option for beginners with compact design and better quality audio than any other mics. This standalone budget microphone from Razer is what a vast majority of gamers need to start their streaming journey. (Check Seiren Mini price)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you turn headphones into a headset?
If you already own a pair of excellent headphones that lack a microphone, you can buy a mic mod and attach it to them. Some are designed to replace your wires, or use a separate wire and attach to your headphones by magnets.
Of course, to get the best voice quality, buying a dedicated microphone is an overall better idea. Especially if you’re serious about streaming.
Are XLR mics good for gaming?
If you want ultimate audio recording quality, the XLR mic is still the best solution. The reason is in balanced connection, which eliminates static noise for a clean audio signal.
However, you’ll have to buy a separate audio interface for XLR microphones, which isn’t cheap. Also, most best gaming microphones use USB, which is more convenient and gives more options for software tweaking.
Which is better, condenser or dynamic mic?
For everyday use, there is no huge difference since both can sound excellent.
The biggest difference is in overall durability and sensitivity. Condenser microphones are more sensitive and better suited for studio work (wider dynamic range), whereas dynamic microphones boast more robust construction and are better for use on the stage.
Does a professional mic make you sound better?
Sure, it does. However, before purchasing a new mic, you have to first try and squeeze as much out of your old mic as possible.
To get the best out of your microphone, use it at a proper distance (a thumb away from your mouth) and at a proper angle (the sweet spot is about 45 degrees correlated to your mouth).
How can I improve my mic quality?
– Try keeping your mic close to you (a few inches away from your mouth).
– Don’t keep it on your desk, especially if it doesn’t have a shock-resistant mount.
– Turn OFF all loud house appliances like AC, and close the windows if you live next to a construction site or near a busy road.
– Use a pop filter if you notice that your mic is picking a lot of popping sounds.
Want to read more?
Matija Ferjan is a seasoned audio enthusiast reviewing headphones since 2015. He has personally tested hundreds of headphones and earbuds. He’s an active member of the Headphone Audio community and a true nitpicker, always looking for the “best-value-for-money” headphones.
