A good-quality gaming microphone is one of the best additions you can make to your at-home gaming setup. Besides pairing up nicely with your top-of-the-line gaming mouse and mechanical keyboard, a mic is a must-have accessory for co-op gamers and streamers. But just like any other peripherals, there are plenty of options for gaming microphones, and it can be tough to choose which one is best for you. So, here are eight of the best gaming microphones you can buy right now.

Our picks for the best gaming microphones in 2024

HyperX is a prominent name in the gaming peripherals market, though the company manufactures other peripherals as well. Its microphone lineup is easily one of the best, with the QuadCast taking home the crown of the best gaming microphone. It's a fairly simple microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern that connects via USB, records great audio, and is fairly simple to use.

Starting off with the sound quality, the HyperX QuadCast boasts exceptional audio-capturing capabilities, in addition to a huge array of features. Its built-in dial allows you to switch between stereo, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and cardioid patterns at will. This microphone sounds nice and warm and the people hearing your voice will clearly hear and understand what you are saying. While its 16-bits/48kHz bit depth and sample rate aren't the best for those who need a studio-grade microphone for podcasts, it will still get the job done.

Design is clearly one of QuadCast's strong points, with the device's red LEDs complementing most gaming setups. That said, its "gaming" aesthetic can be a bit off-putting for professionals. If there's one nitpick about this high-end microphone, it's that the LEDs don't cycle between multiple colors, and you're only stuck with red-colored LEDs. Otherwise, the HyperX QuadCast packs some handy features, including a tap-to-mute button on the top, which you can use to instantly mute yourself without going through a dedicated app.

The mounting options for the HyperX QuadCast are also impressive. You get an anti-vibration shock mount and a desktop stand with this mic to keep it suspended above the surface it's placed on. While this should be enough for most people, the mic supports both 3/8-inch and 5/8-inch threads. So, you can easily mount this mic on a boom arm or a tabletop stand. And regardless of how you mount it, the controls remain easily accessible. Overall, if you're a gamer who wants the perfect combination of aesthetics and features, then the HyperX QuadCast is the one you should get.

If you are a streamer or simply looking for a good-quality microphone to add to your gaming setup, then we highly recommend picking up the Elgato Wave:3. This is a compelling microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern that offers a lot of great features. It's a bit expensive at around $150, but there are plenty of other more expensive microphones on the market that are not as good as the Wave:3. Plus, you'll get some great features.

For one, it's simple to set this microphone up and get started. Just plug your microphone into the computer, and you are ready to record or start talking. As for the connections, you get a USB-A to USB-C cable.

There's a dial on the front that clicks in to let you cycle through different volume options. The top of the mic is also touch-sensitive, and you can tap it to mute the microphone. Tapping the touch-sensitive panel will make the LED ring around the dial turn red. The overall build quality is also great. The mic is made out of metal and hard plastic with a brushed matte finish. It also has a compact form factor and won't take up much space. By default, the microphone comes with a plastic mount screwed onto a metal stand, but you can also mount it on any microphone arm.

Another interesting thing to note about the Wave:3 is that it works well with the Elgato WaveLink software, which is great for a variety of things including recording, streaming, and more. If you've ever used software like the VoiceMeeter, then you'll feel right at home with the Elgato WaveLink. The overall audio quality of Wave:3 is also great thanks to the 96Khz sample rate. It's not the best option for professional studio recording needs, but it's a great microphone for both live streamers and podcasters.

If you're a professional streamer looking to add more oomph to your recordings, then you'll want to get the Shure SM7B. While its $399 price tag can be a turn-off for many, you won't regret buying this studio-grade microphone if you require something that can capture high-quality audio.

Despite its simplistic design, this cardioid dynamic microphone has several neat features. The inbuilt EQ controls on the Shure SM7B allow you to switch the frequencies at which the mic captures audio. If you wish to reduce the bass or get rid of the background noise, you can toggle the left switch to enable the high pass filter. Alternatively, activating the "presence boost" switch on the right side of the mic allows you to record brighter, clearer, and richer sounds.

Unlike the other mics on this list, the Shure SM7B uses an XLR connector instead of a USB interface. As such, it's compatible with a host of audio interfaces, and you'll need a preamp to unleash the full potential of this mic. Another add-on you'll need for the Shure SM7B is a decent stand, or better yet, a boom arm, as the microphone doesn't ship with one.

Long story short, the Shura SM7B isn't a mic for everyone. It's rather complex to set up and requires multiple accessories that not only cost a fortune, but can also occupy a lot of desk space. But if you're willing to put up with these issues, then the Shure SM7B is easily the best way to level up your game streams.

The NZXT Capsule gaming microphone is a simple and stylish gaming microphone that is worth considering. It's a fairly affordable mic that works well for a variety of use-cases, and it deserves a spot on this list.

The NZXT Capsule microphone, as you can see, has a fairly simple design. There's not a lot going on when it comes to the overall build, and it's got a very minimal design. You'll see only two buttons on the body of the microphone along with a ring light on the bottom. The top knob controls the gain of the mic, whereas the bottom one adjusts the volume of the headphones you're wearing. Additionally, you also get a USB Type-C port at the bottom along with a 3.5mm audio jack. This particular microphone can be connected to a variety of different arms, but it will look best with NZXT's own boom arm.

The NZXT Capsule microphone has a cardioid polar pattern, and it sounds good overall. The audio quality that you get with this microphone is good for both gamers and streamers alike. While the overall audio quality of the Capsule may not be as good as what you'd get from a high-end professional-grade microphone (for reference, it has a 24-bit/96kHz resolution), it's better than a lot of other options in its price range.

Also, NZXT doesn't have its own software to tweak or adjust settings, so you may have to rely on other third-party monitoring software. Casual users, however, don't need to worry about the software and can simply rely on the basic controls.

Overall, there's a lot to like about the NZXT Capsule gaming microphone. The plug-and-play nature of the NZXT Capsule microphone makes it a great option for those who don't want to deal with the hassle of setting up a professional-grade microphone.

There are plenty of reliable, high-end microphones out there for streaming and gaming, but one name stands out — Blue Yeti. The Blue Yeti X, the classic microphone's follow-up, is a desktop USB microphone that has a gain dial on the front with lights that show how loud you are currently speaking. This is a great addition as it allows you to adjust your volume without having to look at the monitoring software separately. And yes, do note, this microphone has multiple patterns, too — cardioid, omni, figure 8, and stereo — making it versatile.

You can expect good quality from the Blue Yeti X thanks to its 24-bit / 48kHz sample rate. While this is a great microphone for recording your own voice for a podcast, it's equally good for streamers too. We're sure your buddies in-game will appreciate the crisp and clean microphone quality. One thing to note about the Blue Yeti X is that you'll want to speak directly at it, not at its top. This is because the diaphragms of the mic are aimed at the front, sides, and back.

For connectivity, you get a Micro-USB port at the bottom along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Setting up the Blue Yeti X is as simple as plugging in a Micro-USB cable and switching to it as the input on your computer. There's also a socket at the bottom that allows you to mount the microphone on a stand. While the Blue Yeti X comes with a hard metal stand of its own, you can also mount it on other stands or mic arms that you may have. For software, you can install the Logitech GHub to control different things like equalizers, LED lights, and more.

If you're just getting started with gaming or streaming games online and don't want to spend much money on microphones, then we recommend checking out the NZXT Capsule Mini microphone. It's one of the most affordable microphones on the market with great recording quality and a study design. In our review of the microphone, Rich Edmonds was shocked to find it offered big-brand recording at a really low price.

When it comes to the design, the NZXT Capsule Mini looks great. It comes in either black or white and has a matte finish, which is sure to match your setup. There are not many buttons and controls, though, aside from a volume knob in the front, a status indicator LED, and a mute button. Connectivity is via USB-C too, and though the cable is short, that port is right on the bottom for easy touring of cables and use with a boom arm. It's a plug-and-play microphone as well, so you need not worry about drivers. You even get a 3.5mm headphone jack for live output, and the option to use NZXT's CAM software for playing around with settings.

In terms of audio quality, Edmonds loved the way it sounded on factory settings. He found that the recording capabilities were excellent, and the audio was "crystal clear" in video calls and during playback. There were a few downsides which were expected for the price. There's a noticeable lack of pop filtering and it only has one cardioid pattern. However, for gaming, video recording, and streaming, though, this is the ideal microphone that won't break your budget.

The Razer Seiren microphones were incredible microphones with solid build quality, and the V2 Pro is a worthy successor to their legacy. Featuring a similar compact form factor, it provides great audio without skimping out on other important features.

Thanks to a 96kHz sampling rate and a 24-bit depth, the Razer Seiren V2 Pro sits at the top of the pecking order when it comes to recording high-quality audio. Setting up the V2 Pro is fairly straightforward as all you need to do is connect it to your PC and change the audio input to the mic. You don't have to fiddle with too many cables or set up any complicated software to get started with it, though you'll need to download the Razer Synapse to make full use of the microphone.

This sleek mic packs a high pass filter to suppress noise in your recordings. It also ships with built-in volume and gain controls, allowing you to adjust these settings without relying on software. Plus, it even has a mute button in case you need to quickly mute yourself, and you can also plug in a headset into the mic to monitor your volume.

The Seiren V2 Pro has a supercardioid polar pattern, which is a double-edged sword. While it does reject a lot of background noise, the sound field it picks is very directional. At $150, it's not exactly the cheapest microphone on the block. But what you're getting for the price is a compact mic with tons of quality-of-life features.

A lot of the microphones mentioned in this particular collection have a single pickup pattern, but the EPOS B20 is different. It has multiple pickup patterns and studio-quality audio with a sampling rate of 48KHz and 24 bits.

The EPOS B20 offers four different pickup patterns for different use cases and offers good audio quality as a result. You can choose either cardioid, stereo, bidirectional, or omnidirectional. While most people will use it in the cardioid pattern for gaming or even streaming, it's also good for those who want to have guests over for a podcast recording session. You can use bidirectional or omnidirectional patterns to pick up multiple voices around the mic. The EPOS B20 is known to be a little sensitive to background noise, though, so keep that in mind. Also, the fact that you can connect your headphones directly to the microphone makes it a great option that offers excellent EQ and virtual surround sound.

Setting up the microphone is also fairly simple, and you can further tune things like gain, sidetone volume, and pickup patterns with the help of the onboard dials if you want to get the most out of the mic. The EPOS B20 works well with the EPOS Gaming suite software, so be sure to install it to fine-tune other mic settings. Monitoring is built into the microphone itself, so you are not necessarily going to miss out on much if you don't have access to the software either.

The EPOS B20 comes in a gunmetal color with a tall, black-colored metallic cylindrical body and controls for volume and mute. You also get an LED indicator light that glows white when the mic is in use and turns red when it's muted. Underneath, you get a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Recapping the best gaming microphones in 2023

As you can see, there's no shortage of gaming microphones on the market and there are many great options to choose from. That said, most users will find plenty of what they need in the HyperX QuadCast gaming microphone. This is a great mic overall that works for both gaming and streaming. It has a fantastic design with a tap-to-mute button, Even though it's not as expensive as the Shure SM7B, the audio quality is great for most gamers and streamers.

Alternatively, the Elgato Wave:3 is another solid option to consider if you don't mind spending a little bit more money. Those looking to buy something premium can check out the Blue Yeti X whereas budget shoppers should consider buying either the NZXT Capsule Mini. If you're looking for a new front-camera for your streaming needs, then consider checking our collection of the best webcams on the market.