The Best Gaming Microphones

The first best gaming microphone on our list, the Zalman ZM-Mic1, comes at an incredibly low price of $6. It boasts no amazing features, modest build quality, and a sound that you’d expect at this price point. The cable is excessively long and terminates into a single standard 3.5mm connector.

The sound carries a fair amount of static, and the gaming microphone is rather sensitive. It requires a high level of gain, which can be set through your OS. The microphone does not have a traditional clip but is instead designed to be tethered alongside your headphone cable. Included on the cable are a handful of clips designed to help cable routing.

Pros

• Affordable.
• Decent sound.
• Long cable.
• Clips to route mic cable alongside headphone cable.
• No frills.

Cons

• Incredibly thin cable.
• Highly sensitive capsule.
• Audible hissing sound from input at all levels.
• No shirt clip (only clips onto cables).

Mic audio test:

The ATR-3350IS by Audio-Technica raises the bar for clip-on best gaming microphones, offering a microphone with an excellent capsule at an affordable price. This lavalier best gaming microphone is perfect for anybody looking to upgrade the audio quality of his or her camera or anyone looking for a high-quality clip-on microphone on a budget. It also makes for one of the best microphone for streaming options. Included in the box is the condenser microphone, adaptor and headphone jacks, battery, clip, and foam windscreen. Being a condenser microphone, it will be more sensitive than a dynamic mic and will require a button battery.

“Battery?” You may ask. Unfortunately, the biggest drawback to the ATR-3350IS is that it is powered only by one LR44 battery. There is an on/off switch on the body of the microphone, and to replace the battery, you simply twist and unscrew the microphone’s inline body. In my tests, the gaming microphone easily lasted through the three days that I used it. Unfortunately, there is no battery indicator.

Overall, the ATR-3350IS is one of the  best gaming microphones, held back only by its use of a battery with no option to passively power it through a 3.5mm connector. In conclusion, 3350IS is truly one of the best microphones for gaming and has fantastic capsule quality. Clipping it on the shirt feels really good, and with a lengthy cable, you will never have issues with positioning it.

Pros

• Excellent audio quality.
• Great build quality.
• Nice accessories.
• Lengthy cable for all use cases.

Cons

• Battery-powered only.
• No battery indicator present.
• Windscreen tends to fall off easily.

Mic audio test:

Arguably the most popular best gaming microphone on this list, the ModMic by Antlion is the solution sought by many of those who purchase headphones. The microphone connects to your PC via the standard 3.5mm jack, and it uses an adhesive to attach itself to your headphones or any other device you desire.

This best gaming microphone uses a magnet to stick to the base that attaches to your headphones via a strong adhesive. The cable then runs from the mic itself, to be routed alongside your headphone cable to your PC. Included in the box is the microphone, a run of cable wrap (for wrapping your headphone and microphone cables — optional) extra bases for the microphone, a handful of cable clips, and a hard-carrying case for the microphone and all of its accessories.

This best gaming microphone has two patterns: unidirectional and omnidirectional. The unidirectional option captures sound from a single direction, and the omnidirectional one will allow the capsule to pick up sound from all directions. Upon testing, the omnidirectional mic produced a higher quality sound but also picked up extra background noise. The cable on the mic is more than long enough, and the cable wrap, while a little bulky, will hold almost any cable. The quality of the materials and carrying case is top notch. It really is a best microphone for gaming.

Pros

• High-quality microphone capsule that beats most gaming headsets.
• Excellent build quality.
• Plenty of accessories.

Cons

• Unidirectional sound pattern picks up a lot of white noise while omnidirectional sounds too roomy.
• Adhesive for microphone base seems a little too weak when testing for long-term use.

Mic audio test:

The V-MODA BoomPro, similar to the ModMic, is a boom microphone designed to transform regular headphones into headsets. However, unlike the ModMic’s magnet+adhesive approach, the BoomPro actually plugs directly into your headphones — assuming you have a pair that is compatible. As illustrated on the box, the microphone terminates into a standard 3.5mm jack that plugs directly into your headphones, assuming you have a removable cable.

The BoomPro strikes a really nice balance of build quality versus sound quality. While the microphone capsule isn’t very sensitive, if provided with enough gain boost, it can actually sound quite nice and is even comparable to the ModMic if used in a proper environment. The microphone boom arm itself can fully articulate, and the small metal wire that runs through it is very bendable and keeps its shape and position very well. That is something I take into account when getting a gaming microphone — its versatility. The microphone arm and the cable are braided, though they are both very thin. Also, on the cable is an in-line volume control and mute switch, as well as a sturdy clip for attaching it to yourself, if necessary. This best mic for gaming’s cable is more than long enough for most setups, coming in at about 6 inches long.

In the box, you’ll find the microphone and a splitter, useful for devices that do not feature a microphone+audio combo jack.

Overall, the V-MODA BoomPro is an impressive best microphone for gaming with many strong points, but it is unfortunately held back by its limited compatibility. Most popular headphones will require modification in order to work with the BoomPro, either due to recessed audio jacks, the BoomPro being too large, or a mixture of both, not to mention that a handful of popular headphones also use a 2.5mm jack over 3.5mm, which will require an adapter.

Pros

• Good sound quality.
• Excellent build quality.
• Simple setup and design.
• Affordable.

Cons

• Not compatible out of the box with many headphones.
• Microphone capsule is not very sensitive and requires a moderate gain boost, resulting in background hiss.

Mic audio test:

The ATR-2500 by Audio Technica is a USB condenser best microphone for gaming that offers great sound at an affordable price. The microphone features a plastic tripod with shock mount support. It uses a unidirectional capsule that tends to pick up background noise but offers great sound clarity. This best microphone for gaming is composed almost exclusively of plastic, but its compact, rigid design compensates for this material choice.

The front I/O consists of a line-in audio jack for monitoring, as well as volume control buttons and a power indicator LED. Unfortunately, the LED of this best mic for gaming is exceptionally bright and cannot be switched off or dimmed. The volume control buttons also feel cheaply made and fragile. While I do not like my gaming microphone to look cheap, this one boasts quite good quality that made me overlook its aesthetics somewhat.

This best microphone for gaming set included cable is a 6-foot mini-USB to USB cable. In summary, the ATR-2500 offers phenomenal sound quality compared to other similarly priced best mics for gaming, but its build quality leaves a lot to be desired.

Pros

• Excellent sound quality.
• Shock mount support.
• Included tripod.
• Small desk footprint.
• In-line audio monitoring.

Cons

• Exceptionally bright power indicator LED.
• Volume control buttons feel cheap.
• Tripod tends to fall over easily.
• Mini-USB to USB cable might be too short for most setups.

Mic audio test:

The Snowball iCE by Blue is a best microphone for gaming that aims to provide the best sound quality for the price without offering any extra unnecessary features. This best mic for gaming uses the same capsule as its older brother, Snowball, but loses its three different audio patterns. The microphone offers stellar audio quality on a competitive budget, and it can usually be found on sale for less than $40.

In the box, you’ll find the gaming microphone, a shielded USB-to-Mini USB plug, and a tripod that threads into the base of the mic. The design quality of this best mic for gaming is similar to that of the Audio-Technica ATR-2500. Comparable to the ATR-2500 gaming microphone, it offers a full sound at the cost of price, as that microphone will usually sit around $30 more expensive than the Snowball iCE at any given time.

Overall, this best mic for gaming is excellent for those with proper desk space and a budget that can accommodate a $50 purchase. A clean design, great sound, and iconic Blue build quality, the Snowball iCE is the best microphone for gaming for beginners or even some intermediate gamers, streamers, or podcasters, making it a solid gaming microphone for everyday use and a contender for the best microphone for gaming title.

Pros

• Excellent sound quality for the price.
• Excellent build quality on the microphone itself.
• No drivers needed; simply plug it in, and it’s ready to go.
• Lengthy cable will suit most right out of the box.

Cons

• The tripod feels flimsy and falls over easily.
• The power indicator LED cannot be turned off and is surprisingly bright.
• Loses its audio pattern options that can be found on its bigger brother.

Mic audio test:

Go Mic by Samson is probably not something that you would expect on the best microphone for gaming list, but if you are on the move or don’t have a fixed setup at all times, you might want to consider this small microphone. While being relatively cheap and portable, it also boosts plug ‘n’ play capabilities on most devices, including mobile phones. Before you wander off thinking that this is not a gaming microphone, check out its specs below, and you might be surprised.

Go Mic is essentially a condenser USB microphone that comes in a small zip case. Inside, you are going to find the microphone, along with the cable clip and the built-in stand. On the microphone, you are going to notice both the USB port and the 3.5mm jack, and on the opposite side is a flip switch. One of the things putting the Samson Go Mic on the list as a gaming microphone is its ability to switch from a cardioid pickup pattern to omni or keep it at 10db of volume reduction while still being small and affordable.

With its ball joint and small case, it can either be placed on a desk or clipped to your shirt, making it highly adaptable. Putting it back into the case, you can easily fit your new companion into your pocket, ready to be used on call. Being portable and affordable, however, is not the only quality we need in a gaming microphone; we also need sound. How does it fare in that regard compared to other best mic for gaming options?

First of all, it is recommended for use at laptop length, as it was designed for very close range, and it would need a bit of adjustment to get it to the sweet spot. Being small comes with a bit of a drawback, that is, small diaphragm which would thin out your voice. Fortunately, the mic comes equipped with an LED light, which indicates when your recording is starting to hiss.

Overall, at its price point, it is quite affordable and mobile but wouldn’t be named the best microphone for gaming. However, those who are on the move and in need of a solid gaming microphone that doesn’t take space need not look any further.

Pros

• Affordable.
• LED light indicates issues with voice.
• Compact and versatile.

Cons

• Can be used in close range only.
• Quite sensitive and needs a bit of adjusting for perfect sound.

The last item in our hunt for the gaming microphone suited to your needs is the CAD U37. A condenser microphone with the pick-up cardioid to reduce the background noise seems to be a very good pick for a permanent setup. What got me interested in it is that one of my friends mentioned it is the best mic for gaming, and that is what we will find out.

While its packaging doesn’t look like one for a gaming microphone, inside, we will find a stand and a hook for mounting the stand and mic, as well as a decently long USB cable. At the bottom of the device, we can find a mini-USB port. Nothing fancy around here, but all the good yet basic stuff are included in the package - all you would expect from the best mic for gaming.

What immediately caught my eye is the bright LED light that is not frosted. So, if you are one of those late-night gamers, this might disqualify it as a gaming microphone. However, it does come with the 10dp overload protection switch to minimize distortions, along with a base reduction switch at the bottom.

What about the sound? Does the sound put it within the category of the best microphone for gaming? Testing it out, we can hear clear and crisp sound, and it eliminates most of the ambient noise. Coming at an affordable price, it produces satisfying results, and it is also really easy to set up as it requires no software to install. To wrap it up, we recommend it as one of the best mic for gaming options for solo use, as with more sound sources, this device does struggle a bit. Nevertheless, we are looking for gaming microphone and not a studio one, after all.

Pros

• Easy to set up and use.
• High-quality sound.

Cons

• A bit sensitive.
• Plastic stand looks a bit cheap.