Best gaming microphone of 2023 – our picks for streaming, budget, and overall

Blue is rightfully known as a leading force in the microphone game, namely with its bestselling Yeti model. As a plug-and-play USB condenser mic, the Blue Yeti X pairs the best features of the original and the more compact, budget Nano alongside some choice upgrades at a slightly higher price tag.

The Blue Yeti X delivers nothing short of superb audio with a broad dynamic range and a well-rounded, crystal-clear profile, aided by no less than four polar capture patterns (cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, and stereo) easily swapped thanks to a button on the back of the mic, and a four-capsule condenser array. Such versatility usually comes at a much higher price. The new iteration is also more sensitive than the original — both a blessing and a curse. At higher gain levels, the mic can be just a little bit too sensitive, one of the only real gripes we have.

Among the improvements is an 11-segment LED meter that tracks volume levels for easy visual monitoring. The new easy access Smart Knob mounted on the front of the mic allows on the fly gain fine-tuning, headphone volume and blend adjustments, and mic muting. There’s even a headphone jack mounted on the microphone to monitor the mic’s sound capture directly.

As much as the original Yeti was a staple of streaming setups, it wasn’t necessarily the most visually appealing mic. With the Yeti X, Blue offers a more compact, less chunky design but just as rugged whether supported by a boom arm or the included sturdy desktop stand.

The Blue Yeti X is also very well-served on the software side, thanks to Blue’s versatile Blue Vo!Ce software. The suite grants access to a wealth of vocal effects, presets, filters, noise-reduction widgets, compressors, limiters, and so on so that you can piece together a unique profile.

Unabashedly an entry-level mic, the Razer Seiren Mini delivers professional-grade audio quality by cutting out most of the price-swelling extras. For around $60 – roughly the price of a mid-range gaming headset – you get a reasonably major leap in audio quality.

Adorably ultra-compact and highly portable, The Razer Seiren Mini handles knocks and bumps with ease thanks to heavy-duty construction, a stable tilting stand, and a built-in shock mount to dampen accidental knocks. It’s available in three colors (classic black, quartz pink, and mercury white) to offer users a certain degree of customization to homogenize their gaming setups.

It’s impressive on the audio front, too, outperforming virtually all other mics in this price range. A super-cardioid polar pattern with a tight capture angle reduces ambient noise to cancel out those pesky mouse clicks and typing sounds of a mechanical keyboard. The result is a warm, balanced, and accurate sound that faithfully and clearly picks up the voice. Razer’s integrated a flat frequency response and a 14mm condenser capsule that do much of the heavy lifting.

It’s worth noting that the Razer Seiren Mini has no headphone jack, mute function, or physical buttons, and all adjustments are made via voice chat software like discord, so not one for those that value tactile controls.

While the Razer Seiren Mini may lack the multiple polar patterns and stacked feature set on par with the mics above, it more than makes up for it in straight value for money. In other words, a boon for gamers on a budget.

HyperX also sells an alternative model, dubbed the Quadcast S. The only difference is the inclusion of customizable RGB lighting rather than the stock red light on the Quadcast. One for those that want to spice up their setups with some lighting flair.

Given Elgato’s focus on streaming-related hardware and accessories, it should come as no surprise that the company has thrown its hat into the gaming/streaming microphone ring with the broadcast-grade Elgato Wave:3 USB mic.

If a large part of your gaming time is spent entertaining on stream, then vocal quality, and control over audio sources, are even more critical. The Elgato Wave:3 steps up to the plate with excellent quality audio, a versatile digital mixer, and features designed to avoid common streaming audio hiccups.

The Elgato Wave:3 sounds great with an emphasis on clear, bright audio. It’s limited to a single cardioid polar pattern, perfect for solo gaming and streaming, but not as versatile as the mics from Blue and Hyper-X above.

Adjustments are straightforward, thanks to a multifunction dial mounted on the front of the mic. It allows you to fine-tune the gain, adjust the mix between the mic and PC audio, and tinker with the headphone volume. There’s also a capacitive mute sensor on the top of the mic for silent, one-touch muting. The Elgato Wave:3 is very well put together with a robust but compact build with excellent features such as a multilayered noise shield, a premium condenser capsule, headphone input, a steel grille, and a heavy-duty desk stand.

We were also impressed by the Clipguard technology, which automatically reroutes audio through a second signal path when the input level peaks, cutting it down to a lower volume to avoid distortion and clipping.

Our favorite feature is without a doubt how the Elgato Wave:3’s Wave Link software acts as a digital mixer. You can control up to eight audio sources, then blend, mix, and fine-tune them as you see fit. In the context of streaming, you can manage audio from games, music players like Spotify, subscriber alerts, browser, discord, and audio decks like the Elgato Stream Deck.

The HyperX Quadcast, a close second to the Yeti X, fills our runner-up spot with one of the more ‘gaming’ designs of our recommendations. While good looks are one thing, the mic delivers where it matters, too, with quality audio and a generous feature set.

On the sound quality side of things, the HyperX Quadcast falls slightly behind the Yeti X in terms of clarity and overall fullness but still provides crisp, warm, and precise audio that is night and day compared to that captured by gaming headsets. Much like the Yeti X, the HyperX Quadcast provides four polar patterns (stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, bidirectional) adjusted via an easy access dial.

The sensitivity can be adjusted via a dial on the microphone’s underside, which also features a built-in headphone jack for easy real-time zero-latency monitoring. The microphone is bathed in the glow of a red LED when active. Unfortunately, the LED can’t be turned off, so you’ll need to be a fan of the color scheme or look elsewhere.

A Tap-to-Mute sensor mounted on the top of the HyperX Quadcast makes quick work of cutting out sound, and the mic’s red LED dims accordingly. Other notable features include an internal pop filter, a sturdy, if a little small, desk-stand with a built-in anti-vibration shock mount, and compatibility with a wide range of software (OBS, XSplit, etc.) and platforms (PC, Mac, PS4).