Whether you want to simply sound better when online with your friends or provide a high-quality signal for your stream, having the best microphone for gaming is important. There are many options out there that will save you money but are lackluster in their overall quality in both sound and build. Find out what the professionals use for their gaming sessions so you can join their level.
What to Look for in a Gaming Microphone
You will not find headsets in this list, it is focusing specifically on the microphones themselves. For the best quality, you will want to get a microphone and headphones separately for your setup. To find out what to look for and what you need to use the best microphone for gaming, check out these factors.
Interface
An interface is how your microphone connects to your computer. This is how the analog signal that your mic picks up is transmitted into a digital signal for your computer. Some microphones such as the Blue Yeti have a built-in USB connection for this as well as sometimes having an XLR connection, depending on the model of microphone.
XLR connections are the 3-pronged connections that transmit the signal to the interface to be converted into the digital signal. Ensure you know whether or not your microphone needs an interface before purchasing it.
Quality
Occasionally you will come across an amazing deal for a microphone that offers a high-quality audio response. Unfortunately, cheap microphones are rarely going to provide you the best signal quality. All in all, expect to spend at least $100 for a quality microphone.
Gain
To get the best audio without having a distorted signal, you need to set the gain structure. Gain is the amount of power used to amplify your mic signal anywhere from incoherent to overpowering. This usually is done through the interface or on the mic itself if it has the interface built in.
Just remember that if you have it too soft, you will not be heard, and if it is too loud it will be distorted. Use the colored indicators that are very common, and remember the 1st rule of digital audio: If it’s red, it’s dead.
Pickup Patterns
The direction or directions the microphone picks up sound from is determined by the pickup pattern. For gaming, you will not need more than 1 type of pickup pattern. The most common and regular choice is a cardioid pattern, which picks up in 1 direction straight out from the front center of the microphone. If there is more than that pattern available with your microphone, there will be a description as well as information available on how to use it.
The Best Gaming Microphone
With these thoughts in mind, you can more easily select the microphone that will improve your streaming and gaming experience with friends.
Shure SM7B
As far as overall audio quality is concerned, the Shure SM7B is one of the absolute best dynamic microphones on the market. It has the clarity of a condenser microphone but is naturally a low-signal microphone. Some of the biggest streamers use this mic, including StoneMountain64 and Markiplier.
Pros:
- Incredible sound quality
- Can be used for other projects
Cons:
- Requires a lot of gain
- Requires additional equipment
Best for: Professional sound quality
Pricing: $399
Shure is very set on how its microphones are priced. Every company that offers Shure products has to list them at the same price unless they are including any additional equipment such as a stand or preamp.
5-star rating
Electro-Voice RE20
Right next to the SM7B in sound quality is the Electro-Voice RE20. It is another dynamic mic that has amazing clarity to it. The RE20 has been used for broadcasting and regular voice recording for decades and is still used because of the amazing quality it offers. You can see and hear the RE20 in use by the largest female Twitch streamer Pokimane.
Pros:
- High-quality sound
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Requires additional equipment
Best for: Voice broadcasting
Pricing: $399
5-star rating
HyperX Quadcast
HyperX is known for creating some of the best gaming headsets on the market. Now it offers an even better microphone. It comes with every feature you need with no additional gear required. There is even a version with built-in LED that you can customize with a program from HyperX.
Pros:
- Built-in gain control
- LED
- 4 pickup patterns
Cons:
- The stand is very short
Best for: Aesthetics and functionality
Pricing:
- Quadcast, $139.99
- Quadcast LED, $159.99
5-star rating
Blue Yeti
Yeti mics have become a regular and popular choice for both beginners and experienced gamers. There are many types of Yeti but the 3 best choices for gamers would be the basic Yeti, Yeti Nano and Yeti X. All provide quality audio that connects directly with USC to your computer.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use
- No additional equipment needed
- Multiple pickup patterns
Cons:
- Requires software to run on your computer
Best for: Price
Pricing:
- Yeti Nano, $99.99
- Yeti, $129.99
- Yeti X, $169.99
5-star rating
Audio-Technica AT2020
If you are a soft-spoken individual that others have trouble hearing, a condenser mic such as the AT2020 will suit you perfectly. Audio-Technica creates some of the best audio-related equipment on the market, and this entry-level microphone is no exception. It captures voices clearly with a super-sensitive diaphragm.
Pros:
- Extremely sensitive
- Low price
Cons:
- Requires additional equipment
- Will pick up background noise
Best for: Quiet environments
Pricing: $99.00
4-star rating
Improve your Audio Today
When you begin to use your microphone it may take some fine-tuning, but you will be able to hear a clear difference. When you have a better mic you will be heard better and understood more clearly in your lobbies and servers. Every mic you read about will give you amazing results to improve your professionality.
