If you’re a gamer or streamer and looking to buy one of the best microphone for gaming and streaming needs?
We’re here to help!
We’ve included in our guide some of the best and most reliable gaming microphones currently available and also reviewed each one of them so you could easily get to know all about its specifications and features in detail.
So, following are our top pick’s in gaming and streaming microphones.
| Name | Frequency | Current Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rode NTG2 | 20 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Blue Yeti Pro | 20 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Rode NT1-A | 20 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ | 20 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Blue Yeti | 20 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Audio-Technica ATR2500 | 30 Hertz to 15 Kilohertz | |
| Samson G-Track PRO | 50 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| MXL 770 | 30 Hertz to 20 Kilohertz | |
| Blue Snowball iCE | 40 Hertz to 18 Kilohertz | |
| Neewer NW-700 | 20 Hertz - 16 Kilohertz |
It is very important to have a reliable gaming microphone and before buying there are few things that you need to consider including but not limited to its budget, reliability, functionality etc. and we’ve touched upon each one of them in our detailed review below.
Gaming & Streaming Microphones Review
1) Rode NTG2 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
Rode NTG2 Condenser Shotgun Microphone is one of the best and a reliable choice when it comes to choosing microphone for gaming and streaming needs.
Let’s have a look at the features of this gaming and streaming microphone in detail below.
Features & Specifications
This microphone is being built keeping in view of film, television and video production business. This mic offers plenty of specifications that makes it best choice for high-end gaming needs including but not limited to having low noise, full frequency response, provides superb audio transparency, is of very low weight i.e. 161gm./5.7oz etc.
These features as mentioned above makes it trustworthy choice and can also be considered as a voice over microphone.
Some important features of this streaming microphone includes but not limited to having frequency of about 20Hz-20kHz that is considered best choice for high-end gaming requirements, comes with a high-pass filter about 80Hz making sure that it provides top class performance. All these features makes sure to prevent the low-end noise such as traffic noise from getting recorded when user is recording using this mic.
You might be thinking why this microphone is even considered one of the best choice when it comes to professional recording?
This is due to it ability of making background sounds almost zero when recording in studio.
Other important features of this gaming and streaming mic are as follows:
This mic makes use of AA (1.5V) battery and P48 phantom power that is normally being used for operating top notch equipment, this battery power is even considered great as few cameras don’t supply power like in most DSLR, this microphone even includes WSVM windshield that decrease wind noise to minimum, comes with a rugged metal construction making this mic last for very long time.
Best thing worth mentioning is that this microphone comes with 10-year warranty making it reliable choice and one of the most preferred and a standalone mic for gaming needs.
So, in view of all features mentioned above Rode NTG2 Condenser Shotgun Microphone is one of the best choice due to its awesome broadcast sound quality and its high end build quality.
2) Blue Yeti Pro USB Condenser Gamers Microphone
The send most recommended microphone for streaming and gaming is the Blue Yeti Pro USB Condenser Gamers Microphone.
Features & Specifications
What you get in package is obviously the microphone which has a desktop microphone stand already installed, you get a five pin XLR 2 stereo, 3 pin XLR cable, you get a USB cable and some documentation.
As far as the build quality is concerned, this gaming microphone feels amazing. It has an all-metal construction, a metal grille and it feels really well put together. On the bottom of the microphone you find a 5/8-inch microphone stand adapter, a 5 pin XLR port so you can connect this to an XLR interface, it comes with a USB port and you get a 3.5 millimeter headphone port that does offer latency free monitoring on the front of the microphone.
Few other things worth mentioning includes it the mute button as well as headphone volume control. On back of the microphone you have a microphone gain control as well as a polar pattern selection dial that allows you to select between stereo omnidirectional cardioid or bi-directional.
Other important features of this mic includes having a frequency response of 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz, a polar pattern of stereo cardioid bi-directional or omnidirectional, a max FDL of 120 decibels, sampling rate of 22 kilohertz up to 192 kilohertz and a bit depth of 24-bit.
When it comes to using this streaming or gaming mic, ideal setting is if you are having the microphone set in the center of a table and you have an interviewee sitting across from you as it includes a cardioid setting that picks up audio in a heart shaped pattern in front of the microphone and this would be ideal for solo podcast. On the other hand, it even features an omnidirectional setting that picks up audio all the way around the microphone and this would be an ideal setting for conference calls or any situation where you’re not too concerned with background noise.
Another setting available is the stereo setting that picks up audio on both sides of the microphone and this would be ideal for capturing instruments
Overall we think it’s a pretty nice sounding microphone. When used on electric guitar it sounded really fat and crisp, On acoustic the stereo image sounded excellent and on Voice it offered a really nice and full tone.
So, if you are looking to get microphone for streaming or gaming this will be a pretty good option for you because you’re essentially buying four different microphones in one package.
We could definitely say it is one of the best choice and well worth the money you’re going to spend.
3) Rode NT1-A Bundle
The third most recommended gaming and streaming mic 2019 has to offer is the Rode NT1-A Bundle.
Features & Specifications
What you get in this pack is the NT1-A microphone itself. This is the best-selling studio condenser mic in the world, it’s also the quietest studio condenser mic regardless of price point and at the same time the large diaphragm condenser mic.
By large diaphragm means one inch in diameter and this is the part of the mic that captures the sound vibrations and converts them into an electrical signal large diaphragm have a reputation for producing a very full-bodied warm sound so it’s ideal for vocals and a wide range of other sound sources. This is also a condenser mic which means that you need a phantom power supply of 48 volt supply to power it. mostly preamps interfaces and mixers have that 48 volt feature as standard because condenser mics like this are so widely used these days so you will find most bits of kit you’ll be able to plug this straight in and get up and running almost straight away.
NT1-A is cardioid microphone that means it’s directional and will pick up sound from one direction only if you speak at gold dot on the front of the microphone that’s the direction from which the mic will pick up sound and will reject any sounds from behind the mic. Now, the reason you would want that is if you’re recording vocals or doing live stream you only want to hear the sound of the voice or the artists that you’re recording you don’t want to hear any unwanted reflections of walls windows ceilings etc. so by having a cardioid pattern means rejection of any unwanted room reflections and a really controlled sound.
Other important features includes very wide dynamic range that also contributes to its flexibility, sensitive enough to pick up low-level sound so it’s perfectly at home recording, steaming and gaming.
Another thing included in package is the SM6. This is a very important part of this pack having sm6 combined shock mount and pop shield which is completely removable making it perfect choice if you already have a pop shield.
You might be thinking, why would you need accessories like this?
Well, this shock mount is very important because it’s completely elasticated and what that means is that the microphone itself is completely cradled and isolated for many vibrations so if you’re doing a voiceover for instance and you accidentally bang the table it means that the vibration isn’t passed up through the mic stand into the microphone isolating the mic which gives the best possible quality sound.
Pop shield on the other hand is important as it reduces what called plosives and those are the P and B sounds when you’re speaking or singing every time you make those sounds you’re producing a rush of air which if it hits the mic can result in a sort of a low-frequency pop or or Rumble. So, by having the pop shield you’re actually interrupting that flow of air and preventing it from reaching the mic, cutting down on those sort of popping breathing sounds.
So, in view of all features and specifications, our experts have rated this microphone to be one of the best choice for gaming and streaming.
4) Audio-Technica AT2020USB+
The fourth most recommended streaming and gaming mic that made it to our guide is the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ microphone.
Features & Specifications
Before moving forward, I want to clarify that this microphone is AT2020 USB Plus (+) and should not to be confused with the XLR version of the microphone which is just the at2020.
So let’s talk about what you get in the box. Definitely you’re going to get the microphone, you also get a USB cable, microphone mount, a 5/8 to 3/8 inch microphone stand adapter, a desktop microphone stand, a padded microphone carrying pouch, some documentations and a one-year warranty.
When it comes to build quality, it actually feels pretty nice. It is an all-metal construction and having really nice weight to it. On the front of the microphone we have few features: the first one is a blue LED light right on the inside of the grill to tell this microphone is getting power, comes with a dial to help mix between the microphones audio and your computer’s audio, microphone is obviously going to be zero latency monitoring and computers audio can be playback. On the other side, it comes with straightforward headphone volume control and on the back of the microphone is a 3.5 millimeter headphone port.
When it comes to specifications, it is a USB microphone and is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X, bit depth is 16-bit and the sampling rate is 40 4.1 or 48 kilohertz, frequency response is 20 Hertz to 20 kilohertz which is an improvement over the prior AT2020 USB version. This microphone is the AT2020 USB Plus so comes with improved frequency response and has a cardioid polar pattern.
So, in view of all features mentioned above we could definitely say Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is one of the best choice you could make at the moment.
5) Blue Yeti
Streaming and Gaming microphone that made it to fifth spot in our review is the Blue Yeti.
Features & Specifications
A good USB microphone should do two things, it should sound great and have quick and easy setup. For past few years, blue Yeti has been considered the best USB microphone by many different experts, podcasters, Bloggers etc and it has a nearly perfect rating.
Blue Yeti is still considered one of the best USB microphone. Some colors of this mic are cheaper than others which can bring the regular price down even more if you don’t care about color and just want to save as much money possible.
When you first open the box you’ll notice that blue Yeti is not a small microphone. It’s made of a sturdy metal, stands almost a foot tall and weighs about three and a half pounds. Blue Yeti comes with a USB cable and is compatible with Mac and PC right out of the box. No drivers or software needed, just plug it in and start recording.
One of the most important thing to consider is that Yeti can easily fold down but still it is designed to stay put on user’s desk because of its large size and also its solid build is going to take up a good amount of space.
Still, blue Yeti is the absolute best choice for most people looking for affordable microphone. Advantages of a USB mic is that they are much cheaper and still offers top notch sound quality. Blue Yeti has an internal preamp and analog to digital converter that takes the incoming signal amplifies it and converts it to digital and send it directly into user’s computer so users don’t need any other gear to start recording.
Blue Yeti microphone comes with plenty of features along with highest quality sound and physically aesthetics all in one single microphone making it one of the best choice you could choose among many.
When it comes to front of mic there is the blue logo, a mute button that is solid red when mic is powered on and connected to user’s computer and it flash red when the mute is enabled.
Under front of mic there is a headphone volume knob and at bottom there is a headphone jack that allows real-time monitoring of your microphone to make sure users recording levels are right.
This mic also includes a dedicated amp and converter that’s already built into the Yeti and at the same time have USB cable port and a standard thread mount on bottom in case users want to unscrew the side screws and remove blue Yeti from included stand.
Other features worth mentioning includes at under mesh top there are three condenser microphone capsules that makes Yeti extremely versatile for almost any recording situation, records 16-bit at 48 kilohertz, does an exceptional job at minimizing picking up the background noise and stuff like that around your room or your keyboard making it one of the best choice for streaming and gaming.
6) Audio-Technica ATR2500 Mic for Streaming
When it comes to best mic for gaming and streaming, the sixth most recommended choice that made it to our guide is the Audio-Technica ATR2500 Microphone.
Features & Specifications
This is a USB condenser microphone with a headphone port on it. So, let’s talk about what you get in the box:
Obviously the first thing you will talk out of box is the microphone, you also get microphone mount, a 5 foot USB cable and you get a plastic microphone stand. Best thing about this streaming mic is that it comes with a lifetime warranty making it one of the most reliable choice.
When it comes to build quality, it have a metal body with a metal grill feels nice but the plastic components on it feel kind of cheap. At very bottom of this gaming mic is the headphone port which actually provides live monitoring with zero latency. Directly above that you have a headphone volume up and down and then you have a blue LED.
Big complaint I have is the microphone mount as it provides no shock absorption so in case user hit the microphone stand in accident you hear every single second of it, it sounds like a big boom so this microphone mount is a big no.
It also includes a tabletop microphone stand and this kind of microphone mount if you have this sitting on the desk that you’re typing on or clicking with your mouse or hitting your desk it’s going to pick up every single bump and definitely going to sound horrible.
The frequency respond to this mic is 30 Hertz to 15 kilohertz which seems pretty nice as the microphone sounds fairly good and it doesn’t feel like it’s missing any big frequency gaps.
Overall this microphone sounds pretty awesome and have slightly better presence when compared to the ATR 2100 but that’s what you would expect because this is a condenser microphone and the ATR 2100 USB is a dynamic microphone
I would recommend the ATR 2100 over ATR 2500 microphone for only a couple reasons i.e. being slightly cheaper and the ATR 2100 provides ability to expand to the XLR port but if you have no desire to expand from USB to XLR microphone then I think this is a perfectly fine option.
So, in view of all features mentioned above ATR2500 microphone is great choice and worth each and every penny to be spent.
7) Samson G-Track PRO
Seventh most recommended gaming microphone included in our guide is the Samson G-Track PRO.
Features & Specifications
This microphone is a second iteration on the G track series from Samson.
You might be wondering what the difference between the G track and G track Pro?
G track Pro comes with a better improved build quality as its switches feel better and it just all-around feels much sturdier. it includes a metal desktop stand, users get a higher recording resolution of up to 24 bit 96 kilohertz, instrument input is 6.3 millimeters instead of three-and-a-half millimeters and most importantly it has multiple polar patterns.
What comes in the box is microphone obviously, a pre-installed desktop stand, a microphone mount that does not come with a 5/8 to 3/8 inch adapter. What you get is a USB cable, some documentations and you get a card to download Motaz audio desk software.
Talking about build quality, this gaming mic feels like it could be used as a weapon as it has an all-metal body, a metal grille, have a nice amount of weight to it. The desktop stand is massive and heavy so it won’t move around on your desk but it does not offer any shock absorption so it will pick up any bumps on the desk.
All switches present on this microphone are very nice and clicky. Mute button unfortunately doesn’t have much tactile feedback so you need to pay attention to the light and the dials are a little bit loose but it’s nothing that you would be too concerned about.
On front of the microphone the first thing you’re going to find is the polar pattern selection switch this allows to switch between figure 8 or bi-directional cardioid or omnidirectional polar patterns. In the center you’ll find an LED light to know about it being muted or unmuted. In case you’re clipping then on the right you have the mono or two track selection switch, mono just mixes the mic and instrument down to a single track while two tracks sends the mic and instrument to two separate tracks so you can record them separately and process them individually.
Other specifications include having frequency response of 50 Hertz to 20 kilohertz, a max SPL of 120 decibels, bit depth of 16 or 24 bit, a sampling rate of up to 96 kilohertz, a large-diaphragm (25mm) dual 1″ capsule for a big pickup pattern etc.
So, in view of all features mentioned above Samson G-Track PRO is definitely a great choice and worth each and every penny to be spent.
8) MXL 770
MXL 770 microphone scored sixth spot in our list. It is an affordable yet great option to choose among many.
Features & Specifications
This is another affordable gaming microphone that you could easily connect to your computer using the focus rite Scarlett solo with 48-volt phantom power.
let’s talk about what you get in the box. Obviously you’re going to get the microphone, other things you get is microphone shock mount, a plastic hard shell carrying case, documentation and it comes with a one-year warranty making it a reliable choice.
When it comes to build quality, it’s actually really nice. This affordable streaming microphone has full metal construction and a metal body metal grille. It also has some weight to it on back. This mic comes with two switches, one is a base roll-off which allows users to decrease the base frequencies picked up by the microphone that helps with overly boomy sound. The other switch is a 10 decibel pad which decreases the signal in case users make really loud sound.
When it comes to specifications, this condenser microphone requires some power to work and the power requirement is 48 volts plus or minus 4 volts so in theory this should only work if you’re giving it at least 44 volts of phantom power, frequency response is between 30 Hertz to 20 kilohertz etc.
Overall, i think it’s a pretty nice sounding microphone for gaming and streaming needs. It sounded even great when tested on the electric guitar both with medium and high gain on vocals.
This microphone is just not designed to be as bright as our top mention microphones so it will fit some people’s needs perfectly but a lot of other people won’t like since it lacks a little bit in the high end. It’s actually designed more as an entry-level microphone for people who are looking to record music too and not just limited to gaming voiceovers, streaming and live commentaries
So, in view of all specifications and sound quality it is definitely a great choice and well worth each and every penny to be spent.
9) Blue Snowball iCE
The ninth most recommended choice included in our list is the Blue Snowball iCE.
Features & Specifications
Blue Snowball iCE microphone is favorite microphone of many when it comes to voiceover audio work for videos, streaming and gaming needs.
Snowball ice is a perfect solution for those that are just starting out on YouTube or with their gaming and streaming career and specially those on a budget. The snowball ices body is made of plastic and that’s not a bad thing it’s incredibly sturdy and has a high-quality feel without it being extremely heavy.
It makes it easy to move this mic around, place it on a boom arm or just hold it in your hand while you record. This mic comes with a metal stand with three legs that can be adjusted to keep it in a low profile position or a higher position.
To angle the microphone upwards this mic has a cardioid condenser capsule inside of it which basically means that it’s excellent epical turn out surrounding noise so audio can be clean and crisp.
This mic also provides amazing clean crisp sound but it does vary slightly from the rode video microphone. The snow ball picks up a little bit more bass in voice and gives you rich detailed audio that you typically only hear from podcast recording artists and other voiceover work artists.
This microphone is a plug-and-play device so all you have to do to set it up is plug the USB it comes with into the back of the device and then into your computer there’s no extra drivers to download it just works. There’s no power button for this mic but you’ll know it’s working when you see the red light on the front of the mic light up.
Only downside to this microphone is that you have to be pretty close to the face of it in order to get the best audio.
So, keeping in view features mentioned above Blue Snowball iCE mic is great choice and well worth each and every penny to be spent.
10) Neewer NW-700
The 10th and the last option that made it to our list is the Neewer NW-700 microphone.
Features & Specifications
This is basically a traditional ‘studio-grade condenser microphone’, and one of the cheapest mic that you could get having specifications of top of the line mics available.
This mic could be used for almost anything including but not limited to gaming and streaming. To properly use this mic you’re also going to need either an audio interface or an individual device that gives an equal to phantom power of standard 48 volts.
This microphone comes with a package having almost all the necessary accessories to get you started immediately if you have a power source. Few of these are as follows: shock mount, scissor arm stand, clamping kit, XLR cable and pop filter.
Overall, it is one of the best choice when it comes to affordability and a great microphone for streaming and gaming that use traditional phantom power and don’t rely on USB to power up.
Gaming & Streaming Microphone 2020 Buyer’s Guide
We’ve included in our guide some of the best Microphones For Gaming & Streaming needs and also reviewed each one of them so you could easily find all the info related to one you might be planning to buy.
Here are few related articles you might be interested in
Now its totally up to you which microphone you choose keeping in view your requirements, needs and budget.
If you have any question related any mic included in our guide, feel free to reach out to us. We’ll try to help you out as much we could.
Disclaimer: bottomstack.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and we get a commission on purchases made through our links. We use all of the products on this page and recommend them because they are companies that we have found helpful and trustworthy. Please let us know if you have any questions about anything listed in comments below!
Summary
Rated After Carefully Reviewing Features & Specifications Of Each Microphone According To Gaming And Streaming Requirements.
