Start with what works on your platform, then how you like to play. Pick your console or computer and how the mic connects first, then compare the controls and parts you get with that connection.
Each pick’s maker lists it for this setup. Its catch is right under it.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
PC and Discord
A dynamic mic with Shure's adjustable denoiser for background sound, and mute and a headphone jack on the mic.
No console support is documented, and the Amazon listing we link is the original Gen 1.
Or: FIFINE AmpliGame AM8, a cheaper dynamic mic with USB and XLR.
Photo: Amazon, Gen 1
Maker price $169.00 at Shure ↗ · checked October 31
PS5
FIFINE states it works in the PS5's USB port, and your wired headset can plug into the mic's headphone jack.
FIFINE says it does not work on Xbox. Mute, gain and the headphone jack only work over USB.
Or: HyperX SoloCast, HyperX lists PS5 too; smaller, no headphone jack.
Maker price $56.99 at FIFINE ↗ · checked November 2
Xbox
The Xbox edition connects to the console wirelessly, with a detachable boom mic and sidetone so you hear yourself.
Buy the Xbox edition: the PlayStation edition's dongle does not do Xbox chat. A USB desk mic won't work for Xbox party chat.
Or: Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, also sold in an Xbox edition.
The Amazon listing we track is another edition, so this button goes to Audeze. Check for "Xbox" in any listing before you buy.
Maker price $329.00 at Audeze ↗ · checked November 2
You already own good headphones
Plug your headphones into the mic and set how much of your own voice you hear with its mix control.
HyperX doesn't list console chat, and four pickup patterns mean more to set up: use cardioid.
Or: Sennheiser Profile USB, a mix control too, in a slimmer body.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $159.99 at HyperX ↗ · checked November 2
You want XLR later
USB now and XLR when you add an interface; both cables come in the box.
There is no gain knob on the mic, and it needs a stand or arm that puts it a hand's width from your mouth.
Or: Shure MV7+, Shure's USB/XLR mic with touch mute and app processing over USB.
Budget, with a headphone jack
Elgato's USB mic comes with a stand, a riser and a pop filter, and has a headphone jack.
It's a condenser: keep it close and pointed at you, or it hears your keyboard too.
Or: JLab GO Talk, with a mute button and a headphone jack.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $89.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
Smallest desk footprint
About 8 × 10 cm on the desk, and HyperX says it fits under a monitor. Tap the top to mute.
No headphone jack, so you can't hear yourself through it.
Or: Logitech G Yeti Orb, 115 mm wide, $69.99 at Logitech.
Maker price $83.32 at HyperX ↗ · checked November 2
Black Friday is 27 November 2026 and Cyber Monday 30 November. Some mic makers have already marked prices down: on 3 November, the QuadCast 2 S at hyperx.com, and the Yeti and the Yeti Orb at logitechg.com.
Pick the mic for your platform first (the picks above), then check its price here against the lowest its maker charged in our weekly reads and, where we have it, the maker's own price in last year's sale.
FIFINE AmpliGame AM8 Lowest in our reads
Maker price $56.99 at FIFINE ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 9: $56.99 to $57.99
HyperX QuadCast 2 S Lowest in our reads
Maker price $159.99 at HyperX ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: $159.99 to $199.99 Black Friday 2025: $130.00 at hyperx.com, Nov 27, 2025, down from $199.99
Logitech G Yeti (Blue Yeti) Lowest in our reads
Maker price $109.99 at Logitech G ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 9: $109.99 to $139.99 Black Friday 2025: $94.99 at logitechg.com, Nov 20, 2025, down from $139.99
Logitech G Yeti Nano Lowest in our reads
Maker price $99.99 at Logitech G ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 9: $99.99 to $119.99
SteelSeries Alias Pro with Stream Mixer Lowest in our reads
Maker price $334.99 at SteelSeries ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: $334.99 to $369.99
Elgato Wave Neo Was $49.99 on Oct 17
Maker price $89.99 at Elgato ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: $49.99 to $89.99
HyperX SoloCast 2 Was $44.99 on Oct 5
Maker price $59.99 at HyperX ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: $44.99 to $59.99
Logitech G Yeti GX Was $149.99 on Oct 13
Maker price $169.99 at Logitech G ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: $149.99 to $169.99 Black Friday 2025: $129.99 at logitechg.com, Nov 21, 2025, down from $169.99
Logitech G Yeti Orb Same price since Oct 5
Maker price $69.99 at Logitech G ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: no change Black Friday 2025: $49.99 at logitechg.com, Dec 2, 2025, down from $69.99
RØDE NT-USB+ Same price since Oct 5
Maker price $179.00 at RØDE ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: no change Black Friday 2025: $179.00 at rode.com, Nov 28, 2025, not marked down
RØDE PodMic USB Same price since Oct 5
Maker price $209.00 at RØDE ↗, checked Nov 2
Our reads since Oct 5: no change Black Friday 2025: $209.00 at rode.com, Nov 26, 2025, not marked down
Shure MV7+ Same price since Oct 31
Maker price $299.00 at Shure ↗, checked Oct 31
Our reads since Oct 31: no change Black Friday 2025: $269.00 at shure.com, Nov 30, 2025, down from $299.00
No change in our reads: ASUS ROG Carnyx $179.99, Elgato Wave DX $99.99, Elgato Wave:3 MK.2 $169.99, FIFINE AmpliTank K688 $67.99, HyperX SoloCast $83.32, JLab GO Talk $49.99, JLab Talk $99.00, Razer Seiren V3 Pro from $249.99, RØDE PodMic $99.00, Sennheiser Profile USB $139.00, Shure MV6 Gen 2 $169.00.
Maker prices come from our weekly reads of each maker's US store; Black Friday 2025 prices from archived copies of the maker's own product pages. Amazon and other shops set their own prices: each pick's Amazon button shows Amazon's.
A gaming condenser with a touch mute, a low-rumble filter and a long 3 m cable
Windows PC: Works
At 634 g with its metal shock mount it is heavy for a light boom arm.
Maker price $179.99 at ASUS ↗ · checked November 2
A cheap dynamic mic with USB and XLR in the box, for a noisy keyboard
Windows PC: Works
The cable is mini USB, an older plug: keep the supplied cable or buy a mini USB one.
A USB mic for PC, Mac and PS5 with touch mute, and a pop filter and riser in the box
Windows PC: Works
Its headphone jack plays your computer's sound, not your own voice, so you can't hear yourself through the mic.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $89.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
A USB condenser for PC and Mac with its own voice processing and a headphone jack to hear yourself
Windows PC: Works
Set up the voice processing on the Wave:3 MK.2 before adding it to OBS; guides for the first Wave:3 don't match the MK.2.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $169.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
A small, cheap USB mic HyperX lists for PC, Mac and PS5, with tap-to-mute
Windows PC: Works
No headphone jack, so you cannot hear yourself through the mic; use your chat app's mic test.
Maker price $83.32 at HyperX ↗ · checked November 2
Windows PC: Works
Very light (130 g), with a 5/8-inch thread to mount it on a mic stand or arm.
Maker price $49.99 at JLab ↗ · checked November 2
Windows PC: Works
JLab now sends Talk shoppers to the newer JBuds Talk; check which one a listing names before you buy.
Maker price $99.00 at JLab ↗ · checked November 2
The best-known USB mic: one cable to a PC, with mute, gain and a headphone jack on the body
Windows PC: Works
It is a condenser with four pickup patterns: keep it on cardioid and close to your mouth, or it hears your keyboard and room too.
Maker price $109.99 at Logitech G ↗ · checked November 2
A smaller Yeti for a crowded desk: USB, mute button and headphone jack
Windows PC: Works
Two pickup patterns instead of the full Yeti's four; cardioid is the one for game chat.
Maker price $99.99 at Logitech G ↗ · checked November 2
Windows PC: Works
Razer's voice processing works over USB; on XLR, add an interface and do the processing there.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price from $249.99 at Razer ↗ · checked October 15
A USB condenser for PC and Mac with a pop filter and a headphone jack, best in a quiet room
Windows PC: Works
Place it close to your mouth before reaching for noise processing.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $179.00 at RØDE ↗ · checked November 2
A dynamic mic with USB and XLR: plug it into your PC today, or into an interface or mixer later
Windows PC: Works
At 900 g it needs a sturdy arm or stand.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $209.00 at RØDE ↗ · checked November 2
A cheap dynamic mic that Samson says is less sensitive to background noise, with USB now and XLR for later
Windows PC: Works
There is no gain knob on the mic: set the level in Windows, macOS or your interface.
A tidy USB condenser with a mute button and a gain ring that shows when you clip
Windows PC: Works
The 1.2 m cable is short for a tower PC under the desk; plan a longer USB-C cable if yours is.
Maker price $139.00 at Sennheiser ↗ · checked November 2
A dynamic USB-C mic for chat with Shure's adjustable denoiser, and a headphone jack to hear yourself
Windows PC: Works
It's USB only: if you plan to move to a mixer or interface later, pick a mic with XLR too.
The Amazon button goes to the Gen 1 listing.
Photo: Amazon, Gen 1
Maker price $169.00 at Shure ↗ · checked October 31
A dynamic mic for USB now, with touch mute and a headphone jack, and XLR when you add an interface
Windows PC: Works
On XLR you lose the touch mute, the headphone jack and the voice processing: your interface does that job.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $299.00 at Shure ↗ · checked October 31
Windows PC: Works
In XLR mode the mute button, gain, headphone jack and lighting stop working; the interface does that job.
Maker price $56.99 at FIFINE ↗ · checked November 2
A USB mic for PC and Mac with a tap-to-mute light and a headphone jack to hear yourself
Windows PC: Works
HyperX lists the QuadCast 2 S for PC and Mac; it doesn't list any console.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $159.99 at HyperX ↗ · checked November 2
A small, simple USB mic for a Windows PC, with tap-to-mute and a thread for a boom arm
Windows PC: Works
HyperX doesn't list a headphone jack, so check your voice with your chat app's mic test.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $59.99 at HyperX ↗ · checked November 2
A dynamic USB mic for PC and Mac that Logitech says rejects key clicks, with a mute button and a gain wheel
Windows PC: Works
Logitech doesn't list a headphone jack, so check your voice with your chat app's mic test.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $169.99 at Logitech G ↗ · checked November 2
Windows PC: Works
Logitech doesn't list a mute button or a headphone jack: mute in your chat app and use its mic test to hear how you sound.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $69.99 at Logitech G ↗ · checked November 2
A USB mic for PC and Mac: press the gain knob to mute, and plug headphones into it to hear yourself
Windows PC: Works
NZXT's product page listed PS5, but the Capsule Elite manual covers only PC and Mac and gives no PS5 setup, so treat PS5 chat as unconfirmed.
A USB mic for a Windows PC with mute, gain and a headphone jack, plus SteelSeries' Sonar app for voice effects
Windows PC: Works
SteelSeries lists the Alias for Windows PCs; it doesn't list Mac.
Photo: Amazon
A USB/XLR dynamic mic with tap-to-mute and a headphone jack for a PC, a Mac or a PS5; FIFINE says it does not work on Xbox
Windows PC: Works
In XLR mode the mute button, gain knob and headphone jack stop working; the interface does that job.
Maker price $67.99 at FIFINE ↗ · checked November 4
A USB/XLR dynamic mic with a mute button that works on both outputs and a headphone jack, for a Windows PC or Mac now and an interface later
Windows PC: Works
No gain knob: over USB you set its level with the computer's input volume; over XLR on the interface.
A Windows XLR mic and desk mixer kit: mute and a headphone jack on the mixer, and it can feed two PCs
Windows PC: Works
The mic is XLR: SteelSeries sets it up with the Stream Mixer in the box, which connects it to your PC over USB.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $334.99 at SteelSeries ↗ · checked November 2
An XLR condenser for gamers who have, or will buy, an audio interface with 48 V phantom power; Audio-Technica sells the AT2020USB-X for plugging straight into USB
Windows PC: Maker doesn't say
It has no USB: it needs an XLR cable and an audio interface or mixer before a PC, Mac or console can hear it.
A low-cost handheld dynamic XLR mic for a first interface setup: it needs an XLR cable, an interface and a stand
Windows PC: Maker doesn't say
It has no USB: it needs an XLR cable and an audio interface or mixer before a PC, Mac or console can hear it.
A dynamic XLR mic: you need an XLR cable and an audio interface to use it
Windows PC: Maker doesn't say
Add an XLR cable and an interface with a microphone preamp. A USB cable or passive XLR adapter alone cannot connect this microphone to the computer.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $99.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
An XLR-only dynamic mic for a desk boom arm, for gamers who already own or will buy an audio interface or mixer; RØDE's PodMic USB is the version that also plugs straight into USB
Windows PC: Maker doesn't say
It has no USB: it needs an XLR cable and an audio interface or mixer before a PC, Mac or console can hear it.
Maker price $99.00 at RØDE ↗ · checked November 4
The XLR-only version of Shure's MV7 for a desk boom arm, for gamers who already have an audio interface; the MV7+ is the one with USB
Windows PC: Maker doesn't say
It has no USB: it needs an XLR cable and an audio interface or mixer before a PC, Mac or console can hear it.
Try a different platform or headset edition, remove a control filter, or shorten the model name.
USB alone does not confirm console chat support.
31 models in this guide.
A microphone is only one part of a working chat path. A direct USB model needs a supported computer, a data-capable USB connection, and selection as the operating system and chat-app input. An XLR-only model needs an XLR cable, a microphone preamp or audio interface, a USB cable from that interface to your computer, and usually a stand or arm. A hybrid USB/XLR microphone can follow either route, but its USB headphone jack, onboard processing, touch mute, and companion app may not control the analog XLR output.
For PC or Mac chat, direct USB is the shortest path represented here. Wave Neo, Wave:3 MK.2, Shure MV6, RØDE NT-USB+, HyperX QuadCast 2 S, Yeti GX, and NZXT Capsule Elite all include a computer connection and some form of desk support. Check the included cable against your available USB ports. If an adapter is needed, it must carry data rather than power alone.
Console support requires an exact model statement. A generic USB label is not enough. The current exact-model documents do not establish PS5 chat support for QuadCast 2 S or Capsule Elite; keep a working headset/controller microphone or choose a specifically supported PlayStation headset edition. For Xbox party chat, begin with a compatible CTIA four-pole headset connected to the controller or an exact licensed wireless headset variant; none of the standalone USB microphones here should be treated as Xbox compatible from connector shape alone.
Hardware mute is useful only when it mutes the signal being sent. QuadCast 2 S has a tap-to-mute sensor with LED status, Capsule Elite uses its microphone control to mute, Yeti GX uses the dedicated mute button below its gain wheel, and SteelSeries Alias has a capacitive mute control. If you need a physical mute button, choose a model that lists one; otherwise use an app mute shortcut.
Direct monitoring lets you hear the microphone through device hardware, normally from the microphone or interface headphone output. Wave:3 MK.2, MV6, MV7+, PodMic USB, NT-USB+, QuadCast 2 S, Alias, and Capsule Elite expose documented monitoring paths; Wave Neo's headphone jack plays computer audio only, not your voice. Compare this separately from ordinary software playback, which travels through the computer and should not be described as delay-free.
Software controls have an operating-system boundary. Alias and Alias Pro are documented around Windows. Shure's USB products use MOTIV software, while Elgato products use Wave Link on their listed systems. Software processing establishes which knobs exist; it does not establish how well a feature will handle a keyboard, fan, shared room, or a particular voice.
For a compact direct USB desk path, compare MV6, Wave Neo, Yeti GX, SoloCast 2, and Yeti Orb by included stand, cable, mute, monitor output, host support, and mounting thread. SoloCast 2 and Yeti Orb have fewer documented on-device controls than several peers. That may suit a software-led setup, but it is a real limitation if instant mute or headphone monitoring is required.
For more on-device control, compare QuadCast 2 S, Capsule Elite, Alias, NT-USB+, and Wave:3 MK.2. Their controls are not interchangeable: pattern selection, mute indication, headphone level, monitor mix, and software routing are separate fields. Filter for the exact control instead of assuming that a larger control surface includes it.
For an upgradeable analog path, MV7+, PodMic USB, and Seiren V3 Pro can connect by USB now and XLR later. Wave DX is XLR-only. Alias Pro is an XLR microphone kit whose included Stream Mixer supplies its computer path. Count an interface, XLR cable, mount, headphones, adapters, and phantom-power needs before comparing complete setups.
After connecting the path, select the intended input in the operating system and in the chat app. Set a speaking level without clipping, verify the physical mute state, and listen through the documented hardware monitor if required. In Discord, choose Voice Activity or Push to Talk deliberately and run Mic Test before joining a call. On PS5, select the confirmed input under Settings, Sound, Microphone and use the console's level check.
USB for one person at one computer: one cable, nothing else to buy. XLR also needs an interface and an XLR cable, so price those with the mic; it suits you if you'll add mics or upgrade parts separately. A USB/XLR mic lets you start on USB and move later.
Placement first: any cardioid mic a hand's width from your mouth, aimed away from the keyboard, picks up less of the room than one at arm's length. The type alone doesn't decide it. Some makers of dynamic mics, FIFINE for the AM8 and Samson for the Q2U, say their model picks up less background noise; that is their claim for that model, not a test of ours.
No. A desk stand works if it puts the mic close to your mouth. An arm helps when your desk is busy or the stand leaves the mic down by the keyboard. Check the arm's weight limit and the mic's thread before buying one.
Cardioid, the one that hears what's in front of it. Omni, figure-8 and stereo pick up the room or both sides; they're for interviews and music, not game chat.
The mics on this page start at $49.99 at their makers. Decide by the controls you need, such as mute, a headphone jack to hear yourself or USB plus XLR, then price the whole setup: a stand or arm, headphones, and for XLR an interface and cable. Discord and party chat compress your voice heavily either way.
PS5 accepts many USB mics, but only some makers say so; we mark a model as supported only when its maker does. Xbox does not take USB mics for party chat: use a headset made for Xbox, or a headset in the controller's jack.
Check the exact platform, connection and required controls. Then measure the stand or arm position before adding mounting parts.