Best USB microphone 2024

Which is the best USB microphone? That’s what we’re here to tell you, with our comprehensive list of the best options, including the best microphone for gaming, best podcasting microphone, best microphone for home recording, best streaming microphone, and more. We’ve included budget and high-end options, with plenty of choice in between too. Whether you’re just after a basic sound quality upgrade from your headset mic, you want studio-quality recordings, or require the versatility of variable pickup patterns, we have a recommendation for you.

We’ve thoroughly tested every one of the microphones on this list – here at CustomPC a product doesn’t make it onto our best-of guides unless it has been assessed against its peers. When testing microphones, we check for recording quality, build quality, the number of and usability of extra features, ease of use of software, accessory compatibility, and more.

The best USB microphones in 2024 are:

1. Logitech Blue Yeti –  best USB microphone overall and best podcasting microphone
2. Elgato Wave 3 – best microphone for gaming
3. Razer Seiren Mini – best budget microphone for gaming
4. Shure MV7 – best USB microphone for home recording and best USB microphone for sound quality
5. Trust GXT 241 Velica – best value USB microphone

1. Logitech Blue Yeti

The best USB microphone is the Logitech Blue Yeti. It’s the best overall and best podcasting microphone.

Logitech Blue Yeti specs:

Pros

• Great sound quality
• Multiple pickup patterns
• Great value

Cons

• Very large
• Lacks XLR output
• MiniUSB!?

The Logitech Blue Yeti is a hugely versatile USB/streaming microphone that’s also huge! This large and heavy unit produces excellent sound quality and houses three capsules (the bit that actually picks up the sound) that can combine to provide lots of different pickup patterns. That means you can record in stereo or using an omnidirectional, bidirectional, or standard cardioid pickup pattern. This makes it really useful if you also want a single mic that can serve a variety of uses such as podcasting, recording interviews or recording ambient sound, though it’s overkill for most gamers. All this and it’s relatively cheap too, costing no more than many competing mics that only offer a single pickup pattern. Read our full Logitech Blue Yeti review.

2. Elgato Wave 3

The best microphone for gaming is the Elgato Wave 3.

Elgato Wave 3 specs:

Pros

• Extra functions are useful
• Compact design
• Good sound quality

Cons

• 96KHz sample rate unnecessary
• Not amazing overall value
• No analog output

The Elgato Wave 3 isn’t the absolute best value gaming mic around, nor is it the most feature-rich. However, it strikes a great middle-ground that will make it ideal for many users. For a start, its sound quality is excellent – third on this list only to the Shure MV7 and Blue Yeti – plus its extra mix/monitoring controls and built-in headphone amp are useful extras too. It’s also a compact and elegant unit, so is ideal for streamers looking to keep their mic reasonably hidden. Elgato’s range of accessories is also comprehensive – and continues the compact, elegant theme – and its software control is second to none. Elgato’s gear doesn’t play well with others, though, so be aware you’re somewhat locked into the Elgato ecosystem, if you opt for the Wave 3. Read our full Elgato Wave 3.

3. Razer Seiren Mini

The best budget microphone for gaming is the Razer Seiren Mini.

Razer Seiren Mini specs:

Pros

• Decent sound quality
• Stylish, compact design
• Very low price

Cons

• No built-in controls
• Very basic stand
• Supercardioid pattern has limited use

In many ways, the Razer Seiren Mini is not all that special. It’s a very basic USB microphone that lacks any of the hardware controls of more expensive options, and its sound quality isn’t as good as those ones either. However, it still sounds far better than any headset mic (and better than the Trust GXT 241 Velica below) so can be used for home recording and is ideal for gaming. Plus, it’s really compact, and it’s fairly cheap. Just be aware you’ll absolutely need a mic arm or stand, as the include one is very short. Read our full Razer Seiren Mini review.

4. Shure MV7

The best USB microphone for home recording and best USB microphone for sound quality is the Shure MV7.

Shure MV7 specs:

Pros

• Class-leading sound quality
• Great overall feature set
• Integrated foam windshield
• XLR output makes it versatile

Cons

• Expensive
• Micro-USB connection
• Single pickup pattern

Living up to the expectations you might have for one of the world’s most well-known microphone brands, the Shure MV7 easily tops our charts for the best USB microphone sound quality. It also has useful extras such as an XLR output, headphone amp, on-mic monitoring mic controls (and mute), and included U-shaped stand and foam wind cover. However, its price is undeniably high, particularly as you only get a single pickup pattern and its sampling rate and bit rate aren’t all that high (not that it matters for most recording), so it won’t be for everyone. Read our full Shure MV7.

5. Trust GXT 241 Velica

The best value USB microphone is the Trust GXT 241 Velica.

Trust GXT 241 Velica specs:

Pros

• Great value
• Useful pop shield and shock mount
• Very compact

Cons

• Middling sound quality
• Basic features on mic
• No control software

The Trust GXT 241 Velica offers an impressively complete microphone setup for a very low price. Very few other options get you a proper pop shield, shock mount, and tripod for this sort of money. You’ll still want a larger mic arm to get the most from this unit but most other mics will need a lot more to ensure the same level of noise isolation. However, the ultimate raw sound quality of this mic isn’t all that impressive. It’s a big step up from the average mic you’ll get on a headset, but it lacks the clarity of more expensive options, so be aware of its limitations. Read our full Trust GXT 241 Velica.

Found the perfect USB microphone for your needs? Why not check out our best gaming headset or best computer speakers guides to complete your audio setup.