The Best Budget Microphone

The best budget microphone for streaming and gaming is not limited to a hobby and a career now, and if you are into streaming and gaming, you need to be sure that your fans hear what you need to say clearly. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good microphone. You will never regret buying the best budget microphone that fits your requirement. It is the best gaming microphone, drastically changing the viewer experience and leading to more subscribers. Microphones come with different features depending on the type of sound you want them to provide. There are cheap and great-sounding options, while more expensive options have high-end features. We will help you pick the best XLR microphone if you are unwilling to compromise on the slightest sound quality.

High-end microphones require power from the amplifier to pick up sensitive sound. XLR connector microphones are usually targeted at music enthusiasts for picking up instrumental sounds. If you are looking for real gaming, streaming, and a suitable podcast microphone, it’s the best USB microphone to fulfill your requirements. A microphone that comes with a complete setup containing a suspension scissor arm, pop filter, and shock mount is the best microphone for streaming. We have listed some of the budget options that are perfect for streaming and gaming setup. View our quick shopping tips to understand further what you are about to get into.

Our top picks

Quick Shopping Tips:

Polar Patterns: Omnidirectional, bidirectional, and unidirectional are the three main types of polar patterns. Omnidirectional picks up sound from all angles equally, giving a more realistic sound, but it’s not suitable for streams as it picks up the background noise. Bidirectional has a similar problem: it also picks up the background. Unidirectional microphones are the best for streaming as they only pick up sound from one direction.

Digital or Analog Mics: All the mics are eventually digital as a computer requires. USB microphones are usually digital microphones, which contain an amp and analog-digital (A/D) converter within the mic. Whereas an analog microphone requires an external amp rather than an A/D converter for working, they are more powerful and have better gains.

Form Factor: Size is essential for gamers who stream their gaming sessions over Discord or Twitch. A giant microphone will take up ample screen space, making it challenging to adjust on-screen. Most gamers prefer slim pencil or shotgun microphones with cardioid polar patterns for maximum output from minimal space.

Frequency: Frequency is a critical factor when it comes to picking microphones. Some microphones tend to have higher gain over some frequencies. It gives the product its specific sound signature. However, the user can adjust through an equalizer but make sure you buy the microphone which suits your sound range and signature.

The Best Budget Microphone: First look

The Best Budget Microphone: In-depth Review

HyperX is the gaming division of Kingston Technology, and they have been producing some of the top-shelf gaming techs for professional gamers. HyperX SoloCast is the best budget microphone with zero fuss and many other qualities. It is a cardioid-based polar pattern microphone with the best omnidirectional microphone output sound. The tap to mute feature will clean the stream sound under intense gaming moments. The mic is easy to get going, but some users have reported background noise issues with this microphone. The general drawback of a condenser-type microphone is that it is more susceptible to picking up background noise.

However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Due to its price, there is no adjustable gain on the microphone. Some software can auto-adjust gain, but there is nothing better than a hardware-based gain knob. It comes with an iconic HyperX red light indicator for power. To set up the microphone just requires a single USB connection to the PC, and you are good to go for Twitch, Discord, or Streamlab platforms. The boom arm is handy and provides enough support for the mic to stand to deliver a crisp voice. They have thought about users who need to focus on the screen while gaming by providing mic stand threading for installation.

Razer has the most aesthetically pleasing products that naturally land as favorites for streamers. Razer Seiren Mini is the best looking budget microphone suitable for gamers and streamers. The mic is one of the critical components of a computer that can be seen on a streamer’s screen. Razer Seiren Mini does not only look good; it works excellent considering the super-cardioid polar pattern making it the best budget microphone for streaming. This pattern is similar to other cardioid-based microphones but with a tighter focus towards the front, thus reducing the background noise further. Being a tabletop decor piece comes with some drawbacks. Razer did not think that a physical mute button would be required on the microphone. However, almost every streamer uses the physical mute button on the mic instead of software-based muting as the name suggests that the microphone is compact, leading to odd height.

The height is small, and slight tilting is sometimes not enough as the increasing gain would lead to higher background noise. It tends to pick up keyboard noise since it’s close to the table. We rate this microphone highly compared to others due to its incredible price/performance ratio. The compact design fits excellent for the minimalist who does not want all the clutter of a scissor stand. It sits right in front of your face and takes a minimum of screen space, all while looking fabulous. It’s excellent for vocals and rooms with relatively higher background noise. Razer put a lot of thought into providing the mic in three colors black, mercury, and quartz.

If you want many features in a single unit, Blue Yeti Nano is the best budget mic that’s feature packed to deliver an excellent price/performance ratio. It is for the professionals who are targeting more depth into their recordings. The 24-bit sound quality is a staple of broadcast sound that Blue claims in their Yeti Nano mic. The complete body is rigid and made of metal, making it the best budget microphone for gaming. It comes with a hardware-based gain control knob for better tweaking of sound as per user requirements. Power indicator is also present with an illuminated control dial. If you are a recorder who streams music on their channel, then the limited polar patterns on the microphone could cause concern. The cardioid pattern is not suitable for instrument recording as it does not pick up room effects which are often required to make the stream sound realistic.

It could be achieved through software, but consider buying the one with many polar patterns for experimentation if you don’t want the hassle. The price difference between the Yeti standard and Yeti Nano is not too significant. The microphone itself is very ergonomic and tabletop-friendly. It’s easy to set up and only requires a USB connection to get you going. It comes with a headphone jack with low latency monitoring—all in a very affordable package that delivers what it claims in the specification. Polar patterns are easy to switch with a single hardware-based button on the back of the microphone. The overall sturdy professional look of the microphone makes it excellent for podcasting.

If you are new to streaming and gaming, you might want to start with the best budget microphone for beginners, JLab Audio Talk GO. You wouldn’t want to spend over the top money for something that you do not understand completely to utilize. It is a perfect starting microphone with a 24-bit sampling bitrate for incredible depth, letting it keep the title of best budget microphone for streaming. The dual polar patterns help pick sound right from the front or around the room. Being a budget option, it comes with some downsides. Despite having a great spec sheet, we noted users looking for professional music recordings.

The mic picks up a lot of background noise as it is not calibrated to perfection. The sensitivity is low for picking up different tones realistically from a physical instrument. You will not frequently be switching between polar patterns, so they have smartly used a single button for dual purposes. A single press would mute the microphone, and a long press would change the polar pattern. It comes with ready to plug and play configuration. There is a place for a headphone jack and one of the most acclaimed forms of USB connection. It has light illumination for added effect on your gaming setup.

Rode has been leading in budget options for microphones for videographers and YouTubers. It’s the best microphone for entry-level content creators. It has excellent built quality with a sturdy frame that limits any sound caused by a loose frame or plastic body. The Rode NT-USB-Mini microphone sits firmly on the base provided with the microphone configuration. It is the best budget microphone for gaming. The headphone jack on this microphone is insanely powerful and capable of supporting high resistance headphones (53Ω), making it suitable for producers who require depth in their audio. We noticed that the microphones that sit right on the table tend to pick up a lot of keyboard noises unless the keyboard is placed on a soundproof base.

Gamers use Cherry MX Blue switches which tend to have higher noise, and this microphone picks them immediately. The USB cable packaged with the microphone is USB-C to USB-A, getting outdated. The microphone comes with internal DSP filters and effects useful for some content creators looking for creativity. The microphone’s small size takes up small space on your tabletop, leaving more room for keyboard and mouse movement and configuration. A built-in pop filter allows podcasts and singing quality to sound a lot better than without the pop filter microphones. The high-quality nylon and metal construction gives it high built quality.

Professional singers like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish prefer recording in an Audio-Technica microphone due to their unbeatable sound quality and depth. The maximum pressure that the Audio-Technica AT2020 microphone can handle before it starts to distort is an incredible value of 20 dB (SPL). It is the best cheap XLR microphone and the best budget microphone for streaming. This microphone is ideal for singing applications as higher SPL allows the singer to reach higher tones without distortion. In the case of streaming, sometimes heated conditions will make you loud, which won’t disturb the viewer’s experience. Despite being an excellent microphone, it is not plugged and play-based configuration. The microphone needs to be plugged into an amplifier that supports XLR cable input; from there, you can power the microphone and connect it to your PC.

We didn’t mention the sample rate and bit rate in our specs because it depends on the amplifier that you connect to it. It makes it a bit expensive but remains within budget for professionals. The incredibly low noise is the key feature of this microphone. Users have reported it to be silent even after increasing the gain significantly. It captures the sounds clearly and costs way less than other XLR based professional microphones. There is a pop filter built in the microphone. The large-diaphragm allows many sounds to come in and give a crisp and clean sound. The metal body and sturdy design are made for long-lasting performance.

If you are looking to record explosive sounds, then Shure SM57 is the best fantastic cheap mic that can get the job done. It has higher relative to higher frequencies than the power frequencies making it ideal for bass and singing. It gives a more prosperous and robust sound at just a 6inch distance from the microphone, making it the best budget microphone. The dynamic condenser also allows the microphone to be sensitive to bass. Like other professional microphones, SM57 also requires an amplifier via an XLR cable. It is meant for professional settings, so there are few accessories to the microphone; you will get a pouch and a mic holder.

However, the built quality with which this microphone has been made does not require a hard case, but you will need a scissor stand or any other professional stand to make it work. While streaming and gaming, this microphone will take up the minimum screen space as it is a pencil microphone. The microphone has an excellent price to performance ratio compared to other Shure models available in the market. Despite being targeted for instruments, SM57 offers incredible sound quality for vocals and spoken words. PewDiePie uses different microphones but mostly prefers pencil microphones due to their trim and compact configuration.

We wanted to add the enthusiast-level microphone to our list with convenient features for professional and casual gamers or content creators. Shure MV7 is the best budget mic for computer that is excellent for podcasting and professional recording. It comes with onboard touch-based controls, including gain, mic muting, and headphone mix. Zero-latency headphone output is also available, which is an excellent feature if you want the feedback of your voice on the spot. One of the most significant drawbacks of this microphone is its price. It has incredible features like the ability to use the microphone directly with the help of a USB or connect to a more professional setup via an XLR cable connection. Still, all of it is at a cost.

Users who just want to casually use it as a podcast microphone should consider other microphones on our list. MV7 is for the people who are professional singers who sometimes use it for simple podcasting or streaming while gaming. Shure has included software that lets you customize the sound signature from dark, natural to bright. ShurePlus MOTIV App enables you to adjust the auto sound level to ensure consistent sound output. Easy optimization of microphone distance from the lips. The Dynamic condenser type gives it better production and more comprehensive control over sound patterns. It is made from solid construction, making it a solid choice for rugged use over the long term.

Final Words

Picking the best budget microphone can be overwhelming, but we recommend that you go through each product specification and frequency response as your guide. You can constantly adjust sound output gains to warmer or brighter tones, but it’s always better to keep it raw and buy the microphone that suits your requirement. There is no better choice for gaming and streaming than buying the best budget microphone for gaming. It should have a pop filter to avoid any plosives. Depending on how far you place your microphone, it should be cardioid or super-cardioid.

It’s always better to use a scissor stand to prevent potential keyboard sounds from being picked up during recording or streaming. Shotgun and pencil are the best microphones that take up minimal space on the screen and are easy to set up. We prefer going for a USB-based setup that is easy to plug and play. Getting caught up in an amplifier with XLR cables could be a hectic routine to manage. We hope you find the right product as per your need.

Frequently Asked Questions