USB Microphones

Why a USB microphone

A laptop's own microphone sits next to the keyboard and the fan, an arm's length from your mouth, so it hears the room as loudly as it hears you. A USB microphone stands in front of you, close to your voice, and plugs straight into a USB port with no other equipment. It suits long calls in a quiet room, presenting, teaching, podcasts, voice-overs and game chat, and it means you do not have to wear anything on your head.

The kinds in this range

• Cardioid condenser microphones are the largest group. They hear mostly what is in front of them and less from the sides and behind, which keeps keyboard noise and the room down. Many have a mute button, a gain knob to set how sensitive they are, and a headphone socket so you can hear yourself.
• Kits with a boom arm add an arm that clamps to the desk, a shock mount and a pop filter, so the microphone sits close to your mouth but out of the camera's way.
• Conference and gooseneck microphones are omnidirectional: they hear all round, which suits a table of people sharing one laptop.
• A dynamic microphone with USB and XLR plugs into USB, or into a mixer or audio interface by its XLR socket. Dynamic microphones are less sensitive, so they pick up less of a noisy room.

Many of the gaming-style microphones have coloured lighting; check whether it can be turned off if you want it plain on camera.

Getting good sound

Distance matters most. A hand's width or two from your mouth, a little to the side so you speak across it, gives a full voice without pops. A pop filter helps with "p" and "b" sounds. A room with hard walls sounds echoey; curtains, a rug, a sofa and shelves of books all help. Then choose the microphone in your call app, and set its level: on Windows in Settings, System, Sound, Input; on a Mac in System Settings, Sound, Input. You will also need headphones or speakers to hear the other person. Our guide to microphones and headsets explains more.

Questions people ask about USB microphones

Cardioid or omnidirectional?

Cardioid for one person at a desk. Omnidirectional for a group round a table.

Will it work with a Mac?

Most here list Windows and Mac. Check the product page, and for a USB-C-only laptop use a USB-C to USB-A adapter or a hub.

Microphone or headset?

A microphone sounds more natural in a quiet room. In a noisy or shared room, a headset is more reliable.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that microphone usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Headsets with a microphone
• Webcams
• Video call lights
• USB sound cards
• Gaming headsets
• Guide: Webcams for video calls: picture, light and sound
• Guide: Microphones and headsets for calls and recording