NZXT Capsule Elite Microphone Review
Introduction and Technical Specifications
Introduction
The NZXT Capsule range of microphones started out as a very affordable USB option. We reviewed the NZXT Capsule Mini back in April ’23, and found that it was probably good enough if you were on an extremely limited budget, but the regular Capsule was a better choice if you were a little more serious.
Serious and audio equipment are two words that very much mean different things to different people. For those of us in the PC world, where we think of serious audio as ones that let us shout at our teammates clearly. Or perhaps, if we’re adventurous, talk over our stream. Compared to actual serious audio it’s nothing like that. So if you’re reading this review from behind a Neve Genesis Black – MSRP £68,695 – then we mean serious in a gaming sense.
Microphone Options
Dedicated microphones come in two flavours. At one end you have XLR microphones. These require an interface between the microphone and your PC, and usually go from £100 to any amount you care to mention. All professional microphones utilise XLR. The need for thick cables and an audio interface very much put them in the prosumer category. If you haven’t got room on your desk or in your budget for a Focusrite Scarlett or even a Universal Audio Apollo then USB is the way to go.
At the bottom end are microphones not much better than a tin can on a string. The NZXT Capsule Elite seeks to occupy a very different segment, that bit where the gap between an excellent USB option and a mid-range XLR option becomes blurry. There is a rule of thumb that says buy cheap buy twice. If you’re in the market for a dedicated microphone why buy one that’s just a proof of concept when you can buy one that might last you a surprising amount of time? Let’s find out how the Capsule Elite stacks up.