NZXT has made a reputation for itself with PC circumstances and CPU coolers, however the firm has been branching out to peripherals just lately, and the Capsule Mini is proof it ought to proceed doing so. The NZXT Capsule has already been round for some time, slotting in instantly towards the Razer Seirens and the Blue Yetis of the world, however the NZXT Capsule Mini delivers a mic of comparable high quality in a smaller and, extra importantly, extra inexpensive bundle.
However whereas it’s fairly a bit extra inexpensive than the bigger NZXT Capsule, there are many mini gaming microphones available on the market lately at across the identical worth. The NZXT Capsule Mini undoubtedly seems the half, however that’s not fairly sufficient to face out amongst the perfect microphones.
The NZXT Capsule Mini’s glossy seems and robust audio recording make it gaming and streaming microphone, however until you are married to its design, you will get simply nearly as good audio high quality for much less.
Take one take a look at something NZXT makes, and also you’ll get a good suggestion of its design philosophy. White and black colorways with excessive distinction make the entire firm’s merchandise look extraordinarily clear. The NZXT Capsule Mini is the very same manner.
The microphone is white, with a black trim on the highest and backside, together with a black microphone grille. There’s just one dial on all the unit, which is a bit of dial that adjusts system quantity — that’s for anybody who desires to plug a 3.5mm headset into the microphone relatively than their pc.
Jackie Thomas/CNN Underscored
On the again, there’s a bit of grid of holes, which is what makes it such an important cardioid microphone. However whereas different microphones might disguise this filter behind an equivalent grille to the entrance of the mic, the NZXT Capsule Mini seems fully completely different from behind. Each time I set up this on one other system or mount, I do know from a fast look precisely which course it’s imagined to face.
In the event you use a number of white PC gaming peripherals and elements, the design goes to an entire new degree. Desk aesthetics are every part lately, and the NZXT Capsule Mini will look wonderful for anybody seeking to create a clear white-and-black gaming house. And with the diminutive measurement, the Capsule Mini will match wherever you need it.
For such a small microphone, the NZXT Capsule Mini has impeccable sound high quality. Even sitting proper subsequent to a gaming PC strapped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and all of the followers wanted to maintain these high-end elements cool, the microphone barely picked up any of the loud buzzing I reside with each day.
That’s due largely to the Capsule Mini’s cardioid sound sample. This principally makes the microphone choose up sound in a heart-shaped space round it, favoring inputs which might be proper in entrance of it. This makes it excellent for streamers who simply need to catch their voice with out a lot interference, nevertheless it won’t be nice for individuals who need to seize sound from a number of completely different individuals, particularly in the event that they’re sitting throughout from each other.
That doesn’t imply the microphone received’t choose up noise from behind it, however will probably be a lot quieter than something in entrance of the NZXT Mini.
Jackie Thomas/CNN Underscored
What the NZXT Capsule Mini does choose up, although, sounds unimaginable. After testing the mic extensively by means of numerous conferences, streams and even a little bit of recording in Audacity towards the Razer Seiren X, the NZXT Capsule Mini delivers crystal-clear voice it doesn’t matter what is occurring. I even did a little bit of streaming with this factor with desktop audio popping out by means of my front room soundbar, and my companion and I’s voices weren’t drowned out by the noise in any respect.
NZXT designed the Capsule Mini for recreation streaming, and it truthfully knocks the sound high quality out of the park.
There are such a lot of PC gaming peripherals on the market that simply pile on garish RGB lighting and different options that don’t actually add something worthwhile. The NZXT Capsule Mini avoids this, each by means of the bodily design and the software program. You received’t discover any buttons right here, and there’s only a USB-C port and a headphone jack on the underside. If you wish to fiddle with sound settings, you are able to do so within the NZXT Cam software program, however even then the controls are restricted to realize, output quantity and sidetone.
Which may sound like a foul factor, however with a USB microphone, you need to plug and play and never have to fret about dialing in a bunch of extraneous settings. You don’t have to fret about that with the NZXT Capsule Mini. It simply works.
Jackie Thomas/CNN Underscored
The NZXT Capsule Mini will set you again $70. Whereas which may look like a pleasant worth, the Razer Seiren Mini solely prices $50 whereas delivering comparable sound high quality. At this worth level, the NZXT Capsule Mini competes instantly with the Blue Snowball, which is a way more premium product.
As a result of whereas it’s in cardioid mode, the Blue Snowball is basically the identical because the NZXT Capsule Mini however with a way more premium chassis, and the flexibility to swap between completely different recording modes. You’re paying the identical amount of cash for the Capsule Mini, however you’re dropping out on the pliability that the veritable king of the house affords.
If I’m going to be spending $70 on one thing, it higher really feel prefer it’ll final some time. The Capsule Mini simply doesn’t. It’s gentle, and feels just like the second it will get dropped off of a desk it’ll simply burst into 1,000,000 items. I can say one factor about Blue microphones: They’re constructed to final, and the NZXT Capsule Mini completely shouldn’t be.
The plastic it’s made out of is extraordinarily straightforward to mark up too, on condition that it’s white. I took it out of its chassis to put in it on a growth arm and it ended up with an unsightly mark when taking it out of its commonplace mount.
The NZXT Capsule Mini is a stable little gaming microphone. You get good sound recording in a bundle that received’t take up a number of room in your desk. However, it’s removed from the one USB mic that may say the identical. It’s laborious to suggest the NZXT Capsule Mini over the myriad completely different mini USB gaming microphones on the market already, just like the Fifine K669B (our present funds choose) and the Razer Seiren Mini, particularly on the Capsule Mini’s excessive $70 worth.
