Introduction
NZXT is no stranger to the mic game anymore, and with their Capsule Elite they’ve proven that they know how to make a great external mic. Today, we’re taking a look at a scaled-down version of their flagship mic. Marketed as a compact, affordable sibling to the Capsule Elite, it targets streamers, gamers, and content creators who want a no-fuss plug-and-play experience that takes up a minimal amount of desk space. Is it worth it? Read our full NZXT Capsule Mini review to find out.
At A Glance
NZXT Capsule Mini
The NZXT Capsule Mini is a compact, stylish mic that delivers clean and crisp audio that sounds good for long calls of professional meetings. It’s easy to set up, looks clean on any desk, and stays out of the way thanks to its small size.
Pros
- Very small size means that it can be placed on all desk sizes
- Sturdy and heavy stand
- Clear audio reproduction, with a decent pop filter that’s built in
Cons
- Not a lot of customization options
- Bass response is lacking
First Impressions and Packaging
Packaging
Inside the box of the NZXT Capsule Mini, you get:
- The microphone
- A microphone stand
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- A mic arm adapter
You’re getting pretty much everything you need here (including something to help you mount it on a boom arm) so there are absolutely no complaints from me.
First Impressions
Something that’s very interesting to me is that you don’t realize how small the Capsule Mini is until you actually have it in your hands. This thing is smaller than a can of coke. Due to the size, it practically disappears on your desk, which is great news for people who want a subtle and clean-looking microphone.
Despite its small and lightweight exterior, it doesn’t feel cheap. Yes, the mic itself is made of plastic, but to me it doesn’t feel overly brittle or like the cost-cutting kind of plastic. This is a sub-$100 microphone, and as far as I’m concerned, the overall quality of the mic itself matches up to that price point.
That’s especially true if you move on to the stand. This has got some real heft to it. It’s dense, heavy, and stable, which is needed to help secure such a tiny mic. As always, I had a couple of instances where I accidentally moved away from my PC with my earbuds in, and the mic didn’t move too much during those unfortunate and embarrassing moments. It should be noted that the stand only swivels, though. There’s no pivoting or further adjustment possible here. It’s also quite low, so the mic will be close to your desk surface if you’re using it with the stand only.
Features
NZXT is a company that’s known for their sleek and clean designs, and this Capsule Mini definitely follows that school of thought.
On the front of the mic, there’s one dial for the system volume, along with an LED. This displays as white when the microphone is active, and it goes red when the mic gets muted, which is done by pressing the volume dial. On the bottom, there’s a jack connection for headphones, along with a USB-C port. That’s it.
I don’t personally mind a minimal design, but I would have liked to see a gain knob on the microphone itself.
On the customization side, it’s all pretty basic as well. Inside NZXT’s CAM software, you can tweak the levels of the mic, your system, and the sidetone, but that’s all. There’s no EQ to make the mic sound different, nor can you play around with any filters.
You do get a built-in pop filter, which I greatly appreciate. I find loud plosives to be extremely annoying, so it’s good to see that NZXT includes a filter to reduce those in this tiny mic.
Sound
This is a very small and very affordable microphone, so I did not expect it to deliver pro-grade sound performances. That’s not a knock on NZXT, but it’s important to have the right expectations when reviewing or judging products.
With that said: I was very pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of this little thing. The audio that it captures is clean and natural, especially in the mid-to-high range. My voice comes through with clarity, and there’s not a ton of compression or muddiness going on most of the time. It also does a good job at filtering out background noise.
But, like with most products, it’s not all perfect. During my testing, I noticed that the lower end of the spectrum isn’t all that defined. The bass representation is a bit lacking, meaning that, if you’ve got a deeper voice like I do, you’ll sound a bit different from what you’re perhaps used to. That’s not a huge issue, of course. If you want to capture a voice with perfect accuracy, you’re looking at microphones that cost multitudes of what this one goes for, but it is good to know in case you’re considering this product.
I also noticed a subtle tonal shift during longer recordings. There were slight changes in volume or timbre, which made longer recordings sound slightly inconsistent. It’s not drastic, but if you’re picky about audio consistency, it’s something to keep in mind.
Summarizing: the mic captures voices well enough for Discord calls and casual podcasts and streaming, but if you want a super natural and lifelike tone, you’re better off upping your budget a little bit. Especially if you’ve got a deeper voice.
Sound Tests
Out of the box
Plosives
Placed on a desk
Everyday Usage
What I love about the Capsule Mini is how small it is. It’s easy to fit onto even the smallest desk, which is a huge advantage over some of the industry’s ‘usual suspects,’ which are often twice as big. Aesthetically, it’s also a very sleek and subtle-looking product. Using an external mic can instantly make your desk area look like podcasting studio or a streamer’s den, but that’s not the case here.
What I don’t really love is how limited it is. NZXT’s own Capsule Elite offers tons of customization via their CAM software, and that’s just not present here. You could of course ask ‘do you need all of this software customization,’ and for most people the answer would be ‘no’, but the brand has shown that they can do it. Why not include it, optionally, here?
Aside from that minor remark, I have to say that I loved my time with the NZXT Capsule Mini. I’m not a pro singer or podcaster or anything, so having fantastic true-to-life vocal clarity isn’t too high on my list. However, I do like sounding clear when I’m in a meeting or chatting with friends. And for my use case, this mic is fantastic. It’s a massive upgrade over a regular headset mic, it’s small and doesn’t get in your way, and it also looks stylish.
Conclusion
The NZXT Capsule Mini is a compact, stylish mic that delivers clean and crisp audio that sounds good for long calls of professional meetings. It’s easy to set up, looks clean on any desk, and stays out of the way thanks to its small size.
Unfortunately, it lacks some customization (that the NZXT Capsule Elite does offer) and bass depth, so it’s not the best-sounding microphone in the business. Still, if you’re looking to significantly upgrade your gaming/working setup without sacrificing a ton of money or desk space, this is a very good candidate.
I’ll end by saying this: I feel like, if you’re looking at NZXT’s microphone lineup, the Capsule Elite offers a lot more bang for your buck. It’s only a bit more expensive than this Capsule Mini, but it sounds better and has more options. If you’re not looking to save as much space as possible and you do want a great microphone for not a lot of money, I’d honestly steer you towards the Capsule Elite. Not because the Capsule Mini is bad, but because the Capsule Elite is simply a way better value proposition from the same brand.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
