Streaming Equipment — Reviews & Rankings

Microphones, webcams and control surfaces for building a clean stream setup — with audio prioritised, because viewers forgive video far sooner than bad sound.

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page — at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence scores. How we make money

Our picks

Reviews

Streaming essential

EchozLabElgato Stream Deck MK.2

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

8.9

Fifteen customizable LCD keys that become the control surface for your whole setup.

~$149 · tested 0 wks

Check price on Amazon See used on eBay

Best USB mic for streamers

EchozLabElgato Wave:3

Elgato Wave:3

8.6

A clean-sounding USB condenser with smart software mixing built in.

~$149 · tested 0 wks

Check price on Amazon See used on eBay

Buying guide

How to choose — what our testing shows

Upgrade audio before video

Viewers tolerate modest video quality but click away from bad audio fast. A good USB microphone improves your stream more than any webcam upgrade at the same price — start there.

FAQ

Common questions

USB or XLR microphone for streaming?

Start with a quality USB mic — they're excellent now and need no extra hardware. Move to XLR only when you want an audio interface, hardware processing or multiple mics.