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0 My NZXT Elite collection is complete with the addition of the NZXT Capsule Elite. Just as with the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless and the Function Elite MINITKL I got sent the wonderfully sleek white edition of this new microphone. There is also a black edition if you prefer a moodier colour set up. For those based in the UK the NZXT Capsule Elite can be purchased from the official NZXT Amazon store for £85.
Hear Me Now
Having previously used the Streamplify Mic Pro I was excited to try this latest NZXT offering out. So let’s get into it.
Design
As with the rest of the NZXT Elite collection, the NZXT Capsule Elite looks beautiful. There’s no denying the design team know what they’re doing. I loved the square design as it visually pairs really well with the Function Elite MINITKL. Again this a product where you can feel the quality as soon as you take it out the box. All thanks to the sturdy metal stand, steel mesh grille and aluminium dials. The 2m long USB cable means the microphone itself can be used with the stand or on a boom arm. Either way it can pivot and tilt to your heart’s desire, meaning you can get it set up just how you want it.
Lights, microphone, action
Of course would this be gaming hardware without RGB? The NZXT Capsule Elite has a small section of RGB lighting on the back. This is advertised as to be utilised for “a unique on-camera look”. Whilst you can customise this with NZXT’s CAM software, this is where I felt a little let down. I wish they were not just a single line at the back of the microphone. I would love to have seen the RGB capabilities around the square shell of the microphone instead. As I’ve mentioned the shape of this pairs perfectly with the Function Elite MINITKL and I would have loved to have extend this with custom RGB lightings I could actually see. Being able to match my Function Elite MINITKL patterns would be amazing.
Features
With design talked about let’s move on to the features of this microphone. The first thing you notice is the large capsule. This isn’t just a nice design feature, it helps to capture a wide range of sound frequencies. Extra helpful for people like me who have very particular nuances to their speech patterns. Of course the 24-bit depth and a 192 kHz sample rates certainly help! This is definitely a microphone built for speech. Just what gamers want!
On the mesh grille there is a light bar display to show your mute status. I really liked that to quickly mute all I had to do was press in the volume dial. Once pressed the bar instantly turned red to show me I was indeed on mute. The light bar does more than this though. It also shows microphone gain with purple lighting, as well as headphone volume with a green light. For those of us who are visual based when it comes to information, this is a great feature.
As with everything NZXT using their CAM software unlocks a world of customisation. From fine-tuning EQ to noise suppression to mic monitoring. I know software is a feature most brands utilise now, but I found the NZXT CAM UI one of the easiest to use. Which speaks volumes. Pun intended.
Performance
So it looks pretty, is featured packed but just how does the NZXT Capsule Elite perform? Put simply, really well! Whilst it is pre-tuned and ready to be used straight out the box, you can of course customise your settings. I really liked the bonus feature of being able to check my audio by recording and playing back the sound. It made adjusting so much easier. No more asking chat how your levels are!
The noise suppressor was another great feature, especially during my working day. With Spring making it’s appearance my work/play space (affectionately called the nerd room) can get quite stuffy which means needing a window open. One fine day during a TEAMS call I was asked where I actually was working from as they could hear all the cars going past my house. Having shared I was in my house, away from the road and simply had the window open, my co-worker said I must have a really good microphone. Which I think says everything you need to know! The noise suppressor settings were deployed not long after.
Final Thoughts
I am by no means an expert when it comes to microphones. Or any audio equipment to be honest. Which meant whilst I was excited to try this bit of kit out, I was also apprehensive as to what I could say about it. I needn’t have been worried though because the NZXT Capsule Elite is easy to talk about. Whether you want it for upping your work audio, game chats or for streaming, this is a a great microphone at a fair price.
If it wasn’t for the slightly disappointing RGB elements, this would have been a higher award. However I know RGB preferences are just that, a personal preference so don’t let this put you off.
I award the NZXT Capsule Elite the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Disclaimer: A product sample was received in order to write this review.
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