Asus ROG Carnyx review: "Much too large for a home-targeted microphone"

GamesRadar+ VerdictThe Asus ROG Carnyx mic slots nicely into the USB streaming and gaming microphone market. It’s got a large 2.5cm condenser capsule, simple plug-and-play functionality, and a flashy RGB look befitting of any gamer these days. Unfortunately, its size and stature are a bit impractical, and while it’s certainly a great option, it doesn’t do all that much to stand out amongst a competitive crowd.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$159.99at AmazonPros+Large 2.5cm condenser capsule+Strong, clean vocal performance+Simple plug-and-play option+Headphone jack and mute buttonCons-Way too big-Limited stand adjustments-Touch-sensitive mute is a hit-and-miss GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict The Asus ROG Carnyx mic slots nicely into the USB streaming and gaming microphone market. It’s got a large 2.5cm condenser capsule, simple plug-and-play functionality, and a flashy RGB look befitting of any gamer these days. Unfortunately, its size and stature are a bit impractical, and while it’s certainly a great option, it doesn’t do all that much to stand out amongst a competitive crowd.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$159.99at Amazon The Asus ROG Carnyx mic slots nicely into the USB streaming and gaming microphone market. It’s got a large 2.5cm condenser capsule, simple plug-and-play functionality, and a flashy RGB look befitting of any gamer these days. Unfortunately, its size and stature are a bit impractical, and while it’s certainly a great option, it doesn’t do all that much to stand out amongst a competitive crowd. TODAY’S BEST DEALS$159.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$159.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$159.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS $159.99at Amazon $159.99at Amazon $159.99at Amazon Pros+Large 2.5cm condenser capsule+Strong, clean vocal performance+Simple plug-and-play option+Headphone jack and mute button Large 2.5cm condenser capsule Strong, clean vocal performance Simple plug-and-play option Headphone jack and mute button Cons-Way too big-Limited stand adjustments-Touch-sensitive mute is a hit-and-miss Way too big Limited stand adjustments Touch-sensitive mute is a hit-and-miss Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. TheAsusROG Carnyx reminded me that it’s easier than ever to stream your gameplay these days. There are more titles to choose from, numerous platforms to stream on, and more hardware to help you broadcast it all. It’s not surprising then that previously uninterested gaming brands are jumping on the bandwagon and adding microphones to their wares. The ROG wing of Asus already offers just about everything a gamer could hope for so it was only a matter of time before we saw a new top-spec microphone from the brand. The ROG Carnyx is a premium-level microphone aimed at gamers who are looking to take content creation a little more seriously. A £169.99/$179.99 USB contender, the Carnyx goes head to head with a number of thebest microphones for streamers and gamingand enters an already crowded market. So does ROG have what it takes to stand out, or is this microphone just going to get lost in the noise? Design & Features (Image credit: Future / Alex Berry) I imagine many will go without the stand altogether and instead bolt the ROG Carnyx directly onto a mic arm. While it should be pretty universally compatible with arms from different brands, you’ll need to dig out a screwdriver to remove the baseplate which is far less user-friendly than it should be. Surely ROG could have found a thumb screw to use instead? (Image credit: Future / Alex Berry) You’ll find the USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack easily accessible on the back of the Carnyx and the multi-function dial on the front is nicely textured. The dial lets you switch between controlling mic gain and headphone output levels, as well as toggling the onboard high pass filter. It’s an intuitive control scheme but the dial needs a surprisingly firm press to activate so be warned that you’ll send your mic flying unless you hold on to the back of it too. A touch-sensitive mute button sits on top of the ROG Carnyx and while it’s simple enough to fire off you’ll need to pay attention to where you’re tapping because it doesn’t cover the entire surface. The microphone itself may be 55mm across but the working area of the mute button is only the middle 20mm or so with no ring indicator to let you know where the hidden button ends and plain plastic begins. It made for a fiddly experience trying to quickly mute myself while testing. I found I almost always needed multiple taps to get it to trigger. Performance (Image credit: Future / Alex Berry) A single USB cable is all you need to get started with the ROG Carnyx and there’s a generously long 3m braided USB-C to USB-A cable included in the box. Both my streaming PC and OBS instantly recognized the mic as soon as I plugged it in, making it even more baffling that ROG’s own software was none the wiser. Luckily, the EQ options on offer inside the app are either available in OBS or using the Carnyx’s onboard controls anyway so I wasn’t missing out on much. Perhaps a few software patches will help things. Like theSteelSeries AliasandSteelSeries Alias Promicrophones, there’s a professional grade 25mm condenser capsule tucked away inside the ROG Carnyx and throughout my testing, I found it delivered impressive audio. Everything I captured was clean and well-rounded, particularly when I got a little closer to the microphone itself. While this is a condenser microphone so mic etiquette is nowhere near as important and the pickup area is fairly wide, I found the ROG Carnyx offered a far deeper, smoother sound when you addressed it from 10-15cm away. (Image credit: Future / Alex Berry) Moving further back to a more traditional streaming and gaming distance of around 30cm introduced some roominess and pulled back on the richness. It still sounded clear and I was happy overall but my voice began to sound a little more withdrawn and lost some of its podcast feel. This isn’t unusual for condenser microphones though, the final sound is just more natural like you’re sitting in the room with someone rather than watching a more produced broadcast. The benefit however is the freedom of movement available around the front of the microphone. Even when I pushed this well outside the limit of how far someone would likely move while gaming the ROG Carnyx continued to pick up my voice clearly with little to no drop-off in overall quality. The 3.5mm headphone jack works exactly as you’d expect it to, no complaints there but make sure you run a few tests with the onboard high pass filter before going live. It certainly works, though perhaps a little too aggressively as in my quiet and slightly treated setup, I found it had a detrimental effect on my overall sound rather than helping improve it. I have little need for a high pass filter though so this wasn’t necessarily surprising. At the same time, I wouldn’t recommend just leaving it on and blindly assuming it will make things better since my voice was more rounded and filled out with it off. Should you buy the Asus ROG Carnyx? (Image credit: Future / Alex Berry) Today’s best Asus ROG Carnyx deals$159.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Asus ROG Carnyx deals$159.99ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Asus ROG Carnyx deals $159.99View $159.99View $159.99View $159.99View $159.99 $159.99 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices How we tested the Asus ROG Carnyx I added the ROG Carnyx to my desktop PC setup and used it for dedicated testing, streaming, and general calls for a couple of weeks. It was mounted both on the included stand and an Elgato Wave Arm mic arm but was used without the accompanying software as this was not recognized. For more on how we test the latest mics for review purposes, take a look at ourhardware policy. For more on the latest streaming hardware, check out thebest ring lights for streamers, thebest green screen, and thebest Razer streaming gear. 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Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim 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the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature 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