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Here’s a tight short-list that covers your use-cases (gaming, calls, podcasts) across budgets and setups. I grouped them by USB (plug-and-play) and XLR (studio-style), plus a couple of “hybrids”. Shure MV7+ (USB/XLR) £272.50 • Amazon.co.uk + others Sennheiser Profile (USB) £88.00 • thomann.co.uk + others Elgato Wave:3 (USB) £140.00 • thomann.co.uk + others How to choose (quick guide) Room untreated or noisy? Favour dynamic mics (they reject background better): Shure MV7+ (USB/XLR), AT2040 (XLR), PodMic (XLR), SM7dB (XLR top tier). Plug-and-play simplicity? Pick USB: Sennheiser Profile, Elgato Wave:3, HyperX QuadCast 2 S, Blue Yeti, RØDE NT-USB Mini, AKG Lyra. Do both now and “go pro” later? Choose hybrids (USB and XLR): Shure MV7+ or Maono PD200X. Vocal clarity & music (treated-ish room): condensers shine: RØDE NT1 5th Gen kit (adds USB-C interface mode), AKG Lyra, Blue Yeti. My quick picks by scenario One mic for everything (calls → podcast → streaming): Shure MV7+ — USB now, XLR later; onboard processing; easy tone. Best value USB for clear speech: Sennheiser Profile — clean sound, physical gain/mute, simple. Streamers who want software control & clip-guard: Elgato Wave:3 — handy app routing; “Clipguard” style safety. “Radio” sound on a budget (XLR): Audio-Technica AT2040 or RØDE PodMic — tight pickup, punchy. (Needs an audio interface.) Top-shelf broadcast tone (XLR): Shure SM7dB — built-in preamp solves the usual gain problem. Singer-friendly condenser that also does spoken word: RØDE NT1 5th Gen — very low self-noise; great all-rounder (the USB kit is convenient). Accessories you may need XLR mics require an audio interface (e.g., Focusrite Scarlett Solo) and a boom arm + pop filter. USB mics: get a boom arm and pop filter for comfort and plosives. Room treatment helps a lot: even a few foam panels or heavy curtains reduce echo. If you tell me your budget and whether you prefer USB (no interface) or XLR (interface OK), I’ll narrow it to 2–3 perfect picks and include a minimal shopping list.