Preface: This post is not an advertisement, just a warning that “Gaming” headsets are not required to voice chat
If you’re interested in getting into Competitive TF2, or any other eSport (Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO, StarCraft 2, etc.), you’ve probably thought about getting a headset to talk to teammates.
When you hear “Gaming Headset”, you might think of big-name brands like Razer, Logitech, or SteelSeries. If you click on all of those links, you can only find One headset under $50, the SteelSeries Siberia RAW Prism, and one pair of headphones, Razer Hammerheads at $50. That’s expensive for such simple, but ‘nice’ looking hardware, right?
Well, we’re here to tell you that these are not, by any means, the only options available. There are much more affordable ways of getting quality voice communication.
Zalman clip-on mic - Not exclusive to Amazon - $10, clips right on to your already-existing headset or headphones. If either your headphones break or your mic breaks, you won’t have to replace both of them - only either your headphones or the mic.
AntLion ModMic - $50, but again, you will only have to replace one part of your equipment, your mic or your headphones, not both. People like to attach this to their headphones (not earbuds)
Desktop Microphones - $? Do some research and look on sites like NewEgg and Amazon, read reviews and such. Find out what sounds best, works for your workspace, and good for your pricepoint. For example, a lot of people like the Blue Snowball - but of course, this is not the only desktop mic out there.
DIY and Other - $? Be creative, if you can afford it and are comfortable with it. An ESEA-IM Demoman made his own ‘headset’ by buying a cheap headset, cutting the mic off, and using velcro to attach the mic to his headphones. Final Product
TL;DR and Closing thoughts
Again, just to make sure we’re all clear here: Gaming headsets are overpriced, desktop or attachable mics are easily the most logical and affordable options, and there are even more alternatives besides them. If you really want a gaming headset and are able to spare the money, that’s fine - we don’t control what you purchase.
The examples provided above are not the only acceptable alternatives, we are not advertising, and we are not urging you get any specific pieces of hardware - we’re just showing a few examples of what’s out there. Go on, do your research, ask people questions, watch some videos, etc., etc.
Please also keep in mind, DIY stuff are not something we specifically advocate or are responsible for. Take your time to think about the money, materials, and work required. DIY projects are your responsibility and risk, so do be careful about everything involved.
Hope you guys found this useful. GLHF.
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