Introduction
Today we’re looking at NZXT’s latest addition to its Capsule series of microphones, the NZXT Capsule Elite Microphone (AP-PUMIC-B1 and AP-PUMIC-W1) which is available in both black and white color flavors. It was announced alongside several other Elite series peripherals at CES 2025 including the Function Elite MiniTKL Keyboard that we’ll be reviewing soon and the Lift Elite Wireless Mouse that we’ve already looked at.
The NZXT Capsule Elite microphone is intended for gamers, streamers and content creators that want to up their voice quality above the “budget” options that are on the market and strives to produce studio-quality sound using its 25mm (1″) condenser capsule.
Its key differentiators include a 192 kHz sample rate, which is double the typical sample rate of standard microphones, a wide active range (158 degree horizontal, 148 degree vertical) and a noise isolating outer shell. The NZXT Capsule Elite microphone has a listed MSRP of $89.99 and carries a two year warranty.
The Package
The NZXT Capsule Elite microphone comes in a white box with purple sides sporting a large image of itself on the front. Three call outs are made on the front related to the 24-bit / 192 kHz resolution, the 25mm sized capsule (condenser) and the cardioid polar pattern that it is configured for. Flipping it over to the back, we find a photo of it along with other NZXT kit and five call outs, repeating three from the front and adding customizable sound and heavy duty construction
The Build
The NZXT Capsule Elite microphone has a solid feel to its construction and the base is surprisingly heavy. The weight allows you to rotate the microphone 90 degrees in case it’s simply too tall in its stock configuration. The front of the NZXT Capsule Elite is covered in an “acoustically-transparent” metal grill that is supposed to protect the microphone while not contributing to audio degradation. It has a volume knob on the front that you can press to mute, and the RGB bar will change color based upon the mic level or turn red when it is muted. On the right hand side you’ll find a volume wheel that adjust the volume of the headphone jack located on the back.
Moving around to the back side, we find a USB-C port and a headphone jack. The rear grill utilizes larger holes and the top row light up with RGB bling as configured within the NZXT CAM software. The stand allows for 180 degrees of swivel so you can adjust it how you want it.
Specifications
| Height | 241.11 mm (9.49 in) |
| Width | 96.94 mm (3.81 in) |
| Depth | 96.94 mm (3.81 in) |
| Weight (with/without stand) | 560g / 292g |
| Cable Length (detachable) | 2m (6.56 feet), USB-A to USB-C |
| Capsule Type and Size | Condenser, 25mm |
| Polar Pattern | Cardioid |
| Bit Depth | 24-bit |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Max SPL | 120 dB(a) |
| Mounting Thread | Female 3/8″ |
| Lighting | RGB |
NZXT CAM Software
The NZXT CAM software allows for some customization of the NZXT Capsule Elite including the RGB color and pattern for the rear lights (along with the brightness), the brightness of the front facing RGB bar and the various volumes. It also offers some voice equalizer options (we left these at default) and a warning not to go too crazy with the Advanced EQ as they think they have it set just right.
Voice Quality Comparison
It wouldn’t be a proper microphone review if we didn’t read an answering machine message on a few different sources for comparison. Take a listen to see how the NXZT Capsule Elite Microphone compares to the CORSAIR HS80 MAX headset microphone and the Logitech C615 Webcam microphone.
NZXT Capsule Elite
Logitech C615 Webcam
Corsair HS80 Max
Conclusion & Final Points
Today we took a look at the NZXT Capsule Elite Microphone to see how it stacks up against the other microphones in our underground testing bunker. We used it as our daily driver during gaming sessions as well as on conference calls with a variety of conferencing apps and found it to deliver solid audio to those listening in. As you can hear with the comparison samples we provided, it does seem to have an overall better audio quality than the two comparison options and represents an upgrade in quality.
If you’re looking to upgrade your audio quality without breaking the bank, the NZXT Capsule Elite microphone is absolutely worth a look at its $89.99 MSRP.