Elgato Wave:3 MK.2 vs Logitech G Yeti GX Comparison

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

Inside is a 16 mm condenser capsule with an integrated JFET, recording at 24-bit / 48 kHz across 70 Hz to 20 kHz. Elgato quotes a dynamic range of 110 dB, which is generous for a desktop USB mic at this price. The Shure MV7+ is the dynamic alternative. The flip side of that openness is that your room comes along too.

Logitech G Yeti GX

The dynamic capsule feeds a converter running at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz. Logitech tunes it for speech, with a focused midrange that sits forward in a mix with game audio or music. Blue VO!CE in G HUB adds EQ, compression and a noise gate for broadcast-style polish. Without the software, the raw sound is clean but slightly plain.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

The pattern is a single cardioid, so it favours the front and rejects the rear. It is still a condenser, though, and it hears keyboard and mouse noise from further away than dynamic designs do. Clipguard is the clever part. When you laugh or shout, the mic switches to a second, quieter signal path in a few milliseconds, so the peak never clips.

Logitech G Yeti GX

Supercardioid pickup is narrower than cardioid, rejecting sound from the sides with a small lobe at the rear. That shape is built for gamers with loud mechanical keyboards. The trade-off is that you must stay on axis. Turning to a second monitor changes your level, so a boom arm that keeps the mic in front of your mouth helps.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

On top, a capacitive sensor mutes the mic when you tap it, and a ring of LEDs turns red so you can see the state at a glance. The front dial controls gain, headphone volume or the monitor mix, and pressing it switches between the three. That dial has a learning curve, because it is easy to change the wrong setting in a hurry.

Logitech G Yeti GX

A control dial on the mic adjusts gain and mutes with a press, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack provides zero-latency monitoring. Hardware mute is a big plus for meetings, because it works regardless of the app. The lighting changes colour when muted, which helps you check status at a glance during long calls.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

The Wave:3 MK.2 uses Wave Link for its companion software. Onboard DSP is listed as Wave FX processor with Clipguard. The software or onboard controls also include monitoring (3.5 mm), gain control (multifunction dial), a mix control (dial and Wave Link) and a limiter (Clipguard). Official capture is listed at 48 kHz and 24-bit.

Logitech G Yeti GX

The Yeti GX uses Logitech G HUB for its companion software. Onboard DSP is listed as Blue VO!CE (via G HUB). The software or onboard controls also include monitoring (3.5 mm headphone output), gain control (dial) and a limiter (analog limiter / Smart Audio Lock). Official capture is listed at up to 96 kHz and 24-bit.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

Elgato lists the mic at about 250 g, or roughly 570 g with the stand attached. The weighted desk stand is included, along with 5/8" and 3/8" thread adapters for a boom arm. The housing mixes plastic with a metal grille. Its weight is well within the 2 kg rating of slim arms such as the Elgato Wave Mic Arm LP.

Logitech G Yeti GX

Logitech lists the weight at 616 g, and the mic ships with a desk stand. The body is solid metal and plastic, with a rubberised base that resists sliding. The stand raises the capsule reasonably high, and the mic can be removed for a boom arm. Lighting around the body is customisable, and you can switch it off for a more professional look on calls.