I didn't know what to expect when I first heard about the Asus ROG Strix Magnus, so I'm happy to report that it turned out to be a great product. First and foremost, it sounds very good in two out of three of its recording modes - Cardioid and Stereo. Regardless of how big your Twitch or YouTube channel is, you can safely equip yourself with the Magnus, and your audience will like you for it.

Yes, some direct competitors, such as the Rode NT-USB, do sound even better, but they come with a couple issues that are non-existent with the ROG Strix Magnus, such as the bulkiness and high sensitivity. The Magnus can be placed in front of the keyboard and will absolutely never get in the way of your gameplay. It can also be placed below the monitor for casual chatting with your mates - you'll be able to adjust it in a way that will ensure it doesn't pick up any noise from the keyboard or mouse, while still activating every time you say something. If you're one of those people who refuse to buy a gaming headset and are instead looking to use a combination of hi-fi headphones and an external microphone, the Magnus is the right way to go.

There are other things to like too. It's loaded with features. Aside from the recording mode switch, you get a mute button, two volume dials (for adjusting the microphone's sensitivity and the headphone's volume), an audio input, the headphone jack that can be used for direct monitoring, a single-port USB 2.0 hub, a lovely carrying case, an option to mount it to a camera mount or a microphone stand/arm, and an RGB lighting system, albeit a fairly pointless one.

My biggest gripe is with the supplied cable. It's so short that you won't be able to utilize the full potential of the microphone until you get an extension cable or replace it completely, unless you have a free USB 3.0 port very close to your peripherals or simply don't care about the way the cables around your PC are managed. The Aura software could also do with a bit of refinement, but that's only going to be an issue if you own more Aura RGB devices.

But let's not split hairs - the cable can be replaced or upgraded, and the Aura software issues can be circumvented. For $150, you're getting a great microphone.