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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
These two products get compared a lot, but they are not really the same kind of thing. One is a microphone. The other is a cable with a microphone on it. That single difference decides almost everything about who should buy which, so let me break it down properly.
• InnoGear Gaming Mic USB — biggest strength: a full standalone condenser mic on a boom arm, with USB-C plug-and-play, a gain knob, one-tap mute, zero-latency monitoring and four RGB modes.
• InnoGear Gaming Mic USB — biggest trade-off: it only works with Windows, Mac, PS4 and PS5. It explicitly does not work with Xbox, and it is corded, not wireless.
• Tobysome QC35 — biggest strength: it converts headphones you already own into a headset, adding a flexible detachable boom mic, an in-line mute switch and a USB-C connection for phones, tablets and laptops.
• Tobysome QC35 — biggest trade-off: it is useless without Bose QC35 or QC35 II headphones. No headphones, no product.
• Pick InnoGear if you need a dedicated mic and don't own QC35s. Pick Tobysome if QC35s are already on your head and you want voice chat through them.
The InnoGear Gaming Mic USB is a desk microphone first and a gaming accessory second. It uses a unidirectional cardioid condenser capsule, a polar pattern that focuses on what's in front of it and rejects what's behind, which is exactly what you want for voice. The frequency range runs 20Hz to 20KHz, so it covers the full span of the human voice with plenty of headroom above it. InnoGear rates the signal-to-noise ratio at 71 dB, which is a solid figure for a USB mic in this class, and the brand's own copy describes the capsule as boosting clarity substantially over its previous version. I'd treat that as marketing framing rather than a measured result, but the underlying spec sheet is respectable.
What I actually like about the design is the control layout. There's a touch-sensitive mute button on top, so muting is a tap rather than a scramble through software settings. At the base sits a large gain knob, which is the part most cheap USB mics get wrong — they bury volume in a menu. Physical gain control means you can fix a too-quiet or too-hot signal in a second. The USB-C interface and the included 2m cable give you real slack to position the mic away from your keyboard, and the boom arm stand keeps it off your desk entirely, which cuts down on thumps and vibrations.
The RGB is a genuine differentiator if you stream. Four modes — solid color, multi-color gradient, single-color gradient breathing and single-color gradient transitions — let you match the mic to the rest of your setup. It's cosmetic, but on camera it matters, and it's the kind of thing people notice in a stream layout.
Who should skip it: Xbox owners, full stop — the manufacturer states plainly that the condenser microphone is not compatible with Xbox. Also skip it if you want wireless freedom or if you already love the sound of your own headphones and just need a mic to attach to them. This is a corded desk solution, and it takes up desk real estate.
Tobysome QC35: Who It's For
The Tobysome QC35 is a clever, narrow product. It's a USB-C male to 2.5mm male cable with a boom microphone and an in-line mute switch built in. The 2.5mm end is designed to fit exactly one pair of headphones: Bose QuietComfort 35 and QuietComfort 35 II. That's it. If you own those, this cable instantly turns them into a proper gaming headset. If you don't, this product has nothing to offer you.
The design details are where it earns its keep. The boom mic is flexible and adjustable through roughly 120 degrees, so you can bend it to sit near your mouth for pickup and swing it away when you're not talking. It's also detachable — you can pull the mic off and use the cable for plain listening, which is a genuinely thoughtful touch for people who wear the same headphones on a commute and at their desk. The in-line mute switch slides up and down, so you can kill your mic mid-match without alt-tabbing or reaching for a software toggle. For anyone who's ever hot-mic'd themselves in a lobby, that's worth something.
On the audio side, Tobysome specifies a unidirectional cardioid microphone with noise-cancelling behaviour and high sensitivity. The word "cardioid" matters here: it's the same directional pattern as the InnoGear, meaning it favours the voice in front of it and pushes down ambient noise. The plug that goes into the headphones is gold-plated, which is a standard anti-corrosion choice, and the internal wire is oxygen-free copper. The cable itself is 3.9ft (1.2m), covered in TPE, and marketed as tangle-free. It's short — this is a phone-and-laptop-length cable, not a run-across-the-room cable.
Compatibility on the USB-C end is broad: iPhone 17, 16 and 15, iPad, Samsung and Android smartphones, and laptops or other devices with a USB-C port. So the same cable that turns your QC35s into a gaming headset also handles calls on your phone. For hybrid workers and students, that's a neat bit of dual purpose.
Who should skip it: anyone without QC35 or QC35 II headphones, since the 2.5mm jack is built specifically for that headphone family and won't seat properly elsewhere. Skip it too if you want a desk mic with adjustable gain and monitoring — this cable gives you a mic and a mute switch, nothing more.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a complete out-of-the-box solution → InnoGear Gaming Mic USB. It's a microphone, a stand, a cable and controls in one purchase.
• Best for owning QC35 or QC35 II headphones → Tobysome QC35. It's the only one of the two that plugs into those headphones at all.
• Best for Xbox players → neither, honestly. InnoGear is explicitly not compatible with Xbox, and Tobysome's cable depends on Bose headphones plus a USB-C host.
• Best for PS4 and PS5 → InnoGear Gaming Mic USB. PlayStation is listed among its compatible devices; the Tobysome cable is aimed at phones, tablets and laptops.
• Best for phone and tablet calls → Tobysome QC35. USB-C to iPhone 17/16/15, iPad, Samsung and Android is its core use case.
• Best for physical, instant mute → both, in different ways. InnoGear uses a top-mounted touch button; Tobysome uses an in-line slide switch.
• Best for stream-friendly extras → InnoGear Gaming Mic USB. Four RGB modes and a gain knob are things the cable simply doesn't have.
• Best for travel and minimal gear → Tobysome QC35. A 3.9ft detachable-boom cable fits in a pocket; a boom-arm desk mic does not.
• Best for adjustable mic positioning without a stand → Tobysome QC35. Its 120-degree flexible gooseneck hangs off your head, not your desk.
In my opinion, the right answer depends entirely on whether you already own Bose QC35 or QC35 II headphones — and that's not a dodge, it's the actual decision point. If you do own them, I'd buy the Tobysome QC35, because it turns gear you already have into a working headset for a fraction of the clutter, and its detachable boom and in-line mute are genuinely well judged. If you don't, I'd buy the InnoGear Gaming Mic USB: it's the complete product, with the gain knob, mute button, monitoring, RGB and PS4/PS5 support that a cable can't offer. Just remember the InnoGear does not work with Xbox. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one fits your setup before you commit.
No. The manufacturer states directly that the condenser microphone is not compatible with Xbox. It works with Windows PCs, Macs, PS4 and PS5 over USB-C.
No. The 2.5mm jack is designed specifically for Bose QuietComfort 35 and QuietComfort 35 II. It won't fit or function correctly with other headphone models.
Both use a unidirectional cardioid pickup pattern intended to focus on your voice and reduce surrounding noise — InnoGear pairs that with a stated 71 dB signal-to-noise ratio, while Tobysome describes its mic as noise-cancelling with high sensitivity. They're approaching the same problem from different form factors rather than one clearly beating the other.
It works with USB-C devices such as laptops, phones and tablets, so PC voice chat is realistic. It's not aimed at PS4, PS5 or Xbox, and it depends on you having QC35 or QC35 II headphones connected.
No — the boom microphone is built into the cable. But you do need the Bose QC35 or QC35 II headphones, since the cable has no speaker of its own.
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