The Rode Podcaster measures 8.46 inches tall and 2.13 inches wide. It weighs 1.3 pounds without a shock mount or other accessories. The Samson G-Track measures 6.3 inches tall and 2.9 inches wide. It weighs 1.4 pounds without a shock mount or other accessories. Rode sells the Podcaster bundled with a microphone ring mount. Samson sells the G-Track bundled with a heavy-duty desktop stand, USB cable, audio input and output cables and a copy of the Cakewalk Sonar LE digital audio workstation software. Rode and Samson both sell shock mounts as optional accessories. Rode sells an optional boom arm for the Podcaster as well.
The Podcaster features built-in analog signal conditioning with an analog-to-digital USB interface. It captures audio at a resolution of 18 bits and at a sampling rate of between 8 and 48 kilohertz. The microphone has a frequency range of 40Hz to 14kHz and a maximum sound pressure level of 115 decibels at 1kHz, with a total of 1 percent harmonic distortion. Rode also equips the Podcaster with an internal pop filter and an onboard LED status light.
The Samson G-Track is an electret condenser-style microphone with a 19-millimeter capsule that records audio in the supercardioid pattern. The G-Track has a 3-micron thick diaphragm and independent onboard physical controls for microphone and instrument gain. It also features stereo input jacks for line or instrument signals, a stereo headphone jack with level control for monitoring with zero latency and a three-position headphone switch for computer, stereo and mono monitoring. The G-Track has a frequency response range of 20 hertz to 16kHz and a maximum sound pressure level of 132 dB.
Both microphones are compatible with most major audio recording software, including Pro Tools, GarageBand, Logic and Cakewalk Sonar. The Podcaster is compatible with Mac OS X, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and several distributions of the Linux operating system. The Podcaster can also be used as an external microphone for tablet devices like Apple’s iPad, provided it is paired with a powered USB hub and a connection kit. The G-Track is compatible with all versions of Mac OS X and Windows operating systems.