Eliminate ambient noise while recording? Missing audio settings?

First of all, I understand without being in some sort of perfectly quiet environment/home studio, nothing can be perfect.

That aside, I recently purchased a new USB condenser mic (cardoid) and it can pick up all sort of sounds from my keyboard typing, mouse clicks, and my PC fans. My PC is positioned about as far as it will go without pulling the plugs out. It might also be worth noting there are no speakers on my PC.

I've also read there is supposed to be a Microphone Boost in my recording settings as well as a Microphone Enhancements tab? There never has been, on any mic I've used on my PC. And it's been suggested that this might be a possible fix, but I'm sort of doubtful on that.

I've been thinking of investing in more audio equipment (shock mount, scissor arm, pop filter?) or perhaps returning it for a different mic altogether. But would this help me?

The Mic boost feature will raise your mic recording level. You don't want to do that with a condenser mic. The mic you need depends on the type of recording you're doing. Something like a Shure SM58 is a nice industry standard vocal mic for less than a $100 and it won't pick up all the background noise like a condenser. Or if you're setting up a studio, Aurelex foam or carpeting in the room will make a huge difference.

Well I thought maybe lowering the mic boost to decrease the volume might help.

I was getting it for podcasting, livestreaming, and youtube mostly. So no, I wasn't building any sort of studio, but I certainly don't mind spending money on some audio equipment either.

But I can put the mic almost...five (?) feet away and hear no change in the sound. Which makes me think buying anything else wouldn't help a bit. And I don't want want my mouse and keyboard clicking while I'm recording. Alot of people seemed to suggest condenser mics for this sort of thing.

Some of the other recommendations I've heard are the Samson CO1U and Rode Podcaster. I also forget which mic it was but one of them picks up a lot of noise at first until you turn on some setting in the software or something along those lines?

I did just get done removing the dust out from my PC and that helped out very very slightly.

The problem is the type of mic you're using. Google condenser mics. They are designed to be very sensitive so they are going to pick up background noise very easily. I would not recommend one for the type of use you're planning.

yeah I had found out (after I bought it, sadly) that they were very sensitive. But alot of people were also saying that dynamic mics were much poorer quality. Saying that the mics you buy at Wal Mart/Best Buy were usually dynamic. One website said something along the lines of to have good audio quality you will eventually want to ditch that dynamic mic and pick up a condenser mic.

Was also looking around last night and perhaps I could go the other away around with various silencing stuff for my PC. Maybe this sort of stuff would work. My PC isn't as noisy as a truck or anything, but it isn't perfectly quiet either. I was also reading there are silent mice and keyboards. The mouse clicking is actually louder then my PC fan.