Players love to gear up and grab any piece of equipment that will help them beat the final boss or help their stats in the online competition. The problem that gift buyers face is that there is a dizzying array of controllers, headsets, and gadgets on the market.
Here’s a guide to help you navigate these options in hopes of finding the perfect gift for the gamer in your life:
For PlayStation fans
Sony finally jumped on the elite-style controller bandwagon and introduced the DualSense Edge controller this year. It feels more luxurious with a firmer weight and internal grips reminiscent of the leather found on the new basketball.
The device’s two big selling points are that the analog sticks can be turned off if they malfunction. This means you save money by not having to buy another controller. While the second option is that the DualSense Edge has two back paddle buttons that can act as other inputs on the controller.
For example, if you get tired of accidentally pressing the L3 button, you can just map it to the back button and remove it from the analog stick. All of this is easy to do because the DualSense Edge is built into the PlayStation 5 operating system. It also comes with a carrying case and other customizable options. That’s enough value to justify its $199 price.
Alternative: The stock DualSense controller doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as the Edge but it gets the job done.
For fighting game lovers
The fighting game genre had a great year with the likes of “Street Fighter 6” and “Mortal Kombat 1” arriving on the scene. Fans will have more to cheer about when “Tekken 8” launches on January 26. With that in mind, it’s the perfect time to pick up an arcade stick and one of the best offerings available is the Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick.
It’s pricey, at $399.99, but gamers will get plenty of quality with Sanwa Denshi parts and an aircraft-grade aluminum body. It’s a stick that can take a beating and is designed to travel to tournaments for serious fighting game players.
Alternative: Victrix’s Pro BFG Wireless Controller for PS5, PS4, and PC is a good option if your fighting game fan uses a controller. Players can swap D-pads or even throw the built-in combat pad with a six-button layout. The beauty of this $199 controller is its versatility. It even excels in first-person shooter games thanks to its back paddles and trigger adjustments.
For those who demand great sound
Headphones have become a must-have for gamers, especially for those with significant others or children. The right headset will immerse them deeper into the game atmosphere while it can help improve performance in a competitive environment by letting players know where an attack is coming from.
The best tool for this task is the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X. They are remarkably light and comfortable for long gaming sessions while delivering excellent sound. Best of all, it’s wireless and can connect to multiple devices including Xbox Series It even has extra bells and whistles like Bluetooth connectivity if you want to play music from your phone while gaming at the same time. It won’t break the bank at $179.99 although it can be found for $134.99 this holiday season.
Alternative: If you’re looking for the best value, HyperX recently revamped its flagship Cloud III line. The new headphone looks cleaner as the company has avoided stitching and other dated touches while maintaining its signature comfort. The HyperX Cloud III also has great clarity and spatial audio. The wired version of the device is priced at $99.99 but gamers can find it for $89.99.
Controller for children
Sometimes you don’t want your child to mess around with expensive consoles. These Nintendo Switch Pro wireless controllers aren’t cheap at $69.99. That’s when you can turn to Realmz’s PDP and their wired controllers, which feature non-removable action figures inside a transparent casing. It’s a bit of a weird idea but it’s sure to please kids as it gives them a little extra special on their console.
Best of all, they’re powerful devices with a few extras. The Xbox version has programmable paddles on the back while the Nintendo Switch version offers a headphone jack, built-in volume controllers, and LEDs similar to other PDP projects. The wired Nintendo versions cost $39.99 while the Xbox entry price is $49.99.
Alternative: If you’re looking for a wireless Nintendo Switch controller, PDP’s Super Icon Rematch Glow Wireless Controller offering is a great value at $44.99. The device may not look as powerful as the Nintendo version, but it works great, and it even has programmable back paddle buttons that can give players the edge in games like “Splatoon 3.” Children may also like the fact that the thing glows in the dark.
For people who like to mix work and play
Over the past year, I’ve been renovating my home office, and my keyboard is at the center of that universe. I needed a device that I could use while working on articles, and later became great for first-person shooters and real-time strategy games after the clock was up. That’s how I fell into the world of customizable keyboards, which allow users to swap out keys so they can get the right sound and click as well as keycaps that help express their personality.
One of the best values I’ve found is the Epomaker EK75 kit. The 75 percent gasket-mounted mechanical keyboard is massive thanks to its aluminum casing. (The keyboard is 75 percent lacking in a number pad but fits better in a cluttered desk.) It features three ways to connect including Bluetooth, USB dongle, and wired. The only drawback is that it takes some experience to build as users have to install every piece of the keyboard from the foam to the keys. Since it’s a barebones kit at $149.99, users will find additional costs in switches and keycaps, but in the end, gamers will find a lot of satisfaction in building a mechanical keyboard. They will feel like a Jedi going through a rite of passage to build a lightsaber.
Alternative: If you’re a beginner and just want a high-quality keyboard, the Monokei Standard is the right place. And at $118, the build materials aren’t luxurious. The standard is mostly plastic but is padded for a flexible typing experience and comes with a nice set of keycaps and keycaps. If you want to customize it, users can easily swap out the keys or keycaps.
For virtual reality lovers
Slowly but surely, VR is becoming easier to use and approaching the mainstream. It’s taking another step toward widespread accessibility with Meta Quest 3. The new headset features a sharper display, but more importantly, it delivers a mixed reality experience that blends the real world and the virtual world.
The device can be used to give users a virtual display while they work, and can be worn around the house to provide views of the surrounding areas with its color cameras. This means that users will be less likely to bump into walls or feel vulnerable while wearing it. Best of all, the device automatically scans the room so players can jump into a virtual reality space in which they can move. It’s easy to pick up Meta Quest and play without worrying that you’ll hurt yourself and that’s a huge advancement for the mode. The device is expensive, starting at $499.99.
I picked up the 512GB version because I suspect I’ll be using the device a lot and VR gaming will become more intense as adoption grows.
Alternative: The only element that is a flaw in Meta Quest 3 is the visuals.
Don’t expect PlayStation 5-level power on the standalone system. If you’re looking for better graphics in your virtual reality experience, PlayStation VR2 is the perfect solution. It easily connects to the PlayStation 5 via wires and offers its own brand of virtual reality experiences.
Some of the best games may be titles that players already own. “Gran Turismo 7” is a breathtaking game in virtual reality and players will feel like they are driving a real supercar on the streets of Tokyo. The feeling of speed is amazing and it is the best racing experience this year. Other games like “Horizon Call of the Mountain” are designed for the system and highlight the potential of features like the eye-tracking system and Force Response built into the headset.
The two caveats are that the $549 device is wired and needs more content, and there should be more games like the VR version of the “Resident Evil 4” remake from earlier this year.