Gifts for Gamers
Gamers already own the console or the PC; what they rarely buy is the thing that makes the hours in front of it better. A headset, a mouse, a controller or a chair are upgrades they will notice every session. Check the platform before buying anything that plugs in. Every pick below won one of our comparisons, grouped by price, with the full reasoning one click away.
Budget picks
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The Best Gaming Controllers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller (Carbon Black)
The safest, most versatile pad for the widest range of players and platforms.
$ · budget
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The Best VR Headsets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Meta Quest 3S
The standalone headset that makes VR effortless, affordable and genuinely fun for almost everyone.
$ · budget
Mid-range picks
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The Best Handheld Gaming Consoles: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Valve Steam Deck OLED
The most polished, best-value way into PC handheld gaming, full stop.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Stream Decks: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
The 15-key standard the whole category is measured against, and still the safest buy for most creators.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Video Capture Cards: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Elgato Game Capture 4K S
The value default: 4K60 capture, 1080p240 and 4K60 HDR passthrough that covers what most streamers actually do.
$$ · mid-range
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Best Budget 1440p Gaming Monitors (27"): What's Actually Worth It
ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS
The best all-rounder here: fast IPS, accurate color out of the box, and a proper adjustable stand.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Electronic Chess Boards: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Chessnut Air
A portable board that knows which piece is on every square and plays on both Chess.com and Lichess.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Keycap Sets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Keychron Cherry Profile Double-Shot PBT Full Set Keycaps (Black on White)
A 218-key double-shot PBT set that covers more layouts than almost anything else at this price, with a published 1.5 mm wall thickness.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Fight Sticks: 6 Compared (and One to Skip)
HORI Fighting Stick α (PS5, PS4, Windows)
A full-size, officially licensed lever stick with HORI's HAYABUSA parts, an opening case and swappable art.
$$ · mid-range
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Flight Sticks: Which to Buy and Which to Skip
Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick II
An all-in-one Xbox and PC flight stick with 16-bit Hall-effect main axes, built-in levers, a color display and 38 programmable inputs.
$$ · mid-range
Premium picks
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The Best Gaming Mice in 2026: Four Flagships Tested, One to Skip
Razer Viper V3 Pro
The competitive default: about 54 grams, a current sensor, and a symmetrical shape most grips get along with.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Gaming Mechanical Keyboards: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Wooting 80HE
The analog Hall-effect benchmark almost every competitor is now measured against.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Gaming Chairs: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
Secretlab Titan Evo
The safe, do-everything pick that fits the widest range of bodies and holds up.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Smart LED Strip Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
LIFX SuperColor 80" Lightstrip Kit
The brightest strip here with a published CRI, Matter, no hub and room to extend.
$$$ · premium
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The Best USB Microphones for Podcasting and Streaming
Shure MV7+
A hybrid dynamic mic that keeps an untreated room out of your recording.
$$$ · premium
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Racing Wheels: Which to Buy and Which to Skip
Thrustmaster T598 (PlayStation / PC)
A direct drive wheel, rim and metal pedals in one box for PS5, PS4 and PC, with 5 Nm of constant torque and boosted peaks.
$$$ · premium
Splurge picks
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The Best Gaming Headsets in 2026 (and One to Skip)
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni
The do-everything wireless headset that removes the two things people hate about wireless: dead batteries and device juggling.
$$$$ · flagship
What not to gift
Each of these is popular, and each lost its comparison. The linked review explains why and what to buy instead.
- Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Pro A charming, camera-ready headset that asks a wireless-flagship price for a wired-only USB product.
- Logitech G502 X Plus A heavy, button-loaded mouse that shines for macros and scrolling but lags lighter rivals for pure play.
- Corsair K70 PRO TKL A capable Hall-effect board undercut by rivals with more refined switches at a similar price.
- SCUF Valor Pro Wireless Controller Genuine pro ergonomics undercut by a flagship price and a spotty support reputation.
- Herman Miller x Logitech G Embody A superb ergonomic chair whose price is impossible to justify for most gamers.
- Nintendo Switch 2 A superb console that cannot touch your PC library, so skip it for this job.
- Elgato Stream Deck Mini Elgato's compact six-key entry costs mid-range money for budget capability, and its own siblings beat it.
- Razer Ripsaw HD A once-loved entry card that HDMI 2.0 and time have left behind, and that Razer no longer lists.
- Samsung Odyssey G5 (G55C) A familiar name that asks flagship-budget money for a basic curved VA panel the rivals beat on every front.
- Valve Index A once-pioneering PC VR kit now outclassed, with a successor headset announced by Valve.
- Wyze Light Strip Pro A cheap segmented strip that will not tell you how bright it is.
- Logitech Blue Yeti The popular default that floods an untreated room straight into your track.
- Particula GoChess Lite Modern A well-featured board whose advanced online play and ongoing warranty depend on a subscription that auto-renews.
- Razer Phantom Keycap Upgrade Set ABS pudding caps with laser-marked legends from a brand that sells a double-shot PBT set alongside them.
- Mad Catz EGO Arcade Stick A well-built Sanwa-equipped stick whose maker lists PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC support, and not PS5 or Xbox Series X|S.
- Logitech G Extreme 3D Pro Joystick A very cheap, familiar stick whose maker page lists no sensor type and system requirements that stop at Windows 8.
- HORI Racing Wheel APEX (SPF-004U) A licensed PlayStation wheel and pedal set at a low price, but its maker page lists no force feedback and only 270 degrees of turn.
Every pick is the top pick of an RBE comparison. We reach each verdict by synthesizing independent testing and owner reports, not our own lab. How we review · All gift guides