It has been a stellar one for gamers - and there’s more to come. In fact, it was dotted with unveilings of some of the biggest games; Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to name but a few.
We have seen an evolution in the mobile gaming sphere, the development of both AR and VR as well as AI, cross-platform technology and hints about the next generation of consoles. The latter includes the PS5 Pro, Meta Quest 3S and Nintendo Switch 2 which industry analysts predict will launch in March 2025.
The rise of mobile gaming has led to more mobile-only titles that are tailored for smaller screens as well as faster, crisper and more audio-rich phones that elevate the on-the-move experience. Similarly, revolutionary AR and VR have led to enhancements in every aspect of gaming, from board games to fantasy with more interactive elements. So, it’s fair to say that gamers will have a lot of tech on their wish list.
This brings us nicely to the task at hand: finding that perfect present for the gaming fanatic in your life.
Shopping for the gadget, gizmo and gaming lover on your list could be as simple as snapping up the latest game (so long as you know which console they use). Maybe this is their first foray into the hi-tech space and it’s a console that they covet - if so, will it be the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS5, PC gaming or VR headsets that will be their introduction? If they’re the kind of person to add a new launch directly to basket, you could get creative with a chair, headset or gaming-themed decor to create a more immersive experience in their gaming space. You can really never go wrong with a fun accessory embellished with their favourite game.
See all the inspo you need for the gaming guru below
Consoles
Meta Quest 3
With better immersive graphics than ever before, the Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest VR headset to hit the market. The latest redesign has seen the addition of two GB colour cameras with an innovative depth projector, which gives you the ability to seamlessly blend virtual and physical spaces.
This is a mixed reality and the result is transformational. Your living room is digitised and infiltrated with the Stranger Things Upside Down or you can get lost in all four corners of this world and others, whether transported to Venice in Assassin's Creed or into space. As you climb, the possibility of falling feels real, while fighting off invaders in lifelike situations gives the feel of real consequences.
Lightening-fast performance is supported by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor and the 4K+ infinite display will leave you struggling to discern reality from fiction.
Buy now £359.00, John Lewis
Xbox Series X
Best for: powerful next-gen gameplay and media centre
The agonising job of choosing between a PS5 or an Xbox Series X can be either down to the toss of a coin or countless hours of indecision. However, starting here (for no particular reason) with the mighty Xbox X, welcome to hyper-fast next-gen 4K gaming at 120fps that keeps its cool, thanks to cunning Xbox Parallel Cooling Architecture, so you can enjoy seamlessly smooth gaming without the horror of overheating.
Want 12 teraflops of raw graphic processing power? Ray tracing for eye-popping visuals? 3D spatial sound for audio to meet and match the graphics? Support for gaming in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos? Game Pass access to literally hundreds of online games both old and new? A Custom Zen 2 CPU boasting 8x cores @ 3.8GHz? 1TB of internal storage that's expandable? And ports a plenty? You’ve got it, all for £480, complete with 1x Xbox Wireless Controller. Awesome, eh? But what if you want more?
Buy now £480.00, Argos
Sony PS5 Slim
Best for: Space-saving next-gen gaming
Considerably lighter and slightly less of a chunky monkey than the original PS5, the Slim now upgrades storage to 1TB to match the Xbox Series X, but that’s pretty much where the changes end. So, under the hood sits a Custom AMD Zen 2, 8-core/16 threads, 3.5GHz CPU, AMD RDNA 2, 10.3 teraflops, 2.23GHz GPU, 16GB of RAM and, in the disc-taking edition which I favour, an Ultra HD Blu-ray player (digital only edition also available), so everything even the most demanding next-gen gamer could command to indulge in 4K fun at up to 120fps, with HDR TV support for those with, well, HDR TVs, and backwards compatibility with over 4000 PS4 games.
Coming with 1x DualSense wireless controller, you’ll probably want to expand that controller empire to 2x in order to play nice with others, but I’ll come back to that in a moment.
The slender and slick alternative to the Xbox, featuring a physical design that has far more flair, the PS5 Slim offers an awful lot of gaming goodness. But can the experience be enhanced with the purchase of peripherals? What a silly question…
Buy now £470.00, Amazon
Nintendo Switch
Best for: All-round epic enjoyment
Launched way back in the carefree days of 2016, the only portable games console to have (so far) outsold the Nintendo Switch are Nintendo’s earlier DS and, earlier still, Game Boy and Game Boy Colour, which pretty much tells you all you need to know about the Big N’s untouchable reputation in this arena. And why is the Switch such a long-term love of gaming obsessives?
Simply because Nintendo called upon all its years of expertise when engineering it, ensuring it delivered on every demand portable players could ever ask straight out of the box and, basically, it has never been bettered.
So, what do you get in the box? Well, there’s the Switch Dock that allows you to hook the console up to your TV via HDMI (included) when not on the move, two Joy-Con controllers for ergonomic one-person play or Nintendo for two in TV or Tabletop mode, a Joy-Con grip, wrist straps, and an AC adapter. Then there’s the console itself: an NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor CPU-driven gaming powerhouse with stereo speakers, hidden behind a gloriously vibrant 6.2-inch LCD touchscreen display with a 1280 x 720-pixel resolution.
Games are accessed via the insertion of a Switch game card or over the ether using your Wi-Fi and a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online where, depending on the membership option, you can buy and play games both brand-new and timelessly classic. And when armed with enough entertainment to see out the Switch’s 4.5- to 9-hours of battery life (game demand dependent), you can roam free, relishing the epically immersive gameplay and instantly responsive controls as time ticks by almost utterly unnoticed.
Sound-wise, the stereo speakers are fine for home use, but a better audio experience can be achieved through Dock connection to the TV and – I can’t stress this enough – if playing publicly, I absolutely insist you use the 3.5mm jack port and stick on some noise-confining cans!
The uncontested king of portable consoles for all the reasons named above, even with rumours now circulating about the imminent arrival of a Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to the UK government’s Competition and Markets Authority playing fast and loose with info on Nintendo and Activision mid-February, until we see it, the original Switch’s crown remains secure.
- Play Modes: TV, Tabletop, Handheld
- Joy-Con Controllers: Included
- Nintendo Switch Dock: Output via HDMI cable in TV mode
- Size: 102 x 239 x 13.9mm
- Screen: 6.2-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1280 x 720-pixels
- Weight: Approx. 297g (With Joy-Con controllers attached: 398g)
- Storage: 32GB (expandable via microSD)
Buy now £292.50, Amazon
Nintendo Switch OLED
Best for: Switching on-the-go gaming right up
The big screen upgrade to Nintendo’s all-dominating Switch, offering a seven-inch endowment instead of the standard 6.2-inch, when word reached me from Nintendo’s PR that the OLED review model would be with me by a certain date, it was as though the planets had aligned. You see, in my days as a young wastrel, I burnt away day after day on my Nintendo 64 with the best game shoot ’em up ever made: Goldeneye. Based on the 1995 James Bond film of the same name, but with a multiplayer stage that was to die for, many attempts to replicate came and went over the years, each utterly failing to hit the target.
And so it came to pass, the very same day as the loan model was due in my hands, Nintendo was also releasing its remaster of Goldeneye in all its glory online, and I would be licenced to kill all my time all over again.
But before I get all bogged down in Bond, let’s get back to the gear. Pay attention, 007. So, what is the difference between the Switch and the Switch OLED that justifies the swell in price? Well, first and foremost, if you’re playing out and about and not tied to the TV via the Switch Dock, size matters, and that vibrant 7-inch screen makes all the difference; as does the improved audio, the increased internal storage and, for use in Tabletop mode, the far sturdier rear stand which stops it toppling over every time the train or plane you might be on gets over-enthusiastic.
Weighing in at 420g with the included Joy-Con controllers in place, the OLED feels solid and more than manageable in my massive man-hands, but if you’re Switch-shopping for more mini mitts, then the smaller Lite or standard Switch may prove better suited.
Gameplay is slicker than a freshly epilated eel, smooth and flowing, making everything from Mario Strikers Battle League Football to Splattoon 3 and, yes, Goldeneye time-crushingly immersive and a bucket-full of fun whether you play on the 7-inch display or on your TV via the included Switch Dock. But away from Docking-up, the upgraded speaker system on the OLED truly comes into its own, enhancing the whole experience, with audio not only benefitting from increased volume but also increased quality.
Do I love the Switch OLED? Yes, yes, I do. Do the nice people who set my copy-filing deadlines love the fact that I love the Switch OLED? No, no, I suspect not. But then, when it comes to testing kit of this calibre, acquainting myself with the latest of the Nintendo game batch or re-bonding with the classics, I have All the Time in the World.
- Play Modes: TV, Tabletop, Handheld
- Joy-Con Controllers: Included
- Nintendo Switch Dock: Output via HDMI cable in TV mode. LAN port for use in TV mode
- Size: 102 x 242 x 13.9mm
- Screen: 7-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen, 1280 x 720 pixels
- Weight: Approx. 320g (With Joy-Con controllers attached: 420g)
- Storage: 64GB (expandable via microSD)
Buy now £284.99, Amazon
Nintendo Switch Lite
Best for: The more casual game-getter
Bringing powerful portable gaming to the masses, the Switch Lite was launched at the latter end of 2019, offering much of the standard Switch’s abilities but at a much lower price-point, making it an ideal and affordable time-killer for those living in a country about to plunge itself into a series of lockdowns.
The smallest of the Switch trio it may be, but with a 5.5-inch LCD touchscreen display delivering all the brightness, vibrancy and contrast of its bigger siblings, the Lite is no lightweight. Okay, it’s for handheld use only and, as such, doesn’t come with a Switch Dock or Joy-Con controllers and only supports Nintendo’s Handheld mode games, but otherwise the Lite is just a more pocket-sized play on the original Switch, and most games are compatible anyway.
Weighing just 275g and featuring a battery life of anywhere between 3-7 hours depending on the power requirements of the games you play, the Switch Lite offers hours of comfortable play, although those with mightier meat hooks may suffer a little cramp after a while.
Also, appealing more to the gaming demographic that also errs on the side of ‘style’, the Switch Lite is available in a range of case coverings, some of which are just as bright as its display.
Smaller and slightly stripped back it may be, but still perfect in performance it undeniably is, the Lite is just ludicrously good gaming on the go.
- Colours: Blue, Coral, Grey, Yellow, Turquoise
- Play Modes: Handheld
- Size: 91.1 x 208 x 13.9mm
- Screen: 5.5-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1280 x 720-pixels
- Weight: Approx. 275g
- Storage: 32GB (expandable via microSD)
Buy now £199.00, Amazon
HP Omen 16-xd0001na
Best for: Gaming glory at an approachable price
Omens – they can be good or bad and, in the case of mid-70s psychological thrillers, even come in the format of a small boy with a ‘666’ tattoo and a propensity for doing bad. However, when it comes to HP, this Omen comes in the glorious satisfying shape of a slim and slick looking laptop that comes packed to the metaphorical rafters with gaming goodness.
First off, it’s got a 16.1-inch Full HD display (1920 x 1080-pixels), backed by a top-end refresh rate of 165Hz perfectly paired with a response time of 7ms, to assure you of stunningly sharp images and smooth play free from lag and all the delay that sucks the fun out of fast action play.
What’s more, it’s powerful too, boasting an 8 Core, 16 Thread AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor at its excitable heart, with a base clock of 3.8GHz and a boost clock up to 5.1GHz, which is power indeed. And this comes paired with an ultra-efficient NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB) GPU to throw amazing, gratuitous graphics at you like an enraged digital gorilla.
Now, all of this effort creates heat, which calls upon extra effort from the cooling fan and, ultimately, more annoying noise. Which is why the HP Omen 16 comes armed with Tempest Cooling technology which, without getting all bogged down, facilitates real-time cooperation between the laptop’s IR thermopile sensor and OMEN Dynamic Power to monitor GPU and CPU capacity, thus allowing the laptop to optimise power usage while reducing fan noise and boosting speeds.
Completing the perfect gameplay puzzle is AMD FreeSync tech, which synchronises the refresh rate with your GPU to make the stuff of display stutter and screen tears things you only had to fear in the past.
Coming complete with 16GB RAM and a capacious 1TB of storage, there are ports aplenty for all peripherals, plus Realtek Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 to keep you securely connected, while dual speakers with Audio by Bang & Olufsen and backed by DTS:X Ultra and HP Audio Boost elevate the sound (if you’re not using headphones, of course).
Finally, the Omen 16 features a full-size, 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard with 26-Key Rollover Anti-Ghosting Key technology and an HP Imagepad to keep your eyes firmly directed at the display at all action times.
Weighing a surprisingly light 2.36kg, the HP Omen 16 is not only particularly portable, it’s also oddly good looking too, with sleek minimalist lines and a ‘Shadow black’ finish that really makes that RGB keyboard pop.
A remarkable gaming laptop in all areas, at a price that brings it into the realm of ‘budget’ compared to most other options of its ilk, this is most definitely a damn good Omen.
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Display: 16.1-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- Refresh rate: 165Hz
- Response time: 7ms
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 8 GB
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 1TB
Buy now £1450.00, HP
Alienware M18
Best for: being the best
Right, let’s get serious. Alienware, as you probably know, is the gaming arm of Dell and, as you probably also know, no prisoners are taken in the design and build of its machines. As a prime example of that, I offer you Exhibit A: the M18.
This laptop is a work of flaming fast madness that brings you the whole desktop gaming PC experience wherever you wander. With a simply stunning 18-inch LCD QHD+ display delivering 2560 x 1600 pixels, a refresh rate of 165Hz and a response time of 3ms, this thing is unstoppable, throwing up flawless graphics that rip across the screen with the ease of a freshly oiled otter, making AAA gaming as immersive as imaginable.
At the M18’s heart is a powerful, high-end Intel Core i9 13900HX processor with 24 Cores and 32 Threads, paired perfectly with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU to place absolutely rip-snorting stupefying gaming right in your palm.
Running on Windows 11 Home, the review model came packing 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but the option to either half or double those depending on your dosh situation is also available. For me, I found this combination far more than ample and, frankly, stopped all thought of spec as I drifted off through the medium of the highly responsive AlienFX RGB backlit keyboard and multi-touch gesture touchpad into a reverie of utterly immersive play.
With stereo speakers doing a decent job of pumping a total of 4W, an impressive 1080p at 30fps FHD IR camera and dual-array microphones nailing communication, and a sizable battery for extended fun time, the M18 has the lot. Is it very, very expensive? You’re darn tootin’ it is. Is it an exceptional gaming laptop offering the pinnacle of performance for those who demand the very, very best? Without question.
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Display: 18-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600)
- Refresh rate: 165Hz
- Response time: 3ms
- CPU: Intel Core i9 13900HX
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 8 GB
- RAM: 32GB
- Storage: 1TB
Buy now £2098.99, Dell
Gigabyte G5
Best for: the best value gaming laptop on the market
Look, it’s not the flashiest bit of kit out there, but in terms of all-round value for money, the Gigabyte G5 simply cannot be beaten. For a new gaming laptop, the price point is surprisingly low, but it’s stuffed with the latest tech, including Nvidia's latest RTX 40-series card, which runs surprisingly well on the desktop's 1080p display. Plus, it’s stuffed to the gills with power: with a massive 75W GPU, most games will run smoothly and the controls are beautifully responsive. Our only tip? Given the laptop’s relatively small memory, it might be worth investing in a chunky SSD to go alongside it.
Buy now £979.97, Amazon
PS5 VR2 headset
Best for: VR fans
PlayStation has been trying to develop virtual reality tech of its own for a good few years now, and this year it finally delivered, debuting a VR2 headset that will eventually (it hopes) become the default way to game.
And in all fairness, it’s an impressive bit of kit: the graphics are crystal clear, it comes with its own built-in game (Horizon: Call of the Mountain) and it’s not that bulky.
Even better, when paired with the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback, it truly feels immersive in a way few other VR options do. If you’re looking to splash out, this is how.
Buy now £529.99, PlayStation
GameSir X2 Pro
Best for: Xbox antics on your Android
Yes, officially licenced by the Microsoft Xbox itself, have you ever wished you could have a console-quality gaming experience without an actual console? Ever wished that experience could take place on a piece of tech you already own, such as, oh I don’t know, your Android OS smartphone? Well, make your grateful sacrifice of choice to the Gods of Gaming and rest your eyes on this: the GameSir X2 Pro.
The first of two cool phone-converting console-creators I’ve over-fiddled with for this feature, this Xbox cloud-centric has a robustly reassuring build quality and features a spring-loaded action that gives even owners of obscenely sized smartphones to easily slide their blower into the midst of the X2 Pro, connecting it via USB-C and then you simply sign into either Xbox Cloud, Steam Link, Rainway or Moonlight to access all the console game goodness you could ever imagine.
Sized just nicely for the average human hands, everything you need to get to grips with the latest AAA games is perfectly positioned at your thumb tips, including Hall Effect analogue triggers, Alps 3D joysticks, Kailh microswitch bumpers, 2x mappable back buttons, all just like a true console control, plus textured rubber grips to stop the thing following out of your sweaty mitts when your gaming fervour gets too frenetic.
Coming complete with a robustly reinforced carry case with an additional pocket inside for accessories, and changeable convex and concave thumbstick caps to give complete controller comfort, the GameSir X2 Pro also features a pass-through charging that’s compatible with some phones. Finally, the absolute cherry on the icing on the top of the console gaming on-the-go cake for out-and-out exhibitionists, one-click capture lets you save, savour and share all your finest thumb-bashing moments.
A clever bit of kit that’s comfortable to use for far too long when other things need to be done without any hand-cramp creeping in. £80 for a portable gaming console? What’s not to love?
- Compatibility: Android 8.0 upwards
- Play Modes: Handheld
- Size: 184 x 8.5 x 3.7cm
- Screen: Dependent on phone
- Weight: 179g (without phone)
- Storage: N/A
Buy now £69.99, Amazon
Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED
Best for: Bells and whistles in abundance
Breaking out the big gun, the Fire TV Omni QLED is the crowning glory of Amazon’s Fire TV range and as such they’ve imbued it with an almighty 4K QLED (Quantum Dot LED) display with Full Array Dimming, a 60Hz fresh rate, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive and support for HDR10 and HLG for images with truly stunning colour, bright whites, deep, detailed darks, and clarity throughout. What’s more, thanks to a built-in ambient light sensor, whether your room of Omni choice is dowsed in darkness or bathing in brightness, the picture will always be automatically optimised for the conditions.
Now, this being the top dog of Amazon’s Fire TVs, the Omni QLED does not have a black plastic body, but rather a brushed dark metal frame that makes it look very fancy indeed and lends it a look of luxury that worth drawing attention to on this occasion as this frame is not just there to look pretty. No, thanks to the inclusion here of Fire TV Ambient Experience, when you’re not watching or gaming, you can transform your screen into a canvas for artwork, your photos, and any Alexa widgets you want to hand, which that frame then serves to, well, frame, obviously.
Sound here comes down to 2x 12W speakers which make more than a decent fist of firing out, but as with the 4-Series when it comes to hewing your dream home cinema, I’d take advantage of the Omni’s HDMI 2.1 eARC port to feed audio out to a sound bar or AV Receiver.
Naturally set-up remains the same as all the other models, but connections on the Omni comprise of 3x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.1 eARc, USB and Ethernet, so much to play with as you expand your AV entertainment empire.
Also able to operate as the hub of your smart home with a widget on-screen in Fire TV Ambient Experience mode and is also available via your voice thanks to the Omni having a built-in microphone so that Alexa can hear you whenever you need her/him to open your apps, turn your smart lights/heating/washing machine/etc. on or off, for those seeking to smarten their home up but without much of a clue where to start, start here.
So, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED: a thing of external and internal beauty that produces stunning 4K images thanks to ALL the UHD-achieving specs, has ports for all your peripherals, operates as a smart frame when not doing its TV tricks, and which can allow you to control the electric aspects of your house with a few words – I don’t know about you, but I’m sold.
Available in four sizes from 43 inches up to 65 inches, prices run from £550 to £1000.
- Sizes: 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-inch
- Display type: QLED
- Resolution: Ultra HD (4K)
- HDR format: HDR 10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive and HDR10+ Gaming
- Press & Ask Alexa: Yes
- Hands-free with Alexa: Yes
- Ports: 3x HDMI 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.1 eARC
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet
Buy now £849.99, Amazon
Accessories
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
An expensive wireless gaming headset, the Arctis Nova Pro offers broad connectivity, noise cancelling on both earcups and microphones, spatial audio compatibility, and an ingenious hot-swappable battery.
Probably best used to pinpoint enemies by their footsteps in games before gunning them down, but there is no reason why this can’t pull double duty between Call of Duty and your, um, duty to the boss over Teams.
Another all-black set that looks the part if you need to appear on video while wearing it, the earcups are covered on the outside with a magnetic panel that pops off to reveal a USB-C charging port on one side, and a removable battery on the other. It comes with two batteries, meaning you can have one on charge in the base station - which also manages connections and offers preset and EQ adjustment - while you use the other.
Soft, well-made and comfortable, the Arctis Nova Pro sounds great. It’s just a shame it’s so expensive.
Buy now £299.00, Amazon
PlayStation Pulse Elite
Best for: Keeping it in the family
Okay, the official PS5 headphones from PS itself will not be available until February 2024, but they are available for pre-order now and it would be remiss of me not to flag them up.
Firstly, they look sublime and quite unlike any other gaming cans currently on the market. Secondly, they come packing planar magnetic drivers and a lossless and lightning-fast PlayStation Link wireless connection for sound that’s second to none.
What’s more, the fully Pulse Elite’s retractable microphone features AI-enhanced noise rejection for crystal clear comms, and 30 hours of battery life will see you happy all day long.
Okay, pricey at £130, especially compared with the fine Trust GXT 498W Forta I messed about with earlier, but the Pulse spec sounds pretty sensational, so let’s see what February brings…
Buy now £130.00, Amazon
HyperX Cloud Alpha Blackout Edition
Best for: Hi-Res audio for hardcore gamers
Other than when I was a student and should have been in lectures, rather than sitting on my slovenly student backside playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the SNES, I spent most of my (so far) adult life not being a gamer. Then, back in late 2015, drunk on expendable income, I bought a PS4 and that was the end of my social life, save for bickering online with grown men who still live in their parent’s basement, possibly in Detroit.
However, what I quickly learnt was that decent quality gaming headphones were pretty much the order of the day if you didn’t want to spend far too much time shouting “Eh?” “Sorry?” “What was that again?” and the classic “No, I said stop shooting me!”
The cans I treated myself to were good, but over-shell-like tech has evolved much in the last nigh-on seven years, so slipping into the warm embrace of the HyperX Cloud Alpha Blackout edition was a fresh ear-opener.
Featuring a detachable boom mic with noise cancellation to ensure your dulcet tones are crystal clear and custom dual drivers that feature separate chambers for bass and combined mids and highs, the audio quality is nothing less than cinematic (also offered in 7.1 surround sound on PC), while in-line controls make it child’s play (even for a grown man) to alter the audio to suit the scenario.
Comfortable too, thanks to sizable, padded ear-cups featuring memory foam and a lovely light, expandable aluminium headband frame, these are an absolute must-have for the gamer with a soft-spot for slightly violent battle royale shoot-em-ups, as every word uttered online comes across in crisp, clear clarity and sound effects are right there in the room with you.
Compatible with PC, PS4, PS5, Switch and Android devices, if you want to up your gaming game, give yourself the tactical advantage, and have your in-game trash-talk delivered with a cutting clarity to rival even potty-mouthed Dwayne in, possibly, Detroit, then arm your ears with the HyperX Cloud Alpha Blackout edition – heck, even the name sounds ready to rumble.
- Connectivity: Detachable cable
- Drivers: 50mm neodymium
- Noise Cancelling: Yes
- Mic: Yes (Noise Cancelling, detachable)
- Weight: 374g
Buy now £88.99, Amazon
Scout Air True Wireless Earbuds
Best for: gamers on the go
Gaming isn’t always all about the massive consoles: it’s also about bringing out your smartphone and getting to grips with Football Manager or Pokemon Go. And to ensure you get the best out of your audio, a set of great wireless earbuds, optimised for gaming, is a must. Enter the Turtle Beach Scout Airs – compatible with mobile devices, PCs and the Nintendo Switch, they boast twenty hours of playback time and surprisingly good audio (though the mic is a tad muffled). Plus, the Turtle Beach app means you’ll be able to keep your eye on the battery life as you go.
Buy now £30.79, Amazon
Sony INZONE buds
Best for: upmarket earbuds for crystal-clear sound
Sony is one of the industry’s audio kings, so when they turn their hand to creating a good headset, then it’s time to sit up. The INZONE buds are designed to work with mobile, PC and consoles, and though it’s not a headset, the audio quality is surprisingly good, boasting 360 spatial sound, a noise cancelling feature and crystal-clear sound. With twelve hours of battery life (not bad) and a comfortable fit, they’re a must-buy if you’re looking to splash out.
Buy now £149.99, Amazon
Noblechairs Hero St Stormtrooper
Best for: The throne of your Xbox Empire
The Hero St Stormtrooper from Noblechairs is as good for an Xbox X as it is for a PS5. Stunning for Star Wars fans, not only does it look striking, but it’s also designed with your spine in mind, featuring adjustable lumbar support, 4D armrests to assure proper positioning, a memory foam headrest and a reclining mechanism that takes it to 125 degrees.
So, cool, comfortable and created to keep your limbs aligned even over excessive bouts of play, in all honesty, I plumped for this Storming option from Noblechairs’ wide range of seat-supporters as I’m a colossal Star Wars nerd myself (I even named my son Lucas), so I should probably point out that they also do equally awesome Darth Vader and Boba Fett themed options, should you fear the influence of the Stormtrooper will make you miss the target more often than hit it.
Buy now £430.00, Noblechairs
Logitech G x Herman Miller Embody
This is really going to put a strain on your wallet. Still, Herman Miller is a name that means something in the exciting world of office furniture, and it’s entirely possible that dropping the price of a new gaming PC on a chair is going to be seen as a reasonable investment by people who are going to sit in it all day, every day, and want the best for their buttocks.
It certainly looks the part, with its fully synthetic covering giving it an executive air. It also comes ready assembled, a rarity among gaming chairs. The high back and headrest that are the identifying features of a gaming chair are missing, and if it weren’t for the Logitech G logo stamped at the top of the chair’s backrest, you might pass it off as just another expensive office chair. Not so. Although based on HM’s Embody range of chairs, and keeping the ergonomic back shape, the gaming chair includes a new foam compound that should help keep players cool in the heat of the moment, and keep the settee more upright, as apparently, we like to slump more when typing than we do while shooting aliens.
Otherwise, the Embody has adjustable arms, a seat that can be slid back and forth, back adjustment that works with your spinal curve and keeps your head in the right place to engage with a monitor, and of course, a height adjuster so you can keep your feet flat on the floor. It’s a spectacular chair, but the price may keep it out of the reach of many.
Buy now £1570.00, Logitech
Logitech Playseat Challenge X
Best for: Brum brumming around
I’ve hardly touched on racing in this review round-up, which is odd considering just how much I enjoy hurtling around virtual tracks, often making my own tyre-screeching sounds and talking a bit like one of those blokes from the show previously known as Top Gear. However, whilst I always favour a proper gaming chair for my racing endeavours, I’ve never gone so far as investing in a true racing seat set-up… which was my long-term mistake.
Yes, in the course of finding fodder for this article, I was offered the chance to take the Logitech G Edition Playseat Challenge X for a test drive and I haven’t looked back (not even to reverse) since.
Lightweight and a breeze to assemble and disassemble (vital where space comes at a premium), the Challenge X adjusts to suit both your sitting and the sitting of the Logitech wheel and pedals and comes made from a special breathable material that keeps you comfy even during endurance racing.
Open access means you won’t have difficulty climbing in and out, helping those racers who, oddly, like to start each race with a Le Mans Start, as it used to be known.
An accessory of excellence for home racers of all abilities, the Logitech Playseat Challenge X is a fast track to racing game glory.
Buy now £259.00, Logitech
HyperX Alloy Core RGB
Best for: budget gaming keyboard
Shockingly not a mechanical keyboard, but HyperX’s Alloy Core uses a membrane design that helps keep the price down - and it offers a lot for an entry-level model.
It’s plastic underneath rather than metal, though its matt finish gives it a classy look, and serves as a perfect backdrop to the RGB lighting, which peeks out between the edges of the keys and across a horizontal bar at the top. The keys themselves are soft-touch and much quieter than the mechanical switches found on other gaming keyboards. They’re also spill-resistant, useful if you’re the sort to be careless with a venti latte.
While there are plenty of media control keys, the Alloy Core lacks programmable macro keys, and isn’t compatible with HyperX’s Ngenuity software, which is used for programming lighting effects and saving profiles. This means any changes to the lighting need to be carried out on the keyboard itself, holding down the Fn key and using the arrow keys to adjust brightness and switch between backlight modes and colours. It’s a hassle compared to keyboards that offer software customisation, but for a simple keyboard designed to be used out of the box, it does the job.
Buy now £34.99, Argos
Logitech G915 Lightspeed
Best for: wireless gaming keyboard
A wireless gaming keyboard is a rare thing - many have large power demands or offer USB passthrough and charging that requires a wired power and data connection. They’re also designed to be left on your desk rather than moved around, so wirelessness doesn’t matter.
Logitech clearly thinks differently, as the G915 Lightspeed is a proper gaming keyboard, with a choice between linear, clicky and tactile switches of the brand’s own design, and is completely wireless. There's a smaller TKL version too, though with its low-profile chassis, the original is hardly the largest keyboard out there - the lack of an integrated wristrest helps keep the size down.
The chassis is plastic, but with a metal-effect layer on top, and the keys and switches are very thin, fitting in with the overall aesthetic. There's a row of macro keys and some media control keys, including a volume roller, and it can all be programmed using the Logitech HUB software, which also handles the RGB light show. Around the back, there's an on/off switch and a micro USB port for charging. It wirelessly communicates with a receiver that plugs into a spare USB port on your PC or can use Bluetooth.
Being ultra-thin, you only get 2.7mm of travel from the keys, which activate after 1.5mm (the linear switches require the full 2.7mm) with a force of 50g, so it’s possible to bottom out the keys and add an additional thump to the click (if you chose the clicky switches). Every new keyboard requires a period of getting used to, and the G915 Lightspeed repays this honeymoon with a solid gaming and typing experience.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon
PlayStation 5 DualSense Edge Wireless Controller
Best for: customisation options
If the DualSense doesn’t quite cut it for you, then how about trying out the upgraded version, the DualSense Edge?
In terms of battery life, appearance and even haptic feedback, it’s just as good as its predecessor – but there are a few extra perks too, including textured thumb sticks, customisable buttons and rear paddles that can be added, swapped around or taken off to suit your gameplay style.
The only downside? With controllers starting from £150 upwards, they’re not cheap.
Buy now £198.98, Amazon
Xbox Wireless Controller
Best for: purists
The official Xbox controller goes for about £55, but you can often pick it up for less. It’s a great all-rounder, is wireless, and you’ll have the advantage of knowing you’re using a first-party item that’s probably not going to go wrong in an interesting way. It uses plain old AA batteries, from which you can get about 44 hours of use, and it will hook up to a PC via Bluetooth too. Microsoft’s pad might not be exciting, but it’s got years of development behind it, and can feel great to use.
Buy now £55.00, Amazon
8BitDo Arcade Stick
Best for: old-school gaming
This is meant to be a list of budget controllers, but for an arcade stick, this is cheaper than most. It offers both wired and wireless modes thanks to a USB dongle, and if you’re getting good at games such as Street Fighter or Tekken, it might be exactly what you’re looking for. Arcade sticks mimic the feel of a coin-op cabinet, and can be more comfortable as well as offering speed advantages from the larger joystick and programmable buttons.
Buy now £99.00, Amazon
Venom Twin Charging Dock
Best for: Double the pleasure
So, earlier I offered up the wired controller from Advantage as an excellent alternative to the rechargeable option that may abruptly end play when the battery inevitably demands charging attention. Well, now here is another option: the Twin Charging Dock from Venom.
It’s a slick-looking if simple enough idea – have two wireless controls and keep them docked on this when not in use. Featuring 2x 850Mah rechargeable battery packs, now you can guarantee power in the palm of your hands, swiftly juiced up and each providing up to 15 hours of gameplay off one full charge.
Designed, as you can see, to fit nicely with the Xbox’s strong look and available in a range of colours, LED displays upfront show power levels, a detachable 2m USB cable allows for flexible placement, while, handily, an additional rear USB port lets you connect tother power-hungry kits.
An obvious addition to any gaming set-up, at only £20 the Venom becomes a must-have.
Buy now £20.00, Amazon
Corsair ST100
Best for: Hot headphone hanging
Hang your gaming headphones with pride between sessions with the stunning ST100 stand from Corsair. Featuring premium aluminium construction, not only does this cans carrier come with customisable RGB lights to add to the coolness, but it also offers full-range stereo or 7.1 surround sound for an immersive, multi-channel audio experience via a 3.5mm input, while dual USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A Ports provide improved charging power and faster data speeds for your headset and other smart stuff.
With a rubberised base that keeps the whole shebang stable, the Corsair ST100 keeps your headphones safe from any and all sudden gravity-induced shocks.
Buy now £60.00, Amazon
Games
Nintendo Switch Sports
Screen meets sports in this Nintendo Switch game that can get the whole family involved and get competitive. There are six sports; tennis, bowling, chambara (where you use a sword to knock your opponent off a platform), football, badminton and volleyball which recreate the real thing in your living room. Get up, get active and use the Joy-Con controllers as your batt, foot and racket.
Buy now £31.99, Amazon
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Best for: one of the best stories in gaming
This third-person fantasy RPG first arrived in 2015, but time hasn’t dulled its edge, and it looks good thanks to a visual upgrade that was released in 2022. Based on the fantasy fiction of Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, which has also received the Netflix treatment starring Henry Cavill, the game’s hero Geralt is a Witcher, a mutant monster hunter who makes a living killing the mythological creatures that threaten the inhabitants of The Continent. He’s tasked with finding the last heir to an ancient Elven bloodline, who is being relentlessly stalked by the Wild Hunt, but finds himself getting caught up in all kinds of other trouble along the way.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
Elden Ring
Best for: fantasy role-playing
With its expansion pack Shadow of the Erdtree now available, Elden Ring is a sprawling action RPG from the studio behind the Dark Souls games, with worldbuilding provided by Game of Thrones’ George R R Martin. The game revolves around your emergence into the Lands Between as a Tarnished, then exploring and becoming more powerful until you can challenge the gods of the world itself.
It’s a hard game, as all FromSoftware titles tend to be, but it’s never unfair, and the open-world structure gives you plenty of opportunity to regroup after a failure, become stronger, and try again.
Buy now £37.95, Playstation
God of War Ragnarok
Best for: father/son relationship building
Kratos, once a Greek god and a part of PlayStation history since 2005, has somehow ended up in ancient Scandinavia with a son, but prophecy and mythical creatures won’t leave him alone. In this game he confronts the end of the world, or at least the Viking version of it, having already killed the son of Odin in the previous PS4 title. It’s a blockbuster action game with plenty of bloody fights and enormous monsters, but also exploration, puzzle solving, and some fatherly advice for a young man’s journey into adulthood.
Buy now £60.02, John Lewis
The Last of Us Parts One and Two Remastered
Best for: top-quality writing
Two games really, but the story of Ellie and Joel and their journey through a mournful, ruined world populated by fungus-infected zombies and angry survivors of a civilisation-ending pandemic is one story. Adapted by HBO for its streaming service, The Last of Us is a great story that features some of the best writing in video games, and if you can take the violence and horror at its heart is a tale that will stay with you once experienced.
Buy now £45.00, Amazon
