The Best Gifts for Gamers, From Retro Handhelds to Gear Upgrades
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Casual button mashers and future e-sports players alike will appreciate an upgraded gaming experience. Whether they play Grand Theft Auto V, Valheim, Minecraft or Roblox (or any of the thousands of other games out there) on a desktop, laptop or tablet, help your favorite gamer improve their setup with a new headset, keyboard, mouse, chair and other accessories that’ll add extra comfort and style to their setup — not to mention help boost their screen quality and speed.
From easy gift card options that don’t require shipping and nostalgic devices, to the latest consoles for those who’ve been on the Extra Nice List, we’ve rounded up more than 10 of the best gifts for gamers below. Looking for more options? Check out more from The Hollywood Reporter‘s holiday gift guides, including treats for techies.
1. Nintendo Switch OLED with White Joy-Con
If your giftee doesn’t mind waiting until after the holiday, hands-down one of the best gifts for gamers is the coveted Nintendo Switch OLED, which is back in stock on Amazon. The new model boasts a larger and brighter touch screen, a docking station with an ethernet port and Joy-Cons in new colors. (The original console is also in stock too.)
Buy: Nintendo Switch OLED with White Joy-Con $405.00
2. Homall Gaming Chair
The Homall Gaming Chair looks sleek with its monochrome leather design, lumbar support and an ergonomic adjustable swivel. It also has a headrest, which is perfect for adjusting posture while playing computer games, watching shows, working or simply resting. It’s got style and function, plus it’s on sale for 30 percent off on Amazon for a limited time, bringing the price to under $100.
Buy: Homall Gaming Chair $99.99
3. Redragon S101 Wired RGB Backlit Gaming Keyboard and Mouse
Upgrade their PC gaming station with Redragon’s S101 wired gaming keyboard and mouse combo, which feature ergonomic and backlit designs suited for those long hours. The keyboard has seven RGB light modes and effects, four brightness levels and adjustable breathing speed, while the extremely responsive mouse can be adjusted from 800 to 3200 DPI and has six buttons (five can be programmed).
Buy: Redragon S101 Wired Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo RGB Backlit Gaming Keyboard $35.98
4. “I Paused My Game to Be Here” T-Shirt
Not all of the best gifts for gamers are high-tech gear. Button mashers will find humor in this “I Paused My Game to Be Here” unisex shirt, which comes in three colors and is made in the U.S. from a comfy cotton and polyester blend.
Buy: 'I Paused My Game to Be Here' T-Shirt $17.95
5. GameStop Gift Card
One of the best gifts for gamers is a GameStop gift card, which comes in a physical or digital version in increments of $25, $50 or $100 and other custom amounts. These gift cards have no expiration date and can be used at U.S. GameStop stores and on GameStop.com. If you prefer to have your gift in-hand with guaranteed delivery by Christmas, Amazon offers next-day Prime shipping on $50 and $100 cards.
GameStop Gift Card
6. Dark Matter by Monoprice 27-Inch Gaming Monitor
Monoprice’s Dark Matter 27-inch gaming monitor has incredible color performance and speed. It offers vibrant 1920x1080p resolution and a refresh rate of 240Hz, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and AHVA panel that provides incredible viewing angles. It also offers two HDMI connections and a USB Type‑C video input.
Buy: Monoprice Dark Matter 27-inch Gaming Monitor $349.99
7. PacMan Ghost Light Table Lamp
Every PacMan player has dreamt of chasing those little white pellets and running away from pesky ghosts — and they can keep Blinky, Inky, Pinky and Clyde by their bedside or gaming room table with this playful color-changing light. The eight-inch lamp has 16 hues that change with the beat of your music.
Buy: PacMan Ghost Light Table Lamp $29.99
8. Logitech G Pro X Gaming Headset
This surround-sound Logitech G Pro X Gaming Headset is a great gift for the gamer who wants durable, noise-canceling headphones. It offers positional, distance and object awareness during gameplay so wearers feel immersed in the gaming experience. It’s marked off by 27 percent, so it comes in at under $100.
Buy: Logitech G PRO X Gaming Headset $94.99
9. Mackie CR StealthBar Desktop PC Soundbar with Bluetooth
Give the gift of great sound with Mackie’s CR StealthBar desktop PC soundbar. The compact Bluetooth speaker fits under most computer monitors and is equipped with the audio brand’s stellar acoustic design and tuning. This soundbar gives your gamer crystal-clear, punchy sound, ideal for gaming, music production and content creation.
Mackie CR StealthBar Desktop PC Soundbar with Bluetooth
10. Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition
Want to give the gift of nostalgia? Check out Nintendo’s NES Classic Edition and transport back to the 1980s. It comes with no hassle and incredible style — the original look and vibe, only smaller and sleeker (and no need to blow on cartridges). It even comes preloaded with 30 classic games, including Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Pac Man, Dr. Mario, Mega Man, Final Fantasy and more.
Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition
11. PlayStation Gift Card
Whether they were lucky enough to score the PS5 or they have an existing Sony console, help them upgrade their library with a PlayStation gift card for $25 to $100. If you shop at Target, you’ll get 15 percent off one gaming gift card when you buy another through Dec. 18.
PlayStation Gift Card
12. WD_Black P10 2 TB Portable External Hard Drive
GPU upgrades are hard to come by these days, thanks to a rise in pandemic gaming and delays in production and shipping. The next best thing might just be a portable external hard drive, like Western Digital’s WD_Black P10 HD that’s available in storage options ranging from 1 GB to 5 TB. Though it won’t make their computer faster (a new graphics card or more memory will do that), it’ll help free up space and improve loading speeds on their computer, Xbox or PlayStation 4 or 5, while giving them extra room for new games (or for keeping old ones).
Buy: WD_Black P10 Portable External Hard Drive $72.99
13. Retroid Pocket 2 Handheld Retro Gaming System
Retroid’s Pocket 2 handheld emulator is a great throwback and an upgrade for any gamer interested in a new take on a classic. It comes in indigo, retro, orange and blue, and has an HDMI connection so gamers can easily connect to your screen or take your favorite games on the go.
Buy: Retroid Pocket 2 Handheld Retro Gaming System $119.99
14. Steam $100 Wallet Card
A Steam wallet card is ideal for the gamer interested in discovering new games and challenges on the online-only platform for PC, Mac and Linux. Available as physical or digital gift cards and in amounts from $20 to $100, the funds can be used to buy games, software, Valve hardware and other items in the Steam store. If you’re an existing Steam player, you can also contribute to a friend or family member’s Steam account directly through the platform’s store.
Steam Wallet Card
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