Nothing quite says the holidays like having some time to game, so if you know someone who does, this short gift guide is for them.
The most wonderful time of the year typically means a little bit of downtime, and that’s great news if you happen to like to game, or even if the person you’re buying for likes to, as well.
Video games and PC games can be a great way to unwind, and given how many public holidays we get over the holiday period, plus how many places close up for that time, it means a gaming gift can be used in the way it was intended.
Rip open the gift wrap and get to gaming, and good luck seeing that person again for the rest of the holidays!
If someone you’re buying for qualifies for that, here are some gaming options to grab them and make them happy this holiday season.
Prepaid gaming cards
Price: from $20
The easiest gift for any gamer this holiday season comes in the form of a prepaid gift card, specifically for a gaming service they might use.
For instance, if they have an Xbox, grab an Xbox gift card, and if they have a Switch, grab a Nintendo one. If they have a PlayStation, grab a gift card for Sony’s PlayStation network, and if they can’t stop talking about their PC, grab one for Steam.
Giving the gift of a gaming gift card may seem a touch impersonal, but it’s also easy, because you’re letting them decide what they want to game with.
Logitech G305 gaming mouse
Price: $99
PC gamers tend to need a mouse with quick reaction times, and while a corded model will almost always be better, sometimes going wireless is seen as the better bet.
Logitech’s G305 aims to find a middle ground, cutting the cords, offering solid battery life, and keeping costs down, handy for a gift for PC gamers.
Backbone for Android/iPhone
Price: $139
Everyone owns a phone, and some of us do some great gaming with that phone. But if you have hardware to make that experience better, it’s an improved experience.
Backbone has gaming controllers for both the new USB-C iPhone and Android devices in the USB-C Backbone One, plus the old iPhone in the Lightning Backbone One, and each work the same way: snap your phone into the controller and it instantly wraps PlayStation-style controls around your phone, transforming it into a mobile game console of sorts.
It’s excellent and we’ve loved every version we’ve reviewed.
HyperX Cirro Buds Pro
Price: $159
Gaming earphones aren’t quite the same as other earphones, thanks in part for the need to be low latency, meaning the speed at which sound comes to the earphones isn’t held back by lag as you game.
That instant delivery between what you see on screen and what you hear makes wireless gaming earphones that little bit different, and it’s what makes HyperX’s Cirro Buds Pro a little different to our regular noise cancelling earphone choices.
However, these buds aim to deliver active noise cancellation for gamers, as well, working with the Switch, phone, PC and Mac.
Any gaming chair
Price: from $239
An area of significant growth over the past few years, gaming chairs are like office chairs, only they’re built to be comfortable for long periods of time. They typically come with slopes to make them easy to push your back into, armrests to lean on, and colourful stripes that mean they’re going to be a little cooler in a bedroom than your standard office model.
Every chair is different, for sure, but they all come with one obvious point: they make for a massive present because they all come in a massive box. That alone can make them a very interesting holiday gift under the tree, or probably alongside it given how big the boxes tend to be.
Nintendo Switch Lite
Price: $329
Not every gamer has a Switch, but it’s one of those portable consoles gamers adore.
The Switch Lite is a little different from the Switch you can get with removable and interchangeable controllers on the side, and these ones come built in, but the system is also highly portable with built-in controllers on the side, and can use all the other games made for what is easily one of Nintendo’s most popular consoles.
Sony Playstation 5 or Xbox Series S/X
Price: from $699
The next generation systems may have been ticking around for a couple of years now, but not everyone has one, and there’s a good reason why: aside for being a little on the exy side, they also weren’t plentiful in stock.
That has changed, and now you can pick up either a PS5 or Xbox Series S or X pretty easily, making it a handy gift if you know someone who wants one, but hasn’t managed to grab it yet.
Asus ROG Ally
Price: $1299
One of our favourite gaming systems and computers this year, buying the ROG Ally for someone is like buying them a computer… because that’s exactly what it is. But it’s also a computer made specifically for gaming.
Every PC gamer will have a collection of games they’ve never finished, likely on Steam, and the Asus ROG Ally lets you bring those with you in a fantastic portable PC that really delivers.
