Gamers Want Awesome Gifts Too

Gifts for Gamers

Gamers Want Awesome Gifts Too

Today I will be giving you some insights on the things you have to keep in mind when searching for that perfect gift for the gamer in your life.

Gaming is becoming increasingly popular and considering a gift is sometimes ignored because you are just too confused about what is good and what is not.

Gaming these days is not just for kids, many of our husbands, wives and kids are gamers now so naturally a great gift idea would be some cool gaming gear and accessories. Especially considering that some serious gamers have entire gaming rooms which are setup to their own style and preferences.

However deciding on what to get can be a daunting task. A gift in most cases is meant to be a surprise, so how do you decide on which gear and accessories to get for their gaming room or setup?

Asking them is out of the question because it just ruins the surprise and no one wants that. Today I will try and arm you with the tools you need to be creative in your choice of gaming gift yet confident that your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, kids and whoever they might be, will love it!

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! I will do my best to keep it simple and understandable.

Budget:

Obviously this should be your first thought. All gaming enthusiasts want to have the best stuff, accessories and gear but few can afford it especially as a gift. However you can find a great gift without going broke

-       Which Gaming Platform: Console, PC, Handheld?

So you want to get a new gaming system, awesome! First consider what your beloved gamer likes or do you want to give them an upgrade?

Console Gaming

Most of you have seen these around and most probably also played on one, do you remember what it’s called? Never mind, there are a few and I promised to make this easy.

 Sony PlayStation

Well known and loved around the world. They boast with high performance graphics and system stability as well as some of the best games on the market which is exclusive to the Sony Playstation Platform. A serious contender for your consideration

Although the most expensive option for console gaming, in my opinion, is that their quality is unmatched and will last for a long time if you take care of it.

Gaming accessories and gear for PlayStation has very few generic products available and so buying stuff like, headphones, controllers, hard drives etc can get rather pricey.

Xbox 

This too is a serious contender. Driven by Microsoft and launched in November 2001. They also have an impressive console and because of its Microsoft heritage you can expect great quality. This platform also has exclusive games in its arsenal

Buying accessories and gear for the Xbox is not cheap when deciding on their proprietary products but because of its heritage you can easily use generic gaming accessories due to its wide ranging compatibility.

Wii

The Wii platform can be great fun for the entire family. Wii focuses on what some may call true interactive gaming. From bowling, tennis and just about any sport you can think of can be played on this console.

Your body is part of the game and controller which has the obvious health benefits of physical activity and exercise while still having a blast with friends and family of all ages. The most social option by far.

PC Gaming

Definitely the most expensive option when the actual gaming PC is your perfect gift idea. Don’t despair, you can still get some of the best gifts for a PC gamer.

Without ruining the surprise by asking what they have, buying internal PC component upgrades is not recommended.

I suggest buying gaming accessories and gear instead. There are so many options that finding awesome gaming gadgets and merchandise is a sure win when it comes to gifts.

Check out some of the stuff you need to know when choosing a great gift.

Monitor

In order to be considered a gaming monitor it must have a low response rate. In gaming, response time is crucial for gaining the upper hand. The faster you can see changes on your screen the faster you can react. When it comes to gaming, speed is everything!

Keyboard

Again response time is important for obvious competition crushing reasons. They come in a range of sizes and designs with most gaming keyboards being backlit by RGB lights. Really cool gift for gamers.

Mechanical Keyboard: Their fast response time on key presses and less risk of hitting the wrong key at critical moments is exactly what every gamer needs. Even though on the expensive side, for keyboards that is, they make a great gift.

Gaming Keyboards: Just like normal keyboards but these have assignable keys. These keys are usually easy to reach and allow gamers to program a combination of keystrokes into a single button.

Wireless keyboard: Even though extremely convenient, for gaming, these are more of a pain than they are worth. The reason for this is simple. Batteries go flat and bam game over. Wireless also has a longer response time than a direct cable connection and anything that negatively impacts overall reaction time is bad for gaming.

Mouse

Easily one of the best gaming gifts. Choosing a good mouse is a wide ranging topic in itself but I will do my best not to drag on about it. Take the following factors into consideration.

DPI: Dots Per Inch which is a measure of its sensitivity and also the main factor to consider when deciding on the perfect gaming mouse. Ranging from 200 - 5000 DPI you might be confused about what this means.

Easy, let me explain. Lower numbers are used by gamers who prefer accuracy over reaction time as you have to move the mouse further due to the slower mouse pointer speed. Giving more accuracy to land the perfect shot.

Conversely, higher numbers lean more towards speed and reaction time, a little flick of your wrist will move the mouse pointer across the entire screen.

CPI: This is less talked about but very important, especially for pro gamers or those wanting be pro. CPI refers to Counts Per Inch which means it is the number of times the mouse reports its exact position per inch that it moves.

This is really important for pro gamers because the more times a mouse reports its new position the more accurate they can be, if they have the skills of course.

If budget is tight you may also consider gaming mouse pads. They are generally much bigger than the ones you are used to and have some stunning designs.

Audio

You should consider both of these options carefully as they have very different pros and cons. Oftentimes pro gamers win games simply by being aware of their environment with great sound that helps to locate their foes.

Headphones: With thousands of choices it can be hard to find what you need and a lot of you might not really understand the stats advertised on the boxes.

Comfort should also be high on your list of headphone benefits because as a gamer and especially an aspiring pro gamer or streamer you will be wearing it a lot so keep this in the forefront of your decision making process.

Microphone is also very important for competitive gamers or streamers and all decent gaming headsets will have them built in.

Gaming online most often requires teamwork and having a good mic is essential for communicating clearly with team members.

Surround Sound: You should be familiar with this, just like a home theatre has a system of speakers ranging from big to small and always use terms like 5.1 & 7.1 & 11.1.

The first number refers to how many front, back and side speakers there are while the last number refers to the sub-woofer.

Now you have the tools to choose the perfect gaming gift. Remember that gamer accessories and gear is a valuable part of the experience and will always be a great gift choice.

Till next time

Game Gear Geek