There are lights strung up on the houses of my street, there are festively decorated displays at retail stores, and the slow shift in music on the radio all signal it is once again that time of year.
I have a love/hate relationship with winter. Bitter cold mornings, slippery road conditions, and the air biting at my face come to mind immediately, but they fade just as quickly when I think about the things I enjoy about the arrival of December.
Being a gamer you can imagine how thrilled I am spending time indoors on cold days. Just me, 16oz of coffee, and a dungeon to raid, or princess to save, or best time to beat – you get the idea.
This is also the time of year we get to celebrate Jesus’ birth and gather with family & friends and celebrate the life we have in Christ. If your holiday experience is anything like my own you likely have a few good meals to look forward to, you’ll spend time with immediate or extended family, and you’ll wake up on Christmas morning to exchange gifts. With that last activity in mind, I thought I could serve my fellow men/readers with a few gift ideas for the gamer in the family. These ideas range from $15-200+ so there should be something for every budget whether you’re looking for a large item or simply a stocking stuffer.
Kontrol Freeks
Kontrol Freek is a brand of thumbstick extensions that allow for greater control of movement/aiming. For FPS games the added height reduces the thumbstick sensitivity to small movements making it easier to precisely position your reticle for those critical hits. There are a broad range of extensions for basically any kind of game genre. At $14.99 these definitely won’t break the bank and are game-changers (pun intended). These can be purchased directly from Kontrol Freek or Amazon.
Surround Sound Headphones
When it comes to gaming, audio is a massive part of the experience. I cannot count how many times I got the jump on an opponent simply because I heard him approaching before I saw him.
While there are many brands to choose from I personally recommend the Turtle Beach Recon or Stealth series, especially for consoles. These come in both wired and wireless models and range from $50-$167. These are available in-store at Walmart and online directly from Turtle Beach or Amazon. For my PC gaming friends, I recommend the Logitech G Pro wireless headphones. My rival choice is the HyperX Cloud 2’s. Both are between $150-$200.
RGB strip lighting
There’s nothing like adding a little bit of style to your entertainment station like RGB lighting. These are available in self adhesive strips which can be attached to basically anything. You can run them along the back of a desk for a pop of color or outline your entire gaming setup. Because the lights are programmable you can set them to any color or brightness you wish allowing you to truly customize your space. Online these are available from multiple sellers for as little as $15 for 16ft.
Headphone/Controller docks
Finally, there are docking stations for all your gaming accessories. Headphone stands are an easy way to make a gaming setup more organized and tidy. These can come with charging ports or can be as simple as a small hook, pricing varies however most start around $20. For controller docks, I highly recommend one that charges your controllers while they are docked. This allows you to be fully charged every time you sit down to play. These are available at major retailers like Walmart or Best Buy or online usually around the $40 mark.
Hopefully, these helped you with some shopping ideas. Buying for a gamer can be tricky seeing as there are a million games/accessories out there, it can get overwhelming. These are about as surefire as it gets when it comes to “gamer must haves”. God bless and enjoy this holiday season.
Happy Gaming!
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