No matter how many times you tell yourself, “I’m going to start Christmas shopping early,” it’ll be mid-December before you know it, and you’ll have zero presents for Santa to put under the tree. Thankfully, with every family having a PC gamer, we have you covered with our list of the top Christmas gifts for gamers or perhaps someone who’s getting a brand new gaming PC under the tree.
Xbox Game Pass Subscription
Price: £7.99/Month
One thing any gamer will appreciate is more games! With Steam and Epic Games leading the charge with online game stores (where you pay for each release), Microsoft has swept in with a pretty fantastic alternative. Xbox Game Pass offers a Netflix-esque subscription service that gives players over 100 games. These aren’t second-rate games either; the service provides big-name titles like the entire Halo, Doom, and Fallout series, as well as recent critical hits like Hades and Psychonauts.
For a long time, many Xbox games were exclusive to their console. With Game Pass, PC gamers have immediate access to the latest Microsoft releases on the day they come out. Any PC gamer would be over the moon to have this many games to play, so add an Xbox Game Pass subscription to your Christmas list!
Blue Yeti USB Microphone
Price: £92.00
Anyone playing online has had to deal with another person using a lousy microphone that causes ear-piercing feedback. Any avid online gamer will appreciate the gift of a good quality microphone like the Blue Yeti. The Blue Yeti is a studio-quality microphone that easily plugs into your computer through a USB cable and even comes with its stand. Plus, it comes with a headphone jack on the bottom, so you can plug in your choice of earphones or headphones for whatever you find most comfortable.
A good quality microphone is something many people forget, which makes something like the Blue Yeti a great Christmas gift for gamers. It gives a rich and clear sound for when you’re chatting with your mates online while playing multiplayer games. It has such a good sound that if you’re looking to become a professional, podcaster, streamer, or even singer, you can use the Blue Yeti to achieve professional-sounding results.
Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses
Price: £36.00
With the amount of time we all spend looking at screens, everyone could benefit from a pair of Blue Light Blocking Glasses. These ease the strain your eyes get from looking at screens all day by blocking out the blue light that screens produce. For any PC gamer who’s prone to a few too many early morning hour gaming sessions: these glasses can help you get a better night’s sleep.
Not only do they help with sleeping and headaches, but they look fashionable too! If you’re a gamer who would rather not be a night owl, then these glasses are something to ask Santa for.
Logitech G703 Mouse and PowerPlay Mouse Mat
Price: Bundled together for £183.98
This mouse and mousepad combo is the perfect Christmas gift for gamers who need to declutter their desk space. The PowerPlay mouse mat allows a wireless mouse like the Logitech G703 to play infinitely without the need to change or charge any batteries. Not only that, but the cutting-edge technology has zero input lag when you’re in the middle of an intense competitive online game.
While it’s quite a pricey combo of gifts, it can be great for a gamer who could use a few fewer wires, making a cluttered mess at the back of their PC. The quality of the product can’t be denied, and if you’re a big competitive online gamer, this mouse setup is made for you.
Oculus Quest 2
Price: £299
The future of gaming is here! Virtual reality (VR) devices are starting to hit the mainstream market, and the Oculus Quest 2 is many gamers’ go-to pick. The headset is ready to play VR games once you strap it onto your head; no PC required! It’s completely wireless, too, meaning you can feel even more immersion since you don’t have to worry about tripping over any wires. You purchase your games through the Oculus store (integrated into the headset) that has VR experiences based on big-name franchises like Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR story to critically acclaimed VR exclusives such as Beat Saber and Asgard’s Wrath.
However, being locked to the Oculus store does stop you from playing huge VR titles on the Steam store like Half-Life Alyx. There is an optional Oculus Link Cable that links your Quest 2 to your PC so you can play any VR game currently on the market. The problem is, the Link Cable adds £89 to the already expensive VR headset. The future of gaming doesn’t come cheap, but it’s a whole new gaming experience that would make an excellent gift for any gamer.
Gigabyte G27F Gaming Monitor
Price: £225.40
A good monitor means everything when you’re gaming. The better the monitor’s resolution and frame rate, your game will look and play. The Gigabyte G27F gaming monitor provides impressive performance at a reasonable price compared to its competitors. The screen is 27 inches, displays at 1080p, and can reach 144 frames per second. This is the perfect gift for gamers looking to upgrade their monitor.
8Bitdo SN30 Pro Controller
Price: £33.50
If you’re a gamer that has a passion for the classics, then this is the perfect gift for you! Tons of the biggest indie games harken back to a retro gameplay style from Cuphead to Hollow Knight. These 2D games always benefit from being played with a retro-styled controller. 8BitDo’s SN30 Pro controller is the perfect controller for these games. The controller’s directional pad makes any 2D game feel so much better, plus it’s equipped with two joysticks and extra shoulder buttons so it can be used to play any current game release.
Starting your Christmas shopping early
It’s always good to be prepared for the gifting season! These are some of the best gifts for gamers for this year. Some of them may be a bit pricey, so settle on one and keep an eye on your budget if you can fit another onto the Christmas list. We hope these gift ideas make a happy holiday for any gamer!