Everyone has a gamer in their lives—someone who loves to spend their leisure time battling monsters or building fantasy lands in the cloud somewhere. The most dedicated gamers play out the action on specialist PCs. No console or smart device comes near a PC when it comes to processing power or graphic quality. This top-quality kit does not come cheaply, so what on earth can you buy them as a Christmas gift that will meet their expectations?
Making a list and checking it twice
You probably are not thinking of forking out for a new gaming PC for this special person. But, if you are, you really need to make sure you know what you are buying will fit the bill. You will need to consider all kinds of specifications, including the graphics card, CPU, memory, hard drive, motherboard, optical drive, cooling and power supply. And, of course, that’s before you even think about the monitor and speakers! A PC gamer will probably have done their research, so it might be a good idea to ask them if they have made a list. If they have, check it twice before committing your cash.
Find out their top games
However complex the hardware set-up is, everyone has their favourite game, and most games now offer excellent merchandise to complement the whole gaming experience. So find out what your gamer’s preferred titles are. Do they enjoy playing FIFA 2022 while dreaming of England winning the world cup in Qatar? Or are they battling the never-ending bosses in Elden Ring? Are they more of a slots wizard who likes to spend their time trying to beat the popular slots with the highest RTP? Or do they have hankerings for an easier life as a Pokémon trainer?
Match up the merchandise
Whatever their chosen playing style, there is excellent game-specific merchandise to choose from. What about a heat-sensitive Pikachu mug or a Fortnite reversible duvet cover? Elden Ring fans have plenty to choose from, including t-shirts and figurines. Or what about searching out a desktop slot-machine moneybox for the gamer who enjoys a flutter?
Don’t be specific
If you aren’t sure what their favourite title is, there are plenty of generic gamer gifts. For example, Amazon has pyjamas with the slogan “I paused my game to be here” printed on the t-shirt.
Pop Heads
The large pop-head collectable figurines are all the rage at the moment. With oversized features and gigantic heads, Halo’s Master Chief would be a welcome addition to any gamer’s room. In addition, there are several Pokémon models in this range as well.
Switch on to Twitch
If your gamers’ aspirations include becoming a streaming superstar, they might be thinking of starting to broadcast their skills through Twitch. They might even fancy themselves as a future eSports champion. Of course, everyone has to start somewhere, and most successful streamers on Twitch use gaming PCs, so your gamer is already one step in the right direction. You just need to encourage them with a few essential peripherals.
- A mic
No matter how good the gaming action is, no one is going to retain viewers without audio. A gaming headset with a built-in mic is fine for starting out, but you could think about gifting a stand-alone mic as a perfect Christmas present.
- A webcam
Viewers will want to see facial expressions. A built-in laptop webcam might be good enough, but will it capture the best angles? There is an excellent range of webcams to hook up to a gaming PC; choose from cheap and cheerful or highly sophisticated.
- Lighting
The best Twitch streamers get the lighting right. LED softboxes give off flicker-free continuous light. Some clamp lights could be a good alternative if a softbox is over your budget.
- A green screen
Not an essential but the most fabulous presents are always the luxury items. Your PC gamer can add or remove a background, which will add a professional air. The great news is that they are easy to learn to use!
Wrapping up
I hope you found these selections useful. Add a comment if you agree!
Header image credit: annca via Pixabay
