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PC gaming is a fun way to de-stress after a long day, connect with friends online, and appreciate a fast-paced interactive art form. But, to get the most out of the experience, you’ll want to pick up a few of the best gaming accessories. You can play games with the mouse and keyboard you use for work, but, for most games, they won’t be enough for quality gaming sessions. Plus, gaming accessories allow you to customize some features, especially lighting, to add some ambiance and fun to the experience.
At a Glance: The Best PC Gaming Accessories
The world of tech accessories is large, but we’ve done the heavy lifting for you by finding some must-have accessories you’ll want to create a great PC gaming setup. From keyboards and mice to the right WiFi routers to use, we’ve got you covered.
The Best PC Gaming Accessories to Buy Right Now
To make this list of the best gaming accessories, we combed through expert reviews and gaming forums on platforms like Reddit to see what accessories and specific products gamers like most. Then, after testing products, we landed on the picks below — all of which are available from reputable retailers, and have an average customer rating of at least 3.7/5 stars.
A Gaming Headset
Target
If you’re going to play online multiplayer games with friends, a good gaming headset is an essential accessory. For a balance of features, audio quality, and affordability, it’s hard to beat this SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. One of its best features is simultaneous 2.4GHz audio for gaming and Bluetooth 5.0 for other audio sources. That means you can listen to music or take a call while still hearing game audio in the same headset. Build quality is great too, ensuring hours of use without discomfort.
A Comfortable Gaming Chair
Amazon
Another must-have for gamers is a comfortable chair. Some prefer a high-quality office chair (like this revered Aeron from Herman Miller) but you can often get more bang for your buck with a nice gaming-specific chair. This Corsair TC100 is a favorite, offering ergonomic lumbar and neck support, cool, soft fabric, and plenty of adjustability. The seat is deep enough that most will be able to bring a leg up or even sit cross-legged, and we also like the low-key look (some gaming chairs can be a bit loud).
A Gaming Keyboard
iBuyPower
Another crucial piece of gear you’ll want on your gaming desktop is a good keyboard. We recommend going wired, as this will typically provide better feedback at a much lower price. Great gaming keyboards, like this K55 from Corsair, also feature quiet, smooth operation. Another big draw with the K55 is that it’s dust and water-resistant, so you won’t need to worry about keeping drinks away from the keyboard.
A Gaming Monitor
Amazon
Even with a high-performance computer, you won’t be able to get the most out of your system without a good monitor. We recommend this Alienware AW2723DF. The monitor’s color and refresh rates are both great, especially considering the screen’s relatively attainable price tag. The only downside is that it’s 1440p (not 4k), but we prefer speed and low price over resolution for gaming.
An Ergonomic Mouse
Target
The Razer Basilisk V3 is cited as one of the best gaming mice in almost every roundup you’ll come across, especially in discussions about low to mid-price point options. It’s extremely lightweight — one benefit of going wired over wireless — and has great sensor performance and click latency. You also get 11 programmable buttons, including a handy (pun intended) multi-function trigger. All of this comes in at less than $50.
A Gaming Controller
Target
Most gamers prefer a mouse-keyboard setup for faster titles like shooters and MMOs, but a traditional controller is sometimes better for certain games, like adventure or story games. If you don’t have one, pick up this Xbox controller. Even though the PS5 has edged out the Xbox X/S in terms of popularity, most gamers agree that Microsoft did a better job with the controller.
Customizable Lighting
Amazon
One way to make your whole gaming setup a better place to hang out is customizable lighting. It can also be very inexpensive; pick up these multi-color RGBIC LED lightstrips from Govee for just $14.99 apiece. The strip is segmented, so you can make the whole thing one color or several, and connects to your phone for easy adjustability.
Fast WiFi Router
Amazon
Playing PC games online requires a strong internet connection, and even a momentary drop in speed can give your competition an advantage. Ideally, you’d have your computer directly connected to your WiFi router via Ethernet, but that might not be possible depending on your living situation. If you need to rely on WiFi, we recommend getting a better router and booster, like this one from Eero. It’s easy to set up and delivers ultra-fast, reliable connectivity to several devices at once.
Blue Light Glasses
Amazon
Another popular gaming accessory is blue light glasses. Blue light from computer screens might be bad for your sleep and eye health, so many gamers will wear blue light glasses to help reduce exposure during long sessions. You’ll want a pair with small arms to fit under a headset, which is why we suggest these from Sojos. They’re super affordable at just $17, and come very highly rated on Amazon.
How We Chose the Best Gaming Accessories
There are a lot of ways to upgrade your gaming setup. To make this list, we narrowed things down to some of the most essential accessories. After figuring out those must-have items, we thoroughly researched picks for each category by reading expert reviews, combing through forums, and testing products ourselves. Then, we made sure that our favorites were all available from reputable online retailers and came with high praise from real customers.
