30 Best Gaming Gifts for Console, PC and Retro Players

Every Xbox household needs a second controller, and most PC gamers quietly use one too. This is the official pad with grippy textured triggers and a hybrid D-pad, and it pairs with a phone or laptop over Bluetooth for cloud gaming. It is the safest gift on the list if you know they own an Xbox or play on PC.

PS5 owners always need another DualSense, whether for a sibling, a partner or a friend who comes round for co-op. The adaptive triggers and haptics are a big part of why PlayStation exclusives feel the way they do, so a spare controller is more than a backup. Midnight Black hides wear better than the standard white.

This is our pick for the gamer who plays across Switch, Steam Deck and PC and is tired of stick drift. Hall-effect joysticks use magnets instead of wearing contacts, the dock means it is always charged, and it costs about half of a first-party pro controller. It also looks great sitting on a desk.

Joy-Con are fine for Mario Party, less so for a 40-hour Zelda run. If they just got a Switch 2, this full-size controller is the upgrade they will feel on day one, with gyro aiming, HD Rumble 2 and an amiibo reader built in. Check that they have the Switch 2 rather than the original before you buy.

For the gamer who commutes or travels, the Backbone means their phone becomes a proper handheld. They can stream their Xbox or PS5 library, or play Fortnite and Call of Duty Mobile with real triggers instead of thumbs on glass. It is a great gift for a college student who left the console at home.

Our top splurge pick. The Nova 7X plays game audio and a Discord call or phone music at the same time, lasts most of a week of evenings on a charge, and works with every major console, so it survives an upgrade from one system to another. It is the kind of headset gamers want but rarely justify buying themselves.

The Cloud line earned its reputation by being comfortable for a whole evening, and the Cloud III keeps that while adding a clearer mic and USB-C. Wired means no charging and no pairing, which suits a younger gamer or anyone who plays at a desk. It is the best value headset here.

If the gamer you are buying for wears glasses, this is the wireless headset to get: the cushions have a relief channel so frames do not press into their temples. Eighty hours of battery means it gets charged once every couple of weeks, and the flip-up mic mutes instantly when someone walks in.

For the gamer who has started streaming on Twitch or recording YouTube commentary, a headset mic only goes so far. The Yeti is the classic first upgrade: it plugs straight into USB, sounds dramatically better, and has a mute button within reach. It also doubles for podcasts and video calls.

The G502 is one of the best-selling gaming mice ever because it suits almost every genre: the extra buttons cover MMO hotkeys, the weights let them tune it for shooters, and the free-spinning wheel is a joy in long inventories. At under $40 it is an easy upgrade from an office mouse.

For the competitive FPS player who obsesses over Valorant or Counter-Strike aim, a lighter mouse is a real advantage. The DeathAdder shape is one pros have used for years, now wireless and very light. It is a gift that tells them you understand what they actually care about.

A mechanical keyboard is the upgrade that makes a PC player's desk feel like theirs. The V6 Max has tactile Brown switches that suit both gaming and typing, a fast 2.4GHz wireless mode, and swappable switches so they can tinker later. It is a good fit for someone who games and works on the same machine.

Low-sensitivity players need room to swing their arm, and a desk-size pad also protects the desk and tidies the whole setup. The QcK is the pad many esports players use, so it is a small gift with real credibility. Pair it with one of the mice above for a complete upgrade.

Most gamers have their monitor too low and too close. A monitor arm puts it at eye level, frees the desk for a bigger mouse pad, and makes a setup look instantly cleaner on stream. It is an unglamorous gift that they will appreciate every day, especially at this price.

Marathon raids and late-night ranked sessions are hard on the lower back, and most gaming chairs' own cushions are thin. This lumbar pillow straps onto any chair and holds its shape, so it is a thoughtful gift for an older gamer or anyone who mentions back pain after a weekend of play.

A small, inexpensive add-on for someone who games after a full day at a screen. The clear lenses take the edge off glare from a bright monitor late at night, and the thin arms sit comfortably under a headset. Tuck it in with a bigger gift.

Every streamer wants a Stream Deck, and few buy one for themselves. One press switches scenes, mutes the mic or drops a sound clip mid-stream without alt-tabbing out of the game. Non-streamers use it too, for Discord, Spotify and smart lights, which makes it a safer gift than it sounds.

Console players who want to stream or save highlight clips need a capture card, and this is the one most YouTubers recommend. It records in 4K while they keep playing at high frame rates, so nothing about their game feels different. It is the right gift for a teen who keeps talking about starting a channel.

Light bars behind a monitor make a setup look like the ones on streamers' channels and reduce eye strain from staring at a bright screen in a dark room. Music sync makes them react to game audio, and the warm white mode means they are still useful when the console is off.

The hexagon wall behind a desk is the signature look of a gaming room, and Nanoleaf's panels are the ones people mean when they describe it. It is a statement gift for a teen redoing their room or a streamer who wants a recognizable background on camera.

Headsets usually end up on the floor or hooked over a monitor corner. This stand gives it a proper home, adds two handy USB ports, and the bungee keeps a wired mouse cable from snagging during a match. A good mid-price gift for a PC gamer whose desk could use some order.

Our pick for when you do not know which game to buy. Instead of guessing, a Game Pass month hands them a whole library, including new Xbox, Bethesda and Activision releases on day one, playable on console, PC or even a phone. It also works as a last-minute gift because the code arrives by email.

Nintendo games rarely go on deep sale, so eShop credit goes further than people think and lets a Switch owner pick the next game themselves. Fifty dollars covers a new first-party game on sale, a stack of indies, or a family Switch Online plan.

Original Switch and Switch Lite owners run out of space fast once they buy digital games, and this card ends the delete-and-redownload cycle. The Super Star design makes it feel like a gift rather than a spare part. Note it is for the original Switch family, not the Switch 2.

A dead controller in the middle of a game is a small daily annoyance for PS5 households. This dock charges two DualSense pads at once and gives them a place to live, which makes it a great add-on to a new controller or an easy stocking stuffer.

A Switch 2 is expensive to scratch and easy to leave on a plane. This Belkin case protects the screen, keeps a dozen cartridges organized and has a pocket for an AirTag so a lost console can be found. A smart gift for a student or a family that travels with it.

For the parent, uncle or coworker who grew up feeding quarters into Pac-Man, this joystick-shaped handheld brings it back with no console or account involved. It is also a fun desk toy for anyone who likes retro design, and a very easy gift to wrap.

NBA JAM was the two-player arcade game of the '90s, and this countercade recreates it on a coffee table with proper joysticks and the iconic announcer. It is a perfect gift for a basketball fan who used to play, and it turns any gathering into a friendly rivalry.

For a younger Mario Kart fan, this brings the race off the screen: the interactive Mario figure reacts as they drift and launch shells. It is a great gift for a kid who is gaming-obsessed but whose parents would like some screen-free play too.

The definitive book for a Zelda fan, packed with concept art going back to the NES and the official timeline that settled years of fan debate. It is a lovely, lasting gift for someone who has played every entry and loves the lore as much as the games.