Gaming is an expensive hobby, so it's always nice to get the latest and greatest as a gift. Whether the gamer in your life is due to upgrade their mouse or controller, add some new games to their library or add some storage to an aging rig, we have gifts for every budget. We also have a few ways you can gift a gamer fun reminders of gaming culture to show off their cred. This guide has something for gamers you can give this holiday season or anytime generosity strikes you.
Steam Gift Card
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If you don't know what to get a gamer with a PC, the best, low-effort bet is a Steam gift card. That will let them buy whatever they want, and you won't have to guess which games they'll like or already have. Even if they don't use it immediately, the credit will be there when the next sale occurs. If you want them to be able to buy newer games, consider $60; although, games on sale can go for far less.
Intel 660P M.2 NVMe SSD (1TB)
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If the gamer in your life is looking for more storage on their PC, the Intel SSD 660p (1TB) will get the job done. In our Intel SSD 660p review we found the SSD to offer good power effiency and solid performance. Some will point out QLC drives can slow down after certain amounts of reads and writes, though many gamers will never hit that. You should especially look for this SSD around Black Friday and the holiday season, as it's been going on sale frequently.
For retro gamers, the Sn30+ Bluetooth controller from 8Bitdo will be a great stocking stuffer. It works with PC, mac, Switch, Android and Raspberry Pi, letting gamers play on any platform they like. It also offers rumbles and software for customizable controls. And with grips, it's far more comfortable than old SNES controllers.
HyperX Wrist Rest
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For comfort's sake, a gamer should have a wristrest. So if your giftee doesn't have one or their old is just gross, the HyperX Wrist Rest is a good cheap gift that their wrists will thank you for.
Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless Mouse
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The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a wireless version of the classic gaming mouse. But it's upgraded with wireless charging, more RGB lighting and a Hero 16K sensor, plus its weight is adjustable. It's a great wireless option with tons of buttons. Matched with Logitech's G Powerplay wireless charging mouse pad, you can get an effectively endless charge.
Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds
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Truly wireless earbuds are all the rage, and Razer's are meant for gamers. The company claims 60ms input latency, to provide an advantage to mobile gamers. The buds are also IPX4 water resistant for workouts and last four hours (and another 12 after being placed in the charging case.)
Xbox One Wireless Controller
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The Xbox One controller is a classic, and lots of PC games default to it if you're not using a mouse and keyboard. Newer versions have Bluetooth, which make it great for couch gaming on either an Xbox One or PC. It also comes in a wide variety of colors to match your giftee's tastes or personality. And if you really want to personalize it, consider using Microsoft's Xbox Design Lab
The Game Console: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox
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If the gamer in your life loves electronics, they'll be happy to place this book filled with pictures of electronics on their coffee table. It depicts consoles and the components that power them, making it great for enthusiasts who want to see how things work. And maybe after seeing how consoles are built, they'll be inspired to build your own computer, too.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
(Image credit: Hyperx)
For under $100, this gaming headset will be music to the gamer in your life's ears.In our HyperX Cloud Alpha review, we praised its design and virtual surround sound. It's a quality upgrade with strong build quality and a comfortable fit and includes a unidriectional, detachable microphone. It also works with a 3.5mm headphone jack should they choose to use it with their phone or devices other than a PC or console.
Jinx Minecraft Creeper Face Square Plastic Mug
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Sure, coffee will wake you up. But a Creeper will scare you awake. So why not combine the two for the Minecraft lover in your life? It's a cheap and easy gift that can be used every day, whether at work or play.
Patriot Viper V765
(Image credit: Patriot)
An upgrade to a mechanical keyboard will up a player's gaming and productivity. One of our best gaming keyboards, the Patriot Viper V765, has RGB backlighting, Kailh Box White switches and media control keys. Not a bad deal for under $100.
List of Games
Of course, beyond hardware and credit, you could also consider getting games for someone. May we suggest:
Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and BlueSky @andrewfreedman.net.You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01
