Did you know that 60% of Americans play video games every day? Based on this stat, there’s a very good chance that you’re an avid gamer too!
But just because you enjoy video games often doesn’t necessarily mean you have the best setup going. For instance, what mouse and keyboard are you playing with? Do you sit in a good chair and have other supportive gaming accessories?
If you’d like to upgrade your gaming experience, then you need to read on. In this article, we’ll discuss all the gaming supplies you’ll need to level up your performance!
Computer or Laptop
If you don’t play on consoles, then one of the first things you need is either a gaming PC or laptop. Each has its own pros and cons, so you’ll have to weigh them carefully to decide which is best for your personal situation.
For example, PCs are typically cheaper and can last longer since you can switch out parts easily. However, they’re not very portable, so they can be a pain to move around, especially if you’re always on the go.
On the other hand, gaming laptops can be very convenient. All you have to do is throw them into your bag and you can go gaming wherever, whenever you want. While gaming laptops can be more expensive than PCs, as you can see, these options are quite affordable.
If you have the budget for it, we’d highly recommend getting both. That way, you can get the best of both worlds!
Monitor
For those who choose to go with a PC, you’ll have to buy a monitor. The bigger, the better, but you’ll have to consider the constraints of your room and desk. You should choose ones that have good refresh rates and high def so there’s no lag and you see crystal clear images when you play.
Even if you opt for a gaming laptop, monitors can still be very useful. Typically, laptop screens aren’t very big, so if you’re playing at home (or a friend’s home), it can be worth it to hook your laptop up to a monitor for gameplay. This will enable you to see more details and upgrade your skills easily.
Keyboard
If you don’t already have one, we think you should get a mechanical keyboard. Most pro gamers play with these instead of membrane ones, which is what you’d usually get in a stock package.
Mechanical keyboards are superior for several reasons. The keys are more responsive, which means you won’t have to make as much an effort to press them. This makes them more precise, so you won’t accidentally press T instead of R.
Translated to gaming terms, this means a mechanical keyboard can have you performing not only more actions, but more accurately as well. This can put less strain on your hands, especially if you play for hours at a time.
If you do a lot of typing work outside of gaming, this can be beneficial as well. You’ll strain your fingers and hands a lot less.
Mouse
While a regular mouse might suffice for casual gaming, you might want to think about upgrading to a gaming mouse. These are designed to be more ergonomic, which can also reduce finger and hand strain.
Not only that, but these mice help you make more coordinated and precise movements. Some even come with the option to add or take out weights so the mouse feels more comfortable in your hands when gaming.
Gaming mice also come with more buttons on them. This allows you to have more key bindings, which can definitely give you a leg up on your competition.
Last, but not least, there’s a button in between the left and right-click buttons. This sets the DPI, or dots per inch.
DPIs are especially important for first-person shooter (FPS) games, so without custom settings, you might be flailing. Do yourself a favor and get a good gaming mouse so you can set these up without a problem.
Mouse Pad
You might think any old mouse pad will do, so long as it keeps your mouse from scraping the table. But you’d be wrong here! If you’ve made an investment into a good gaming mouse, it won’t be any good if you don’t have an excellent mouse pad too.
You might’ve noticed that pro gamers usually have huge mouse pads that span the entirety of their desk. This is because when they play things like FPSes, the sensitivity is set very low for better precision. As a result, they need to use larger hand and arm movements.
To accommodate this, you’ll need a big mouse pad. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself running out of space when playing and your mouse will land on your table, creating a jagged and unsmooth movement. This can definitely be enough to cost you the game.
Headphones
When it comes to gamer essentials, many people fail in this area. It’s true that the visual aspects of video games are the most important. But not enough emphasis is placed on the audio aspects.
The truth is, audio matters almost just as much as visuals do! Think about it: when you’re creeping around in a building, what are you watching out for? Not only are you looking for people running around or a change in lighting to indicate someone’s around the corner, but you’re also listening for things like footfalls or bullet sounds.
For this reason, you need to get a decent pair of headphones. Otherwise, you might miss out on key details!
Gaming headsets usually come with good microphone attachments as well. This will allow you to communicate clearly with your teammates.
Speakers
Who says gaming has to all be in multiplayer mode? Perhaps you have some roleplaying games (RPGs) that you thoroughly enjoy in single-player mode and you want to get the most out of your experiences.
In that case, hang up your headphones and use some good-quality speakers instead. With these, it’ll feel like an immersive and interactive cinematic experience whenever you’re on your video games! You can even have family and friends watch you play and they’ll enjoy the audio-visual experience too.
Controllers
Some games just feel better with controllers, even if you’ve got the best keyboard and mouse setup around. So it might not hurt to have a few console controllers lying around.
For example, games like Overcooked are very clunky when you try to play with a keyboard. But once you switch over to a controller, you’ll be prepping, cooking, and serving food like a pro.
The same goes for racing games. Keyboards and mice just don’t give you the same type of precision that controllers do.
Chair
When it comes to gaming supplies, you shouldn’t forget about the setup for how you sit. This is very important especially if you spend a good deal of time at your gaming station.
Make sure you’re not just sitting in a hard wooden chair. An office chair might be ok, but you’ll get the ideal setup with a gaming chair. These are created with gamers in mind, which means they’ll be comfortable and supportive at the same time.
Wrist Rests
Whether you’re typing or gaming, repetitive movements can make you more prone to injury and things like carpal tunnel syndrome.
To prevent this from happening, you need to keep your wrists elevated properly. Wrist rests can help you do this easily and also keep you comfortable while gaming.
Make sure that even with wrist rests, you take regular breaks from gaming. This can help alleviate stress on your wrists, as well as your hands and fingers. This can result in fewer injuries.
Foot Rest
One thing most gamers are guilty of is bad posture. Not only does it look bad, but it can lead to pain in your lower and upper back, shoulders, and neck.
You’d be surprised, but the main culprit of bad posture is the position of your feet. Are they usually dangling off your chair or stretched out to the wall? Then this is probably causing you to slouch.
With an ergonomic foot rest, this will help you sit up straight and have gaming sessions that are more pain-free.
Get These Gaming Supplies to Level Up
Whether you spend an hour a week or 5 hours per day playing video games, you’ve got to have the right gaming supplies. Otherwise, you’re probably not at the top of your game. Not to mention, you might be doing more harm than good to your body.
So take what you’ve learned in this article and get to shopping. By getting the best gaming accessories, you’ll be making a fantastic investment into your future.
If you enjoyed this article on gaming essentials, then make sure you read our other blog posts too!
