Checklist · 16 picks · 6 categories
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A good gaming setup is four things you touch every session: a headset you can wear for hours, a mouse that fits your hand, a keyboard that feels fast, and a monitor that keeps up with your frame rate. A 1440p screen is the sweet spot for most PCs, sharper than 1080p without needing a top-end graphics card. A controller and a real gaming chair are the nice-to-haves. Every pick won a named award in PC Gamer's or TechRadar's published guides, with budget, mid and splurge options, and each card shows the drawback the reviewer called out. The gifts for gamers list has smaller ideas.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you only play on a console or handheld; the gifts for gamers list covers those.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 29, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerA LucidSound LS500 | budget | $50-100 | a first wireless headset | 1 outlet |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3X Wireless | mid | $100+ | long sessions on PC and console | 1 outlet |
| Razer BlackShark V3 | splurge | $100+ | competitive shooters | 1 outlet |
Best gaming headsetbudget pick · Wireless
Best for a first wireless headset
PC Gamer's best budget gaming headset: affordable, comfy and good-sounding.
Heads up. The mic is limited and the build feels a bit cheap
1 outlet. PC Gamer best budget gaming headset.
$50-100
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mid pick · Wireless
Best for long sessions on PC and console
PC Gamer's best mid-range gaming headset: comfortable, great audio and battery, with a decent detachable mic.
Heads up. No on-ear skip or pause button, and it isn't water resistant
1 outlet. PC Gamer best mid-range gaming headset.
$100+
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splurge pick · Wireless
Best for competitive shooters
PC Gamer's best gaming headset overall: stellar audio, a light build and ultra-low latency, for less than the V3 Pro.
Heads up. The 10 ms low-latency mode drains the battery faster
1 outlet. PC Gamer best gaming headset overall.
$100+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mchose G3 V2 Pro | budget | $50-100 | going wireless on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Logitech G502 X | mid | $50-100 | lots of buttons for MMOs and shortcuts | 1 outlet |
| Razer Viper V4 Pro | splurge | $100+ | serious competitive play | 1 outlet |
Best mousebudget pick · Wireless
Best for going wireless on a budget
PC Gamer's best budget wireless gaming mouse, which it calls a worthy successor to the Logitech G305.
Heads up. Not suited to large hands
1 outlet. PC Gamer best budget wireless gaming mouse.
$50-100
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mid pick · Wired
Best for lots of buttons for MMOs and shortcuts
PC Gamer's best wired gaming mouse: impeccable ergonomics, a sturdy build and interchangeable thumb buttons.
Heads up. The Lightforce switches sound a little clunky
1 outlet. PC Gamer best wired gaming mouse.
$50-100
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splurge pick · Wireless
Best for serious competitive play
PC Gamer's best gaming mouse overall: unrivalled build quality, light weight, top performance and great battery life.
Heads up. Expensive, with no RGB, and the click sound won't suit everyone
1 outlet. PC Gamer best gaming mouse overall.
$100+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamakay x NaughShark NS68 | budget | $50-100 | fast, compact keyboard on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Keychron K2 HE | mid | $100+ | a keyboard that looks good on the desk | 1 outlet |
| Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless | splurge | $100+ | gaming and typing with a number pad | 1 outlet |
Best keyboardbudget pick · 65%
Best for fast, compact keyboard on a budget
PC Gamer's best budget gaming keyboard: powerful Hall effect switches and PBT keycaps at this price.
Heads up. Lightweight plastics and a clunky software interface
1 outlet. PC Gamer best budget gaming keyboard.
$50-100
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mid pick · 75%
Best for a keyboard that looks good on the desk
PC Gamer's best 75% gaming keyboard: responsive, smooth Hall effect switches, excellent battery life and a wood frame.
Heads up. The lighting effects are a little basic
1 outlet. PC Gamer best 75% gaming keyboard.
$100+
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splurge pick · 96%
Best for gaming and typing with a number pad
PC Gamer's best mechanical gaming keyboard: excellent switch feel, sound dampening that works, and hot-swappable switches.
Heads up. The Armoury Crate app is messy
1 outlet. PC Gamer best mechanical gaming keyboard.
$100+
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Best monitorbudget pick · 27 in
Best for smooth, fast games without overspending
TechRadar's best budget 1440p monitor: a rock-solid 240Hz refresh rate and DisplayHDR 400, features usually found on pricier screens.
Heads up. No USB-C
1 outlet. TechRadar best budget 1440p monitor.
$100+
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splurge pick · 32 in
Best for a bigger screen for gaming and work
TechRadar's best all-around 1440p monitor: great image quality and color coverage, a good build and all the ports you need.
Heads up. Lacks full-array local dimming
1 outlet. TechRadar best all-around 1440p monitor.
$100+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GameSir Nova Lite 2 | budget | $25-50 | a cheap controller for PC games | 1 outlet |
| GameSir G7 Pro | mid | $50-100 | most PC players | 1 outlet |
| Razer Wolverine V4 Pro | splurge | $100+ | a splurge controller for serious players | 1 outlet |
Best controllerbudget pick · Wireless
Best for a cheap controller for PC games
PC Gamer's best budget controller: Hall effect sticks, a mechanical D-pad, trigger stops, and 2.4GHz plus Bluetooth.
Heads up. Not much grip, small shoulder buttons and basic software
1 outlet. PC Gamer best budget pc controller.
$25-50
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mid pick · Tri-mode
Best for most PC players
PC Gamer's best PC controller overall: brick-solid, with tactile switches and TMR sticks that rival pricier pads.
Heads up. No RGB lighting
1 outlet. PC Gamer best pc controller overall.
$50-100
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splurge pick · Wireless
Best for a splurge controller for serious players
PC Gamer's best high-end controller: snappy, super-accurate controls, up to 27 hours of battery and easy customization.
Heads up. Expensive, with no charging stand
1 outlet. PC Gamer best high-end pc controller.
$100+
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Best gaming chairbudget pick · Standard
Best for a first real gaming chair
PC Gamer's best budget gaming chair: easy to build, firm but comfortable, with highly adjustable armrests.
Heads up. No extra lumbar or headrest pillow, and a short warranty
1 outlet. PC Gamer best budget gaming chair.
$100+
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splurge pick · XL
Best for bigger and taller players
PC Gamer's best gaming chair for a larger frame: roomy, with pop-out lumbar support and a magnetic head cushion.
Heads up. Loud branding, a soft back that can get damaged, and some armrest wobble
1 outlet. PC Gamer best gaming chair for a larger frame.
$100+
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Beyond the PC itself, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and a headset cover the basics. A controller helps for racing and action games, and a supportive chair matters if you play for hours.
For most players, yes. It looks noticeably sharper than 1080p on a 27-inch screen and runs well on mid-range graphics cards. Check that your PC can hit the monitor's refresh rate in the games you play.
Modern wireless gear is fast enough for competitive play; the main tradeoff is charging. Wired is cheaper and never runs out of battery.