With more people spending time at home, video games-based internet traffic has exploded. If youve dug back into the gaming scene with a new gaming console to supplement your at-home entertainment and streaming, dont stop there a few add-ons could make your experience even better. Ive been a gamer since I was a toddler (literally), and have been reviewing gaming peripherals for the majority of my 10-year career writing about consumer technology. To help guide you to an elevated gaming experience, we put together some of the best gaming accessories out right now for different consoles and at various price points.
If youve downloaded so many games that youve run out of space on your consoles hard drive, it may be time to upgrade. Technically, you can buy an entirely new drive and swap it in yourself with a screwdriver, but its even easier to just grab a USB 3.0 drive like this 1TB My Passport model from Western Digital and plug it in. Youll double your space with minimal hassle. If you have a bit more to spend, the 1TB My PassPort Go SSD is faster, which means shorter loading times.
If you want every explosion to rock your skull without annoying your neighbors or whoever is stuck at home with you, a good gaming headset is a must. There are plenty of great options out there, but the wireless HyperX Cloud Flight S strikes a delicate balance between sound quality, features and price plus, its so comfortable youll barely notice its there. Its only compatible with PS4 and PC, though, so if youre an Xbox player, youll need the Xbox version of the last-gen CloudX Flight.
While most gaming headsets including the Cloud Flight S boast 7.1 surround sound, its just a virtual processing mode that adds a feeling of spaciousness to the sound. I rarely find that it sounds better than traditional stereo, so I turn it off, but true surround sound can be amazing for games. If you want to experience it, though, youll need a 5.1 set of speakers, or a soundbar with rear satellites. We've previously put out a shopping guide to soundbars, but if you want something affordable that sounds great, this 5.1 Vizio soundbar will ensure you hear anything coming close to your game character.
While this VIZIO model is out of stock, consider the highly-rated and refurbished VIZIO SB3651-E6B 5.1 Soundbar its a bit shorter, and the subwoofer takes up a bit more space, but its also more affordable. You could also go with the refurbished VIZIO SB3851-C0 38-Inch 5.1 Channel Sound Bar, which is a bit better than the 36-inch model. To learn more about refurbished tech at retailers like Amazon, check out our guide to buying refurbished tech at major retailers.
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The best gaming memories I have arent me sitting alone in a room they involve battling my wife in Mario Kart or shooting for goals in Rocket League with a bunch of friends on a Saturday afternoon. If you still only have one controller, grab an extra and include your family in on the fun you can grab them in all sorts of fun colors if the standard black is too boring or bleak for you.
Wireless controllers are a huge step up over the wired trip hazards of the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately, though, you have to keep them charged which is a lot easier to do with a multi-port charging station like this one for PlayStation, or this one for Xbox.
PC gamers have long contended that a keyboard and mouse is a more precise video game control system than any gamepad, and both arent limited to PCs anymore. Both the Xbox One and PS4 support integration with a keyboard-and-mouse for certain games, and there are plenty of great wireless models to choose from.
I dont know about you, but Im just about out of room in my entertainment cabinet. If you dont have the shelf space to hold your game console, a vertical stand can keep it upright for maximum space efficiency.
Whitson Gordon is a freelance technology writer with bylines in the New York Times, Popular Science Magazine, PC Magazine and more. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of Lifehacker and How-To Geek.
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Best gaming headsets, controllers, keyboard and accessories 2020 - NBC News
