Importance of Gaming Accessories
It is widely believed that the performance of a player in the game depends only on the computer or console which is owned. However, accessories might be even more important when it comes to regular gaming. A fast mouse will help to shoot better, a comfortable chair will help to prevent tiredness from long sitting and a good headset will help to catch the sounds of your opponents before seeing them.
Accessories also help to maintain consistency. Professional players practice using accessories that they feel comfortable with. The same is true for regular gamers. The comfortable accessories will allow them to fully focus on the game and not on uncomfortable headphones or stucking keyboard keys.
Gaming Keyboard
Gaming keyboard is the heart of the gaming setup for PCs.
Mechanical keyboards are used the most nowadays because every key of them is equipped with an individual switch.
Mechanical keyboards have shorter response time, better feedback and more durable construction.
Mechanical vs Membrane
Feature Mechanical Membrane
Typing feel Crisp Soft
Lifespan 50-100 million keystrokes 5-10 million
Gaming performance Excellent Good
Price Higher Lower
Professional gamers use linear switches for quick typing while tactile switches give good feedback while playing.
Gaming Mouse
Gaming mouse is probably the most important accessory for FPS and MOBA players.
Nowadays, gaming mouse contains such features as:
High-precision optical sensors
DPI setting
Lightweight design
Programmable buttons
Low-latency wireless technology
Choosing not the mouse with the highest DPI, choose rather mouse that is comfortable in your hands, has a good sensor and low weight. Community discussion clearly indicates that the ergonomics are much more important than RGB design.
Gaming Headset
Sound plays very important role in competitive gaming.
Quality gaming headset gives such opportunities as:
Good directional audio
Clear microphone
Good noise isolation
Comfortable ear cushions
Durability
Studies show that gaming headsets take the greatest part of gaming accessories market, which indicates the importance of gaming headsets.
Wired vs Wireless
Wired Wireless
No charging Rechargeable
The lowest latency Greater freedom
Usually cheaper Cleaner setup
Reliable connection Premium convenience
Modern wireless technology is so advanced that it might be a very good choice for the most gamers.
Gaming Monitor
Even the most expensive graphics card won’t work without a good monitor.
Search for:
144 Hz or greater refresh rate
1 ms response time
Adaptive Sync technology
IPS or OLED display technology
High color accuracy
High refresh rate helps very much competitive gamers because it improves motion smoothness which helps to track the targets.
Gaming Controller
Not every game suits to keyboard and mouse.
Controllers perfectly suit for:
Racing games
Sport titles
Platformers
Fighting games
Action adventure games
Controllers nowadays contain such features as: adaptive triggers, programmable buttons and wireless connections. Therefore, controllers are very versatile accessory.
Mouse Pad
It might seem that buying a good mouse pad isn’t so important.
However, large desk mats nowadays are getting very popular because they:
Protect the desk
Improve the accuracy of the mouse
Cleaner setup
Prevent from moving the keyboard
Gaming Chair
Comfort matters a lot more for gamers than many of them think.
Ergonomic gaming chair gives you:
Better posture
Back comfort
Reducing fatigue
More comfortable long-time gaming
Analysts indicate gaming chairs as the fastest-growing category of gaming accessories because of increasing awareness about ergonomics.
Desk Setup
Properly organized desk increases the productivity and gaming performance.
Ideally organized desk should contain:
Adjustable monitor height
Correct lighting
Good cable management
Comfortable position of arms
Sufficient space on the desk
Even small improvements might significantly change the gaming experience.
Microphone for Communication
If you play multiplayer games or stream contents, buying microphone is worth the money.
Benefits of it are:
Better voice clarity
Less noise in the background
Stream quality for professionals
Better communication in teams
Webcam for Streaming
Streaming became more and more popular.
Good webcam should have:
FullHD or 4K resolution
Autofocus
Low-light correction
Smooth frames
Content creators particularly benefit from good video equipment.
RGB Lighting
RGB lighting does not improve the gaming performance but improves your setup design.
Benefits of it are:
Improved room design
Improved ambient lighting
Customizable effects
Effects synchronization between different devices
External Storage
Modern games have the sizes more than 100GB.
Using external SSD gives you such benefits as:
Increase the size of your game library
Reduce loading times
Backup of important files
Transfers games fast
Cable Management
Mess with cables decreases the airflow around your equipment and makes it dirty.
Such simple accessories as cable sleeves, cable clips and under-desk tray will make the maintenance process much easier and will improve the look of your gaming station.
Cooling Accessories
Gaming hardware produces a lot of heat.
Useful cooling accessories are:
Laptop cooling pad
Additional case fans
Cooling stand
Increased room ventilation
Lower temperatures will help the increase the lifetime of your hardware.
Budget vs Premium Gaming Accessories
Budget Premium
Ideal for beginner players The best performance
Basic features Advanced customization
Lower durability Premium materials
Cheap Expensive
Balanced setup usually provides better value than setup where there is one very expensive accessory and other cheap accessories.
Buying tips
Before buying any gaming accessory, consider:
Your preferred genres of games
Compatibility of the accessory with your platform
Comfort for long gaming sessions
Warranty and customer service
Community reviews
Durability instead of aesthetic features
Community discussions recently showed the tendency to buy first the accessories for comfortable gaming and high-quality sensors, then everything else.
Conclusion
Best gaming setup is not the most expensive. It is the most comfortable and suitable for your gaming style. Accessory combination such as responsive keyboard, accurate mouse, immersive headset, ergonomic chair and high refresh rate monitor increases your gaming experience.
As the technology for gaming is developing, the accessories become smarter, faster and more comfortable. According to the forecasts from the industry, the growth will be driven by esports, streaming and cross-platform gaming, which means that modern accessories are more capable than ever.
Whether you set up your first gaming station or upgrade the old one, buying gaming accessories is one of the best ways to improve your gaming experience.
