Best Gifts for Gamers of 2020
Finding the best gifts for gamers (or the gamer) in your life can be tricky. This includes gifts for a gaming chick, gamer girl, not just for the guys! Something that a non-gamer thinks is cool, useful or functional could be utter garbage to a gamer. Not that they would tell you to your face though. That’s what Twitter is for. There are so many products on the market that are aimed at the gaming sector too, with peripherals, decorative and commemorative articles as well, it can be tricky to find out exactly what gift a player may want.
Figuring out if they are a PC player or a console player is the first bit of advice that we can give you. The look of confusion on the face of a PlayStation devotee as they unwrap an Xbox game is funny, but also a little mean.
Likewise, if you present a PC player with such gifts as a PSN voucher, similar looks of confusion and anguish may result. Funny, but mean. So we would like you to avoid any gifting faux pas by first finding out what it is that they use for their playing kicks, and what it is that they want.
So, fear not, dear reader, for you have wisely come to us for some solid advice on gifts to steer you in the right direction. While this isn’t exactly scientific, and you are at the mercy of a reviewer who may or may not be of sound mind, there is much to learn here. So come with me as we trawl through the offerings that we have deemed worthy of finding their way into the hands of that someone special in your life.
Finally, a clock we don’t mind watching. PAC-MAN, the legendary arcade game from the 1980’s, is back with this epically animated digital display that features additional characters from the game Including Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde. These make great gifts for any gamer, young or old.
Night Lights are great gifts for people that are afraid of the dark, or for avoiding obstacles in the middle of the night if your room is a filthy mess. Either way, this is a great example of a nocturnal illumination unit. Don’t try to uppercut it like Mario though, there are no coins inside (trust me).
Gaming chairs are a dime a dozen these days, mainly because gamers need added lumbar support for extended sessions. But gaming chairs that are also rockers? Now that is a sweet idea. Add speakers to the mix and you’ll be fighting grandpa for dibs every time you feel like playing Call of Duty. This is one of our ultimate gifts for gamers.
If you are like me (my condolences, by the way) then Tetris probably left an indelible mark on your childhood. What better way to pay homage to this revolutionary game than to drink a hot adult beverage from its capacious reservoir while watching the Tetris pieces appear magically. Definitely one of our favorite gifts!
If you like collecting fantasy swords and other such artifacts, then this gift could be just the item for you! It is a life sized, wearable replica of Jacob Frye’s gauntlet. It also has a retractable blade for authenticity. Just don’t wear it to the mall, unless you like the taste of pepper spray from mall security.
If you’ve ever been stuck at work, lamenting your time spent away from your trusty gaming console, then one of these coffee mug gifts is for you. You could enhance your muscle memory while bashing out pretend Tekken combos during your coffee break, all while two handedly sipping coffee.
If you want to pick up chicks with your superior gaming console knowledge, then this shirt will help you do it. Looking back at the previous iterations of gaming controller should make you more thankful for the wireless, ergonomic, motion controller that you’re holding in your grubby mitts.
Another one of our practical gifts, if you drink soup competitively, then this could be a great training bowl for you to practice with. The ‘LEVEL COMPLETE’ notification that greets you after slurping down a bowl of hot soup is a worthwhile reward. Oh, and there are game controllers on each side for you to hold, presumably so you don’t burn your hands.
Serious gamers will love this keyboard as it features a full RGB array of LEDs as well as mechanical switches for more precise key strokes. Your loved one will disappear for days on end after receiving this keyboard, emerging only to feed. If you to win points with your loved one, this gift is a great choice!
Adding to our collection of T-shirt gifts, we have this gem. More of a mantra than a clever gaming tee shirt, this item of clothing sums up many people’s time when they take annual vacation, and what a great vacation that would be indeed. It’s available in many colors and sizes.
Razer peripherals have long been seen as some of the most sought after peripherals on the market, and Razer DethAdder Chroma is no exception. Chroma lighting is a great touch, and the DPI levels are insanely sensitive. Whoever you buy this gift for will be eternally grateful for their new high scores.
Gifting any gamer with a Logitech G602 computer gaming mouse is likely to elicit a backflip out of them, so this is a great way to see some amateur acrobatics in your living room. The mouse features lag-free wireless performance, Delta Zero sensor technology and 11 programmable buttons.
Gifts like this one will cause envy and this is one pretty keyboard. The Razer BlackWidow Chroma is a mechanical keyboard with macro capabilities and a fantastic RGB show off. Don’t be surprised if you see less of the person that you gift this keyboard to, as it has made more than a few gaming widows in its time.
Gamers appreciate DTS headphones because of the virtual field of depth that they create, which means that sounds can really immerse players into the world that they are playing in. These headphones feature 7.1 surround sound and 360 degrees of sound field. The perfect gift for someone who appreciates great sound.
Neodymium magnets are really good for strong speakers, and the Cloud II Headset shows off just how good they can be when used inside the right sound housing. This headset ships with an inline sound card that also features echo cancellation, great for in game comms.
Virtual Reality has made a huge comeback in recent years, largely due to huge advancements in graphical and computational components that have surfaced lately. Gifts like this will surely excite whoever receives it. The Vive VR Headset is a class leader in many ways, and any gamer that picks up a set is sure to play for a very, very long time.
Sony really knows how to make high quality accessories that pair with their PlayStation line of consoles. The Sony PlayStation VR kit is not the most technically advanced on the market but it is great fun to play. This is one of those perfect gifts that will be a hit with any gamer that owns a PlayStation 4.
Another one of our Virtual Reality gifts. The Freefly Mobile Virtual Reality headset borrows *cough* *cough* quite heavily from the Samsung VR, but still manages to put its own spin on things. The package comes with a blue tooth controller that can be waved around by the user during operation. Looks silly but works great.
Nintendo digs deep with a reboot of its 3Ds, in the looks department anyway. It features all the latest technologies that you would expect to find in a Nintendo device, including face tracking and NFC support. Gamers that still have their old 3DS games will be happy to know that they can pop them into the 3DS XL to relive the good old days. Sigh.
That shiny new 4K TV that you got yourself is looking lonely. Real lonely. Why not pair it with a 4K console like the PlayStation 4 Pro then? Experience next gen graphics at face melting frames per second and you won’t remember how you coped with dusty old FHD resolutions. A great gift for the PlayStation fans out there!
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, and here is a case in point. If you have children and wish to punish them, then lock their next gen consoles away and leave this out for them to play instead. This is an effective way to get your children to complete their chores in record time. For the rest of us this gift is a trip down memory lane. (Memory lane is 8 bits wide, if you were wondering)
If using a game emulator offends your moral fiber (and if it doesn’t, shame on you!) then this official Sega Genesis Classic Game console could be the salve to your moral dilemma. Simply pop in your old Sega cartridges and away you go, old school at its finest is back in your living room. A worthy addition to our list of retro gifts.
If your current desk doesn’t have a cup holder for your Slurpy Cup, then you need to reevaluate your life choices my friend. The Atlantic Desk has this, plus much more, including individual storage platforms for your peripherals and gadgets. A Gift that is going to be difficult to hide, but it will be wholeheartedly appreciated!
If you’ve ever been sitting at your desk and suddenly wished that you were sitting in your car instead, then this MX product is just for you. This office chair has all of the ergonomics and lumber support that you would expect from a high performance sports car seat, but with wheels. If you're looking for gaming gifts that have the wow factor, this gift is for you!
Gamers with a desire to play the best titles on a premium device would do well to get their hands on the ASUS ROG GL702VM. This is a 17” laptop with a GTX 1060 and an Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU shoe horned into its slim laptop body. Did I mention that its VR Ready as well? This makes it one of our most awesome gifts! If someone would like to gift this to me, I would be eternally grateful.
This is one of those gifts for people who love cosplay. Halo fans are notorious for dressing up, and this little number is a firm favorite in their circles. The helmet looks great and is sure to be the pride and joy of any fan of FPS cosplay. Don’t expect much head protection though, as it is just a novelty item. And Jill from Human Resources wants to see you.
Have you ever looked at your mousepad and wondered why there is no RGB lighting on it? Razer has, so they made the Firefly Chroma Custom Lightinh Hard Mouse Pad. The mousepad provides a smooth surface for your mouse to glide over, and the lighting adds to your existing RGD. Rad.
The Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller is a serious implement of carnage, designed to show your enemies who’s boss. The controller features interchangeable components and even comes in its own carry case. Showing up to an Xbox Tournament with your own controller also looks pretty cool.
Looking for gifts for a future racing driver? Then this gift is must. Having a steering wheel and pedals is the ultimate driving sim controller for many, so it should come as no surprise that peripheral masters, Logitech have a tasty trick up their sleeves with the Driving Force G920 Racing Wheel. It is a quality controller with excellent responsiveness.
Another one for the retro gifts available out there and If you were a video game rat back in the day, then this item is sure to bring back some memories. Officially licensed by Sony, the Hori Real Arcade Pro 4 is a high quality controller that brings all the analogue charm of a coin op game.
This soundbar puts out some serious noise without distorting or sounding flat. Perfectly balanced, the Sonos PLAYBAR TV is perfect for your entertainment area and is bound to be the center of your TV setup. Wireless transmission and a beefy subwoofer are just a few notable features that come with this unit. One of our more expensive gifts, but it will no doubt be one of those gifts that will cause much envy.
This is a Bluetooth soundbar that offers great sound quality and stereo. This is a basic device but is more than enough for devices such as TVs, mobile phone and anything else that can be paired via a Bluetooth connection. If your TV is under 42” then this soundbar could be for you.
Buyers Guide Questions
Top Gifts under $1000
The PC gamer that is worthy of such a gift has surely been very, very good. Enter the HTC VIVE – Virtual Reality System. Arguably one of the best VR systems currently available on the market, this system features some of the best tracking and visual systems that have yet to be devised by a VR company. Make sure that their system is VR ready first though, as this system needs quite a beefy hardware setup to allow for the full potential of the visual VR goodness to be realized. Alternatively, an ergonomic and comfy chair would do the trick.
Top Gifts under $500
The Nintendo Switch Console fits the bill quite nicely here, as it offers a unique experience on the go, or plugged into the TV for a HD experience. Nintendo has some brilliant titles as well so you can expect a fun filled experience on this new and nifty handheld device.
Top Gifts for Gamers under $100
The Razer DeathAdder Chroma Mouse is a must have peripheral for any keen PC player. Its high DPI, smooth gliding operation and superior, snug fit make this an excellent choice. Razer make some of the best components and accessories on the market, so it will be hard to go wrong with a gift like this.
Best Gaming Gifts under $20
LeRage Shirts Gamer T-Shirt makes it into our great sub $20 gifts. It is a gag gift, for sure, but a gift is a gift in our books! This shirt is available in all sizes, so no matter how big the worthy recipient is, they’ve got you covered. (Haha)
Recommend Stocking Filler Gifts
If you can find a big enough stocking, KEEP OUT Sign is a cheap and cheerful option for the room that needs a sign. Just stick it up and they can enjoy the privacy that they so richly deserve.
We hope you have found our selection of gifts to be useful, especially if you are looking to play games at Christmas that are too tech orientated. If you have a suggestion for other gifts, games or tech, please let us know in the comments below. Happy hunting for gifts! These gifts apply for both 2016 and 2020 searches.