The holiday gift guide to the best gaming gear

It’s Thanksgiving in America, and that means consumers (occasionally also known as “people”) have stuffed themselves with shopping fuel in the form potatoes and gravy in preparation of holiest and darkest day of the year: Black Friday.

But you will not survive this depraved celebration of capitalism without a little help, and I’m here to offer it to you. We all must play our parts in the black ritual, and this is mine. So join me as I help you fill that hole inside you with material possessions.

The best keyboard for gaming

Razer Ornata Chroma
Price: $100
Where to buy: Razer

Above: The clicky Razer Ornata Chroma keyboard.

Image Credit: Razer

Razer’s Ornata Chroma provides one of the best typing experiences I’ve ever had. It uses Razer’s new “mecha-membrane” technology to provide both the clicky, tactile sound and feel of a mechanical keyboard along with the consistent, reliable key-pressing action of a membrane device. The keyboard also comes with a great wristrest, and the Chroma RGB LED lighting is gorgeous.

The best mouse for gaming

Razer DeathAdder Elite
Price: $70
Where to buy: Razer

The DeathAdder has been the best gaming mouse for a while, and Razer has made some drastic improvements in its latest redesign. It is now even more comfortable thanks to some rubbery grips around the edges. Its optical sensor is also now more accurate than ever. That makes the DeathAdder ideal for precision competitive games like Counter-Strike and Overwatch.

The best compact gaming laptop

MSI GS43VR
Price: $1,400
Where to buy: MSI

Above: The sharp-looking MSI GS43VR gaming notebook.

Image Credit: MSI

Gaming laptops are more viable than ever thanks to the new generation of smaller, cooler graphics cards, and that has enabled MSI to launch a VR laptop in a sleek, affordable package. The GS43VR feels too tiny to be able to handle games as well as it does, but its GeForce GTX 1060 means it can handle just about anything at 1080p and 60 frames per second.

The best VR experience

HTC Vive
Price: $800
Where to buy: Vive.com

Above: Vive is the best VR headset.

Image Credit: Dean Takahashi

If you’re going to get into VR, I recommend going all the way with the HTC Vive. It’s by far the best headset on the market with its tracked headset and bundled controllers. It has the most experimental stuff, but that also makes it the most interesting. Sure, you’ll need a powerful PC, but that now includes most gaming laptops — so go for it.

The best gaming controller that lets you express yourself

Custom Xbox One S controller
Price: $80
Where to buy: Xbox Design Lab

The Xbox One S controller is the third and most revision that Microsoft has made to its Xbox One input device, and it’s the best version of the standard controller yet. It has better range, and it even finally supports Bluetooth. Even better, you can customize your Xbox One S controller through Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab, so that means you can buy one for a friend or family member that reflects their personality.

The hot gift item for retro gaming

NES Classic Edition
Price: $60
Where to buy: Nintendo

Above: NES Classic Edition is a $60 ticket to access your nostalgia guilt-free.

Image Credit: Nintendo

This probably isn’t helpful. The NES Classic Edition is definitely the hottest gaming gift this holiday. It is selling out everywhere, and people are reselling it on eBay for $500 or more. But it is clearly something that appeals to a lot of people with its miniature throwback design to the original system and its 30 built-in games. Those who have gotten their hands on one seem to really like it, and that’s not helping the rest of us who can’t seem to find the damn thing.

The best devices for 4K and HDR content

Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Pro
Price: $300 for Xbox One S; $400 for PlayStation 4 Pro
Where to buy: Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Pro

4K and HDR are finally beginning to arrive thanks to Microsoft and Sony providing content creators a way to deliver their content. The Xbox One S is the only system with a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, and it also supports 4K streaming through Netflix. PS4 Pro, meanwhile, has the ability to output games at near-4K resolutions in addition to its streaming-media options. You really cannot go wrong with either one if you need something to hook up to your new 4K TV, so go with your gut.