As we near the final days of 2023 (known in some circles as either one of the best years in gaming history or one of the worst) the massively popular gaming hobby shows no sign of slowing down in terms of public reception. In fact, Statista predicts that 3.1 billion humans (a little less than half of the current global population) will regularly play games as a hobby by 2027.
But can you truly call yourself a “gamer” if you don’t spend at least a little time and money decking out the room you play games in? I’m half-joking; of course there is no specific “correct” way to play video games in your own house. But there are quite a few gadgets and cool decorative items you can use to make any gaming room more impressive.
Whether you’re a PC gamer who wants an extra edge, a racing game enthusiast who wants maximum immersion, or if you simply want to make your entertainment center a little more comfortable, there are a number of purchases you can make to trick out your gaming room to match your personal style. To help you out, I’ve come up with a list of gaming room accessories that immediately come to mind when I think about the “perfect” setup, including a few mainstays I’ve used in my own gaming area for years.
1. Playseat Trophy – Logitech G Edition
Playseat is one of the best racing chair brands you can buy from, and this collaboration between Playseat and Logitech (called the Playseat Trophy – Logitech G Edition) is probably the best option for an all-rounder racing chair with direct drive wheel support plus all the other bells and whistles you’ll need for maximum immersion. It’s also advertised to naturally conform to the shape of your body thanks to Playseat’s patented ActiFit material, so you can theoretically sit inside of it and race for hours without developing aches and cramps. It’s a little expensive at an MSRP of $599, but it’s hard to find a decent racing chair below that price range, and critics love the mix of features and high build quality.
2. Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel and Pro Racing Pedals
If you’re going to invest in a high-quality direct drive racing wheel and accompanying racing pedals, you’re going to want to go straight to the best one on the market. That’s the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel and Pro Racing Pedals bundled together for around $1348.99 – which, yes, is expensive, but if you’re in the market for a high-end racing setup anyway, is money even an object? GamesRadar+ had some especially kind words for the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel, highlighting the powerful force feedback, robust customization options, and advanced features throughout the design. It’s also widely known as one of the sturdiest racing wheels around, with IGN’s slightly less enthusiastic review still giving credit to Logitech for delivering on its commitment to quality.
3. Cololight Smart RGB LED Gaming Lights
Hexagonal LED wall lights are a popular and stylish way to decorate any gaming area or entertainment center, and I find the Cololight COLO PLAY Ultimate Fusion Set offers the best price balance for the widest range of features as it’s designed around PC gaming setups – letting you sync a wide range of lighting systems (like Razer Chroma) with Cololight’s hex lighting pieces. The included COLO PLAY light switch sits comfortably on your desk and is especially useful to quickly cycle your hex lights and PC lights by simply twisting a knob. Not only that, but the company pledges to plant a tree with every purchase made on its online store, which is a nice gesture on its own.
4. Secretlab MAGNUS Pro
Sit-stand desks are an excellent centerpiece for any modern PC gaming setup, and one of the best-rated desks in 2023 is the Secretlab MAGNUS Pro. It’s spacious, sturdy, and has a number of quality-of-life features like electric height control, a cable management system, and even a little headphone hook for added convenience. It also contains a rather impressive integrated RGB lighting system, making for a unique and stylish design. Its height is configurable via an array of buttons conveniently accessible on its front panel. It’s expensive, but the reviews are unanimously (overwhelmingly) positive, with GamesRadar+ calling it the best sit-stand desk they’ve ever tested when they reviewed it in February 2023.
5. NEWTRAL MagicH Ultra Adaptive Support Home Office Chair
I personally dislike most gaming chairs I’ve ever sat in. I’m a firm believer that the secret to buying a proper gaming chair is avoiding them altogether, and instead investing in a really nice office chair. After all, office chairs are designed to be sat in for at least eight hours a day by office workers of all builds and ages. Their most critical function is comfort, and the NEWTRAL MagicH seems to push the boundaries on just how comfortable an office chair can be. This Kickstarter-backed office chair is advertised to provide full support in any sitting position, whether you’re sitting upright or reclining back. As someone who spends a lot of time sitting down in the same computer chair all day for both work and gaming, I’ve been looking for something that adapts to my needs throughout the day, and the NEWTRAL MagicH is on the tippy top of my wish list.
6. Logitech G560 LIGHTSYNC PC Gaming Speakers
I’ve been using these Logitech G560 2.1 PC speakers for years now, and I still recommend them as a compulsory purchase for any modern PC gaming setup. Their sound quality is decent enough – these aren’t going to compete against a proper 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, or even a nice pair of monitors. However, for the $200 MSRP, you’re getting a powerful 2.1 PC speaker system that also provides a ton of visual ambiance. These speakers double as LED lights that beam colors onto the surface behind your monitor. They can be configured via Logitech G HUB software to mimic the visuals on your monitor itself, creating a dynamic backlighting experience that heightens immersion when playing games and watching movies. Just remember to turn up the brightness to max and boost the subwoofer in the acoustics menu, otherwise these will be a lot darker and a lot quieter than advertised.
7. Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
The most stylish gaming PC monitor you can currently buy is the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, which looks incredible at 5120×1440 resolution with 1800R curvature. The Odyssey OLED G9’s integrated HDR 400 support should produce crisp and rich colors thanks to its OLED display, which doesn’t rely on a backlight and therefore negates the need for local dimming to generate deep blacks and bright whites. It’s designed for gamers first and foremost, running at up to 240Hz refresh rates with built-in support for AMD Freesync. Reviewers especially like how it produces near-instant response times, giving off no perceptible input lag. From a purely aesthetic perspective, the minimalistic design of its stand and the integrated RGB backlights make the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 a centerpiece rather than an eyesore.
8. Xbox Mini Fridge
The Xbox Mini Fridge is admittedly a bit goofy, but then again, it’s not a “real” fridge. What was originally a meme product designed to build up hype for the then-new Xbox Series X in 2020, is still a genuinely cool item to have sitting around in any gaming room. It’s small, with a sleek black chassis and bright green inlay that mimics the design of a proper Xbox Series X. But its best feature is the integrated green LED that gives it its visual flair. Besides, it’s perfect to store a few cans of soda in since it is, after all, classified as a mini fridge.
9. Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV Backlights
Console gaming is way more immersive with a dynamic TV backlight that beams colors onto the surface behind your TV to match the visuals on-screen. Thanks to the Govee DreamView T1 Pro, you can light up your entire entertainment center across three different zones. It’s all controlled by a single camera placed on top of (or below!) your television screen, which can interpret the colors on the screen into information which tells the lighting zones which color to display at any moment. In action, the wide range of lights and colors displaying across the entire entertainment center makes games and movies come to life.
10. PDP REALMz Gaming Controllers for Xbox/PC/Nintendo Switch
Unique gaming controllers are a great way to personalize your gaming room, and thanks to the PDP REALMz diorama controllers for Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch, you can impress your friends with artsy designs that feature popular characters and backdrops. What really stands out here, though, is their transparent design, which makes them look retro. These are a great gift for any gamer in your life, or you can decorate your own gaming room with the wide assortment of styles and colors offered by PDP REALMz.
