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Both at the casual and competitive level, gaming is a very serious activity for a huge group of people. Gamers are willing to spend hundreds on their setups, so tapping into the market of this consumer has led to the creation of a large industry of accessories. These accessories are not just meant for being flashy, but also have performance and comfort-related purposes.
Normal equipment isn’t built to spec to fulfill the cutting edge demand of gamers, both in terms of durability and high performance. Especially for streamers and Esports professionals, they never want to be let down by their gear. This list wants to curate the pieces of equipment that every gamer needs in 2021 to level up!
1. Gaming Mouse
The mouse is used in almost all forms of games. Specifically for shooting games, a gaming mouse is almost a necessity. What does it do that a normal mouse cannot? For starters, gaming mice have a higher DPI value, which means that they can read more inputs. By being able to process more inputs, the mouse can track hand movements and the replication of that into the system becomes much more smooth and precise.
In games where the difference can be made in a second, this level of speed and accuracy is almost mandatory. The bonus effect is that there is very little input lag, which means that the time difference between you moving the mouse and the computer registering it is as small as possible. Gaming mice also feature multiple other buttons that can be used to bind macro commands to automate certain functions. Famous gaming mouse brands are Logitech, Razer, Corsair, and Dell. Our recommendation is the Razer Deathadder V2.
2. Mechanical Keyboard
A mechanical keyboard has a very similar function to gaming mice. Gaming keyboards are designed to prioritize speed and performance. Mechanical keyboards have the keys attached to mechanical switches which eliminate input lag and shave off useful milliseconds in inputting commands. These keyboards also have extra buttons and a design that is more suited in its layout to gamers. Secondly, the pressure sensitivity of the keys can be customizable.
You can have harder keys that are less sensitive to slight touches so that you can eliminate misclicks. On the other hand, softer keys are good for speed as you can move your fingers faster without putting much pressure, this can make a big difference in your performance when playing keyboard reliant games like Drift Hunters. Gaming keyboards by Dell, Logitech, Steelseries, and Razer also feature customizable backlights. These illuminated keys make seeing them easier, and the programmable color patterns also add a cool visual aesthetic. The Steelseries Apex Pro is currently the best offering in this category.
3. Gaming Headset
Headsets and headphones are surely useful for audiophiles who love to watch movies and listen to songs with high audio fidelity. However, for gamers, headsets serve different purposes. Sound stimuli are often very critical to notice in games as they can give away important information that dictates your next moves. In shooting games, picking up the sound of footsteps or distant gunfire is the way to be on guard even before being able to see the opponents.
The strategic advantage of sound is held dear to all gamers. Gaming headsets serve this purpose by being built with durability and audio calibration in mind. They also feature crisp and clear microphones to allow for clarity in the voice communications between players, which forms a key piece of strategy. Definitely, just like all gaming accessories, elimination of input lag is prioritized, and the visual design of these headphones also has a gamer aesthetic with strobing RGB lights and sharp angles. Razer Blackshark V2 takes the top spot in this category.
4. Ergonomic Seating
The difference between a gaming chair and a standard office chair is twofold, first is the ergonomics and comfort factor, and second is the overall design. In terms of ergonomics, these gaming chairs are built to sustain seating for long periods with a customizable seating position that is ideal to prevent back and neck pain. This seating position also optimizes the hand that eye position for users so that they can play accurately and swiftly.
A sluggish composure doesn’t help in performance, comfort, and health. That is why it is good to look for the best durable chairs for gaming on PC that has all the ergonomic features needed. In terms of design, ergonomic gaming chairs are often designed to look much different than your boring standard leather chair. Using interesting sharp patterns and saturated colors, gaming chairs are often built to be eye-catching. For a lot of gamers, this kind of funky furniture fits their overall theme as it matches the “techno” look and feels of their computer devices. The Secret lab Titan Softweave gaming chair best captures all these features.
5. Monitors
Often a very overlooked part of accessories – people tend to think that a plain old monitor or even television can suffice for gamers. Firstly, the screen size of TVs is a non-factor as gamers usually have to sit close to the screen on a desk anyway. Secondly, the unique selling factor of gaming monitors is their support for fast refresh rates and minimal input lag. To understand refresh rates, it is the speed at which the monitor screen is refreshed with new information.
The standard refresh rate conventionally has been 60hz, however, because gamers often play at 120+ frames per second, having a difference of refresh rate can cause visual issues such as ghosting or screen tearing. There are generally very undesirable problems as they don’t just distract from highly competitive and serious games, but also break the visual immersion in normal games. Brands such as BenQ, LG, Samsung, and Asus feature 1440p to 4K Panels with a blistering refresh rate of 144hz or more. Our recommendation for the best monitor is the LG 27GN950-B.
6. Wifi Peripherals
With so many multiplayer games becoming immensely popular, wifi routers can often hold back the data speeds that you can attain. Cheap wifi often won’t fully support your internet speed. This can cause network lag, packet loss, and even internet disconnections which can ruin the gaming experience. So the best option is to buy high-quality Netgear routers online to suit all your gaming and wifi needs. If you are looking for recommendations, the Asus RT-AX86U is the best wifi router in 2021 for gaming.
Now that you know about these 6 accessories, you can stir up the perfect gaming rig and blast away the competition. Remember, the technology is only there to support you, and to improve gaming skills, no remedy is better than hard work and practice!