Gift giving season is just around the corner, and if your friends or family are gamers, you know the challenge when it comes to choosing the perfect video game or gaming system for them. Traversing the gaming playing field is a large market full of various handheld devices, video game consoles, gaming accessories, PCs, individual games, and more – which makes it difficult to decide the appropriate gift choice.
Gamers have a variety of different preferences, ranging from ultra realistic graphical machines to simple accessories to enhance their gaming setup. Gaming has evolved in different formats, from virtual reality headsets to portable systems with dynamic controllers that can be played everywhere, and even a comeback of the 1970s arcade machine. We aimed to keep all of these different tastes in mind when crafting this list of gift options for the gamers in your life.
Best gifts for gamers 2023: Our top picks
Nintendo / Pocket-lint
Nintendo Switch – OLED Model
1. Best gift for gamers overall
A real people pleaser
The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s latest hybrid video game console that features three different ways to play
- Tons of AAA+ exclusive games
- Versatile and portable with three ways to play
- Great for both social gatherings or individual experiences
- Not as graphically powerful as a PS5 or XBOX Series X
- Limited online play
For kids and adults, the Nintendo Switch OLED makes a great gift due to its easy to learn playability, intuitive functionality, and vast collection of exclusive family friendly games. The hybrid video game system is designed as both a portable handheld with a screen and as a home console, so you can play it on your television. This gamer gift is designed for those who want to play with the whole family at home, bring over to a friend’s party, or to just enjoy a solitary epic quest in the comfort of their own bed.
The versatility of the Nintendo Switch OLED allows you to play it both as a handheld system using its tablet feature and as a home console to hook up to your TV. Its hardware is designed with a 17.78 centimeter OLED screen with two removable Joy-Con controllers snapped on each side. The system can be played in three modes: a TV Mode where you dock your system and play on your television; a singular handheld mode where the Joy-Con controllers attach to the screen; and a Tabletop Mode, where you can flip the screen’s stand and use both of the Joy-Cons each as a controller for a multiplayer experience.
Nintendo is home to a vast amount of exclusive video games you won’t find anywhere else, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and many more. The system offers current and nostalgic games of yesteryear and for digital download to the system’s 64GB internal storage through Nintendo’s online store. If the gamer in your life already has a switch, consider adding to their set-up by reviewing our best Nintendo Switch accessories guide.
Empowered / Pocket-lint
Empowered PC Continuum Mini Gaming Desktop
2. Best ultra-premium gift for PC games
The ultimate gaming machine
A gaming PC desktop that offers one of the best graphic cards to date, 96GB of RAM, 6TB of memory, and a liquid cooled 24 core Intel processor
- Can run the latest games on max settings
- Cutting edge components that can run multiple applications
- Future proof
- Expensive
- Can be more difficult setting up
The Empowered PC Continuum shows how far computers can go as the most powerful systems to be able to store and run countless video games at their fullest potential. The pre-built computer desktop system includes six various models that range in price, with the high-end version offering a large 6TB of storage space, 96GB of RAM, and one of the most powerful graphic cards on the market that plays the newest games at their highest settings.
Like looking out of the window, the high-end version of the Empowered PC Continuum includes the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, a graphics card that can pump out photorealistic video games that’ll make you wonder if you just bought a window. Its processor is a liquid cooled Intel Core i9-1390 KF twenty core processors that can, without a skip, run various applications for content creation or streaming live gameplay and audio. The desktop also includes two solid state drives totaling six terabytes of memory, so gamers can store about 50 to 100 of the latest triple A video games depending on their size.
Unlike consoles, PC desktops like the Empowered PC Continuum offer more future proofing for gamers. This means its high-end components ensure that it can handle upcoming game releases and updates without slowdown. PC gamers can also upgrade the computer’s components over time, allowing for more memory expansion and storage for future games.
CredevZone / Pocket-lint
CredevZone RG35XX Handheld Game Console
3. Best gift for nostalgic retro gaming
A blast from the past
The CredevZone RG35XX Handheld Game Console can be loaded with a variety of homebrew video games for a pixelated gaming experience resembling yesteryear
- Under $100
- Runs multiple emulators
- Portable and easy to carry
- short battery life
- Can be complicated for newcomers
Gamers of the nostalgic 80s and 90s video game world will find the CredevZone RG35XX to look familiar, as it resembles the 1989 Nintendo Gameboy. The pocketable little video game system runs multiple emulators including PlayStation, MAME, and Super Nintendo and is preloaded with 64GB of memory, supporting an expansion of up to 512GB, so you can load it with thousands of games. It’s great for gamers who do a lot of traveling, as it offers a quick and accessible way to play a large variety of games on the go.
Measuring at 11.71 x 2 x 8.10 centimeters and weighing 10.5 ounces, the CredevZone RG35XX can fit into most pants pockets, making it an easy on-the-go little system that can be played anywhere. It features like a backlit 8.89 centimeters IPS screen with 640 x 480 resolution and four trigger buttons on the back to give it a modernized feel compatible with controls for both old school and contemporary gaming. Overall, the CredevZone RG35XX makes for a great gift for video game enthusiasts who want to play multiple versions of videogames on different classic systems.
Meta / Pocket-lint
Meta Quest 3
4. Best gift for VR gamers
Enter another dimension
Meta Quest 3 offers gamers the ability to enter virtual interactive worlds
- Immerse 4K display
- 3D audio you hear all around
- 500 applications
- Little battery life
- Limited memory
- Expensive
Gamers who want the next level of medium for video game playing will take delight in the Meta Quest 3 virtual reality (VR) headset. The standalone VR headset immerses gamers into a full scale 120 degree field of vision displayed in stunning 4K resolution worlds that pump out 3D sound with over 500 different applications ranging from fitness, education, and video games.
Virtual reality headsets are a newer realm of gaming that are still being further developed in exploring what can be possible. The Meta Quest 3 gives gamers the opportunity to see new and upcoming mediums of play using its two controllers that act like hands. Gamers will get to everything from jumping into lightsaber battles with Darth Vader and smacking zombies with baseball bats to carefully designing isolated worlds while keeping inhabitants content and building out virtual Lego sets in real-world spaces. Comes with a one-year limited warranty. If you’re interested in VR but are unsure of which model will suit you best, check out our guide on the best VR headsets, top picks from HTC Vive, Meta, Pico and more.
Valve / Pocket-lint
Steam Deck
5. Best gift for high-end portable gaming
Heard of the Gameboy? This is the Gameman.
The Steam Deck is like having a handheld gaming PC in your hands that plays a ton of computer games
- Intuitive controls
- Comes in multiple versions
- PC powered portable gaming
- High price
- Low battery life
- Not all PC games are compatible
Players who want high-end PC gaming without the bulk of a PC will love the Steam Deck; it’s like having a little computer in your hands. The handheld PC allows for high-end computer gaming, giving gamers access to a library of thousands of computer games that they can play anywhere.
Pocket-lint
The Steam Deck is built with a 17.78 centimeter LCD touch screen, snappy dual thumbsticks, buttons, trackpad, d-pad, and grips for intuitive controls akin to a handheld gaming device. It connects to the popular Steam App gaming platform allowing easy integration to connect to a library of thousands of games, quick chat with friends, custom settings, and more. While not all games on the Steam Deck are compatible, there are over thousands of games that are compatible with the system with more to come in the future.
Just like running a game on your desktop or laptop, the Steam Deck is capable of playing a multitude of popular PC games like GTA V, God of War, Death Stranding, and more, all at a stable frame rate. There’s a micro SD slot too, so gamers can have an expanded storage to keep all their favorite games on the device. You can even connect the Steam Deck to a TV or monitor and turn it into a home console similar to the Nintendo Switch.
SteelSeries / Pocket-lint
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset
6. Best accessory gift for gamers
A compatible companion
$50 $60 Save $10
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset offers a gaming headset for clear 360 degree spatial audio and a noise cancelling microphone for clear communications
- Under $50
- Comfortable cushioning
- Compatible with any gaming console using a 3.5mm jack
- Wired
- Sound quality isn’t high
- Takes time to set up right
If the gamer in your life already has a console or gaming PC setup, you can always complement their experience with a high quality headset like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset. The headset includes a full 360º spatial audio output that enhances gaming experiences by hurling sound at you from every direction.
Did you hear those footsteps behind you? What about the airplane coming into the distance from above? The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 can produce 3D spatial audio sound using its high fidelity 10-band parametric EQ audio drivers. Gamers who play competitive shooters can benefit with the headset’s memory foam cushions, sound design for subtle in-game noises, and bidirectional retractable noise cancelling microphone to communicate with teammates. For the gamer who has a console already, a great gaming accessory is a solid holiday gift.
Arcade1Up / Pocket-lint
Arcade1Up Arcade Machine
7. Best gift for arcade gamers
Relive the glory
$600 $700 Save $100
The Arcade1Up Arcade Machine allows gamers to releive the nostalgic arcade days with a variety of different popular arcade cabinets
- Classic arcade gaming cabinet
- Different models with classic games
- Group and individual interest
- Usually dedicated to one game
- Some assembly required
- Large and bulky
If the gamer in your life has a favourite classic game they remember playing back in the day at an arcade, and they love arcade cabinets the Aracade1Up Arcade Game Cabinet is the best choice for them on the list. The company makes a variety of different popular arcade machines ranging from everything like Pac-Man, NFL Blitz, Terminator 2 Judgment Day, NBA JAM, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, and many more.
Gamers who talk about the nostalgic days of walking into arcades and spending a fortune with quarters will be surprised with an Arcade1Up Game Cabinet. These machines capture the look and feel of those same video game machines you’d find in the arcades with classic art designs and styles – except without the need to spend all your precious quarters. The cabinets are great for multiplayer experiences you can enjoy with friends offline, but if another gamer owns the same cabinet, they’ll be able to play with one another and see each other’s scores using the system’s Wi-Fi enabled gaming.
The bottom line: What is the best gift to get a gamer?
The Nintendo Switch OLED offers the best gift for gamers (and anyone who likes to entertain) with a well-rounded video game console that’ll please any gamer who doesn’t already have one. You’ll find all the family friendly games of Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and more that you won’t find anywhere else. The system is affordable, lightweight, and is designed for both extroverted gamers who like to play offline multiplayer (a rarer feature in games today) or introverted gamers who want a handheld and more personal experience.
Nintendo / Pocket-lint
Nintendo Switch – OLED Model
Editor’s Choice
$314 $350 Save $36
The best gift also depends on what the gamer in your life already plays on and if they have a dedicated console. If that’s the case, shop based on what they use and would prefer. If they are a PC gamer but haven’t tried out handhelds, they might love the Steam Deck. You also can’t go wrong when you pick a multi-console compatible option, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 headset, if you are unsure which console they prefer.
Does each gaming console or PC have different games?
Yes. The video game industry is overall a licensing one that differentiates itself with its intellectual properties. Hardware limitations can also factor in to whether you see a game on a system or not. As an example, Mario and Pokémon games are typically only found on Nintendo video game systems (except some smartphone apps). At the same time, you won’t normally find AAA first-person shooter games on a Nintendo console, but will find the same title (like Call of Duty Modern Warfare III or Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege) on PC, Xbox X, or Playstation systems. Before you buy a video game for someone, once you know the title, find out what system they play.
How do we choose each gift?
Gamers come in many different forms, so we chose gifts across the spectrum of gaming interests. There are serious gamers who are locked into their monitors, yelling into microphones, and clicking and clacking their keyboards and mice like no tomorrow – our PC gaming options will appeal to these folks.
There are other gamers who host parties offline and invite everyone in their living room for chips and guacamole and then play games like Mario Party or Draw Something on their television that gets everyone chatting. The Nintendo Switch OLED, Arcade1Up, and Steam Deck might appeal to these folks most.
There are even more casual gamers who download Pokémon Go on their iPhone or play solitaire or chess on their laptop for more relaxed playing. Gamers are a diverse collective of individuals each with their own attitudes and preferences towards what types of video game experiences they like to enjoy. Some gamers enjoy all of it. Others enjoy some. And some are extra particular. We used our experienced team Pocket-lint’s deep knowledge on gaming trends and hands-on experience with most of these gifts to tailor a list we think can satisfy every type of gamer this holiday season.
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