Best Gifts for Gamers

Stumped on what to get your gamer guy or gal this year? We’ve compiled a list of some of the best gear, including our favorite laptops, a mouse, controller and even a bag to carry it all in. Whether you're looking for a controller for Christmas, a monitor for Hanukkah, a keyboard for Kwanzaa or just a great gift for any time of the year, you can’t go wrong with this hand-picked list to satisfy that gaming itch.

Steam Gift Card

What better gift is there than the gift of choice? With a Steam gift card, the PC gamer on your list can get anything they want from Valve's vast library of computer titles, from recent hits like Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and The Witcher 3 to old-school PC classics like Doom and such beloved indies as Hollow Knight and Stardew Valley.

Credit: Steam

8BitDo SN30

If the PC gamer on your list loves retro games, the 8BitDo SN30 is absolutely essential. This affordable throwback controller replicates the timeless feel of the classic Super Nintendo pad, while offering a variety of slick color schemes that pay homage to the Game Boy Classic. Whether you're fighting your way through Cuphead or throwing it back with Sonic Mania or the Mega Man X Legacy Collection, the SN30 is the ultimate companion for platformers and retro games.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Forza Horizon 4

Forza Horizon 4 isn't just one of the best racing games on PC -- it's one of the most fun open-world experiences out there, period. Playground Games' latest arcade driving game sets you loose in beautiful Britain, where you can race and tackle a wealth of fun activities as the seasons dynamically shift in real-time, offering new environmental challenges at every turn. With hundreds of cars to unlock and tons of customization and multiplayer options, this is the ultimate game for the driving fanatic on your list.

Credit: Microsoft

HyperX Cloud Alpha

Every serious gamer needs a great headset, and the HyperX Cloud Alpha is as good as it gets in the sub-$100 price range. This sturdy and attractive headset offers rich, immersive audio within a premium aluminum design that supports a pair of supremely cozy memory foam earcups.

Credit: HyperX

Alienware Vindicator Messenger Bag

Carry your new gaming laptop and accessories around in style. No matter what brand your notebook and peripherals are, they’ll fit comfortably into Alienware’s Vindicator series of bags. We love this messenger bag for its variety of pockets, including six zippered compartments for your cables and thumb drives and a padded area dedicated for a notebook up to 15 inches.

Credit: Mobile Edge

MSI GS65 Stealth Thin

If you're willing to splurge for the gamer on your life on a laptop that looks as good as it performs, the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin can't be beat. This notebook crams an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics into a super-slim, droolworthy chassis, allowing you to crank up the latest PC games and even some VR titles -- and look good doing so.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

The latest Call of Duty game mixes up the series' tried-and-true formula to great success. An all-multiplayer experience, Black Ops 4 offers classic competitive Call of Duty multiplayer with unique character powers, the beloved Zombies mode, and a brand-new Battle Royale experience dubbed Blackout. Whether the gamer on your list is seeking some great co-op zombie action or wants to fight to be the last player standing, they'll find something to love in this game.

Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum

The Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum is our favorite gaming mouse forgood reason. This $57 mouse is comfortable for both palm and claw-grippers and has granular weight control. Throw in large, smartly-placed buttons and a refined scroll wheel and you have a great mouse for any game genre.

Dell G7 15

The Dell G7 15 proves that you can get the gamer in your life a great gaming notebook without busting your bank account. Packing up to an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics, this affordable powerhouse can handle hot games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Shadow of the Tomb Raider at respectable settings. And thanks to the G7's refreshingly slick white, blue and black color scheme, the gamer on your list will play in style no matter where they are.

Credit: Laptop

Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller

If the gamer in your life takes their Call of Duty or Fortnite sessions seriously, the Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller is well worth the investment. This premium pad sports a weighty, soft-touch coated design, complete with a variety of swappable analog sticks and d-pads that allow you to customize the controller to your playstyle. Factor in rear-facing paddles for additional controls and hair-trigger locks for faster gunshots, and the Xbox Elite controller is the ultimate competitive edge.

Credit: Xbox

Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam

If you’re a streamer who doesn’t have the money or the space for a green screen, the Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam is the next best thing. It takes all of the best features of the Logitech C920 — a normal webcam with great picture and sound quality — and adds the Personify ChromaCam software to let you float above the action or sit in front of custom backgrounds. It can be a bit finicky to start, but once you get it working, it looks amazing. Credit: Logitech

Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your Shopping List

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A devout gamer and tech enthusiast, Mike Andronico joined the Laptop team in July 2013. With a B.A. in Journalism from Purchase College and experience at GameNGuide, Examiner and 2D-X, Mike tackles everything from iPhone rumors to in-depth hardware reviews.

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