If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
PC gaming is a fun way to de-stress after a long day, connect with friends online, and appreciate a fast-paced interactive art form. But, to get the most out of the experience, you’ll want to pick up a few of the best gaming accessories. You can play games with the mouse and keyboard you use for work, but, for most games, they won’t be enough for quality gaming sessions. Plus, gaming accessories allow you to customize some features, especially lighting, to add some ambiance and fun to the experience.
At a Glance: The Best PC Gaming Accessories
- A Gaming Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7
- A Comfortable Chair: Corsair TC100 Relaxed Gaming Chair
- A Gaming Keyboard: iBuyPower MEK 4
- A Gaming Monitor: Alienware AW2723DF
- An Ergonomic Mouse: Razer Basilisk V3
- A Gaming Controller: Xbox X/S Wireless Controller
- Customizable Lighting: Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights
- Fast WiFi Router: Amazon Eero high-speed WiFi 6
- Blue Light Glasses: Sojos Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses
The world of tech accessories is large, but we’ve done the heavy lifting for you by finding some must-have accessories you’ll want to create a great PC gaming setup. From keyboards and mice to the right WiFi routers to use, we’ve got you covered.
The Best PC Gaming Accessories to Buy Right Now
To make this list of the best gaming accessories, we combed through expert reviews and gaming forums on platforms like Reddit to see what accessories and specific products gamers like most. Then, after testing products, we landed on the picks below — all of which are available from reputable retailers, and have an average customer rating of at least 3.7/5 stars.
A Gaming Headset
If you’re going to play online multiplayer games with friends, a good gaming headset is an essential accessory. For a balance of features, audio quality, and affordability, it’s hard to beat this SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7. One of its best features is simultaneous 2.4GHz audio for gaming and Bluetooth 5.0 for other audio sources. That means you can listen to music or take a call while still hearing game audio in the same headset. Build quality is great too, ensuring hours of use without discomfort.
A Comfortable Gaming Chair
Another must-have for gamers is a comfortable chair. Some prefer a high-quality office chair (like this revered Aeron from Herman Miller) but you can often get more bang for your buck with a nice gaming-specific chair. This Corsair TC100 is a favorite, offering ergonomic lumbar and neck support, cool, soft fabric, and plenty of adjustability. The seat is deep enough that most will be able to bring a leg up or even sit cross-legged, and we also like the low-key look (some gaming chairs can be a bit loud).
A Gaming Keyboard
Another crucial piece of gear you’ll want on your gaming desktop is a good keyboard. We recommend going wired, as this will typically provide better feedback at a much lower price. Great gaming keyboards, like this MEK4 keyboard + mouse combo from iBuyPower, also feature quiet, smooth operation. It features mechanical switches for precise performance, as well as full customizability.
A Gaming Monitor
Even with a high-performance computer, you won’t be able to get the most out of your system without a good monitor. We recommend this Alienware AW2723DF. The monitor’s color and refresh rates are both great, especially considering the screen’s relatively attainable price tag. The only downside is that it’s 1440p (not 4k), but we prefer speed and low price over resolution for gaming.
An Ergonomic Mouse
The Razer Basilisk V3 is cited as one of the best gaming mice in almost every roundup you’ll come across, especially in discussions about low to mid-price point options. It’s extremely lightweight — one benefit of going wired over wireless — and has great sensor performance and click latency. You also get 11 programmable buttons, including a handy (pun intended) multi-function trigger. All of this comes in at less than $50.
A Gaming Controller
Most gamers prefer a mouse-keyboard setup for faster titles like shooters and MMOs, but a traditional controller is sometimes better for certain games, like adventure or story games. If you don’t have one, pick up this Xbox controller. Even though the PS5 has edged out the Xbox X/S in terms of popularity, most gamers agree that Microsoft did a better job with the controller.
Customizable Lighting
One way to make your whole gaming setup a better place to hang out is customizable lighting. It can also be very inexpensive; pick up these multi-color RGBIC LED lightstrips from Govee for just $14.99 apiece. The strip is segmented, so you can make the whole thing one color or several, and connects to your phone for easy adjustability.
Fast WiFi Router
Playing PC games online requires a strong internet connection, and even a momentary drop in speed can give your competition an advantage. Ideally, you’d have your computer directly connected to your WiFi router via Ethernet, but that might not be possible depending on your living situation. If you need to rely on WiFi, we recommend getting a better router and booster, like this one from Eero. It’s easy to set up and delivers ultra-fast, reliable connectivity to several devices at once.
Blue Light Glasses
Another popular gaming accessory is blue light glasses. Blue light from computer screens might be bad for your sleep and eye health, so many gamers will wear blue light glasses to help reduce exposure during long sessions. You’ll want a pair with small arms to fit under a headset, which is why we suggest these from Sojos. They’re super affordable at just $17, and come very highly rated on Amazon.
How We Chose the Best Gaming Accessories
There are a lot of ways to upgrade your gaming setup. To make this list, we narrowed things down to some of the most essential accessories. After figuring out those must-have items, we thoroughly researched picks for each category by reading expert reviews, combing through forums, and testing products ourselves. Then, we made sure that our favorites were all available from reputable online retailers and came with high praise from real customers.
1. SteelSeries Arctis 7 Lossless Wireless Gaming Headset
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
SteelSeries’ Artics 7 are an over-ear headset with support for DTS, a Dolby-designed audio codec that mixes stereo audio to simulate surround sound.
It can be connected directly to a computer with a cable, or wirelessly via a 2.4Ghz wireless audio receiver that SteelSeries includes in the box. The Artcis 7 has a flexible, bi-directional microphone that SteelSeries says is “broadcast quality.” The company also touts the microphone’s ability to block out background noise.
You can adjust many of the Arctis 7’s audio settings through SteelSeries’ PC app. This includes the ability to adjust the volume of every app on your computer, so you can get the right mix of game audio and your teammates’ voices if you’re communicating through Discord or Skype.
PROS: Consistent, reliable sound.
CONS: Headset gets uncomfortable after a few hours of wear.
2. Razer Ornata Chroma Gaming Keyboard
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
This is our favorite ergonomic, back-lit keyboard for gaming. The Ornata keyboard has a large, cushioned wrist rest, and mid-height keys with a mecha-membrane that makes them softer to press. Both of these features make the Ornata a lot easier on your hands. The wrist rest is detachable, so you can easily remove it if it’s interfering with your performance.
Each of the Ornata’s keys are individually lit, and you can program the keyboard’s backlights to one solid color, or a rainbow through Razer’s PC app. The Ornata supports 16.8 million colors, and you can even program the colors to change as you play your game.
PROS: Customize the colors to match the mood and action of your game.
CONS: Keys have a stiffer, “clicky” feel that might take getting used to.
3. Razer Mamba Elite Gaming Mouse
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
This wired mouse from Razer uses a 16,000DPI (dots per inch) optical sensor to track your movements with pinpoint precision, and nine programmable buttons, which you can customize for easy access to different settings within Razer’s Synapse 3 app.
You also have control over the LED lighting zones both sides of the mouse, and under the click wheel. The Mamba Elite supports 16.8 million colors, which you can sync up with your Razer Keyboard and Logitech speakers for a unified look.
Its curved frame has side grips, which Razer says makes the Mamba Elite more comfortable to hold, and small texture buttons that provide traction if your hands get sweaty during an intense match.
PROS: Customizable lighting, comfortable grip.
CONS: Not a wireless mouse.
