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The best gifts you can buy for gamers

Consoles, games, accessories and more...

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best gamer gifts
Good Housekeeping UK

Maybe you’re into gaming, or perhaps you just happen to love someone who is. Either way, you’ll know that no gift brings quite so much joy to a gamer as a console, game or gaming accessory that’ll take gameplay to the next level.

The gamers on our team are here to help you navigate the best gifts for gamers – from consoles and controllers to retro gifts. Find our top picks aimed to suit a diverse audience of PC, PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox gamers below.

Can’t find the ideal present in our gaming gifts roundup? There are some great options to explore in our guides to the best gifts for movie lovers, best gifts for music lovers, best technology gifts and best photography gifts, too.

Best gamer gifts

For latest-gen gaming

Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Console

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Console

It's a big gift, but for most gamers, there couldn't be a much better present than a brand new PlayStation 5.

This version, the Disc Edition Slim, is the most reasonably priced PS5 you can get.

For Switch customisation

Thumb Grip Covers Compatible with Nintendo Switch/OLED/Lite

Thumb Grip Covers Compatible with Nintendo Switch/OLED/Lite

An excellent little present for gamers who have an original, Lite or OLED Nintendo Switch, these Super Mario- themed caps pop onto the top of the console’s analogue sticks on the two controllers. The under-£10 price point makes it a great budget choice, and there's also a Legend of Zelda-themed option, too.

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For mobile gamers

Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller (USB-C) - 2nd Gen

One Mobile Gaming Controller (USB-C) - 2nd Gen

Mobile gaming is more popular than console gaming these days, and many gamers who play mostly on their phone could really benefit from a few upgrades.

This mobile gaming controller from Backbone would be a great place to start. It connects to the phone's USB port and slots around the sides of the handset, so mobile users can play mobile games with greater control and comfort.

For gamers low on storage

Seagate 2TB Game Drive for PS4/PS5

2TB Game Drive for PS4/PS5
Credit: Seagate

External storage devices tend to be a grudge purchase for gamers, so you'll be doing someone a big favour if you buy them this HDD Game Drive as a gift.

Games often require enormous amounts of data these days, so it can be hard to store them digitally on a console without needing to constantly delete and redownload them.

That's where external storage comes in! This officially licensed Seagate device has 2 TB of storage to bolster the memory of a PS5 (or PS4). Simply plug into your console and play with greater freedom.

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This high-end gaming headset

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Gaming Headset

Audeze Maxwell Wireless Gaming Headset

The Audeze Maxwell is one of the best-sounding gaming headsets, so it’s an ideal gift for someone who loves music just as much as they love playing PC or console games with low-latency wireless support. The Maxwell has an enormous battery life, super comfortable ear cups, and excellent connectivity with multiple wired adapters and lag-free wireless support via a USB-C dongle.

Hyper Mega Tech Super Pocket Taito Edition

Super Pocket Taito Edition

This retro device is a great way to keep a nostalgic gamer occupied and playing Space Invaders for hours on end. It'll put their favourite arcade classics in their pocket, and if they get through the 18 built-in titles, it works with Evercade’s Cartridges for building out a throwback gaming collection.

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For Harry Potter fans

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy
Now 37% Off

An ideal gift for Harry Potter fans, this is an open world adventure game that lets you fully explore the world from the movies, including Hogwarts castle and its surrounding areas. The player can customise how they look in the game and upgrade their wizard’s magical abilities as they play. While we’ve highlighted the PS5 version here, it’s also available for the Xbox and the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch Lite + Animal Crossing New Horizons

Switch Lite + Animal Crossing New Horizons

The Nintendo Switch Lite is the handheld-only version of Nintendo's joyous Switch console, with a compact design and lower pricing than the base version.

This exceptional bundle deal gets you the Switch Lite, plus one of the platform's best games – Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

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For serious PC gamers

Glorious Gaming Model D- (Small) Wireless Gaming Mouse

Gaming Model D- (Small) Wireless Gaming Mouse
Credit: Glorious

Any serious PC gamer is going to want a top-notch gaming mouse with very low lag, great battery life and perhaps a little flair.

This wireless model from Glorious ticks all the right boxes, with excellent performance and customisable RGB light-up details. The honeycomb design on the enclosure makes this a particularly lightweight option for games where every millisecond counts.

For quiet late night gaming

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds for PlayStation, PC & Switch

Arctis GameBuds for PlayStation, PC & Switch
Credit: SteelSeries

Only certain models of earbuds are compatible with games consoles, so you need to choose this accessory carefully. The SteelSeries Arctic GameBuds are a great choice for most gamers, compatible with the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, as well as with PCs.

These buds have plenty of great features to enhance the gaming experience, including 360-degree spatial audio, PS5 audio presets and active noise cancellation.

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For an easy power-up

Anker USB-C Cable 2-in-1

USB-C Cable 2-in-1
Credit: Anker

It might not look all that exciting, but this Anker charging accessory could prove very useful to the gamer in your life.

The cable effectively works as two USB chargers as one, so you can use it to charge two compatible devices – including some leading models of gaming controller – at the same time.

For nostalgic fun

Official Atari Cartridge Console

Official Atari Cartridge Console

A retro gift to delight the more seasoned gamer in your life, this offical Atari Cartridge Console crams in three classic Atari games: Pong Sports, Asteroids and Missile Command. It's so tiny, you can use it as a keyring.

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For game-changing audio

Bose Smart Dolby Atmos Soundbar

Smart Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Now 20% Off

A soundbar can transform the gaming experience, especially for console gamers who use a monitor that's slightly (or entirely) lacking in the audio department.

This Bose model boasts some high-end features, including Dolby Atmos surround sound, Bluetooth connectivity and built-in Alexa voice control.

For dedicated Zelda fans

Nintendo Switch OLED - Zelda Edition

Switch OLED - Zelda Edition

An ideal gift for Zelda fans, this Nintendo Switch OLED bundle has a special design from the game on the front of the docking station, while the controllers have a green and gold colour scheme which makes a nice change from the original’s red and blue. The display is sharper than the original model too, but it still plugs into a TV via a docking station so you can also play games on the big-screen.

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For a safe headphone space

Avantree Headphone Stand

Headphone Stand

Most gamers use a headset to play online, especially if they’re chatting with friends on multiplayer titles, so this stand gives them a safe spot to store their headsets when not in use.

The base is metal, so it remains stable on a desk, while the silicone top adds lots of extra grip. The circular stand has walled edges, so it’s ideal for keeping any headphone wires contained, or it could be used to store some wireless earbuds.

For heavy PS5 gamers

PS5 controller charging station

PS5 controller charging station

PS5 controllers use rechargeable batteries but they’ll quickly run out after a few hours of heavy use. This docking station makes sure up to two controllers are always ready to go.

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For online PC gamers

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1

Arctis Nova 1

SteelSeries is a reliable brand for PC audio and accessories – and the Arctis Nova 1 is a brilliant headset for the money. It supports immersive spatial audio (which makes sound seem like it’s coming from specific directions) and the earcups use memory foam so they’re comfortable to wear.

This model is wired with a 3.5mm cable, so it connects to all consoles and PCs, including PS5, Xbox and Switch.

For a sturdy mouse and keyboard

Logitech G G840 Large Mouse Pad

G840 Large Mouse Pad
Now 13% Off

No gamer wants their keyboard and mouse to be shifting around their desk while trying to concentrate on playing, and this massive pad solves that problem. The soft surface (90 x 90 x 3 cm) adds plenty of extra grip for the peripherals, and the mat uses a non-slip rubber base on the underside for stability.

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For handheld gaming on-the-go

Nintendo Switch Lite

Switch Lite

This is the Switch to buy if your giftee prefers a console to use while catching a flight, commuting to work or relaxing on the sofa in the evenings. Unlike the standard model, it’s handheld only. There’s no dock, and the display is smaller, but it’s lighter and generally more comfortable to hold. While you can’t swap the controllers, we love the travel-friendly design – and it plays nearly all of the same games.

For extra Switch storage space

SanDisk Nintendo Switch memory card

Nintendo Switch memory card

Nintendo Switch consoles come with some built-in storage for games, but if the player wants to create a larger collection – additional space is needed. That’s exactly what this game-themed memory card is for. We love the 128GB card, as it keeps the price under £40 (that’s enough room for around 19 different titles), but there are other options available: including 64GB, 256GB, 512GB and 400GB.

Headshot of Pete Wise

Pete Wise is a freelance writer with over a decade's experience working across a wide range of publications and subject areas. A frequent contributor to Good Housekeeping, Pete helps keep tech and lifestyle coverage up to date – especially during seasonal sales like Prime Day and Black Friday.

As a consumer journalist, Pete has reviewed hundreds of products for titles including The Independent, Evening Standard, Ideal Home and Homebuilding & Renovating. His articles on other topics, such as global development and social initiatives, have been featured in publications such as The Guardian and Positive.News.

When he's not busy writing, Pete spends much of his time running, renovating, playing guitar and feeding his cat.

Headshot of Simon Cocks
Simon Cocks
Technology Editor

Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.

Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.

A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.

He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.

He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.

You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.

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