Black Friday 2019 is the one day of the year where you can splurge on sick discounts online and get the most bang for your buck heading into the holiday season. This year's picks lean on the upgrades that actually change how you play: a wireless mouse worth owning, a 144 Hz monitor, a mechanical keyboard and a headset you can wear for a five hour session. Even if you don't believe in Black Friday, check out some of the gift ideas below for your own upcoming holidays!
If your wallet is itching or you know a gamer friend who needs to stop being bad and could use some accessories to save him from Elo Hell, be sure to check out the list below!
Archive post, November 2019. Every price, percentage and "on sale now" below is from that Black Friday and none of them hold today. The picks have aged a lot better than the numbers have, so read this as a list of what was worth owning rather than as a live deal sheet, and check what something actually costs before you buy it.
Introduction
Black Friday 2019 is the one day of the year where you can splurge on sick discounts online and get the most bang for your buck heading into the holiday season. This year's picks lean on the upgrades that actually change how you play: a wireless mouse worth owning, a 144 Hz monitor, a mechanical keyboard and a headset you can wear for a five hour session. Even if you don't believe in Black Friday, check out some of the gift ideas below for your own upcoming holidays!
If your wallet is itching or you know a gamer friend who needs to stop being bad and could use some accessories to save him from Elo Hell, be sure to check out the list below!
Wireless Gaming Mouse
Still looking to make that breakthrough to the next level but using a dinky wireless laptop mouse? This might be the single most important upgrade of your gaming system outside of a graphics card.
Wireless mice have had a bad rep for the long time. It's nearly 2020 though and the technology is nearly seamless. The lag is non-existent, the battery life is amazing, and you can plug it in if you're in a pinch.
Wireless mice have had a bad rep for the long time. It's nearly 2020 though and the technology is nearly seamless. The lag is non-existent, the battery life is amazing, and you can plug it in if you're in a pinch.
This marvel of engineering launched as a flagship and then got quietly undercut by Logitech's own newer models, which is exactly why it's worth hunting down. It's an absolute steal whenever it turns up discounted, and it's performed incredibly for users over the past few years.
It sports over 30 hours wireless battery life which is more than sufficient for dominating a few sessions in row. Once it runs out of battery just plug it and keep playing normally using it as a wired version. EZ PZ.
Meanwhile if you're interested in paying a premium to upgrade to the newest model, the new Logitech G903 is the one to reach for, and it sports an insane 140 hours+ of battery time between recharges!
One of those is the HyperX Cloud Stinger, which sits right at the bottom of the budget bracket. At that kind of price point, it's tough to beat for the quality and comfort this line provides.
On the other hand, if you've got a little more room in the budget I'd definitely recommend the highly rated Sennheiser Game One, which turns up discounted over Black Friday more years than not. It's a beloved headset the rest of the year too.
Meanwhile, if you really want to have a REALLY great pair of gaming headsets, don't go buying a $200 premium set from a gaming headset company. Instead spend that $200 on the optimal headset configuration.
The best way to do it is to get a real pair of headphones, pop a detachable (uni-directional) mic, and then plug it into a Digital to Analog converter. This will give you the absolute best base quality sound for your money and put you well on the way to being an audiophile...
More information on how to pick out a gaming headset here!
Gaming Headset
Gaming headsets used to be cheaply made and overpriced. Nowadays, you can find some that are well made and still cheap enough to not break the bank.
One of those is the HyperX Cloud Stinger, which sits right at the bottom of the budget bracket. At that kind of price point, it's tough to beat for the quality and comfort this line provides.
Meanwhile, if you really want to have a REALLY great pair of gaming headsets, don't go buying a $200 premium set from a gaming headset company. Instead spend that $200 on the optimal headset configuration.
The best way to do it is to get a real pair of headphones, pop a detachable (uni-directional) mic, and then plug it into a Digital to Analog converter. This will give you the absolute best base quality sound for your money and put you well on the way to being an audiophile...
More information on how to pick out a gaming headset here!
Mechanical Keyboard With Cherry MX Keys
Having a true mechanical keyboard allows you HEAR and FEEL the sound of your keyboard before seeing the inputs on your screen. This increases your reaction time and allows you to dominate with more speed and precision than ever before.
Nowadays there are a lot of imitators out there but mechanical keyboards using Cherry MX keys are still top of the class, ranging from linear Cherry MX Reds to super clicky Cherry MX Blues.
The Corsair K68 is the one to beat. Pound for pound it's about as much fully mechanical Cherry MX Red keyboard as you can get without paying enthusiast money.
Meanwhile, if you prefer a smaller form factor, Tenkeyless (or TKL) boards are all the rage this year for their aesthetic appeal. When it comes to ticking all the boxes, the HyperX Alloy TKL is one of the best in its class, and it usually undercuts the full-size boards it's competing with. As a bonus, you can equip them with Cherry MX Blues to wake up your neighbors.
Nowadays there are a lot of imitators out there but mechanical keyboards using Cherry MX keys are still top of the class, ranging from linear Cherry MX Reds to super clicky Cherry MX Blues.
The Corsair K68 is the one to beat. Pound for pound it's about as much fully mechanical Cherry MX Red keyboard as you can get without paying enthusiast money.
Meanwhile, if you prefer a smaller form factor, Tenkeyless (or TKL) boards are all the rage this year for their aesthetic appeal. When it comes to ticking all the boxes, the HyperX Alloy TKL is one of the best in its class, and it usually undercuts the full-size boards it's competing with. As a bonus, you can equip them with Cherry MX Blues to wake up your neighbors.
Sound System
For those of us not interested in talking while playing there's also the full soundset option, which could come in the shape of a budget system from Logitech.If you want to splurge, there's always the Bose Companion 2 Series III, which costs more and sounds like it.
Mouse Pad
Mousepads are one of those things gamers just want to pick up once and forget about it, even if starts getting a bit worn and dusty.
For those of you accident prone gamers who like to keep a can of Redbull by your desk at all times, take a look at this waterproof mousepad from Reflex, cheap enough to make an excellent gift basket item.
For those of you accident prone gamers who like to keep a can of Redbull by your desk at all times, take a look at this waterproof mousepad from Reflex, cheap enough to make an excellent gift basket item.
If you just want the basics, the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad, is still excellent and continues to be the best selling mousepad of all time.
New 144 HZ Monitor
If you're still not totally convinced a 144 HZ monitor is worth it, I gotta tell you...it absolutely is if you're diehard gamer.
Without getting one, you're effectively capping yourself at 60 frames per second. If your computer can generate any higher outputs...you need a monitor with a higher refresh rate. Period.
If you're on a budget, this 24" AOC C24G1 24" Curved Frameless Gaming Monitor is quite good for the money and uses the new VA panel tech, meaning it's not quite as good as IPS but far better than TN monitors.
Without getting one, you're effectively capping yourself at 60 frames per second. If your computer can generate any higher outputs...you need a monitor with a higher refresh rate. Period.
If you're on a budget, this 24" AOC C24G1 24" Curved Frameless Gaming Monitor is quite good for the money and uses the new VA panel tech, meaning it's not quite as good as IPS but far better than TN monitors.
Webcam
1080P is all the rage now, and if you don't have a 1080P webcam, you're behind on the curve. Who wants to watch a stream at 720? Pshaw.
Pick yourself up the perennial best seller, the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, now equipped with a privacy cover for you paranoid fellas.
Amazon Echo Dot
After picking one of these bad boys (girls?) up a few years ago, I can't imagine life without it. Alexa's one slick gadget that provides:
- Voice-activated alarms and reminders
- Voice-activated weather reports
- Voice-activated music control
- Voice-activated friendship and never ignores you like your mom does.
For those of you that get too deeply immersed in your gaming sessions to remember to do real life responsibilities, this thing is perfect. It's also great if you suddenly realize that an awful song is playing in the middle of a teamfight and absolutely need to switch to the next one.
The latest generation of Echo is one of the cheapest gadgets on this whole list. Pick one up and find out what you've been missing out on!
Discount Snacks in Bulk
If you're into the long hour gaming sessions, it's a great idea to have some snacks on hand in case the grocery store closes and you're left starving at your desk (I'm not ashamed to admit it's happened on occasion).
I'm not going to be your nutrition expert, but you could always order some Kind Bars, which are both healthy and nutritious. They're also an excellent alternative to the normal ramen and hot pocket diet.
Let me know if you find somewhere I can get like 50 for half price.
Let me know if you find somewhere I can get like 50 for half price.
Roomba Dust Cleaning Robot
Gamers don't like cleaning...but hey it's gotta be done. Maybe it's time to pick up a eufy BoostIQ RoboVac and stop thinking about the carpet. It's pricey, but at least you won't have to shake yourself off every time you leave the house right?
Got more ideas for Black Friday or gift shopping that would be perfect for gamers? Comment below!
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