A new graphics card is the pinnacle of PC upgrades—and easily the most expensive item on any gamer’s wishlist. Nvidia’s new RTX 40 line ranges from $1,200 for the RTX 4080 to $1,600 or more for the RTX 4090, while AMD’s new RX 7900 XTX starts at $1,000. Luckily, previous releases like the RTX 30, RTX 20, the GTX 16 series, or AMD’s RX 6000 series still offer great performance, especially on 1080p monitors, and are several hundred dollars cheaper. Graphics cards are notoriously difficult to find these days, and often come with a steep markup if you’re buying from third-party sellers, but a beefy high-end GPU will be the standout gift if you manage to find one for sale (just avoid grey market scalpers).

While a new GPU is a PC gamer’s most-coveted gift, console gamers are likely wishing for a new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X console. These machines are now two years old, yet they’re still difficult to find as availability fluctuates and restocks are infrequent—but they’re at least easier (and cheaper) to secure than a new graphics card.

The PS5 comes in two versions: a $500 model with a Blu-ray drive that can play games on disc or via download, and a $400 digital-only model that only supports downloadable titles. Both PS5 models can play games in up to 4K resolution and 120FPS.

The new Xbox also comes in multiple versions, but the differences are more drastic: There’s the $500 Series X, which supports native 4K and 120 FPS gameplay and includes a disc drive to play physical games, plus a 1TB SSD for storage. The Series S ($250-$300) is a smaller box with no disc drive (so it only plays digital games), a 512GB SSD, and support for up to 1440p 120 FPS gameplay (though it can artificially upscale video to 4K).

Note that some retailers may offer bundles that include the console, a controller, and a game or complimentary subscription to a service like PS Plus or Game Pass for slightly more than MSRP.

A new hard drive is a smart way to upgrade an existing device’s storage space and improve loading speeds. The latest M.2 solid state drives (SSDs) are the best option for upgrading the internal storage for a PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC, but these devices only support specific drives. For example, Western Digital’s WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe ($150) is an excellent choice for PS5 or PC, while Xbox Series X/S owners will need Microsoft’s proprietary storage expansion card ($140-$400).

An external USB hard drive (HDD) is also a worthy upgrade. These can be used to offload unused game data and other files from your PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S, or PC, and free up internal space for new games. There are fewer compatibility restrictions with USB HDDs, so finding a specific model isn’t as difficult, but you should prioritize high-capacity options like the WD_Black 2TB P10 Game Drive ($70).

Few accessories enhance gameplay immersion like a quality headset. The best provide accurate surround sound, high-fidelity drivers, and noise-canceling mics for clear communication with other players—and for my money, nothing tops SteelSeries’ Arctis line. The Arctis Pro ($350) has been my go-to headset ever since I reviewed it in 2018, and SteelSeries has only improved it in the years since, and has even released multiple versions built specifically for PlayStation or Xbox—though they also support PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and more.

Valve’s Steam Deck is a beefy portable PC gaming device. It’s kinda like the Nintendo Switch, except much bigger and much more powerful, with specs capable of smoothly playing most modern PC games at decent graphical settings. The machine links up to your existing Steam account, too, so you can play games you already own, or buy and download new ones to play on the go. The Steam Deck offers a decent degree of software customization, so you can sideload some games outside of Steam’s ecosystem—including popular retro gaming emulators.

Valve offers multiple Steam Deck models starting at $400.

VR remains a niche subset of the gaming world, but there’s nothing else like it. The unique gameplay styles emerging from the space are novel and exciting, and games like Half Life: Alyx, Beat Saber, and Resident Evil 4 VR prove the tech isn’t just a gimmick.

Of course, VR is expensive, but there are numerous ways to experience it. If you’re buying for someone with a powerful gaming PC, the Valve Index ($1,500) is the best choice, but the Meta Quest 2 ($400) is ideal for anyone that wants a simple virtual reality experience on a budget (relatively speaking). The Quest 2 is an all-in-one VR headset that doesn’t require a PC, console, or smartphone to work; just strap it on and start playing. The controllers and all necessary components are included in the box.

There’s also the PlayStation VR headset for PS4 consoles, but we’d suggest waiting for the more powerful PlayStation VR2, which works with PS5, instead—you can put that one under the tree next year.

If your giftee is a tinkerer and a classic gaming fan, then I highly recommend a MiSTer. These minicomputers are built to play digitally-backed up visions of old video games (ROMS), so you don’t need the original cartridges or discs, and they offer much more accurate emulation than software-based emulators. They’re also built to work with modern TVs without the need for extra upscalers or signal converters, and can be customized to connect to old-school CRTs for even more authenticity. You can purchase them as a MiSTer kit your gift recipient can build themselves (starting at $280) or a pre-configured MiSTer device (starting at $600).

A comfy and supportive gaming chair is perfect for long play sessions. Sure, you could just go with a standard office chair (and in some cases, they’re even superior to gaming-branded options). But Secret Lab’s Titan Evo chairs (starting at $519) offer all the necessary neck, back, and butt support you need, while nailing that quintessential “gaming chair” design.

Modern gamepads have never been better, but the pro controllers like Sony’s DualSense Edge for PS5 ($200) and the Xbox Elite Core 2 ($160) for Series X/S go beyond the standard features of other console controllers. Features include granular rumble sensitivity and haptic feedback tuning, swappable parts like thumbsticks or button faces, improved battery life, extra buttons, macro programming, and more.

These are definitely aimed at hardcore and pro-level players, but their assortment of enhanced features and personalized control options will benefit any gamer.

If your person plays a lot of racing games or vehicle simulators, they definitely need a racing wheel or flight joystick controller. These desk-covering behemoths give players a more immersive and authentic control experience—especially if paired with a VR headset or head-tracking accessories. Thrustmaster has some of the best-reviewed options for both racing wheels and flight joysticks, including the T248 Racing Wheel ($350) and the Hotas flight stick ($200).

Fighting games are serious business, and competitive players often use custom input devices like fight sticks or hitboxes to improve their performance. These controllers use the same buttons and joysticks as arcade cabinets, and players often prefer them to standard gamepads. Plus, they just look cool, and add a sense of authenticity to any fighting game experience. Some worthwhile options are the Mad Catz Ego ($190), Qanba Pearl ($200), and the official Hit Box from Hit Box Arcade ($250).

A capture card is the perfect device if the gamer you’re shopping for is interested in streaming or content creation. Capture cards like Elgato’s HD60 X ($200) are used to record gameplay or video footage from an external device like game console or secondary computer and save it or stream it to your main PC. This is a necessary part of any Twitch streamer’s or YouTube creator’s setup. There are many great streaming cards out there, but the HD60 X provides excellent capture quality in a simple and streamlined form factor.

Wall art can enhance any gaming room, but these framed shadowboxes from Artovision go beyond the usual prints and posters. There are numerous designs to choose from, pulling from a range of franchises—gaming and otherwise—all of which feature the unique layered 3D effect you get from shadowbox dioramas, without looking too gimmicky. All of Artovision’s shadowboxes start at $149.

Over the last few years, Lego expanded its lineup of plastic brick building kits with sets based on popular video game franchises, including Minecraft, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Luigi’s Mansion, and Horizon Zero Dawn. The Mario sets even include board game-like play mechanics that add a fun gaming twist. For retro gaming fans, there are even limited-edition sets for building Lego replicas of classic consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System or the Atari 2600.

Beyond those options, there are Lego sets for tons of popular, gaming-adjacent franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Batman—plus Lego’s own fantasy- and sci-fi-themed sets—that gamers of any age can enjoy assembling and displaying.

While Lego sets might not seem like a “luxury” gift, the more complicated ones can be surprisingly expensive and hard to find—especially the limited-edition sets, and the bundle boxes that include multiple kits.

Video games are but one of gaming’s many forms, existing alongside board games, tabletop RPGs, and collectible card games. Unsurprisingly, many popular video games are often adapted into various tabletop formats.

There are large-scale board games that adapt the gameplay of popular video games into cooperative tabletop adventures. Some standouts include Monster Hunter, Skyrim, Fallout, Doom, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. From Software’s Dark Souls and its spinoffs like Bloodborne and (coming soon) Elden Ring also have massive co-op dungeon crawlers with numerous expansions to collect. Be prepared to spend a couple hundred dollars on some of these games and their respective add-ons.

There are also smaller board games based on family-friendly games like Portal, Minecraft, and Pac-Man that are simpler to set up and play, and more affordable.

If you’re looking for something to switch up D&D night, there are pen-and-paper RPGs set in the worlds of The Witcher and Dark Souls, or you can take them back in time with one of the TTRPGs that inspired popular video games such as Vampire: The Masqurade, Shadowrun, and Cyberpunk.

Lastly, there are tons of card games linked to video game franchises. The Pokemon trading card game is the most obvious one, but there are card games based on Final Fantasy, Warcraft, and (of course) Dark Souls and Bloodborne.

Whatever franchise or theme you choose, these can be an excellent way for video game fans to try a new gaming format or introduce your tabletop gamer pals to your favorite video game franchises.