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7 gaming accessories you never knew you needed
We get it. You've purchased the gaming mouse you want, got the keyboard of your dreams and have enough RGB gubbins to guide a jumbo jet to land safely. But there are still coins left in the coffers and you are wondering what to buy next.
There's plenty of other accessory essentials for you to spend your hard earned cash on - you just may not know you need them yet.
This is our guide to the gaming accessories you never knew you needed. The things that probably aren't on your list, but when you buy them you almost certainly have a 'where have you been all my life?!' moment.
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1. Headset stand
When your headset is not on your head, where is it? If it's leaning against last night's can of Monster, then you need to get yourself a headset stand. Not only do they look cool, they will help prevent your headset from accidental breakages.
Our pick of the best is the Corsair ST100 RGB. It's a beauty, with a rim of RGB LED lighting that gives the stand a nice rainbow glow. USB ports to charge your headset or your phone. And if you have a Corsair headset, then you can coordinate all your RGB goodness.
2. Gaming router
We'll agree that it isn't the coolest of devices, but there are routers out there that cater for gaming.
The Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR500, for example, is in our best gaming router list and prioritises your gaming over anything else - by using fancy tech like location-based connection filtering.
The router has a ridiculously fast 2.2Gbps speed which means that you will happily game into the night without fear of lag or interruptions.
- Best gaming routers: find the right router for you
3. Smart mouse mat
Yes, you have a mouse mat but do you have a mouse mat that will notify you when you get in-game messages and can be synced to your PC's audio? Nope, thought not.
The Corsair MM800 RGB Polaris is a great addition to any PC gaming setup and in our best mouse pads for gaming guide.
It uses a low-friction finish that'll allow for ridiculously precise tracking across its surface which means you can glide your mouse along the mat slicker than a knife through butter. It's got RGB lighting, too, which can be synced with your PC setup.
4. Elgato Stream Deck
This is one for streamers who want an easy way to respond to their gazillion fans. It's a deck of 6 LCD keys that can be used to keyboard shortcuts, which will quicken up your responses in no time at all.
You can also add your favorite GIFs and the like to it for that personal touch. You can read more about it in our guide to the best streaming setups.
5. Controller add-ons
There aren't many around for the next-gen controllers but if you are still into your PS4 or Xbox One, then there are a few alterations you can make to the controller to give you that extra slab of advantage against your competitors.
There are plenty of controller additions around - KontrolFreek do a great range of CoD-inspired textured thumb grips, and a pair of controller grips to make sure the controller doesn’t slip from your hands during those all-important sweat-inducing moments - plus they are also compatible with the PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S controllers.
6. Carry case
Again, never on the top of anyone's list but if you have a handheld then, given that you will be on the go with the thing, getting a decent case is essential.
Make sure it has a hard shell and enough compartments for things like a charger and game cards. This one, for the Switch, is an official one from Nintendo which doesn't cost the earth.
7. Gaming keyboard
Yes, you already have a keyboard, but a mini one that can be used one handed is perfect for those who want to game for hours and not get tired, thanks to the things like the detachable palm rest.
The Razer Tartarus caught our eye. It has 32 programmable keys and the Razer Mecha-membrane technology is said to help with faster responses.
