The PC Gamer 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

PC Game Pass: I have had some of my best gaming experiences on PC Game Pass. From diving into brand-new AAA titles that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on to discovering indies that I couldn’t put down, it has been a must-have for years—and it’s only getting better. With access to Riot Games benefits, an EA Play membership, and exclusive discounts of up to 20% on many games, it’s a steal.

What am I looking forward to most? Games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl are obviously on the list, but what’s beyond the list is just as special. That’s the great thing about PC Game Pass — games you never expected to find are the ones you’ll remember forever. For PC gamers, there’s always something to discover with PC Game Pass.

HyperX Cloud Alpha S gaming headset | $80 at HyperX

Souped up and loaded with extras like a mixer for adjusting balance levels on a slick little control pad on the cable—it can let you tune up your buddies voice chat levels while simultaneously lowering game volume for clearer communication on the fly. The extra bells and whistles are nice, but what really counts is just how great the HyperX Cloud Alpha is already. It’s impossible to argue with having beautifully crisp sound to hear enemy footsteps in Rainbow Six Siege, bask in the synth rock sounds of Cyberpunk 2077, or just listen to the chorus of villager noises in your Minecraft world.

Price check: Walmart $130

Helldivers 2 ‘The Taste of Freedom’ shirt | $36 at Fangamer

Are you doing your part? Courtesy of Fangamer, you can remind everyone that space freedom isn’t free for super earth while remaining nice and comfy. You’ll have to supply your own piping hot cup of Liber-tea though.

The CRPG Book expanded edition | $47 at Bitmap Books

The CRPG Book from Bitmap Books is one I’ve featured before in this gift guide. It’s a stunningly gorgeous and comprehensive tome on the history of one of the PC’s finest genres, but this year they’re back with an expanded edition. No mere side quest, the expanded edition has 156 extra pages, running through 65 new game reviews, revised content, articles on the history of CRPGs in different regions of the world, and even covering browser games, BBS games, and more. If you’re wondering if 684 hardcover pages on one of the most fascinating genres in gaming is worth your time: yes, so consider carefully before Minsc and Boo go for your eyes.

Gunnar Blue-light Blocking Glasses | $39 at Amazon

Nothing ruins a good gaming session faster than eye strain, just ask my friends about how often I err on the side of caution when I can’t see clearly enough to tell if they’re on my team or not. If you’re also getting lots of screen time at work, it’s even more important to block out the parts of the blue light spectrum that fatigue your eyes so you can game without worrying.

Comfilife Ergonomic Footrest | $32 at Amazon

As the unsung and frequently ignored structural supports for our powerful gamer bodies, feet get the toughest jobs while being tucked away under our desks in the warm glow of RGB. ComfiLife recognizes this, and they’ve got a pillowed palace ready to support—with soft memory foam and an adjustable height, this footrest will make each gaming hour easier on your legs, hips, and lower back. It’s never too late to start caring about your posture, before your spine starts to look more and more like Gordon Freeman’s weapon of choice.

Price check: ComfiLife $44

Elden Ring mini-greatswords | $17 at Amazon

Bring some of the high risk high reward play style to your desk. Skip the shields, ditch the one handers, and embrace the comically large sword style. With these mini-sized replicas, you can bring everything from the Dark Moon to the Troll Knight’s sword to show off on either your desktop or your keychain.

Price check: Superbuybox $18-39

OCOOPA Rechargeable Hand Warmers | $35 at Amazon

Cold hands are slow hands, and slow hands are the sworn enemy of fraggers everywhere. With every day growing colder, your hands are at risk of falling victim to the classic blunder of thermodynamic entropy. OCOOPA has you covered with these rechargeable paired hand warmers, which snap together magically (or maybe magnetically) for one big warming surface, or split apart so you can get your digits toasty separately.

Price check: OCOOPA $42

Regicide card game | $16 at Amazon

Regicide is an exceptionally clever card game that twists a standard deck of cards into a fantasy world in revolution—challenging you and up to 3 friends to work together to defeat and recruit nobles (face cards) with your ragtag band of healers, paladins, warriors, and bards (hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds, respectively). Each game is a difficult battle where you’ll need to cooperate with limited information to try to play the right cards at the right time, all using the stylish Regicide version of a deck of playing cards.

Price check: Badgers From Mars $16

ADV Twin Headphone hanger | $30 at Amazon

Whether you’re an audio connoisseur with multiple headsets for mixing sound, or you’re just constantly swapping between speakers and headphones, a classy spot to hang your cans is priceless. ADV’s desk clamping hanger is just what the audio-doctor ordered, since whether you’ve got one set or two you can both hang them and manage any audio cables with the built in slots—no fussing required.

Price check: ADV $40

OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush | $9 at Amazon

A simple and straightforward pocket powerhouse of cleaning, the OXO Good Grips brush is back again on our list. There’s just nothing that beats it for a quick, durable, inexpensive, and effective tool for keeping your keyboard from looking more like the bottom of your toaster. Keep it on your desk or in your bag so you can quickly swipe and dust away anything that tries to obstruct your next corner peek by lodging itself under WASD, or clear away the dust that stopped you from getting off that critical ultimate.

Price check: OXO $9

Vilong Dual-layer Desk Power Strip | $33 at Amazon

Cable management is a never ending struggle for those of us that can’t seem to stop adding gadgets and expansions to our gaming setup. Even worse, what about when you just need to plug something in temporarily? Thankfully for indecisive, flighty, and adaptive people like me there’s an excellent choice for being able to keep my power strips accessible and organized. Since Vilong’s dual-layer power strip has a strip both above and below the desk, you can keep your more long term stuff powered but still within reach and not sacrifice the option to make temporary additions or just charge your phone up top.

Price check: Newegg $92

Minecraft Fox light | $26 at Amazon

Ask a Minecrafter what the most adorable creature is and you might have yourself a blocky fistfight, but there’s no question that this desktop light is cute enough to launch a thousand oak boats. Anybody who wants to up their late night aesthetics can rely on a sleeping fox, no berries required.

Price check: Walmart $30

Monitor shelves | $15 at Amazon

If you or your friends are anything like me, the inevitable sprawl of daily life and projects tends to work a lot like Zerg creep—expanding to take over every surface of our desks. These clever little monitor shelves can give you that extra little bit of space for everything from a few cool gaming knick knacks to an external hard drive, a fan, or any other small stuff you want to show off or keep handy. Never underestimate a bit of extra storage.

ORICO Desk-clamp USB Hub | $21 at Amazon

It feels like every week brings a new device that’s hungry for my USB slots, and even the most generous front panel USB’s run out quickly. Thankfully for all of us with a family of electronics to feed, this desk-clamp USB hub is a low profile solution to our woes. You can clamp it to a desk edge—or even a monitor—for reliable access to the “just a few more” (four in this case) USB slots you need.

Price check: Newegg $24

Clippy building block set | $13 at Amazon

It looks like you’re trying to decorate your desk. That’s right, Clippy is still out there, lurking. If you’re one of the many who believe Clippy did nothing wrong, or you just want your old nemesis close at hand, this building block set will let you keep his effigy close by.

Price check: Walmart $15

PC Gamer subscription | $37 at Magazinesdirect

Do you like PC gaming? Wait, let me start again. You like PC gaming. Well, so do we, and it turns out, we have lots of insightful things to say about it. Every month we put some of them out into the world on carefully colored slices of dead trees, and you can nab a years worth of it for yourself or a friend to read all about

Helldivers 2 Terminids desk mat | $28 at Fangamer

Remind yourself of what you’re fighting for during the moments you aren’t protecting super earth with this Terminids desk mat. Just be careful, the non-slip backing isn’t rated for bile or Terminid guts.

VIVO Dual Monitor desk mount | $35 at Amazon

Reclaim your desk and seize the means of desk space production! Getting your monitors up off the desk is one of the best ways to keep cleaning easy and open up more space for your desktop. With the VIVO dual monitor mount, you can get even sizable monitors up and adjustable at an affordable price. They even come with some handy little plastic clips to help keep your monitor cables organized and in line with the flexible arms.

Price check: VIVO $35

Elden Ring 11×17 Malenia print | $20 at Crowsmack

She has never known defeat, but she’s also never met 2022’s gamer of the year. This fantastic print immortalizes the best known clash in Elden Ring, between the mighty Malenia and her eternal foe: Let Me Solo Her. Display it proudly to memorialize (or encourage) your own victories over one of the toughest bosses in Elden Ring.

Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators | $79 at Amazon

Born out of an unquenchable thirst for music, the Pocket Operators are barebones synthesizers that are ready to turn even the most stoic friend into an electronica mix artist. Contained on the face of the calculator-look are 23 buttons and two knobs, giving you fine control over a bunch of sounds, and the ability to sequence them, write them to layer and replay them, and ramp the beats-per-minute up or down at will. The Pocket Operators are the world’s finest fidget toy for anyone who dreams of being an amateur DJ at their desk in between meetings, or someone who needs to lay down a fresh beat for their latest frag montage. Though hard to find, a version featuring sounds from Street Fighter was released in 2020.

Price check: Teenage Engineering $79

RSVLTS Street Fighter “World Warriors” Kunuflex short sleeve shirt | $70 at RSVLTS

You’ve got everything prepared, your warm-up stretches and kickflips are done, and you’re nearly ready for your next challenger when suddenly you realize—Oh no. What are you going to *wear* to the street fight? Whether you’re gearing up for a long night of Street Fighter 6 trying to climb to ultra diamond rank, or you’re taking your fight stick on the go, You can look stylish white representing your fighting game heritage in soft and light Kunuflex button-down form, and show them that you don’t just choose your character, you wear them.

Tub Geralt | $70 at Dark Horse Direct

Meme, mascot, monster hunter, tub-enthusiast: Geralt is here for you no matter how you label him, and he’s got a reserved parking spot on our gift guides until the heat death of the universe. Show him your appreciation by giving him a place of honor on the desk of a loved one for the holidays.

Price check: Amazon $78

iGame Gaming Desktop building block set | $70 at Amazon

What better way could there possibly be to display your PC gaming pride than your magnificent and beautifully lit gaming rig? What about if you could display a gaming rig on top of your gaming rig? Courtesy of the iGame Gaming Desktop building block set, you can double down on your very own battlestation, building up an authentic little pal for your big rig, complete with its own lighting effects. You can even continue the tradition, since you’ll be able to say that you built your rig yourself, again.

Price check: Pantasy $90

iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit | $75 at Amazon

Appearing on our list yet again, the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit has everything you could dream of for intermediate to advanced electronics work. Whether you’re working on your laptop, fixing your desktop, or even making more serious electronics repairs and upgrades, the iFixit Pro Tech kit has you covered, with precision bit drivers, opening tools, a grounding strap, and lots more.

Price check: iFixit $75

Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed | $99 at Amazon

Comfortable, responsive, and affordable, the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed is a truly magnificent gaming mouse for anybody. A fantastic wireless mouse, the Hyperspeed is built to be a slimmed down version of the Pro, but it doesn’t show much of anywhere but the price. Whether it’s you or a friend who needs the upgrade, the Hyperspeed is a great upgrade for your gaming mousery—hands down.

Price check: Razer $100

Elgato Stream Deck Mk2 | $130 at Amazon

As the standard for streamers everywhere, the Elgato Stream Deck Mk 2 is gorgeous and packed with features. But past streaming, it’s also great for productivity, letting you customize and shortcut common actions for everything from video editing to graphic design. If you want to treat yourself or someone else, especially if they’re a budding or experienced streamer, the Stream Deck Mk2 is a seriously handy pick.

Price check: Elgato $150

Razer Kitsune | $300 at Best Buy

A fight stick… without sticks? The Razer Kitsune is a leverless arcade controller with all linear optical switches, replacing a traditional fight stick with four directional buttons. While it’s an adjustment, leverless arcade pads are often cited as faster, more consistent, and more responsive than a traditional joystick—and for many they’re also far more comfortable to use over countless long sessions of dragon punches and hurricane kicks. The Razer Kitsune brings all of that and more, because it’s incredibly light and thin, making it perfect to bring to your local fight night.

Price check: Razer $300

PCPanel Pro | $100 at PCPanel

The PCPanel Pro grabs the reins of your audio setup with both hands, letting you fine tune your setup on the fly. It’s perfect for anybody who’s getting into streaming and wants to be able to fiddle their levels up and down on the fly (it works great with OBS), or just to get greater control over their audio. I personally use it to lower my Discord pals incoming volume (without Alt-Tabbing!) after making particularly awful plays in our gaming sessions.

Coway Airmega air purifier | $159 at Coway Mega

Our glowing battlestations are also massive dust attractors, and the Coway Airmega Mighty has something to say about that. With both a HEPA filter and a washable pre-filter, a power saving mode, and enough coverage to filter even large rooms, it’s the perfect pick for maintaining your lungs and gaming rig fans alike. The less gunk there is, the less you have to worry about clogging up heat sinks and degrading performance—so it’s a smart grab for anybody.

Price check: Amazon $200

Secretlab Titan Evo desk chair | $519 at Secretlab

It’s difficult to understate just how important your throne is to your everyday health and enjoyment. If you spend a lot of time at your computer—whether you’re fragging, farming, or just forgetting—your chair is the cornerstone of your comfort. The Secretlab TItan Evo is the pinnacle of what we want in a chair, and it’s perfect to roll one into your own office or to the desk of somebody you care about. Friends don’t let friends sit on less than the best.

Price check: Amazon $640

Salvage Union RPG | $45 at Amazon

Robots are having quite the year, and Salvage Union—the Ennie nominated RPG—is part of why. You and some fellow robo-enthusiasts will pilot scrap-built mechs as you wander a post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of salvage. The evil corporations that rule what’s left of the Salvage Union world aren’t the only thing to be wary of, since the wastelands are full of mutants, aliens, raiders, and plenty more to keep things interesting. Salvage Union has a unique take on a mech RPG, running on simple-to-use mechanics and d20 dice.

Price check: Leyline Press $58 (includes PDF copy)

Lancer RPG | $37 at Amazon

Would you rather your mechs gleaming with fresh paint and that new-car smell? Lancer, which we previously recommended in 2021, has a new print run and is the perfect companion for any robotic battles you can dream up. Flitting across the stars to explore or take on enemies, Lancer’s an RPG built on tactical mech combat and deep customization options, illustrated by the excellent art of Tom Parkinson-Morgan of Kill Six Billion Demons.

Price check: Massif Press $60

Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate board game | $50 at Amazon

Updating the classic board game formula from Betrayal at the House on the Hill, Betrayal at Baldur’s Gate gives a hard spin on the original by setting the game in the everyones favorite city to wreck: Baldur’s Gate. You’ll still have to deal with one of your allies turning traitor, but at least this time you’ve got special abilities to sling around when the eldritch evils decide to show up.

Wyrmspan board game | $59 at Stonemaier Games

A clever twist on their original Wingspan board game, Wyrmspan follows the same premise: build yourself a sanctuary for dragons of all shapes and sizes. You’ll take on your friends as you dig out the tunnels and caverns you need to attract dragons of every type, then harness their abilities to make your dragon sanctuary the best of them all. It’s a lovely premise that’s executed exceptionally well, and it’s different enough from Wingspan that it’s a new game for veterans of the bird-themed origin.

Price check: Amazon $67

Arcs board game | $60 at Leder Games

From the same designer and artist that brought the fantastic asymmetrical board game Root, Arcs is a take on the space opera, where you go head to head with up to three friends in the base game. You’ll pick one of the weird-but-adorable factions and then go up against others to try to complete your Ambitions, which are the parameters you’ll choose for victory in each game. It’s a clever system that changes each time you play, but is still easy to learn and games go by in a flash

Price check: Walmart $54

Vampire Survivors soundtrack | $43 at iam8bit

What a wonderful night to have a curse. The Vampire Survivors soundtrack brings all the best of the retro-soundwaves of the auto-shooting roguelite sensation to your turntable. Let the music flow over you as you carefully consider each and every object in your surroundings based on the likelihood it contains XP gems or wall chicken, all courtesy of the genius of composers Daniele Zandara and Will Davies.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty soundtrack | $31 at Amazon

With its massive turn-around leading up to the Phantom Liberty DLC launch, Cyberpunk 2077 already earned our respect, but now you can slide your shades down over eyes freshly opened to the future of sick synth beats. Don’t pass up the chance to spin this one choombatta, it’s the best pick for meatspace.

Price check: Milan Records $31

VA-11 HALL-A soundtrack boxed set | $109 at Fangamer

Coming in to prove there’s never enough synth tunes, the VA-11 HALL-A soundtrack will take you for a smooth ride down the anime superhighway of the future. The perfect companion to an evening vibing at your computer or reading by the light of the Neon Genesis Evangelion DVD menu screen, the boxed set gives you a five LP boxed set worth of shoegazing ear-goodness.

Price check: Black Screen Records $92 (Germany)

V Rising soundtrack | $50 at Materia Store

What’s the first step to building your own gothic fortress? Spinning the perfect spooky tunes, of course. With the V Rising soundtrack, you’ve got a chillingly gothic masterpiece at hand, overflowing with two LP’s worth of tunes to brood to, all courtesy of Aleksandria Migova. Don’t sleep (or torpor) on grabbing these beautiful blood red platters before your next conquest of the Carpathians.

Price check: Black Screen Records $51 (Germany)