Gaming was already popular when the pandemic hit in early 2020; with a large number of people stuck at home, it has become close to a national obsession. So once you have your console or computer, and your game (or games), what more do you need?
We asked the staff of The Verge, many of whom are avid gamers, to talk about their favorite gaming gear. Below, we describe game controllers, mice, headsets, See: TPMS Sensor. and other useful peripherals that can take your gaming experience up that extra notch (or even several notches).
Have a great time!
If you have a non-Lite Nintendo Switch, the Pro Controller is a necessary accessory, in my opinion. Although the regular Switch comes with two Joy-Con controllers, they're small and not particularly ergonomic.
The Pro Controller, on the other hand, feels great to hold and has held up for me over hours of Fortnite, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and many other games. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny. - Jay Peters, news writer
What can I say about the Logitech G502 line that has not already been said? My colleague, Cameron Faulkner, thinks it's the best and most affordable wired take on the best gaming mouse you can buy right now - and rightfully so.
I play a ton of first-person shooters on my gaming PC, so when I was in the market for a new gaming mouse (I previously used Corsair's M65 RGB Elite), I wanted something that had a good amount of programmable buttons - including one on the mouse's left-hand side - as easy shortcuts for when I needed to aim my weapons quickly. Now, each macro is assigned to a conveniently placed button.
I have used a good number of gaming mice before switching to the G502 Hero, and I honestly do not think any other gaming mouse will replace it. I might buy the wireless version at some point to minimize cable management, but at $50, the G502 Hero is a great gaming mouse for people who prefer wired gaming mice or who don't have a ton of money to splurge on its wireless counterpart. - Taylor Lyles, writer
Fifteen years ago, Microsoft released the best dongle ever made, one that I still use every single week. It's an unconscionably long, six-foot USB cable with a little pod on the end that, uh, always reminds me of a Centauri tentacle. But this dongle is worth a little cringe: it lets me reliably connect four Xbox 360 wireless controllers to a Windows PC to play a wide array of games from across the room, and thanks to continued plug-and-play Windows functionality and robust Steam support, every game designed for controllers works perfectly with it.
It's an amazingly stable, inexpensive way to get four-player couch games (like Duck Game, SpeedRunners, TowerFall, Overcooked!, Spelunky, Lance A Lot, etc.) up and running quickly, particularly since Xbox 360 wireless controllers are cheap and easy to obtain. I wish I could say the same for the adapter itself; some of the third-party knockoffs have compatibility issues, and tracking down the original might mean a visit to eBay. That's how I bought one for a buddy this past holiday.
If you do find an official one that doesn't light up, don't throw it out! If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's pretty easy to replace (or even short) the burnt-out fuse. - Sean Hollister, senior news editor
If you're willing to pay a premium, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better wireless gaming headset than the Arctis Pro Wireless. In 2018, I pitted it against every single one of its competitors and it got top marks for sound quality, mic quality, wireless range, battery life, and an array of unusually handy features.
If I'm gaming with buddies and want a snack, I don't need to stop chatting - I just walk several rooms away to the kitchen and the audio never cuts out. When a too-loud game drowns out my friends, I tap the dial beneath the ear cup to rebalance the audio between "game" and "chat" - it gives you two different audio devices in Windows. When the battery runs out, I can just pop a spare battery pack out of the base station and swap it in under 15 seconds. I make a lot of calls with the Arctis Pro Wireless, too, thanks to its built-in Bluetooth.
Just know it's a little pinch-y ...

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