Gaming has taken its place in society among people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is no longer an activity specifically for children, adolescents, and younger adults. Finances Online recently shared the steady growth of gaming of 5.9% Year-on-Year (YoY) and that the forecasted figures for 2020 will reach 2.6 billion gamers worldwide.
Among those billions of gamers driving the global games market to $165 billion is a broad range of personalities and tastes. Everyone has their needs and wish lists to enhance their skills and make the most of their time at the console, but what are the best investments for serious gamers like those planning to build an audience on Twitch?
Here are the three best investments for gamers right now, whether you game for fun or competition or to combat isolation during COVID-19-related lockdowns.
1. Gaming Headset
Often, gamers don’t understand the value of a high-quality gaming headset until they try on a pair. If you are still using some basic headphones that you used with your mp3 player, you might want to explore the many options available. Let’s remember that there are a few reasons that a headset is essential.
- Avoid disturbing those around you since many games feature a combination of soft, loud, and bombastic volumes.
- Enjoy all the sound quality and nuances a game has to offer.
- Immerse yourself in team communication for optimal camaraderie and competition.
Some qualities to search for in your gaming headset include:
- High isolation rate
- Microphone quality
- Surround sound
A popular option right now is the HyperX Cloud Alpha Pro Gaming Headset, which offers gamers the perfect blend of durability, clarity, reduced distortion, and affordability.
2. A Highly Functional & Dynamic Home Network
As PC Gamer noted back in 2016, “nobody likes lag.” The same holds today and then some. One of the first steps toward building and finely tuning your home network is to find the best modem for gaming. Cox Communications recommends that you consider the following in searching for your gaming modem/router:
- The high-bandwidth range for faster speeds and reduced loading times
- Ethernet ports help reduce ping times, signal loss and maximize speeds
- Geo-filtering to seek out the nearest server automatically to reduce your ping
- Dual/Tri-band to support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies for faster speeds and ability to split up network traffic
- Quality of Service (QoS) is a tool to prioritize devices to allow everyone internet access during gameplay
3. Gaming Glasses
If you plan to game for hours at a time, which most gamers do, you must protect your eyes with some gaming eyewear. The high-energy blue light that digital device users regularly face through smartphones, televisions, and computers can cause eye damage. Some vision challenges users might experience include sore and dry eyes and macular degeneration.
Look for these specifications for your gaming glasses:
- Anti-blue light, blocking up to 90%
- UV protection
- Low color distortion
- High-quality frames
Brands like J&S offer gamers a practical, affordable, and durable way to keep your eyes safe for many additional years of gaming.
These Investments Can Help You Take Your Gaming to the Next Level
Regardless of your gaming goals, these investments are invaluable for you to get the most out of your gaming experience every time. Protecting your eyes, hearing every pin drop, and reducing lag and ping will give you a boost in gaming right now.