With the rise of smartphones and tablets, you might think that PC gaming would be on the decline, but it’s actually been enjoying a rebirth in recent years. This is thanks, in part, to the wide variety of options that are afforded to computer gamers. In addition to the AAA titles that bolster the gaming industry, PCs can also run browser-based games, casual games, and even casino games. Demand for the latter, in particular, remains high thanks to sites like oddschecker which help players find the best bonuses and other promotions.

Another thing that makes PC gaming so popular is the high degree of customisation that the format offers. It’s significantly greater than consoles, smartphones, or tablets as just about every element of the hardware can be swapped for different parts and players have access to a near-infinite amount of peripherals and accessories. These add-ons can make gaming easier, create more realism, improve the experience, or simply look cool.

But with so many options, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time and money. So, to help you discover what could level up your gaming experience, here are some must-have gaming accessories.

Headphones

Sound is integral to the gaming experience for three reasons. Firstly, it adds to the realism and storytelling, with the music setting the scene and the sound effects providing audible clues as to what’s going on.

Secondly, sound functionality allows you to chat with other players while you compete online.

However, the third, and perhaps the most beneficial, use of sound is that it allows you to hear your enemies, alerting you to their presence, especially if they are out of your sight.

While speaker technology has come a long way in the last few decades, they still fail to deliver the same listening experience as headphones.

These tiny speakers that fit into or on top of your ears make it easier for you to understand where sounds are coming from. Even the cheapest and most basic headsets can distinguish left from right much better than a standard set of desktop speakers.

But you can go further. Higher-end headphones can offer full surround sound, delivering either 5.1 or 7.1 channels. This means that you can get granular audio feedback, allowing you to pinpoint the source of a noise more easily.

Some of the best gaming headphones on the market today include the Razer BlackShark V2, the HyperX Cloud Alpha, and the Razer Kraken X.

Keyboards

If you’re not a gamer, you probably think that keyboards are keyboards. But there is much more to these slabs of alphabet buttons than that; they can include additional features to make gaming easier and more comfortable.

One of the biggest benefits of a good keyboard is the ability to programme your own macros into hotkeys. This means that you can hit a single key and the computer will perform a command that would normally take several button presses.

In games where you need fast reactions, this functionality can be invaluable.

Gaming keyboards can also provide comfort, something that’s critical for long sessions of playing.

Foot Pedals

While keyboards can offer tangible speed improvements to your inputs, there are only so many buttons you can hit within a certain period of time.

That said, there are still improvements that can be made, especially if you’re playing titles where fractions of a second can make the difference between virtual life and death.

Hotkeys are great, but you only have so many fingers, limiting you to just a few keys at a time. But if you could also use your feet to submit commands to your computer, you could potentially double or even triple your simultaneous inputs.

While you might have one hand on your mouse and the other on the WASD keys, your two feet could be hovering over a set of USB pedals under your desk. One tap and one of these devices will send a signal to the computer in the same way a keyboard hotkey would.

In doing so, you open up many new possibilities in first person shooters and other intense titles.