The best gaming gear for graduates

For the Mario or Zelda fan that's got everything else a Switch owner could want.

Though we absolutely adore 8BitDo’s PlayStation-styled Pro 2 gamepad for its versatility and design, for many the ideal controller style is that of the Xbox, with its thicker middle and centrally-placed left analog stick. Fortunately 8BitDo has released an update to its Ultimate controller, one with faster buttons and sensitive but also more durable thumb sticks. It’s a luxury gamepad experience for a rather reasonable price.

Whatever career your grad chooses to pursue, chances are they may spend a lot of time in front of a camera in our new hybrid work world. You can help them look their best with this easy-to-use and affordable USB light from Logitech. The flattering soft light will impress co-workers and livestream audiences alike, while its small size means they can take it anywhere. And your grad will appreciate its ease-of-use and variety of customization options available in its app, ensuring they’ll always look their best on camera.

With exams and papers all wrapped up and now behind them, your grad probably has a lot more time on their hands. If you’re trying their hand at game streaming, you can start them off right with this fully-featured control panel from Elgato that makes it easy to adjust audio and video settings, control their lighting rig and trigger on-screen graphics. Its buttons can also be repurposed for things like video editing and calls, so it has its place in their work setup as well.

While we love gaming headsets for their audio quality and comfort, one thing that isn’t ideal is how bulky they are. Chances are your grad has a pair of earbuds they already use for their phone, but the GameBuds will do them one better as they not only connect via Bluetooth, but also RF thanks to the included USB-C dongle. That means no latency – a must when playing action titles.

Your grad will never have to worry about whether they’re muted during their next video call with the SteelSeries Alias, as it displays a very noticeable red “X” on its front on those cases. But that’s not the only cool feature that this mic has to boast – it’s also easy to set up for programs like Discord and Zoom, and it sounds fantastic. This is one “gaming” accessory that’ll get a lot of use during both playthroughs and work conference calls

A dock isn’t the most exciting gift, but this model from Razer will be great for the gamer in your life, and it’ll grab their attention with its RGB lighting. Your grad will appreciate how practical it is, too, thanks to its three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, a 3.5 mm audio combo jack and a UHS-II SD card slot. It’s a Swiss-Army-knife accessory that will help them efficiently use all their computer accessories in the most stylish way possible.

When it comes gaming keyboards, Corsair has a ton of popular options that many of us at Engadget love, though admittedly they’re usually pretty big and loud. The K100 Air remedies the standard complaints about mechanical keyboards thanks to its ultra-thin frame and low-profile keys, while keeping beloved features like dedicated media keys and RGB lighting. And, thanks to its 50 hours of battery life, your gamer won’t need to plug it in often.

Sure, your grad’s laptop comes with a trackpad or maybe even a touchscreen, but even in the year 2024, it’s best to use a mouse when it’s time to focus and get things done. They’ll appreciate the Aerox 3 Wireless’ light weight when competing in tough gaming matches, as well as the mouse’s ability to use 2.4GHz for the fastest connection. It uses Bluetooth, too, making it a great option for gaming laptops and other devices as well. And those holes? Don’t worry, they won’t interfere with the Aerox 3’s IP54 water resistance rating.

The latest Assassin’s Creed is a bonafide hit, with an engrossing story, interesting characters and an expansive open world that will take your grad all summer to explore. Cities like 16th-century Kyoto and Osaka have been recreated in excruciating detail, so while a player is going around raiding castles and killing people, they’ll also be learning something about the Sengoku period in Japan. So consider this gaming experience “continuing education.”

Elden Ring was one of the hottest games of 2022, and there are still people working to master it even now. Nightreign isn’t a true sequel, but rather a spinoff that focuses on cooperative play in teams of three. And it will take three real-world days to defeat the final boss, teaching your grad patience, teamwork and even scheduling – traits that will serve them well as they enter the workforce.