So, without further ado, here are a few gift suggestions for the 2021 holiday season! Stay tuned for updates, as we plan on adding to the list during the season.
Budget 4K TV: Hisense Premium 55-inch U7G Quantum ULED ? $649.99
I was recently in the market for a new 4K TV, but having just bought a house, I was definitely on a budget. After reading reviews for budget 4K sets, I ended up going with the Hisense ULED U7G model, and honestly I could not be happier with this set for the price I paid. MSRP puts this TV at $999.99 currently, but it?s pretty much always on sale, and came in at $649.99 when I bought it just a few weeks ago.
Fantastic picture quality, and the Google/Android interface made me abandon my Roku device altogether. Low latency for game mode makes it an excellent gaming TV, and it supports 120Hz refresh rate along with HDMI 2.1, so you?ll also be able to take advantage of games that support 120fps. So if you?re in the market for a new 4K TV this holiday season but aren?t looking to shell out for OLED, I would absolutely recommend this set.
Comic/Superhero Fans: Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star TPB by Daniel Warren Johnson ? $8.99/$14.49 for Kindle & comiXology/Paperback
Love superhero comics, or know someone who does? Then I?d absolutely suggest checking out this graphic novel featuring the popular Thor spin-off character Beta Ray Bill, by artist/writer Daniel Warren Johnson. DWJ is my favorite comic artist currently, and this 5 issue mini-series collected via this upcoming TPB was absolutely fantastic.
He has an incredible dynamic art style that feels wholly unique amongst his peers, and while I?d imagine Beta Ray Bill is a pretty challenging character to tackle artwise, he really nails the character here. Some of the best action sequences in comics this year, with multiple moments that will leave you saying wow. A perfect, low-price gift for any comic fan in your household.
Conversation Piece: Infinity Game Table ? $649.99 on up
The $650 – $900 (depending on your chosen screen size) price tag is steep, but I believe the product more than justifies the asking price. The price for all of these board games alone is several hundred dollars, and the ease and convenience with which you can play them through the Infinity Game Table really hammers the value home. If you spend a good bit of time and money on board games and have people around you that will get regular use out of a machine like this, it is a fantastic purchase.
Gaming Headset: LucidSound LS50X ? $199.99
The earcups are made of extremely soft memory foam, with a gel cooling layer above that, all underneath a thin layer of cloth. Although priced around $200 (give or take $50, depending on when and where you buy it) the LucidSound LS50X stands out as a top-of-the-line headset for anyone looking for something new this holiday season.
Wired Xbox/PC Controller: PowerA Fusion Pro 2 Wired Xbox Controller ? $79.99
I mostly play on PC, so am in a unique position there with my proximity to the plug, but even if not, 10 feet is a lot of cable. With a mappable pro pack with paddles on the back, swappable faceplates and thumbsticks, three-way trigger locks, and a soft touch controller face + rubber grips, the Fusion Pro 2 is comfortable to hold and use for an extended period of time. The Fusion Pro 2 is the best wired controller on the market right now, and I recommend it to anyone who is unbothered by gaming with a tether.
Wireless Nintendo Switch Controller: PowerA Nano Enhanced Wireless Controller ? $39.99
Included with the controller is a USB-C cable for re-charging the roughly 20-hour battery life, as well as a soft microfiber carry case so you can easily take the Nano controller with you. It will easily fit in a purse or small bag, and can even be stored in your pocket if you have baggier pants. The PowerA Nano controller is perfect for kids and anyone else looking for a smaller Nintendo Switch controller at home or on the go.
Retro Gamers: Nintendo Game & Watch: Legend of Zelda ? $49.99 + Rose Colored Gaming Stand ? $17.99
If you only plan on using this as a timepiece, the battery lasts surprisingly long (I’ve only had to charge the Super Mario Bros G&W two or three times over the course of the year). Alas at the time of writing this blurb (Mid November, Benny cracked the whip on this feature…) Rose Colored Gaming, the company who created a decorative stand for previous Game and Watch have not announced a similar stand for this edition, but I’m sure it’s in the works, however a non-themed stand is available. [Ed’s Note: Now available!]
Retro Gamers: Epilogue GB Operator ? $49.99
Streamers: NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro 4K HDR Streaming Media Player ? $199.99
It truly is an all in one set top device that no home should be without. At $199.99, this device is an absolute steal. The Pro version offers 4K HDR for Movies and complete access to the Google Play Store.
The ability to load media off of external devices and side load any android app makes the Shield Pro a must buy!
Retro Gamers: Nintendo Game & Watch: Legend of Zelda ? $49.99
Each game plays exactly like their originals with the added bonus of a clock and stopwatch. It’s sleek design looks great on a shelf and feels great in the hand while playing. At $49.99, this is a great stocking stuffer or the gamer in your life.
Xbox Series X|S Gamers: Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S ? $139 and up
Thankfully Seagate teamed up with Microsoft to offer a selection of officially licensed and compatible high speed SSD expansion cards made especially for the Xbox Series X and S. They range from 512GB ($139), to 1TB ($219.99), to a whopping 2TB ($399.99). Yes, they get pricey real fast, but it beats needing to delete/re-download games and content or shuffling them to and from an external HDD. You may not need one when you first get a Series X or S, but as the generation progresses you will eventually find a reason to pick one up. (Thanks in part to the steady stream of Game Pass games too)
PC Gamers/Software Devs: ROCCAT Pyro Mechanical PC Gaming Keyboard ? $99.99
ROCCAT Pyro Mechanical PC Gaming Keyboard does double duty as a fun gaming keyboard, with configurable RGB of course and custom settings, and a daily driver for those who use keyboards in a business environment… which includes writing up and formatting this Gift Guide of course. Besides the reasonable price and satisfying feel of the keyboards, I especially like the removeable wrist rest and easily accessible volume spinner.
PC Gamers/Software Devs: ROCCAT Kone Pro PC Gaming Mouse ? $49.99
As you’d hope it also has slowly pulsing RGB lighting built in, which is totally configurable as well. The buttons are satisfying and responsive, and there’s just enough of them to be useful but not too many to be clunky. The spinner is smooth as is the slider pads on the bottom — and it has a more classic shape and shell texture which I appreciate.
It’s reasonably priced too!
Co-Op Games:
This is my favorite genre of board game. In this type of game, all the players are trying to meet a common goal, some games have you saving the world while others are trying to tell a story. If your family isn?t a competitive one, working together might be the way to get everyone to the table.
Pandemic ? $22
The Game ? $12.99
Spirit Island ? $79.99
Competitive Games:
There are a lot of games on the market, more competitive games than co-op. This genre is exactly how it sounds. Players are competing against each other to earn points or be the first to accomplish something in the game. The winner gets bragging rights, and maybe an extra slice of pie.
Ticket to Ride ? $21.99
Star Wars Rebellion ? $109.99
Any way you go with board games please go to your friendly local game store (FLGS) to purchase. It may be a little more expensive than purchasing elsewhere, but your FLGS is a member of the community, they will have people there who are passionate about the hobby and can help find the right game for you. Plus many stores have play areas with a game library for you to try out games, and the players are almost always welcoming new players into the hobby.
For Children Gamers: Arcade1Up Paw Patrol Junior Arcade Cabinet with Stool ? $299
One is Pacman, which the parents would end up playing more most likely and a Paw Patrol machine that is geared more for kids that can play something they related to, but have that nostalgia look and feel they may see their parents like myself have. While the adult sized cabinets have increased dramatically in price, this is a good entry into the world of arcade cabinets for the little ones.
Next Gen Gamers: Seagate FireCuda 530 1TB Internal Solid-State Drive for the PS5 ? $274.99
Once it?s installed, you can make it your primary download drive for both PS4 and PS5 games. The speeds our comparable and in some cases even improved from the internal SSD that came with the PS5.
Highly Recommended.
For Heavy VR Gamers: VR Headset Sweat Liner – for Virtual Reality and Oculus ? 3 pack for $12.99
Families will be sharing, and some will be sweating. Problem solved.
For Sound Aficionados: Panasonic SoundSlayer WIGSS Wearable Surround Sound ? $197
Watching Avengers Endgame while wearing them was an experience. The other great perk is you have your ears free when someone like your children or significant other is calling for you. At the same time, now there is no excuse for not hearing them.
The SoundSlayer WIGSS can be used on a PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series or Nintendo Switch.
Of course if you’re still totally unsure what to pick up for the Holidays, for yourself or family/friends, there’s always a nice big gift card… right?
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