The gaming accessories you use with your set up can make or break your gaming sessions. In many cases, it is the difference between playing at your best or playing like a bot.

We have all been there. Starting with nothing but a console and a TV. The goal now is to improve that set up over time.

A monitor here, controller rack there. Your setup actually starts looking better as you add on to it.

But sometimes you just feel like something is missing. You may know what you need, or you might know what is needed but not know what to get, or you might be completely oblivious to the things that could greatly improve your set up.

Real world example, for longer than I would like to admit, I was completely blind to the importance of having a gaming monitor and its effect on your play…until I got one. 

Completely changed EVERYTHING. 

My goal is to provide you with gaming accessories that you didn’t know needed until now. Everything on this list is aimed at improving your quality of life while you game so you have the best experience possible.

Stream Deck – Even for non gamers

As video game streaming continues to grow more people are starting to take a shot at making a name for themselves everyday.

If you are serious about streaming, then getting a stream deck just might be for you. 

A stream deck will help you out with things like setting multiple hotkeys for a variety of programs for streaming and video capture services, as well as other tasks like clipping game footage and setting macros amongst other things.

Overall it is a great addition to improving the quality of your stream.

Though a stream deck makes things seamless while you are live streaming, you don’t necessarily have to be a streamer to find it extremely useful. It can also serve as a strong productivity tool.

This video by Elgato shows 5 ways you can use your stream deck for productivity rather than for streaming.

Because it is built with programmable hotkeys, you can use it for just about anything you can think of. 

Things You Can Do With A Stream Deck For Streamers and Non-Streamers

• Set hotkeys for in-game for quick quick navigation
• Launch apps
• Control your music
• Muting and unmuting your mic
• Copy and Pasting Documents
• Online Class Production
• Turn things that will normally take multiple steps to complete into 1 step

Check out this reddit thread to see the different ways people use their stream decks for things other than streaming.

Stream Deck Options

Some of the best stream deck options out there.

Best Value Options

• Elgato Stream Deck
• Elgato Stream Deck – Pro Streamer Bundle

Best Budget Options

• UpDeck – Free App you can get on your phone and use to control your stream.
• Number Keypad – A simple keypad can basically do the same thing a stream deck will do for you fundamentally with the right programs. just don’t expect much when it come to more effective features. and they are harder to set up.

Gaming Keypad

This gaming accessory is for my PC players out there. The PC master race just got a whole lot stronger.

Rather than playing on the traditional Mouse and Keyboard, a Gaming keypad gives you the same functionality, but saves you space in your set up and provides you with more comfort.

Unlike the traditional keyboard, the keypad was built specifically with gaming in mind and brings all the keys you will really need together all at better positions for gaming.

Here are some benefits of a gaming keypad

• Everything in one place – all the keys you will ever need are brought together for you at better positions
• Comfort – the right keypad will greatly improve your gaming experience. Because of its convenience, you likely won’t have to move your arm as much as you would on a keyboard
• Size friendly – its smaller size – compared to a keyboard – frees up a lot of arm space for you giving the freedom to move your arms however you want
• Additional features – features will vary depending on the brand you get.

For more info about this gaming accessory check out this article.

Gaming Keypad Options

Some of the best gaming keypad options out there.

Best Value Options

• Razer Tartarus
• Azeron Compact Gaming Keypad

Best Budget Options

• Redragon K585
• MOTO Speed Mechanical Numeric Keypad
• NPET One Handed Gaming Keyboard

Monitor 

Does a monitor make much of a difference when you game?

YESSSS, it does.

I can’t stress this enough!

For so many reasons, gaming on a monitor compared to playing on ANYTHING else is just…better.

The main reason to get a monitor over anything else is the response time and refresh rate.

You have to buy a premium TV to get a good response time and refresh rate, but you can get a good gaming monitor for a fraction of the price it takes to get a TV to do the same.

This is especially important if you play competitive games where having a fast reaction time is especially important.

Gaming Monitor Options

Here are some gaming monitor options to get you started.

Best Value Options

• Scepter 27″ 144Hz Monitor
• ASUS VG248QG 24″ Monitor
• AOC C24G1 24″ Curved Monitor

Best Budget Options

• Acer SB220Q 21.5″ Monitor
• Pixio PX248 24″ 144 Hz Monitor
• BenQ 24″ IPS Monitor

Monitor wall mounts

There are 2 reasons to have wall mounts. 

Convenience and to free up space.

Wall mounts for your monitor will help you free up space on your desk which is a luxury that, personally, I feel I don’t have enough of.

Best Value Options

• WALI TV Wall Mount
• Dual Monitor Wall Mount

Headset Holder

This a gaming accessory that can be easily overlooked. But it will increase the quality of life on your set up.

Headset holders and usually set up on the side or under your desk. This helps you make sure your headphones are out of the way and not just always sitting on top of your desk.

Best Value Options

Here are some options for headset holders for different positions depending on your preference.

• Under the table holder
• The Colossus (headphone and controller holder)
• Avakin Headphone Stand (Side of table and above table)

Wireless Bridge – For Stronger Connectivity

If your gaming setup is far away from your router, then odds are you aren’t getting the internet speeds that you should be getting to play online effectively.

A wireless bridge fixes this issue by expanding the range of connectivity in your home.

Think of it as bringing your router closer to your setup, but not really.

As soon as you set up your wireless bridge, you will instantly notice the difference in speeds.

Best Value Options

• TP-Link Wireless
• KuWFi Wireless

Gaming Chair

A proper gaming setup is not complete without a proper gaming chair.

If you game for hours on end then the right chair can make the difference between getting up at the end of your session comfortably or with back pain.

If you have ever had a bad gaming chair then you know too well the challenges that come with it.

If you aren’t sitting down comfortably at your setup then you will not play well. It just doesn’t work. Odds are you will spend a good amount of your time trying to figure out the best way to sit that won’t make your ass hurt.

A good gaming chair with good back support is a required gaming accessory that I feel ALL gamers need. Whether they game seriously or for fun.

It’s like having to sit all day at work on office chairs that haven’t been changed in years. You get up at the end of the day with back pain, everyday.

Gaming Chair Options

Here are some gaming chair options to get you started.

Best Value Options

• Homall Gaming Chair
• Respawn 110 Racing Style Gaming Chair

Best Budget Options

• Xihe Gaming Chair
• NEO Chair Office Chair

A Good Mouse Pad

While gaming there is no telling when you will need to extend out your arm and how far you will need to extend it.

Be proactive and get a mouse pad good enough to handle those moments.

Best Value Options

• EFISH Large Gaming Mouse Pad
• Ktrio Large Gamign Mouse Pad

The Gaems

Gaems has given “Game on the go” a new meaning.

Gaems changed the game with its series of gaming accessories.

Their boxes let gamers not only carry their game systems in secure cases but also play wherever they feel like.

Their boxes come with its own monitor, storage for your controllers, power supplies, and other accessories , space to hold your gaming console, and with all the needed outlets to power your system and play on included 19” monitor.

This is probably the most convenient way to do it if you find yourself not having time to play your games because you are always on the move and never at home.

The box itself is not too big and can be subtle. Just pull it out whenever and start gaming with no problems.

This is probably the most practical gaming accessory that I have seen in a while. I still can’t believe I never knew this existed.

Best Option

Gaems Vanguard

Conclusion

Hope this list was able to give you some ideas of things that you can add to your set up to make it better and improve the quality of your gaming sessions.

If you would like to write for theKarzu.com or want a guest post, or sponsored post, please contact us at outreach@thekarzu.com.

Why Cyberpunk 2077 is Getting Some Hate from Players

When it comes to video games that are as popular as Cyberpunk 2077, you can always expect a few trolls or haters that will try to rip on the game and call it terrible. This is the case for Cyberpunk 2077 as well, as a few players are calling it a complete mess. But unfortunately, you could argue that a few of these players actually have a good point. If you haven’t played Cyberpunk 2077 for yourself and are wondering where all this hate is coming from, here are the main reasons why this is happening.

1. Terrible Bugs and Glitches

The first reason given here is also the most popular reason behind all the hate Cyberpunk is getting. Regardless of what platform you’re playing on, it is absolutely inarguable that Cyberpunk 2077 is a buggy mess filled. There are lots of bugs and lots of glitches in the game, and some of these have ended up frustrating players to the point where they’ve completely stopped playing the game. Bugs and glitches are usually harmless, and in fact, some of them are downright hilarious and actually make the experience more enjoyable. This definitely isn’t the case with some of the glitches in Cyberpunk though. The first example of this would be all the game-breaking bugs and glitches that most players are encountering.

If you’re on an important mission or just haven’t shaved in a while, you might think of opening the map to get an overview of Night City to get an idea of where you are and where you need to head next. You’d expect no problems with this. But sometimes, the map doesn’t load and all that happens is that the game crashes. While autosave usually does help out in these situations, sometimes players have to start from much further back than where they were when the game crashed. Another few popular glitches are when you’re in chase missions and enemies and vehicles just fly off the map. In short, these bugs and glitches are ruining the experience for some players, and it’s why lots of people are hating on it.

2. Development Time and Constant Delays

No one had any problems when they found out Cyberpunk isn’t releasing anytime soon. As already mentioned, lots of people were supportive as they knew they need to wait for a truly great experience. However, no one had expected that it would take as long as it did. Cyberpunk was announced in 2012 and came out at the very end of 2020. That is a bit more than 8 whole years. When the time came around to 2016/2017 and people found out they still weren’t very close to the release of the game, a few people were very disappointed. Then came 2018/19 and the game still wasn’t released, despite there so much talking that it was set to release in these years.

Then came 2020. In this year, Cyberpunk 2077 had many different release dates and was constantly delayed again and again. The reason why players are hating on the game so much for these delays especially after its release is that the game still obviously isn’t a finished product. Cyberpunk still has many problems like the above mentioned bugs and glitches. As many players understandably claim, these are issues that should’ve easily been cleared out in the huge 8-year development time it took CD Projekt Red to create Cyberpunk 2077.

3. Short Campaign Length

Lastly, another thing that a lot of people dislike about Cyberpunk 2077 is its main campaign length. This is something that a lot of people and critics mentioned in their reviews for the game as well, as it takes about 15-20 hours to beat the game if you focus on main quests. This is relatively short given the campaign length of most other games nowadays. This isn’t a popular reason for all the hate Cyberpunk 2077 is getting, but it is still a small reason why it isn’t getting the perfect reviews from players and critics that you’d expect it to.

Why All This Hate is Unfair

The hate that Cyberpunk 2077 is getting is arguably justified, but it definitely isn’t fair once you get down to thinking about it. The bugs and glitches are something that will undoubtedly be fixed in the coming weeks as the developers will release several updates to fix the issues. It was also the players themselves that pressured CD Projekt Red into releasing the game too early. Then comes the amount of time it took to release the game in the first place. You could say that the critical reviews for this are justified. As for the campaign length, those remarks aren’t that justified at all. The game has plenty of side content for players to spend several hours into.

On top of this, there’s a huge amount of replayability in Cyberpunk 2077, as there are hundreds of different ways that you can go about playing the game and multiple different endings you can unlock. All players have to do now is wait for a patch to fix the bugs and glitches, after which it will be even better and more immersive than it already is. The developers are even offering full refunds for all those that aren’t happy with the game at this point, which is why all the hate that Cyberpunk 2077 is getting isn’t as fair as you’d expect.

What To Expect From The Future Of Gaming?

1. Upcoming Games

One of the things which we can obviously expect is the release of amazing games. In recent years, we’ve been treated to some absolutely amazing gems, like Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War (2018), Resident Evil 2 Remake, Sekiro, Ghost of Tsushima, and so much more. All these great releases have made players appreciate gaming even more than before, and we’re bound to get games that are just as great or even greater in the future.

We’ve got games like Cyberpunk 2077, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West, Resident Evil 8, Elden Ring, etc. coming out. And most of these are just the amazing games that are coming out within a year or two, meaning that there’s much more to expect within the next 5 or so years. There are also bound to be some great games that will finally start to fully utilize the amazing potential of VR and AR, like Half-Life: Alyx that was released recently and is arguably the greatest VR game ever. This is very exciting as well, as players have been waiting for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to live up to their expectations for many years, but a lack of great games didn’t make this possible up until now.

2. New Consoles and Gaming Technology

The biggest thing in gaming as of this moment is inarguably the release of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S. The new consoles are finally available for purchase and are a significant improvement over their predecessors. 4K gaming at much better frame rates has given consoles gaming much more desirable in the eyes of players. What’s even better is that these consoles haven’t even reached their full potential yet.

Like previous consoles before them, the Series X and PS5 have some minor and even a few major issues at launch that are ruining the experience for some. But this isn’t a problem that players will have to endure for long, as both consoles will surely be getting updates in the near future that will greatly boost their performance and remove most minor and major issues. There’s also bound to be an announcement of upgraded versions of both consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X was for the PS4 and Xbox One. There’s not much news about them at all right now and they aren’t even confirmed, but there’s little doubt that these upgraded versions of the PS5 and Series X are coming in the foreseeable future.

But this isn’t all there is to the new gaming tech, as we’re bound to see the release of new graphic cards by NVidia and AMD that will surpass even the PS5 and Series X. The new GPU by NVidia that does so is the RTX 3090. While there are other variations being released as well, this is by far the most powerful, but obviously the most expensive as well. It is capable of supporting video game output in 8K, meaning that we will be able to game in 8K on PC very soon with the NVidia RTX 3090. AMD is also releasing a GPU of its own which is meant to rival the RTX 3090. This is known as the AMD RX 6900 XT and is set to be a direct rival to the RTX 3090 at a much cheaper price. Both GPUs will also support 8K, meaning that PC gaming is about to get a serious graphics overhaul which will make upcoming games look more beautiful than anything we’ve ever seen before.

3. Advancements in Virtual Reality

As mentioned above, there are bound to be some enhancements coming to VR gaming as we know it. Half-Life: Alyx and Resident Evil 7 are solid proof that VR is in fact capable of being the future of gaming, as both were able to provide immersive experiences like none before them. Because of this, we’re bound to see at least a few upgrades made to Virtual Reality gaming in the coming years. For example, there have been lots of rumors going on nowadays that Sony has patented a new VR headset which will be a significant improvement over the first one meant for the PS4.

Speaking of VR headsets, we can definitely expect that they’ll be getting generally upgraded soon. It’s likely we’ll get to see headsets which provide players with a bigger, more dynamic field of view (FOV). We could potentially see headsets that aren’t as complicated to use in the near future. Like some current VR headsets, these will only use Wi-Fi to connect to devices and won’t require any cables or complicates set-up. The major difference is that these coming wireless VR headsets will be much less demanding in terms of connection to the device and won’t require an unreasonably fast connection to work perfectly. As mentioned, we’ll probably be seeing better VR games in the near future too.

All these new amazing games, awesome new tech, and upgrades to virtual reality gaming are great to think about. The best part is that they’re all closer than we think, meaning that the foreseeable future of gaming is definitely great and has something for everyone to keep themselves entertained. In short, you definitely have more than one reason to get excited.

In this post, I will name the different types of gamers. Are you one of them?

Hardcore Gamer

This is the gamer that never goes to sleep. 

Playing games is more than fun to him 

They sleep, eat, and poop gaming. 

Don’t even think of trying to get them to get off the game until they are ready. Some hardcore gamers even go on to be professional gamers playing for E-Sport teams or to be the stars of their own successful gaming live streams.

The Try Hard

This gamer is kind of like the hardcore gamer except they don’t necessarily no life the game they play.

The try-hard does take what they play very seriously and is very competitive to boot.

The try-hard is always ready to be tested and is always begging someone to challenge them. Their game is their domain and you better be ready for all the heat if you ever run into one.

The Casual Gamer

This is a gamer that only plays for fun. They won’t take the game seriously and definitely don’t expect them to play long hours with you because more than likely they will get bored after a couple of hours.

There are more casual gamers out there than there are people that take gaming seriously which is why most gamer that does take the games we play seriously, tend to get stuck with “bot” on our teams for us to carry.

Mobile Gamer

Just…why?

Because mobile games are awesome and scratch the itch that sometimes console and PC game just can’t scratch.

Being 24 years old today and thinking back to my days in high school when I got my first smartphone. One thing I remembered enjoying was my discovery of the app store.

Games like Temple Run, Subway Surfers, Jetpack Joyride were what kept me entertained through all those boring hours at school.

It is convenient and it is nice carrying your personal gaming device in your pocket. I am pretty sure just about everyone is a mobile gamer.

The Online Gamer

The online gamer could fall under the category of hardcore or casual as a gamer. Honestly, in our world today if you aren’t playing games online, then are you really a gamer?

Playing games online (with or against people) has become the bread and butter of what all popular games have. Fortnite, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six etc. 

The online gamer enjoys the trills that come with gaming with and against people. From working with your squad to finally beat that boss in destiny 2 to taking that same squad to Call Of Duty and destroying some noobs.

The Backseat Gamer

This is the gamer that has already beaten the game you just happen to be playing and knows all the secrets and spots that will help you beat the game that you would never have found out without their help…not really.

Beating the game themselves isn’t enough. This gamer will stand over your shoulder and will try to tell you how to play the game.

Don’t be this guy. It is very annoying.

The Old School Gamer

This is the gamer that lives in the past.

They are not impressed by your better graphics, improvements in FPS, or the specs in the latest graphics card. 

Oh, new consoles are coming out? 

They don’t care.

Give them an old school Gameboy, maybe a Sega system and they will be in heaven playing their favorite old school games.

If you know someone like this, cherish them. We all need a trip back to the past every once in a while.

Trophy Hunter Gamer

The name speaks for itself.

This is the gamer that absolutely has to turn every game they play inside out and get every possible achievement that they can to beat the game 100%.

This is a point of pride for these people and if it wasn’t for them. I honestly don’t think the rest of us normies would be able to get some of the hard to get unlockables that are in games these days.

Ever think to yourself, “I would love to know how they expect me to do that”. Just ask a trophy hunter. They got you covered. There are literally hundreds of them on YouTube.

The Cheater

Ahh yes, the cheater.

We both love and HATE this guy. Sometimes they make games a lot more fun and sometimes they make you wonder why they were even born.

Of course, this depends on the type of cheater you deal with and what that cheater has chosen to do with his cheats.

Cheaters do with our video games what the developers never intended. Their sole mission is not just to break the game, but to force the game to bend to their will.

Puzzle Gamer

This guy loves puzzles and will only play puzzle games. 

The harder the puzzle, the more these guys will get off. They enjoy the process it takes to solve a good puzzle. 

Trying different approaches, different strategies, different ways of thinking are their bread and butter.

Games are an opportunity to compete against themselves to improve how they solve puzzles. 

Let me know what type of gamer you are in the comments below. Personally, I would say that I am a hardcore gamer, a big try hard, an online gamer, and a casual gamer all in one. I enjoy playing a wide variety of games and when it comes to gaming online, especially first-person shooters, I am a huge tryhard.

You hear people say things like:

• Games make kids more violent
• Games make you dumber
• Games cause anxiety

While I am not discrediting these opinions, I personally cannot agree with them.

To be honest, I am yet to see the research from somebody with these “ideals”.

Games are often portrayed as violent, addictive, and a mindless waste of hours that encourage laziness.

I have been a full-time gamer since I was old enough to hold a Gameboy in my hands. Now I am 24 years old, still playing games and I promise you my unhealthy gaming habit never got in the way of my quality of life.

In fact, I am a strong believer that games help more than they hurt.

And unlike the “other side”, I have research to back me up.

Games Help You Make Accurate Decisions, 25% Faster

Depending on the games you play, there are a lot of games today that force you to make quick decisions. 

You are forced into situations where thinking quick and on your feet will make the difference between winning and feeling good about your self, or losing and questioning if you even have thumbs in the first place.

In one study, by Daphne Bavelier, participants aged 18 to 25 were split into two groups. One group played 50 hours of Call of Duty and Unreal Tournament. The other group played 50 hours of The Sims 2.

After their respective sessions, the Call of Duty players made decisions 25% faster in a task unrelated to playing video games, without losing out on accuracy.

Games force you to have a clear picture of what is going on around you, and because of this, you are able to make decisions faster.

This translates perfectly into the real world in situations where you are forced to think fast.

Improve Motor-Skills

Because on games, you have to learn the controls (and you normally do relatively quickly) and how it relates to the character you control in the game, you naturally get better hand-eye coordination. 

You can throw better, catch, kick, and bounce better. You’re basically super-human.

Video Games Improve Memory, Focus, and Thinking Patterns

In a study published by Journal Plos One, playing Wii Tennis, Wii Table Tennis, and High Altitude Battle helped doctors perform better in simulated tests designed to test their hand-eye coordination.

Also, by playing slow-moving games – like strategy games – you can increase your intelligence. This also moves into the point that games help you make better decisions.

Gaming Improves Your Vision

Here’s one I know you weren’t expecting.

While some people correlate having eye problems with gaming and staring at a computer screen for a long time, research on the other hand proves that gaming can improve your vision.

How?

By making the gamer more sensitive to colors and different shades of light. Which are things you will find in pretty much every game.

Especially gamers that play fast-paced FPS games. Because in multiple scenarios in these games, you are forced to identify the enemy from a distance and from different angles.

Games Can Help Kids Dyslexia Improve Their Reading Abilities After Playing

A small study was conducted and it found that gaming can help out kids with dyslexia read faster by enhancing their concentration and attention span.

Money

Because of the internet now, gamers can make money from playing games.

So the excuse that games are a waste of time should really just be thrown out the window at this point.

Conclusion

As you can see, video games are not this terrible monster that a lot of people try to make it out to be. 

If anything, they do more to help keep kids occupied and out of trouble than anything else a parent might try.

Also, if you worry you are wasting your time playing games, then do something with it (start a stream or create content on youtube).

It is now a hobby you can make money from, so why not try to monetize it?

Video games DO make you smarter.