Everything You Need to Set Up Your Best Home Gaming Den

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Gaming is one of the most popular, but also potentially most expensive, pastimes you can get into right now. It’s easy to go way too big out of the gate and end up spending thousands you don’t need to. But it’s also easy to underspend and wind up not using your equipment to its fullest, settling for less when you could have spent a bit more to have a much better experience. Because this can be such a confusing space, with so many different consoles, model numbers, ways to play, I’ve prepped this primer to help get your feet wet. No matter your background, everyone should be able to play, and my goal is to present plenty of options to make that possible.

What should you put in your gaming space?

There’s a difference between a living room with a game console in it and a place built specifically for gaming. Lots of setups can support the occasional game session, and really, so long as you’re having fun, whatever works for you is good enough. But if you’re ready to take gaming from “something you do sometimes” to a full-on hobby, there are plenty of options to cater your experience to your liking.

Do you want free online play or the best graphics? Try a gaming PC. Do you want to be able to play on the go, but with a wider selection of games than there are on the Nintendo Switch? The Steam Deck is a great pick. Then there’s the rest of your gaming equipment: From controllers to the TV you play on, there's an overwhelming amount of factors to consider.

Take specialty devices like retro handheld or arcade cabinets into account, and you can truly transform your space—maybe almost too much. (It’s easy to go overboard.) That’s why it’s helpful to have a shopping list in mind. Knowing what type of experience you want and what type of games you like to play is the first step, which brings me to...

What system do you play on?

Gaming devices have evolved a lot over the years, but right now, there are five major current-generation systems for playing games. Knowing which one appeals to you most is the first step in building a gaming space, since it’ll define what kind of displays and accessories you need. Let’s quickly walk through each system and what it does best.

Sony PlayStation 5: The PlayStation 5 is the more popular of the two “hardcore” gaming consoles widely available right now, and focuses on 4K visuals and high frame rates. It supports most third-party game releases, but also has a strong stable of exclusive titles, or games only available on PS5. Many Sony exclusives focus on cinematic, highly narrative experiences, making the PS5 a good choice for people who like prestige series. If you like watching Game of Thrones, you'll probably like the narrative-driven titles on PS5. 

Sony also recently announced an upgraded PS5 model, the PlayStation 5 Pro, which will introduce AI upscaling tech to help the console support better graphics at higher frame rates. However, it won’t come with a disc drive out of the box, and will cost more than a standard PS5 by over $200. If you’re just getting started, you probably won’t need this. It’s unlikely to have games that only it can play, and will instead focus on playing the same games as the regular PS5, but better.

Microsoft Xbox Series X/S: The Xbox Series consoles are the PlayStation 5’s chief competitor, and offer access to most of the same game library, barring Sony exclusives. The biggest difference is that there are actually two models here: the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The Series X is most similar to a PS5, but the Series S is more scaled down, with graphics targeting lower resolutions like 1440p, and frame rates often closer to 30 fps. The Series S also does not have a disk drive, so it can only play games digitally, but it’s smaller and more inexpensive to compensate. It does, however, have access to the same games as the Series X, even if its performance lags behind.

Xbox has historically placed behind Sony when it comes to exclusive games, but Microsoft’s recent acquisitions of studios including Activision-Blizzard and Bethesda have started to fix this reputation. Due to historical precedent, many games from these studios are still multiplatform, but it’s unclear for how long that will stay the case. 

Because of the Xbox Series S, the Xbox can be a good place for gamers on a lower budget to start getting into more “hardcore,” blockbuster experiences.

Nintendo Switch: The Nintendo Switch presents one of the cheaper ways to get into gaming, as it’s not only more inexpensive out of the box, but works as a handheld console too, so you only need one device. It’s the least graphically powerful mainstream option, even lagging behind more recent smartphones, but that just places the emphasis on gameplay and convenience rather than showy visuals.

The Nintendo Switch is the exclusive home for Nintendo-developed games, which are often so good that even PlayStation or Xbox gamers will keep a Switch on hand just to play them. These include classic franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, and with the recent successes of games like Super Mario Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, these venerated series don’t show any signs of slowing down.

The Switch is also a great place to play indie games, since its built-in portability means it’s easy to take them on the go, even if they weren’t designed to have a mobile port. Technically, this goes for every Switch game, but more lightweight, pick-up-and-play games play especially well to the console’s strengths and weaknesses.

Do note that the Nintendo Switch’s successor is right on the horizon, so it might be best to wait until it’s announced before buying a Switch. Even if you don’t want the newest model, the current system is bound to get a price drop once its replacement is on the market.

PC: PC is the most customizable gaming experience you can get right now, since there are hundreds of different options out there, plus the ability to build your own. That means it represents both the peak of graphics and the height of experimentation, but it also tends to be a little on the fiddly side.

In general, PC is best for people who either have a lot of money or a lot of patience, or who want to play more underground titles that haven’t gone through the process to get a console release yet. It’s also good for carrying your library across systems, since you won’t need to re-purchase games when going from one PC to another, whereas consoles aren’t guaranteed to be backwards compatible with their predecessors.

PC is also the best place to play certain genres of games, with shooters and MMORPGs especially benefitting from keyboard and mouse controls. Recently, it’s also become a good place to get games for playing on the go, with devices like the Steam Deck almost giving PC gamers a similar experience to the Nintendo Switch.

Mobile: You can’t talk about modern gaming without mentioning mobile. Technically, the iOS App Store is the biggest gaming ecosystem on the market right now, but it always feels like it has an asterisk next to it.

That’s because most games simply aren’t available for phones. While Apple’s been experimenting with putting more traditional titles on the App Store, most mobile titles are made specifically for the platform, and are often monetized differently to fit the different expectations mobile users have.

This means that players on phones usually can’t play the latest blockbuster releases, but instead have to be happy with free-to-play spin-offs that often have compromised controls that better work with a touchscreen, as well as plenty of microtransactions to make up for the lack of upfront cost. This doesn’t always sit well with gamers, but can foster fiercely loyal fanbases thanks to the ongoing updates these games receive.

Critics have raised ethical concerns about the way that certain microtransactions on mobile mirror gambling, but there’s no denying that the platform is with us to stay. And with the right controller and a knowledge of the upper limits of what your phone can do, there’s certainly plenty of ways to game with the device you’re going to be carrying everywhere you go anyway.

Older systems: Finally, there are older gaming systems, which can be a good way to play on a budget. While decades old systems like the Super Nintendo are now so retro that they have a vintage quality that can actually raise prices, certain last-generation systems like the PS4 and Xbox One are still going strong. In the case of the PS4 and Xbox One, especially, many third-party games are still being made with these systems in-mind. Before you spend hundreds on an upgrade, check to see if the console you already have can play the games you want. You might not get the best graphics or the highest frame rates, but you’ll be able to save the money you would have spent on an upgrade and put it towards whatever Sony or Microsoft are cooking up next.

Best TVs, speakers, and monitors for gaming

Setting up a proper gaming space is about more than your gaming system, though. You also need to consider what you’re going to be watching your game on. For instance, getting a console for 4K gaming is pointless if your TV can only support resolutions up to 1080p.

Regardless of your answer, you’re going to have to ask yourself big your screen needs to be, what resolution you want (a higher resolution means a more detailed image), and how many frames-per-second you need to be able to support (the more frames, the smoother the image, but it can be hard to maintain a higher fps alongside detailed graphics). However, your answers might differ based on where you’re playing from.

If playing from a couch, you’re going to want a bigger screen, and with that, you’ll probably want a higher resolution to go along with it. If playing from a desk, you can make due with a smaller screen, where more detailed graphics are less apparent and you might be willing to sacrifice some resolution for a higher fps.

Playing from a couch also probably means you’re going to be using speakers, while playing from a desk makes headphones a more likely option. 

Once you have an idea of what your setup will be, here’s a basic guide to get you started.

First, try not to pick a display with a resolution lower than 1080p. That’s going to be hard to find at this point, but 1080p is the bare minimum for most games today. Go for 4K if you can, but if you often play at higher frame rates, 1440p also suffices, since there’s a good chance you’ll be lowering your graphics from 4K to better support those frame rates, anyway.

Similarly, don’t pick a display with a refresh rate below 60 Hz. The higher the refresh rate, the more often your screen can update, so you can essentially think of the “Hz” as the cap on your fps count. While some games still run closer to 30 fps, most at least try to target 60 fps now, and you’re going to be getting a less-than-optimal experience from most games without support for it. Luckily, most screens at this point are 60 or even 75 Hz as a bare minimum, which means that gamers may want to look into 120 Hz or 144 Hz screens instead. These have become less expensive as of late, with 240 Hz or 360 Hz screens taking up the position in the market they used to have. Personally, I find I can’t tell much of a difference between 144 Hz and fps counts above it, and since it’s difficult to run most games above 144 fps without serious graphical compromises, I think it should work for most people.

If buying a TV, try to go for OLED. That’s not just because it has higher contrast and thus a better picture, but also because OLED’s self-illuminating pixels means it tends to have lower input lag, so there will be less time between a button press and a response from the screen. A computer monitor, meanwhile, doesn’t necessarily need to be OLED. OLED monitors tend to be rare and expensive at this point, but most computer monitors are already built to emphasize low response times, since their manufacturers can bank on all of their customers using them for interactive content. OLED is still a good pick if you can find one you like, but otherwise, IPS is a good alternative. TN is slightly outdated tech, and is probably best avoided if you see it on something you want to buy.

One note if you do end up buying a TV: Be sure to ensure you have motion smoothing turned off when gaming. If your TV has a gaming mode, it should turn this off automatically. Motion smoothing generates extra frames to try to artificially hit a higher frame rate than your content originally supports, but it also requires slightly delaying your video input, which can make games feel less responsive. That goes against the whole point of having a higher fps, so any frames you get, you’re going to want to come straight from your gaming system, rather than being generated by your TV.

As for audio, your options here include speakers and headphones. When buying speakers, you might want to opt for a soundbar, which packs multiple channels into one speaker bar, whereas headphone users will probably want a pair that has either an open-back or active noise canceling.

If opting for speakers, know that the more speakers you have, the better your surround sound can get. Look for terms like “5.1” and “7.1,” where the first number indicates the amount of full-range speakers you have and the second number indicates the number of subwoofers you have. A soundbar might count for multiple speakers, but bigger usually indicates better. Also, if a device has Dolby Atmos support, that will help with surround sound as well as virtual surround sound, which can shoot audio across your room to make it sound like it’s coming from a speaker that’s not there. It’s not quite as good as having actual surround speakers, but it can be an option to get a similar effect on a budget.

If looking for headphones, the reason I suggest open-back or active noise canceling is so you can better hear your own voice. Headphone users often need to communicate with teammates, and I, at least, find it difficult to talk if I can’t hear myself. Open-back headphones ensure your voice isn’t muffled, but will also let in outside noise and leak noise to those around you. Headsets with active noise canceling instead use exterior microphones to help you hear yourself, which means you won’t leak noise. To use an ANC headset to hear your own voice, simply swap it to “transparency mode.” This will let in outside noise to a degree as well, but the benefit is you can turn it off when you aren’t talking for a more isolated experience.

That’s a lot to keep in mind, and yet I’ve just barely scratched the surface. To help you further, here are a few great picks to get you started on finding the right TV, monitor, or audio solution for you. If nothing appeals, know that this is a big space. There are plenty of oddball picks out there, including gaming earbuds and wearable speakers. You can also totally get headphones for console or a soundbar for PC, and there are specialty options just for doing that.

Best controllers and gaming accessories

Once you’ve figured out what you’re going to be playing on and how you’re going to see and hear your game, you need to figure out how you’re going to interact with it. There are two big options for this: controllers, and keyboards and mice.

Controllers are practically synonymous with gaming. These handy little devices are ergonomic, lightweight, great for playing from a couch or with multiple players, and can be inexpensive. These days, they also tend to come with plenty of buttons, sticks, triggers, and sometimes even back paddles, so you have plenty of options for controlling your character.

Controllers do have downsides, though. The biggest issues are that their sticks make for less immediate aiming, and they have fewer total buttons than a keyboard and mouse. In general, they tend to work best for platformers, action games, and other titles requiring lots of quick character movement, thanks to their analog control and the many buttons you can hit with just a few fingers.

On the other hand, keyboards and mice have finer pointer control thanks to the mouse, and more total buttons. They excel at RPGs, shooters, and strategy games, but can suffer in platformers or other titles requiring quick character movement.

There are also some genres that might push you to get specialty equipment, such as fighting games or racing games. Usually, getting an arcade stick or a racing wheel is more of a bonus than a requirement, however: Publishers usually try to optimize their games for all players, which means building with default controllers in mind. I have a few controllers like this that I really love, but you don’t need to worry about them when starting out.

If you’re on console, you’re usually stuck with a controller. There are games that support mouse and keyboard, and devices that make it possible to connect a mouse and keyboard for games that don’t, but often, developers can see this as cheating due to the superior pointing control and may take action against you. On PC, you’re going to have a mouse and keyboard by default, but you can also get a controller to make it easier to play certain titles.

Once you’ve figured out if you’re going to be using a controller or keyboard and mouse, it’s time to pick one. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo all make their own controllers, but there are also plenty of third-party options, and third-party is the only way to go when buying keyboards and mice. It can get a little confusing.

When buying a controller, keep budget in mind. Lower-priced controllers may cut out wireless connectivity, while more expensive ones could throw in back paddles that let you access additional controls with the fingers you’re using to grip your controller. The default controllers for all three major consoles tend to have a good mix of features (except perhaps the Switch, where the Joy-Cons that come with your console can be limiting in certain titles), and are a good place to start if you don’t know where to look.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to branch out, start your search with the Xbox Elite Controller, DualSense Edge, and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. These are the premium controllers for each of the major consoles, and have extra features like back paddles or swappable sticks (except in the case of the Switch Pro Controller, which is essentially just a basic traditional controller for Switch users who would rather not use the Joy-Cons). These can get pricey, though, which makes looking at third-party options a good alternative. 

Finally, when buying a keyboard and mouse, there’s a whole field of options available to you. The chief things to keep in mind are connectivity, what type of switches you want, and how many buttons you want.

First, you can go with pretty much anything you want for connectivity. Gamers used to swear by wired equipment, but thanks to 2.4 GHz wireless dongles, wireless keyboards and mice are now generally able to keep up with wired equipment when it comes to input lag. You’ll pay a premium to cut your cord, but so long as you’re not connecting over Bluetooth, you’ll be okay.

Second, your switch options are either mechanical or membrane. Mechanical switches are more old-school and clacky, with physical components under each key, whereas membrane switches instead register input by making contact with one long pad that sits under the entire keyboard. In general, gamers tend to prefer mechanical keyboards for their more noticeable feedback, but they are noisier and usually cost a bit more.

Third, consider your keyboard layout. Do you want more space to move your mouse? Then maybe you want to forego your numpad and get a 75% keyboard. Do you instead want the numpad for macro keys? Then you’ll want a full-length keyboard. If you go outside of the typical here, you’ll quickly get used to talking about keyboards in terms of percentages, which refer to whether the keyboard comes with inputs like a numpad or a function row.

The amount of buttons you’ll want also applies to mice. Gaming mice usually have a few extra buttons on the side for more actions when in-game, and there are specialty mice that offer even more, like MMO mice. Generally, you’ll want a gaming mouse to be lightweight and have a left-click, a right-click, a scroll wheel, and at least two side buttons.

There’s a lot more I could go over here, including different types of mechanical switches or trigger stops or the like, so take this more as a starting point. On that note, here are some good standby products to get you started on your search. One thing I will warn you about, though: Mouse and keyboard combos are great for light office work, but not so much for gaming. You’ll likely want to get your gear separately to ensure the best quality, since combos often have compromises to offer two pieces of equipment at a reasonable price.

Gaming on the go

This article might be about setting up a gaming den, but there’s still plenty of gaming to be done while out and about. In days gone by, this section would have been as long as “buy a Game Boy,” but nowadays, you have a few more options.

Generally, you’re going to be picking between three options here. The first is one you probably already have, while the other two have some overlap with the consoles we’ve already discussed.

The most convenient way to get into portable gaming these days is through your phone. You probably already take it everywhere you go, games on it are generally free, and the App Store and Google Play Store have thousands of options on them.

Mobile gaming is a great casual option, but it does have its downsides, and more dedicated gamers may find themselves rubbing up against them quickly. The first is the lack of physical controls, which make playing games that require heavy feedback and quick inputs difficult. Maybe more damaging though is the game selection. While some more traditional games are available on mobile, many mobile games instead employ a live service model that can make it difficult to keep up with more than one title at a time, and may tempt some players into overspending.

There are ways to get around this, by buying a smartphone controller or subscribing to Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, which give players access to exclusive games that don’t have in-app purchases. Still, for meatier experiences, there’s generally only a handful of options on mobile. That’s where my next picks come in.

The most traditional pick for portable play right now is the Nintendo Switch. Simply lift it out of its TV dock, and it becomes a regular, old-school portable console, taking your entire Switch library on the go. There's hardly any downside here, aside from it being a little bigger than older handhelds, and some games even play better portably since they can render at smaller resolutions. It’s a convenient pick for bringing more traditional games with physical controls out of the house with you, but again, there are a few issues to be cautious of.

The biggest is probably that the Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner, so even if you don’t want the newest device, now’s not a great time to buy a Switch. It’ll probably drop in price once its successor releases. The second is that the included controllers for portable play, the Joy-Cons, can get a little uncomfortable over extended sessions. Luckily, you can get more ergonomic replacements for not too much extra.

The Switch is also the weakest portable option here, falling behind even most modern smartphones. Thanks to smart optimization, most of the best Switch games don’t suffer too much from this, but the console’s power does limit what type of games it can support, even if it tends to have a wider selection of options than mobile. 

For those who want the most versatile option available to them, there’s the handheld gaming PC. The most popular of these is the Steam Deck, an affordable, ergonomic device with power similar to a PlayStation 4. The Steam Deck is essentially a Linux gaming laptop, but in the form factor of a Nintendo Switch, with a wide screen and built-in controls on either side. It comes with a convenient user interface that makes it easy to download and play games from your Steam library, but it can also go into a traditional desktop interface for browsing the web or setting up games from outside of Steam.

As you might expect, like most PC gaming devices, it’s a little less straightforward than other options, but the tradeoff is that it’s more powerful and more customizable. Gaming experts will appreciate the fine control, but it may not be a great first device.

There’s also some compatibility issues, although I find my Steam Deck can run most of my Steam library without issue, even if it says a game is unsupported. I also appreciate that I don’t need to buy games specifically for the Steam Deck to play them there, which arguably makes the platform more open than competitors like the Switch, despite any compatibility issues. Instead, you can play PC games across the Deck and other devices without issue, except for the rare occasion where the Deck can’t run a game.

In those situations, you could instead opt for an alternative handheld gaming PC like the Asus ROG Ally X. These competitors tend to run Windows, which can be a bit finicky in a handheld format, but it means they can run anything a regular computer can. There are pros and cons to each—competing handheld PCs tend to be more expensive than the Steam Deck, though sometimes more powerful, but also usually without the option for an OLED screen.

Like with most PC gaming purchases, it’ll take a bit of research to find the right one for you, although I would still recommend the Steam Deck as the best option for most people, with the sometimes-out-of-stock base LCD model starting at $350 and the OLED model starting at $549. Also, like the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck supports docks for connecting it to a TV, although the official one needs to be purchased separately for $79. Competitors will also usually support docks, or at the very least, a USB-C cable that you can use for video output instead.

Like with gaming at a TV, there’s a lot of ways to deck out your portable play experience. Here are a few picks to get you started:

Seating, streaming, and retro

Finally, there’s more to gaming than just getting a console and a screen. If you really want the ultimate gaming space, you also need to take seating into account, and if you want to share your experiences, you’ll need some streaming equipment. Plus, a few fashionable accessories to express yourself can really make your space feel like your own.

If you’re playing on a console, you’ll probably be playing on a couch or in a chair you already have, but that doesn’t mean comfort isn’t an issue. Here, you might want to consider a gaming pillow, which can make holding a controller for long periods of time feel more ergonomic. These are also great ways to make modern handhelds, which can be a bit heavier than old-school ones, a bit easier to hold.

You can even buy laptop desks that make mouse and keyboard control easier to do from a couch, which makes it possible to get a hybrid between a console and PC experience. Just plug your computer into your TV, hook it up to a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard, whip out your laptop desk, and you’re good to go.

If you are gaming from a desk, though, you’ll have dozens of gaming accessories vying for your attention. There are gaming chairs, gaming desks, headphone stands, the works.

Speaking from experience, I would say you don’t need to deck out your desk for gaming. Instead, I think the best gaming desk has about the same setup as the best office desk. This means that the height of luxury here would be an ergonomic chair and an adjustable standing desk.

I, personally, use a Herman Miller Embody at my desk, and it’s been so much nicer on my back than any of the “racer chairs” that are so popular with streamers. If you can afford a premium ergonomic chair, it’ll likely be better than a gaming-focused one.

That said, a gaming chair is still a decent pick if you can’t afford an office chair, as the high backs and adjustable settings that many have will still serve you better than an Amazon Basics swivel chair. Just be aware that the bucket seat style that is popular with gaming chairs right now isn’t always great for sitting up over extended periods.

Similarly, you don’t need a standing desk. My desk isn’t adjustable, but I get by fine thanks to an add-on keyboard tray I’ve strapped to it.

Here’s a good trick: In addition to looking at new products, check out your local Facebook Marketplace. Oftentimes, companies will sell premium office-quality chairs and desks for cheap, and while gaming-centric furniture can work in a pinch, these have a good chance of beating out any bucket seat you might get, and at a fraction of the price.

Here are a few of my favorite seating options:

Once you have your seating figured out, it’s time to delve into specialty equipment. I’ll cover two of the most popular subcommunities here: Streamers and retro gamers.

In addition to equipment for playing and viewing their own games, streamers need to worry about their audience, too. This means investing in a proper webcam, microphone, headphones, a powerful enough computer for streaming (or a console capture card), and maybe even high-level gear like soundproofing or a macro pad. You can really get into the weeds here if you want, so I’ll stick to one simple mantra: start small. It always sucks to buy a whole suite of gear for a hobby only to find out that you don’t like it, and your early audience is likely to understand if you don’t have the best audio or video quality right out of the gate. Starting with just the basics gives you the chance to find what works for you and grow towards a setup that meets your specific needs, rather than spending hundreds on something that you may not need or want.

Retro gamers are in a similar boat. Thanks to the magic of emulation, you can play most retro games without any additional equipment, and this is where I’d recommend starting. But if you do find yourself getting into the hobby, there are all sorts of specialty gear you can buy.

You could get fixed-up old consoles, premium hardware emulators like the Analogue Pocket, or you could make your own arcade cabinet. But if you’re just starting out, consider either getting a pre-built arcade cabinet or a retro handheld.

These days, there are companies like Arcade1Up that do the hard work of making arcade cabinets for you. Their devices are more affordable than actual arcade machines, but are still large enough to achieve the same effect in a home. It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of setting up a few right next to each other, and most come with several games. You won’t quite have the versatility of a homemade cabinet, since you will be stuck in Arcade1Up’s ecosystem, but it’s a good place to start for adding some authentic retro flare to a gaming space.

Meanwhile, if you miss the smaller retro gaming handheld of yore, consider a Game Boy clone. Companies like Retroid and Anbernic specialize in these, putting software emulators on small devices that often mimic the form factors of handhelds gone by. These machines usually use the same processors as Android phones, but their specialty firmware and built-in controls make playing on them feel like a blast from the past.

Again, streaming and retro games are whole rabbit holes unto themselves, so I’ll give you some help with a short list of solid standbys:

Keep it humble

With that, you’ve got everything you need to deck out a room for gaming, and then some. Remember, you don’t need everything here. Like in our favorite games, there’s nothing shameful about starting off humble and leveling up from there.