The best gaming gear for high school seniors

Whatever career your graduate chooses to pursue, chances are they’ll be spending 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 product USB light from Logitech. The flattering soft light will impress colleagues and live audiences alike, while its small size means it can be carried anywhere. And your grad will appreciate its ease of use and variety of customization options available in its app, ensuring they always look their best on camera.

Whether they have a console, PC, or mobile device, one thing the gamer in your life can always use is a good gamepad. And no matter what device they play on, 8BitDo has them covered with theirs Pro 2 controller. It works with Windows and PC, iOS and Android, and even Nintendo Switch. And thanks to its abundance of buttons, it can handle any kind of game, from old-school classics to the latest AAA titles.

With exams and papers over, your senior probably has a lot more time on his hands. If you’re trying their hand at game streaming, you can get them started right away with this full-featured one control panel from Elgato which makes it easy to adjust audio and video settings, control their lighting and trigger on-screen graphics. Its buttons can also be remapped for things like video editing and calls, so it has its place in their work setup as well.

Your graduate will never have to worry about being muted during their next video call with SteelSeries alias, as it displays a very prominent red “X” on the front of these boxes. But that’s not the only great feature this mic boasts—it’s also easy to set up for programs like Discord and Zoom, and it sounds fantastic. This is one “gaming” accessory that will see a lot of use both during gaming and on work conference calls

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

When it comes to gaming keyboards, Corsair has a lot of popular options that many of us at Engadget like, although admittedly they tend to be pretty big and noisy. The K100 Air addresses the standard complaints about mechanical keyboards thanks to its ultra-slim frame and low-profile keys, while retaining beloved features like dedicated media keys and RGB lighting. And thanks to the 50 hours of battery life, your gamer won’t have to plug it in often.

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

If your gamer is always on the go or frequently switches between devices like consoles, PC and mobile then a good wireless headset is the way to go. by Razer Barracuda is perfect for the task thanks to its choice of Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity, and its simple design and variety of colors means it can complement most outfits or gaming setups. It all adds up to a headphone that’s built to be worn anywhere and everywhere, and don’t worry—it sounds and feels amazing.

The last few months of school can be a real test, between homework, essays, and exams. But there is light at the end of the tunnel – not just a degree, but some free time to finally relax. And what better way to settle in and reconnect with pop culture than by kicking back with one of the hottest games of the year? Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PlayStation 5 is a remake of a beloved classic, so your high school senior might find it a welcome throwback to a childhood memory or an exciting introduction to a monumental chapter in video game history.

If your new graduate is planning to study law, then he is sure to discover the adventures of the budding lawyer Apollo Justice to be a blast on their Nintendo Switch. Of course, the real legal system is nothing like the one in the game – you don’t get the benefits of psychic powers to question witnesses, for example – but the mechanics of investigation and cross-examination will keep gamers hooked, even if they’re not planning to be a lawyer. And with three full games included in the bundle, there’s plenty of content to keep college grads busy while they’re on the job hunt.