Gaming gear we would tell a friend to buy. Each pick says who it suits, who should skip it, and why we chose it. We open every link ourselves and note the date we last checked.
Some links on this page earn PixelMorrow a commission. Commission has no say in what we recommend or which stores we list. PixelMorrow doesn't sell anything here, so prices and stock are on each store's own page. How we choose stores
Every store link checked September 28, 2026.
Showing all 19 recommendations
Does the job
The second pad for co-op nights
Skip it if you're holding out for a GTA VI limited edition, which arrives on November 19, 2026.
A second controller is the upgrade most PS5 owners feel first. Someone can join a co-op session, or you can swap to a charged pad instead of stopping to plug one in.
The standard DualSense works with every PS5 game. Color varies by store, and the hardware is the same in every color.
GTA VI edition
The Vice City daybreak edition
Skip it if you need a controller before November 19, or if the finish doesn't matter to you.
The White edition takes its look from Vice City at daybreak: a white shell with pastel tones and an iridescent surface. Molded palm leaf details in the grip set it apart from a standard DualSense.
It launches November 19, 2026, the same day as Grand Theft Auto VI.
GTA VI edition
The Vice City nightlife edition
Skip it if you need a controller before November 19, or if the finish doesn't matter to you.
The Black edition takes its look from Vice City after dark: a black shell with an iridescent, color-shifting surface. Molded palm leaf details in the grip and official GTA VI branding finish it off.
It launches November 19, 2026, the same day as Grand Theft Auto VI.
Does the job
The Xbox pad for PC, too
Skip it if you only play on PS5. The DualSense is the right pad there.
If you play on Xbox or a Windows PC, this is an easy controller to live with. Many PC games show Xbox button prompts, and it connects to Windows over Bluetooth or a USB-C cable.
Does the job
Two controllers, always charged
Skip it if you only own one controller and don't mind charging it from the console.
Two controllers means two batteries to keep an eye on. This officially licensed dock charges both at once, so the spare is ready when the first one dies mid-mission.
It stands upright on a shelf. You drop a controller in and lift it out, with no cable to find behind the console. It also fits the DualSense Edge.
Does the job
A simple wired headset for PS5
Skip it if you hate the cable, or want a headset that plugs into a PC over USB.
Most players want two things from a headset: game audio they can place, and a mic their friends can hear. This does both, plugged into the controller's 3.5mm jack.
It's a light headset with memory foam ear cushions, and its cardioid mic is designed to focus on your voice in party chat. Some stores sell a PlayStation-colored edition and some sell the standard black one. Both are the same wired headset.
Balanced
A wired headset for console and PC
Skip it if you only ever plug into the controller, where the BlackShark V2 X covers the basics, or if you want no cable at all.
If you want to stay wired, this is the step up to consider. It has a metal frame, built for everyday handling.
It also connects three ways: 3.5mm into the controller, or USB-C and USB-A straight into a PS5 or a PC. That makes it easy to move between a console and a desk.
Balanced
Lose the cable
Skip it if a cable doesn't bother you. The wired picks in this section cover the same ground.
Going wireless is the upgrade you notice every session. The Nova 5P connects to a PS5 through its own 2.4GHz USB dongle, and a button press switches it to your phone over Bluetooth.
SteelSeries rates the battery at 60 hours, which is roughly a week of evenings between charges.
Does the job
A budget card for 1080p60 streams
Skip it if you need your TV to keep a 4K picture while you record, since the advertised 4K60 loop-out didn't work as expected in our use.
We use this card ourselves, and for a first 1080p60 stream or recording it does the job without spending on a branded card. It connects to a PC over USB 3.0, works in OBS without drivers, and has a 3.5mm mic input for commentary.
In our recordings it captured at 1080p60 and at 1440p30. The listing also advertises 4K60 loop-out, but that didn't work as expected in our use, so don't buy it for 4K passthrough.
Before any capture card works with a PS5, turn off HDCP in Settings, System, HDMI. Streaming video apps won't play while it's off.
Does the job
Stream or record your PS5 at 1080p60
Skip it if you want 4K recordings or need your TV to stay at 4K120 while you record.
The PS5 can already record clips and stream to Twitch and YouTube on its own. A capture card is for when you want a PC in the middle: overlays, a face cam, longer recordings, or footage you edit afterwards.
For a 1080p60 stream or recording workflow, it provides the core capture features without requiring a higher-end card. It records at 1080p60 in SDR. Your TV keeps 4K60 HDR, or 1440p at up to 144Hz, while it records. VRR doesn't pass through.
Before any capture card works with a PS5, turn off HDCP in Settings, System, HDMI. Streaming video apps won't play while it's off.
Balanced
4K60 recordings without the top-tier setup
Skip it if you only stream at 1080p. The GC311G2 does that job.
Step up to this if you upload to YouTube and want 4K footage to edit. It records at up to 4K60, or 1440p at up to 144fps, and passes 4K60 HDR through to your TV. It works over an ordinary USB 3.0 port on Windows, Mac or iPad.
There are two limits to know. The 4K recordings are SDR, since HDR recording tops out at 1080p60 and only on Windows. And the card is HDMI 2.0, so a PS5 running 4K at 120Hz drops to 4K60 while it's connected. Elgato lists VRR passthrough, but we haven't confirmed it with a PS5, so don't count on VRR through this card.
As with any capture card, turn off HDCP on the PS5 first, in Settings, System, HDMI.
No compromise
Capture while keeping your display features
Skip it if your display tops out at 4K60 or your PC has no 10Gbps USB-C port, since the 4K S covers everything else.
This is the card for an HDMI 2.1 setup. Elgato lists passthrough up to 4K at 144Hz with HDR and VRR, so a 4K120 display can keep those features while you record. It records at up to 4K144 as well, with HDR recording up to 4K30.
It needs a 10Gbps USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2) on the computer. Check yours before buying, because many older PCs don't have one. Turn off HDCP on the PS5 first, in Settings, System, HDMI.
Does the job
A first streaming mic for your PC
Skip it if you record in a noisy room, since a condenser mic can pick up more background sound than a well-positioned dynamic mic.
A headset mic works for party chat, but a dedicated mic usually gives a stream clearer voice. The SoloCast 2 is a simple USB mic that plugs into a PC.
It has a built-in pop filter and tap-to-mute, and it threads onto a standard mic arm if you want it off the desk later. HyperX lists it for PC, so treat it as a PC mic.
Balanced
A dynamic mic and arm for a noisy room
Skip it if you only need voice chat in games. Your headset mic already covers that.
Dynamic mics generally favor the voice in front of them over the rest of the room, though placement and the room itself still matter. The kit includes a boom arm, which makes it easier to keep the mic close to your mouth.
It connects over USB to start with. It also has an XLR output, so it can move to an audio interface later without a new mic.
Does the job
Fix a dark face cam
Skip it if you don't show your face on stream.
A dim or washed-out face cam usually needs light more than it needs a new camera. The Litra Glow clips onto the top of a monitor and puts soft, even light on your face. You set brightness and color temperature from the desktop app.
Does the job
A PC monitor that also takes a PS5
Skip it if the PS5 is your main machine. The ASUS 4K monitor, or a good TV, shows more of what the console can do.
For a desk you share between a PC and a PS5, this 27-inch 1440p monitor is a solid place to start. On PC it runs at up to 180Hz over DisplayPort. The PS5 connects to its HDMI 2.0 port and outputs 1440p.
That HDMI 2.0 port sets the limits for console play. There's no 4K, and we haven't confirmed VRR with a PS5, so don't count on it. There is one HDMI input, so a second console means swapping cables.
Balanced
Real 4K120 from a PS5 at a desk
Skip it if you mostly play PC games at 1440p, or if you play on a TV. The Odyssey G5 suits a PC-first desk.
If you play PS5 at a desk, this monitor can show the console at 4K and 120Hz. It's a 27-inch 4K panel with two HDMI 2.1 ports, and ASUS lists 4K at 120Hz for consoles over HDMI 2.1 without chroma subsampling. On PC it runs at up to 160Hz.
Does the job
More room for your PS5 library
Skip it if you want to play PS5 games straight from extra storage, which needs an internal M.2 SSD.
Large games can fill the PS5's internal drive quickly. A USB hard drive is a simple way to free up space without opening the console.
Move the PS5 games you aren't playing onto it, and copy them back when you want them, which is usually quicker than downloading again. PS4 games play straight from the drive. Plug it into a USB port on the console itself, since extended storage shouldn't run through a hub.
Does the job
Connect your console over Ethernet
Skip it if there's no sensible cable route to the router, where mesh Wi-Fi or MoCA adapters are the next things to try.
Running a cable from the router to the console can provide a more stable connection for online play and large downloads than Wi-Fi.
Any decent Cat 6 cable does this job. The store links go to a well-reviewed one in each country, and they are different cables from different makers. Lengths differ too, so measure the run from the router first and buy a little longer than you need.
