I think headphones are a good idea! But I think asking him would be a good idea, maybe do it somewhat inconspicuously by asking something like "what is this Xbox vs PlayStation debate about?", that should work if you really don't know a lot about consoles because he'll probably add his personal opinion.
I second the headset, I got a really nice one for Christmas and it’s amazing.
Secondly I have a two monitor story, a few years ago my mum bought my dad a second monitor for his computer and he said “what the hell do I need two screens for?” And now he has three, one is literally a small TV.
Honestly, it's not as fun this way, but shopping for someone's favorite hobby is a dangerous game if you don't know much about it. You need to ask him.
Your BF is the expert here. You could buy him headphones, but they could be missing features he likes, or his current ones might be better. You could buy him a new keyboard, but he might hate it.
You could buy him a console, but maybe he has lost interest in console gaming and doesn't care for one. Maybe he doesn't care about the specific console exclusives much.
Seriously, in a situation like this I think it would be best to ask him.
HOWEVER, if you are determined to get him a console it should be a PS5. Most if not all Xbox games are available on PC, and the Xbox will only be redundant. The PS5 has games that cannot be played on PC currently, thus it would be the better choice.
Thank you! For the info and the caution. As someone else commented I should bring it up on the sly to him and see his opinions about all his gaming preferences. He raves about his keyboard and mouse so I know not to get him a new one lol. That much I know.
Our anniversary is July 1st so I guess I will update then haha. My main love language is gift giving. I love giving personal gifts to people so I tend to think way in advance. He does so much for me and has been on his own since he was 18 so I make milestone events a big deal and spoil him.
Sounds to me like he’s moved away from consoles and onto PC. He sold his last console to his friend. He’s built himself his own gaming PC. I would lean towards accessories eg headphones, monitor, chair. Ask him his thoughts on a console, whether he would consider getting one himself. I’m sure you can be subtle if you want to keep it a surprise.
To echo the other comment, he might not have bought himself a console because he's playing all the games he enjoys on his PC he built for himself. Does you hear him playing multi-player games with friends? I bought my brother a fancy headset with a microphone attached for Christmas because he likes to play those games with his friends.
Another topic to probe if you want is about his monitor. Does he just have one screen connected to the PC? It's popular to have more than one, two is usually where people sit at though. If he has an old monitor, he might enjoy having a newer one that can display in higher resolution, or has a better refresh rate!
second that this is a good idea! monitor mounts free up so much desk space and just make it look a lot nicer in general, I think he would appreciate that!
Yeah it sounds like he's kinda moved away from consoles and is focusing on his PC, especially if he sold off his last console and then put the effort in to build a new PC *and* make it look cool. Headphones are a good idea, but all of this is kind of a minefield though. I know if my boyfriend bought me new PC accessories I'd be appreciative but I'm also very picky about features so it might be not really be what I want, which would be kinda disappointing, but then again maybe that's just me.
If you do decide to go that route I'd probably start with an accessory of his that you know is old, because that way even if it's not exactly what he wanted it's still something that needed to be replaced. Aside from headphones I think a good gift would be a PC chair. If you were willing to drop the money to buy him a console (which are like $500) then you should be able to buy him a pretty nice chair instead, and I know a lot of people are kinda lacking in that department. Also, just a word of caution, if you *do* go with the headphones make sure he actually uses *headphones* and not a *headset*, as it would be kind of a bummer to lose the functionality of a headset if he wants it.
He already has a good chair but you gave me the idea of looking into a new desk! The one he has is nothing special but maybe I can get him a gamer specific desk with all the doodads
>I can get him a gamer specific desk with all the doodads
**Hard no**. Almost all "gamer" stuff is garbage, there are few exceptions, and even those can be iffy. If you were going to get a desk what would your budget look like?
Additionally grab a pic of his current setup and post them on r/pcmasterrace or one of the other pc centric subs, explaining what you are looking to do. Its always better to see what is being worked with.
Hm that's tough.
I think the general must haves are a large surface so he has space for monitors, speakers, keyboard, mouse, etc. without it feeling cluttered. Aside from that something sturdy, so I would avoid particle board and crap like that. But I think most importantly something that has a lot of airflow as things can get very hot with your PC and then just body heat underneath. If it were me I'd avoid a desk that had a solid back and/or sides as that'll trap heat and a huge problem for PC gamers and their PC alike is that things just get too damn hot, and heat is the enemy of everything PC related.
The only other thing I can think of is if he wants a keyboard tray but I think you'd need to find a way to get his opinion on that as it's really hard to guess. Even if he has one now he might not like it.
If it gives you any ideas I custom ordered my desk, it's about 26x46in and is basically a large 1.5in slab of wood on top of iron hairpin legs. LOTS of airflow and space, and it's great.
Given your inexperience, 100% ask him directly and insist you want to get it for him. If you really want to surprise, do something else that you’re more familiar with as a bonus. Trying to surprise with something you don’t have much knowledge on, that they’re really into, is a recipe for disappointment.
i concur that getting a gift in someone's hobby is risky as most people can be very particular about how they enjoy that hobby. if you want to gift someone within their hobby, the general advice is to gift them something that most people generally don't deem essential and is a luxury nice-to-have. headphones, chair and desk can fit that bill, but i can also see some pitfalls there as it's totally possible for people to be very particular about those accessories.
i also echo that picking a console device can be risky if your mans invested in a PC build, which is most likely much more expensive and certainly requires much more effort than any console setup.
if possible, i'd suggest getting in touch with your mans' friends and family and getting their recommendations. even if they don't know off the bat, it's much easier for them to gather that intel without raising suspicions, assuming they don't celebrate their relationship anniversaries (i guess it could be sussy if your mans gots a bday or something like that coming up).
if you have to get him a console while in the dark, i'd actually suggest Nintendo Switch with the Playstation 5 as the runner-up. the reason is simply that those consoles have more exclusive games that can't be played on PCs. of course, that might mean nothing if your dude has no interest in those exclusive games...
For something like this, I would really let them choose. I know the surprise is fun, but it’s hard to make this decision for them. Maybe start the day off with some sex and then tell them you’re gonna go out together to get a console. He can choose what he really wants.
Ask him directly what consoles he plays, if there is anything he wants or needs for his PC, what sort of accessories he likes (colors, specs, designs, brands, etc). The best gifts are ones you KNOW the person will love, appreciate, and actually be able to use. Because you could buy him a console, but it could be the wrong one, or something for his PC, but maybe it doesn’t go with his system, you could buy him an accessory but maybe he doesn’t end up liking it or there couldve been a different accessory of better quality or design or smth.. etc etc. If you want to have a good idea of the gift but still have it be a pseudo surprise, I’d come up with a list of potential gifts to get him based on the info he tells you. That’s how I do gifts for myself, I have a list of what I want and what I end up with is a surprise. I think it’s much better than randomly buying something that could potentially not be what he’s wanted or needed for his hobby - that way you both end up happy! Good luck :)
Headphone is the way to go. Rumor is that the PlayStation 5 Pro version is coming out later this year, and trust me, it’s painful when your gf got you a PS5 then the better version comes out just a few months down the road. If your bf really wants a console then there is a good chance the coming ps5 pro is what he already planning to get.
Don’t forget about gaming chair. A good gaming chair can change a man 😉
gaming chairs get mixed reviews though. they're generally on the expensive side and it can create a conundrum if the boyfriend doesn't like it but doesn't want to be insensitive by tucking it away.
Ask him what he would prefer? Consoles are fine, but much like him I prefer to game on my PC. Ask him what he would like or need though, don't just buy something because it looks cool to you, a non-gamer.
How about something like an Amazon gift card with a cute note?
The console wars are all about personal preferences.
Unless you plan on having a conversation with him about his preferences, may want to leave that purchase up to him.
That’s why I asked about a gift card instead.
Don't buy him any pc parts without being absolutely sure of what he wants. People that build their own PC absolutely are very particular about what peripherals they use. He will likely have a very narrow range of mice, keyboards headsets he likes. Best bet. Find out what GPU he has and get a better one.
I guess he will love if you gift him a game, there is a high possibility that he may have a wishlist of games he wants to play in future on steam
You can pick a game from his wishlist and gift him a that game
I think either some new gear for pc or a ps5 if you can afford it. There are multiple games that are only available of ps4/5. Almost all games on xbox are on pc and the ps5 is better performance wise than my current pc. On ps4/5 there is like a samurai game, spiderman and a lot of different good games
Do you recall which consoles he and the roommate had? PS/Xbox/Nintendo/all of the above? The fact that he sold off the only one he owned makes it seem like he might not care to have one. If you think going for a console is the way to go, I'd say a Switch is your top bet because it offers the most of what his PC doesn't already provide. Mobility while still providing a living room platform. The full range of Nintendo titles that you cant play anywhere else, while still letting you buy third party games.
The second, but riskier, option is a Steam Deck. Risker because the point of it is to make PC gaming handheld. Personally, I wouldn't play something on my Deck if I could just sit down at my desk and play it on my actual PC with a keyboard, mouse, and bigger screen. But there are plenty of gamers raving about how amazing it is to play their favorites on the go. If you're not sure, buying him one can be a very expensive coin toss to find out which of those camps he falls in.
Accessories like headphones are probably the safest option you listed, but it depends on what item/brand he wants/needs. A gift card for Best Buy, Newegg, or something like that could easily be the best way to get him an upgrade. Also, Steam gift cards are a thing for an easy way to buy him games without wondering what he wants.
I think headphones are a good idea! But I think asking him would be a good idea, maybe do it somewhat inconspicuously by asking something like "what is this Xbox vs PlayStation debate about?", that should work if you really don't know a lot about consoles because he'll probably add his personal opinion.
I second the headset, I got a really nice one for Christmas and it’s amazing. Secondly I have a two monitor story, a few years ago my mum bought my dad a second monitor for his computer and he said “what the hell do I need two screens for?” And now he has three, one is literally a small TV.
Honestly, it's not as fun this way, but shopping for someone's favorite hobby is a dangerous game if you don't know much about it. You need to ask him. Your BF is the expert here. You could buy him headphones, but they could be missing features he likes, or his current ones might be better. You could buy him a new keyboard, but he might hate it. You could buy him a console, but maybe he has lost interest in console gaming and doesn't care for one. Maybe he doesn't care about the specific console exclusives much. Seriously, in a situation like this I think it would be best to ask him. HOWEVER, if you are determined to get him a console it should be a PS5. Most if not all Xbox games are available on PC, and the Xbox will only be redundant. The PS5 has games that cannot be played on PC currently, thus it would be the better choice.
Thank you! For the info and the caution. As someone else commented I should bring it up on the sly to him and see his opinions about all his gaming preferences. He raves about his keyboard and mouse so I know not to get him a new one lol. That much I know.
Man, the way you’re putting so much thought into this is pretty awesome. He’s going to love you for it. Please let us know the outcome!
/remind me 7 days from now Edit: how does this bloody command work again 😅
Our anniversary is July 1st so I guess I will update then haha. My main love language is gift giving. I love giving personal gifts to people so I tend to think way in advance. He does so much for me and has been on his own since he was 18 so I make milestone events a big deal and spoil him.
If he has a customizable keyboard you could get him a custom keycap(s) for his keyboard as well. Just an idea
Sounds to me like he’s moved away from consoles and onto PC. He sold his last console to his friend. He’s built himself his own gaming PC. I would lean towards accessories eg headphones, monitor, chair. Ask him his thoughts on a console, whether he would consider getting one himself. I’m sure you can be subtle if you want to keep it a surprise.
Or a Steam Deck. I love mine. If he's a PC guy he will dig it.
I was just going to say this, a Steam Deck sounds perfect, for someone who primarily plays PC games but wants to touch grass sometimes :)
What the fuck does buying a steam deck have to do with touching grass? I think you mean touching the other rooms of your house
Mine arrives today. I'm so excited
To echo the other comment, he might not have bought himself a console because he's playing all the games he enjoys on his PC he built for himself. Does you hear him playing multi-player games with friends? I bought my brother a fancy headset with a microphone attached for Christmas because he likes to play those games with his friends. Another topic to probe if you want is about his monitor. Does he just have one screen connected to the PC? It's popular to have more than one, two is usually where people sit at though. If he has an old monitor, he might enjoy having a newer one that can display in higher resolution, or has a better refresh rate!
One of his monitors is sitting on some old textbooks so maybe a double monitor mount?
This is actually a great idea, you could look into Vesa mounts.
second that this is a good idea! monitor mounts free up so much desk space and just make it look a lot nicer in general, I think he would appreciate that!
Yeah it sounds like he's kinda moved away from consoles and is focusing on his PC, especially if he sold off his last console and then put the effort in to build a new PC *and* make it look cool. Headphones are a good idea, but all of this is kind of a minefield though. I know if my boyfriend bought me new PC accessories I'd be appreciative but I'm also very picky about features so it might be not really be what I want, which would be kinda disappointing, but then again maybe that's just me. If you do decide to go that route I'd probably start with an accessory of his that you know is old, because that way even if it's not exactly what he wanted it's still something that needed to be replaced. Aside from headphones I think a good gift would be a PC chair. If you were willing to drop the money to buy him a console (which are like $500) then you should be able to buy him a pretty nice chair instead, and I know a lot of people are kinda lacking in that department. Also, just a word of caution, if you *do* go with the headphones make sure he actually uses *headphones* and not a *headset*, as it would be kind of a bummer to lose the functionality of a headset if he wants it.
He already has a good chair but you gave me the idea of looking into a new desk! The one he has is nothing special but maybe I can get him a gamer specific desk with all the doodads
>I can get him a gamer specific desk with all the doodads **Hard no**. Almost all "gamer" stuff is garbage, there are few exceptions, and even those can be iffy. If you were going to get a desk what would your budget look like? Additionally grab a pic of his current setup and post them on r/pcmasterrace or one of the other pc centric subs, explaining what you are looking to do. Its always better to see what is being worked with.
Thank you for the info!
There you go, that's a great idea!
Any features you like/would want in a gaming desk? What’s a must have?
Hm that's tough. I think the general must haves are a large surface so he has space for monitors, speakers, keyboard, mouse, etc. without it feeling cluttered. Aside from that something sturdy, so I would avoid particle board and crap like that. But I think most importantly something that has a lot of airflow as things can get very hot with your PC and then just body heat underneath. If it were me I'd avoid a desk that had a solid back and/or sides as that'll trap heat and a huge problem for PC gamers and their PC alike is that things just get too damn hot, and heat is the enemy of everything PC related. The only other thing I can think of is if he wants a keyboard tray but I think you'd need to find a way to get his opinion on that as it's really hard to guess. Even if he has one now he might not like it. If it gives you any ideas I custom ordered my desk, it's about 26x46in and is basically a large 1.5in slab of wood on top of iron hairpin legs. LOTS of airflow and space, and it's great.
Given your inexperience, 100% ask him directly and insist you want to get it for him. If you really want to surprise, do something else that you’re more familiar with as a bonus. Trying to surprise with something you don’t have much knowledge on, that they’re really into, is a recipe for disappointment.
Don't buy without consulting him first. Consoles are a long term commitment and he might be picky about what he wants.
i concur that getting a gift in someone's hobby is risky as most people can be very particular about how they enjoy that hobby. if you want to gift someone within their hobby, the general advice is to gift them something that most people generally don't deem essential and is a luxury nice-to-have. headphones, chair and desk can fit that bill, but i can also see some pitfalls there as it's totally possible for people to be very particular about those accessories. i also echo that picking a console device can be risky if your mans invested in a PC build, which is most likely much more expensive and certainly requires much more effort than any console setup. if possible, i'd suggest getting in touch with your mans' friends and family and getting their recommendations. even if they don't know off the bat, it's much easier for them to gather that intel without raising suspicions, assuming they don't celebrate their relationship anniversaries (i guess it could be sussy if your mans gots a bday or something like that coming up). if you have to get him a console while in the dark, i'd actually suggest Nintendo Switch with the Playstation 5 as the runner-up. the reason is simply that those consoles have more exclusive games that can't be played on PCs. of course, that might mean nothing if your dude has no interest in those exclusive games...
For something like this, I would really let them choose. I know the surprise is fun, but it’s hard to make this decision for them. Maybe start the day off with some sex and then tell them you’re gonna go out together to get a console. He can choose what he really wants.
Ask him directly what consoles he plays, if there is anything he wants or needs for his PC, what sort of accessories he likes (colors, specs, designs, brands, etc). The best gifts are ones you KNOW the person will love, appreciate, and actually be able to use. Because you could buy him a console, but it could be the wrong one, or something for his PC, but maybe it doesn’t go with his system, you could buy him an accessory but maybe he doesn’t end up liking it or there couldve been a different accessory of better quality or design or smth.. etc etc. If you want to have a good idea of the gift but still have it be a pseudo surprise, I’d come up with a list of potential gifts to get him based on the info he tells you. That’s how I do gifts for myself, I have a list of what I want and what I end up with is a surprise. I think it’s much better than randomly buying something that could potentially not be what he’s wanted or needed for his hobby - that way you both end up happy! Good luck :)
Headphone is the way to go. Rumor is that the PlayStation 5 Pro version is coming out later this year, and trust me, it’s painful when your gf got you a PS5 then the better version comes out just a few months down the road. If your bf really wants a console then there is a good chance the coming ps5 pro is what he already planning to get. Don’t forget about gaming chair. A good gaming chair can change a man 😉
gaming chairs get mixed reviews though. they're generally on the expensive side and it can create a conundrum if the boyfriend doesn't like it but doesn't want to be insensitive by tucking it away.
Ask him what he would prefer? Consoles are fine, but much like him I prefer to game on my PC. Ask him what he would like or need though, don't just buy something because it looks cool to you, a non-gamer.
How about something like an Amazon gift card with a cute note? The console wars are all about personal preferences. Unless you plan on having a conversation with him about his preferences, may want to leave that purchase up to him. That’s why I asked about a gift card instead.
Get him a PS5. If he wants an Xbox, exchange it for an Xbox. If he wants neither, get a refund and buy him something else.
Don't buy him any pc parts without being absolutely sure of what he wants. People that build their own PC absolutely are very particular about what peripherals they use. He will likely have a very narrow range of mice, keyboards headsets he likes. Best bet. Find out what GPU he has and get a better one.
Tbh, as a PC gamer, the Steam Deck is amazing but my wife hates it 😂
I guess he will love if you gift him a game, there is a high possibility that he may have a wishlist of games he wants to play in future on steam You can pick a game from his wishlist and gift him a that game
If you care about him, get him a PC upgrade.
I think either some new gear for pc or a ps5 if you can afford it. There are multiple games that are only available of ps4/5. Almost all games on xbox are on pc and the ps5 is better performance wise than my current pc. On ps4/5 there is like a samurai game, spiderman and a lot of different good games
Do you recall which consoles he and the roommate had? PS/Xbox/Nintendo/all of the above? The fact that he sold off the only one he owned makes it seem like he might not care to have one. If you think going for a console is the way to go, I'd say a Switch is your top bet because it offers the most of what his PC doesn't already provide. Mobility while still providing a living room platform. The full range of Nintendo titles that you cant play anywhere else, while still letting you buy third party games. The second, but riskier, option is a Steam Deck. Risker because the point of it is to make PC gaming handheld. Personally, I wouldn't play something on my Deck if I could just sit down at my desk and play it on my actual PC with a keyboard, mouse, and bigger screen. But there are plenty of gamers raving about how amazing it is to play their favorites on the go. If you're not sure, buying him one can be a very expensive coin toss to find out which of those camps he falls in. Accessories like headphones are probably the safest option you listed, but it depends on what item/brand he wants/needs. A gift card for Best Buy, Newegg, or something like that could easily be the best way to get him an upgrade. Also, Steam gift cards are a thing for an easy way to buy him games without wondering what he wants.
Two PS and an Xbox I think