The holiday season is around the corner, and the quest for the perfect gift for gamers can be daunting. That’s why we've teamed up with the top techtubers to ensure you nail that gift for the gamer in your life. Whether you're working within a tight budget or going all out, our experts have you covered. From essential hardware recommendations to premium upgrades, dive in to discover the best gaming gear for this holiday season. Featuring insights from:
- Nerd on a Budget (NOAB): Dive into the world of tech savings with Danny aka NOAB! With 278k subscribers, this YouTube maestro decodes the secrets to getting the most tech for your buck. Watch on YouTube.
- Toasty Bros: Boasting 582k followers, the Toasty Bros serve up crispy reviews on PC hardware and curated build guides tailored for diverse budgets and requirements. Watch on YouTube.
- Scattervolt: Marc’s ScatterVolt channel, with 444k enthusiasts, is your tech compass. From the nuances of PC gaming to intricate consumer tech guides, immerse yourself in high-caliber educational content. Watch on YouTube.
- Oztalkshw: Join Ozi's decade-long journey in PC building on his channel Oztalkshw, supported by 381k subscribers. Specializing in budget-conscious builds, he's the guide you need to craft your ideal PC setup without breaking the bank. Watch on YouTube.
- Zach's Tech Turf: Catering to 365k followers, Zach streamlines PC building for the time-crunched. No fluff, just essential insights—whether you're assembling your first gaming rig, flipping PCs for profit, or addressing other hardware quests. Watch on YouTube.
With these tech titans at the helm, you're in for a treat. Dive in as they answer your burning questions about the best PC hardware to snag this holiday season!
Best Gift for a Gamer with a $150 Budget
TLDR: Consensus is either a GPU upgrade or a fancy peripheral
- ScatterVolt: I think a quality GPU upgrade for $150 would be an excellent gift through Jawa.gg, like a used RX 6600, which should be a firm step up for almost any aspiring pc gamer.
- NOAB: If the gamer did not have a graphics card, or has an old/underpowered one, the RX 5700 XT provides crazy good performance in this price range. If they don't need a GPU upgrade, almost all gamers could benefit from more SSD storage space, whether it be internal or external, and you're looking at anywhere from 2TB to 4TB depending on how premium of a drive you're getting.
- Toasty Bros: If they are rocking an older Budget Gaming PC, I would get them a GTX 1660 super level GPU to upgrade their PC.
- ZTT: With $150 to spend on a gamer, I would purchase them a high end peripheral like a headset, keyboard, or mouse. Most people aren’t comfortable with spending a lot of money on their peripherals because they spent so much on their PC, so giving them as a gift is perfect.
- OzTalksHW: I'd look for a video card upgrade first. An RX 5700(XT), RX 6600(XT), or RTX 2060 are great options for budget gamers. Just make sure the power supply supports it. If you're unsure, upgrade their PC setup with a mechanical keyboard, a nice monitor, a mouse, or a nice headset/pair of headphones.
Best Prebuilt PC for Around $500
TLDR: Look for systems using 2-4 year old mid range CPUs and with GPUs like the RX 580/GTX 1060 or similar cards.
- ZTT: For around $500, I would shoot for a gaming PC with a Ryzen 5 3600 and an RX 5700XT. That will get you RTX 3060 level of performance for an affordable price.
- OzTalksHW: CPU wise, I recommend an AMD Ryzen 5 2000 CPU, or an Intel i3 9000 CPU and higher. GPU wise, get a card with at least 6GB of VRAM. I recommend an AMD RX 580/RX 5500XT and higher, or an NVIDIA GTX 1060/GTX 1650 Super and higher. Any RTX card from NVIDIA also works. PCs Here
- NOAB: At $500, the i3 10100/F + RX 580 is a great 1080p gaming combo with a decent upgrade path.
- Toasty Bros: Look for a prebuilt with an RX 580 or GTX 1060 and pair it with a 10th Gen i3 or older Ryzen 5 CPU.
- ScatterVolt: For PC gamers looking for an excellent budget gaming pc around $500 on Jawa.gg, I'd personally look for a Ryzen 5 based system with a Radeon Graphics Card.
Best Prebuilt PC for Around $1000
TLDR: At this price point look for prebuilt PCs with current or last gen mid-tier CPUs and GPUs
- NOAB: At $1000, I think the 5600X + 3070 combo is a solid choice to look out for.
- Toasty Bros: Aim for a RX 6700XT or RTX 3070 level system with a Ryzen 5 5600x or i5 11400F or higher.
- ScatterVolt: For PC gamers looking for a strong performing gaming pc around $1000 on Jawa.gg, I think finding a Ryzen 7000 based system with an 8gb or bigger graphics card is preferred for both futureproofing and performance.
- ZTT: For around $1000, I would shoot for a gaming PC with a Ryzen 5 5600X and an RX 6700XT or an RTX 3070.
- OzTalksHW: CPU wise, a Ryzen 5 5000 CPU and higher from AMD, or an Intel i5 12000 CPU and higher. GPU wise, an AMD RX 6600XT and higher from AMD, or an NVIDIA RTX 2070/3060 and higher.
Best "Bang for Your Buck" GPU this Holiday Season
TLDR: For a budget GPU check out AMD’s offerings, especially used cards, but there are still some good deals on NVIDIA cards as well.
- Toasty Bros: It's hard to beat AMD right now. We love the RX 6600 and even the older RX 5700XT…you can get some insane value at that price point. If you want Nvidia on a budget, the GTX 1660 Super is an amazing option around $120.
- ScatterVolt: If you're looking to make the most of your cash this holiday season with the best value graphics card on the market, then finding a used RX 6700 XT will leave you with 0 concerns without leaving a big hole in your wallet!
- ZTT: For a budget build, I would highly recommend finding a used RX 5700XT for around $120-$140. And for a mid-range build, I’d search for a new RX 6700XT. Both of those GPUs offer incredible price to performance right now.
- OzTalksHW: Under $100, I think the NVIDIA GTX 1070 (Ti) is the best option, but AMD's RX 580 8GB or 5500XT 8GB aren't far behind. Under $200, NVIDIA's RTX 2060 Super, RTX 2070, and GTX 1660 Super get my vote. AMD's RX 6600(XT), 6650XT, and RX 5700(XT) are great choices.
- NOAB: For me, the RX 6600 is the best bang for buck value graphics card. It strikes a great balance between price-to-performance while also being relatively new so you don't have to worry about driver support ending anytime soon, AND it's pretty readily available in both the new and used markets at great prices.
Wrapping up, we've got top picks for every gamer's wishlist this season, thanks to our tech experts. Whether you're on a budget or ready to splurge, Jawa's got you covered. Here's to leveling up gaming sessions and making this holiday a hit. Happy shopping and game on!
