Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas – Day 5: Gaming

It’s Day 5 of Tech Guide’s 2021 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas which is designed to help you find the right gift for your family and friends.

Today is Day 5 and we’re talking about all things gaming starting from consoles and going all the way to the actual games and accessories.

Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas:

Day 1: Cameras

Day 2: Smartphones

Day 3: Wearables/smartwatches

Day 4: Headphones/speakers

DAY 5: Gaming

DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers

DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets

DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices

DAY 9: In-car gadgets

DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K

DAY 11: Appliances

DAY 12: Computers

DAY 5: GAMING

BACKBONEONE – $179.99
The iPhone has become one of the most popular gaming devices in the world and Backbone One now provides the physical controls to take the game to a whole other level.

The Backbone One also comes into its own after the recent launch of the Xbox Cloud Gaming service which allows customers to play the latest Xbox games on their iPhone.

It’s also compatible with Apple Arcade, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Remote Play, PS Remote Play, Steam Link, Stadia and Amazon Luna.

Backbone One is compatible with a number of games for those players who want more than the touch controls of the screen.

READ OUR COMPLETE REVIEW HERE

NINTENDO SWITCH WITH 7-INCH OLED DISPLAY – $539.95

Nintendo has confirmed it will be releasing the new Nintendo Switch with a 7-inch OLED screen later this year so your games will look better than ever.

The Nintendo switch OLED model is similar in size to the original Nintendo Switch console but manages to fit a larger vibrant 7-inch OLED screen which provides stunning colour and high contrast.

The unit also has a wide adjustable stand for tabletop mode a dock for a wired LAN port for stable online play as well as 64GB of internal storage and onboard speakers with enhanced audio for handheld and tabletop play.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT

SONY PLAYSTATION 5 – $749

Finding a PlayStation 5 right now is like winning Lotto. Fingers crossed you can get your hands on one.

The console has an eye-catching design, but it also has it where it counts under the hood.

Under the hood the PlayStation 5 has some remarkable specs Including the X86 AMD Ryzen eight-core 16 thread processor, 16GB RAM and the 825GB SSD solid state drive.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE SONY PLAYSTATION 5

XBOX SERIES X – $749

If you can score yourself an Xbox Series X then you’ll be having a very happy Christmas.

You can play your games in 4K but the added refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz is like the cherry on top – it makes it so much better.

This, of course, depends on the 4K TV you own. If it supports 120Hz, like the latest smart TVs, then you’re going to have an even greater experience.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE XBOX SERIES X

CALL OF DUTY: VANGUARD – $99

Call of Duty Vanguard delivers exactly what fans of the franchise expect with an action-packed story, incredible first-person situations and locations and an excellent multiplayer mode.

The game is set during World War II and looks and sounds amazing.

We were really struck with the incredible photo realistic world and extraordinarily lifelike characters we were watching.

This is without a doubt the most advanced Call of Duty game ever produced with incredible realism combined with excellent performances and jaw-dropping action sequences and challenges.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REVIEW HERE

ARCADE1UP 12-IN-1 LEGACY SERIES – $799

Arcade1Up’s 12-in-1 Legacy Gaming Series features 12 games within the one arcade cabinet, perfect for endless animated fun.

The series features machines from gaming developers Capcom and Midway. With all the features and graphics of the original games, Arcade1up has also added in wi-fi connectivity and four player simultaneous play for ultimate gaming fun.

Arcade1Up’s 12-in-1 Legacy Series includes fan-favourite arcade games such as Mortal Combat, Street Fighter, and more! It comes with custom shaped cabinet designs, real feel arcade controls and authentic graphics for a nostalgic gaming experience.

Available from Arcade Gamer, Catch, David Jones, EB Games, Gamesmen, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Kogan, Costco, TVSN.

HTC VIVE FLOW – $749

The HTC VIVE Flow is a compact, lightweight immersive glasses device that transports wearers wherever they want or need to be – anytime, anywhere.

The ideal Christmas gift for entertainment lovers and binge-watchers, you can stream your favourite content or dive into a range of immersive VR experiences.

VIVE Flow is designed to fit many different head shapes and sizes and is designed with comfort and portability in mind, perfect for relaxing on long journeys or after a busy day.
Available at: www.vive.com/au/

XBOX CLOUD GAMING – $15.95 a month

Xbox Cloud Gaming has kicked off in Australia – this means users can play more than 100 Xbox games directly from the cloud without an Xbox console.

Australia joins Brazil, Mexico and Japan with Xbox Cloud Gaming which provides the game-play experience streamed from powerful servers to your Windows PC, Android smartphones and tablets and iPhones and iPads.

Players in these countries can access more than 100 Xbox Game Pass titles.

Now you can jump into a game on your mobile device or even an entry level laptop and still enjoy the same experience.

Game Pass titles include Halo infinite, Forza Horizon 5 and Back 4 Blood.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT HERE

PLAYSTATION 5 DUALSENSE WIRELESS CONTROLLERS – $119.95

If you’ve been lucky enough to score yourself a PlayStation 5, you can get a deeper gaming experience with the new PS5 controller available in new colours.

Now you add some colour to match the controller to his style and set up with the new vivid Cosmic Red or sleek and subtle Midnight Black.

Both controllers are available now for $119.95 (red) and $109.95 (black) from select retailers.

READ TECH GUIDE’S PLAYSTATION 5 REVIEW

PLAYSTATION 5 ACCESSORIES – FROM $49

The PlayStation 5 is certainly in hot demand and if you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on one you’ll be interested to hear about the official accessories you can buy for the console.

These include the Pulse 3D wireless headset, the DualSense charging station, the PlayStation 5 Dual Sense wireless controller, the PS5 HD camera and the PS5 media remote.

Even of you don’t have your PlayStation 5 just yet you’d still be interested in taking note of these products and adding them to your shopping list.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT

IKEA GAMING FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES – From $12

Do you think gamers go to IKEA? They will now thanks to a new range of gaming range furniture and accessories developed by IKEA in collaboration with Republic of Gamers (ROG).

There are more than 2.5 billion gamers worldwide with that number is growing rapidly so naturally IKEA thought it was the ideal time to create a range of products to suit these customers.

There are more than 30 products, covering furniture like gaming desks, chairs and a draw unit along with accessories like a mug holder, a mouse bungee, neck pillow and a ring light.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT

NORTON GAME OPTIMISER AND INTERNET SECURITY – Special Price for Tech Guide readers

When you’re an online gamer, you are always trying to find the edge on your opponents and the new Norton Game Optimiser has been found to improve your computer’s performance by up to a massive 30 per cent.

Independent testing conducted by Passmark Software compared the Norton Game Optimiser against similar competitor products and found it improved CPU performance by up to 30 per cent.

Game Optimiser is part of the Norton 360 for Gamers package and can reduce performance interruptions while still maintaining the level of security you expect from NortonLifeLock.

It also includes already included anti-virus protection, Secure VPN, password manager and secure cloud storage

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT

SAMSUNG 49-inch ODYSSEY NEO G9 GAMING MONITOR – $2,999

Samsung has unveiled its new curved gaming monitor – the massive 49-inch Odyssey Neo G9 with Quantum Matrix technology which takes your gaming experience to the next level.

The monster monitor is supported by Quantum Mini LED display and Quantum HDR 2000 for truly immersive gameplay.

Samsung has pushed the boundaries in terms of picture quality with even more refined detail thanks the Quantum Mini LED display.

READ TECH GUIDE’S COMPLETE REPORT

LASER DELUXE 4-in-1 RGB GAMING BUNDLE – $59

Looking for a holiday gift for the gamer in your life?

The Laser Deluxe Gaming Bundle is ideal for the beginner gamer, or anyone looking to level up their computer setup, to playing at their best. This 4-in-1 set includes an RGB mouse, keyboard, headset, and mouse pad for a complete gaming experience.

Available from Laserco.com.au and Officeworks.

GTEK CYBORG RANGE – from $99

The new range from Laser’s Gtek sub-brand offers professional level gaming at JB Hi-Fi. Experience customised RGB lighting modes and effects, fast response, short actuation, durability and a textured feel – this range of keyboards and mouses are every gamer’s dream! They includes Gtek Cyborg 3000 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (104 Key, Wired) – $279; Gtek Cyborg 1000 Gaming Keyboard (87 Key, Wireless) – $249; Gtek Cyborg 850 Dual Mode Mini Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (71 Key, Wired + Bluetooth)- $199; Gtek Cyborg 750 Lightweight Gaming Mouse – $99.

OSMO MATH WIZARD 5 – $99.99

The Osmo Math Wizard and the Fantastic Food Truck Game introduces young learners to the world of geometry via a fun, informative game.

It helps problem-solving while feeding the imagination, with the included playmat and 58 geometric tiles so that you can be immersive in the educational fun.

Available from Officeworks.

WD_BLACK P50 GAME DRIVE SSD – $369

Make sure your special someone doesn’t experience lag this Christmas.

The WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive SSD delivers lightning-fast read speeds of up 2000MB/s and can provide up to 4TB of storage so they can stay in the game longer.

JUST DANCE 2022
Just Dance 2022 is a dance rhythm game and the thirteenth installment in the popular Ubisoft Just Dance series.

Like previous installments in the franchise, players mimic on-screen choreography to a chosen song using motion controllers or the game’s associated mobile app.

Just Dance is known for its plethora of amazing songs, featuring some of the most popular songs of recent years and cult classics, all of which are great to dance to. Available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Google Stadia

Available from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, EB Games, Big W and other major retailers.

SEAGATE HALO INFINITE SPECIAL EDITION GAME DRIVE FOR XBOX – 119 (2TB) and $319 (5TB)

Have a Halo fan at home? Conquer their gaming limits — and the Banished — while showing your love for them with the officially-licensed Xbox Halo Infinite Special Edition Game Drive.

It’s pocket-sized with up to 5TB of storage and seamless plug-and-play compatibility with Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, any generation of Xbox One, and Game Pass, plus customisable LEDs to create an epic Halo experience.