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7 best gifts for hard core gamers this holiday season

hard core gamers

Finding the perfect present for a hardcore gamer can be a tough nut to crack, especially if you are not a gamer yourself. This holiday season, let us help you give your gamer friends the gift of masterful storytelling, adrenaline rushes, breathtaking fantasy worlds, and triumphant feelings with these 7 amazing presents!

Sony PlayStation Plus Membership

Akin to an Xbox Game Pass, we also recommend a PS Plus membership, which gives you access to a host of services pertaining to PlayStation, not to mention hundreds of PS4, PS5 and classic PlayStation games each month in addition to generations of PlayStation hits, as well as member-exclusive discounts and content. Also, you can also join the PlayStation Plus community and compete against other gamers from around the world online and win championships in online multiplayer modes. Purchase an Essential, Extra or Premium membership plan for your gamer friend and let them experience the true thrill of gaming.

Gaming Mini Fridge

It can be a real pain in the neck to get up from your chair in the midst of a competitive game to grab a beer or an energy drink, which is why a mini fridge filled with refreshing beverages seems like a dream come true. A mini fridge capable of storing up to 6 standard beverage cans plus some snacks, is the perfect gift for an avid gamer to avoid dehydration. Make sure to check for cooling effectiveness to make sure it can cool all drinks fast, as well as efficiency, weight, style and color.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

If you know someone who owns a Nintendo Switch, this could be the perfect present for them. The tiny controllers of the Nintendo Switch are not everybody’s cup of tea which is why you may want a bigger, ergonomic controller for a more immersive gaming experience. This amazing, feature-packed wireless controller, equipped with motion controls, built-in amiibo functionality, nonslip performance grip, HD rumble, and more takes your gaming sessions up a notch. Not only is the well-rounded pro controller super comfortable, it is also relatively inexpensive, making it a must-have accessory for serious gamers looking to gain a competitive edge against their opponents.

Elgato Stream Deck

This is a cool streaming tool that lets avid gamers gain full control of their online streams. 15 fully customizable buttons trigger unlimited actions while visual feedback confirms commands. Launch GIFs and onscreen videos, launch Spotify, integrate tools and detect scenes, adjust audio, enable a transition, mute your mic, turn on lights, add intro and outro graphics, and so much more with the touch of a button. The most amazing thing about the new streak Deck is the removable faceplate. With hundreds of epic designs, you can personalize your Stream Deck according to your moods.

A comfortable Gaming Chair

Gamers spend a major part of their waking hours sitting down, so it makes sense to invest in something that will benefit their bodies and prevent discomfort. An ergonomic gaming chair with ample back and arm support is the most important arsenal in a gamer’s battle station. If you are looking for a gaming chair for your gamer friend with bells and whistles, look for 4-way lumbar support, high-end material and smooth leatherette finishes, 4D armrests and adjustability, memory foam headrest, plush cushioning for gamer’s comfort, and above all, style that suits the gamers’ personality.

Analogue Pocket

Know someone who’s got a horde of old Game Boy games? Meet Analogue pocket; a portable multi-video-game-system with a built-in synthesizer and sequencer. Boasting a Gorilla glass display and USB-C rechargeable battery, broad compatibility with Nintendo cartridges, accurate buttons that feel good, high color accuracy, vivid brightness, and the resolution of an original Game Boy, the analogue pocket is a beautiful way to experience some classics. The hand-help retro gaming clone, built using FPGA (field-programmable gate array) technology, is sure to revive their love for Game Boy games.

A Streaming Webcam

Do you know someone who loves to stream? Perhaps they would enjoy a high-end webcam that will make streaming a breeze. Look for HD 1080p resolution, Sharp, vibrant image quality, and low light correction, as well as built-in adjustable ring light and built-in microphone when selecting a webcam for an avid streamer. Throw in some added functionality such as PixGain HDR (high dynamic range), AI-driven noise-canceling, camera positioning, and filter application, for a webcam that will make you look your best.

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Best Nintendo 64 Games You Can Still Enjoy in 2023

Nintendo 64 Games

The Nintendo 64, despite being released over two decades ago, has a rich library of games that continue to be enjoyable in 2023. Being endlessly nostalgic as well as genuinely innovative, Nintendo 64 continues to hold appeal for avid gamers. These classics have stood the test of time and offer great gameplay, nostalgia, and a unique gaming experience. From innovative multiplayers to unique racing and shooting games, here are some of the most ground-breaking Nintendo 64 games that are still worth playing in 2023:

1.    The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Hands on, the legends of zelda is one of the most popular 3D adventure games that gamers still appreciate in 2023. If you enjoy Boomerang, Hookshot, horse riding, puzzle dungeons, world exploration and more, this action-adventure game is your cup of tea. The storyline, featuring interesting and original characters and detailed plots is undoubtedly unrivaled by other games of its era. The game has received numerous accolades and perfect scores in multiple gaming magazines for its time travel mechanics, rich open world, advanced 3D graphical style, accessible combat system, and replayability, all revolutionary for its time.

2.    Mario Kart 64

Join Mario on this popular 3D go-kart racing game and throw banana peels, turtle shells, and bombs on your enemies as you hurtle down dynamic tracks and treacherous courses in a nail-biting battle mode. Select different characters, each with their own unique traits and set of attributes, choose between intricately crafted tracks, and enjoy chaotic weaponry in one of the greatest video games of all time. If you are not afraid of a little challenge, single-player Grand Prix and Time Trial challenges will keep you on your toes for days on end. With its dynamic camera system, four-player split-screen, and 360-degree analog control, the game was a masterpiece of its era.

3.    Star Fox 64

If you think you are an interplanetary warfare expert, be prepared to have your skills challenged. The Lylat system has been invaded! Embark on an intergalactic journey on this game and survive through fifteen missions of fast-paced flight combat action to the final objective: a show-down on the planet Venom! With multiple gameplay paths, a four-player battle mode, the smoothest 3D flight control yet seen on a console system, this game offers a true cinematic experience. What keeps us hooked is the planets are all unique, infusing the game with a sense of adventure, and the graphics are really immersive.

4.    Banjo-Kazooie

Join the bear named Banjo and his loud-mouthed bird friend Kazooie as they race to through gloomy swamps, sweltering deserts, towering mountain ranges and spooky houses and collect both musical notes and jigsaw pieces, to save Tooty the Honey Bear from the clutches of Gruntilda the witch, who wishes to steal Tooty’s good looks. The game benefits from ahead-of-its-time visual graphics, a loveable cast of characters, a great art-style, and–perhaps the widest array of collectibles. Even though the game just celebrated its 25th anniversary, it is safe the developers really pushed the boundaries of 3D platforms.

5.    Donkey Kong 64

Join Donkey Kong in this action-adventure game to help stop King K. Rool from destroying the Kong Isle. Choose from available Kongs, who must venture into open and vast levels, collect golden bananas and other collectibles, and purchase potions and weapons in this action-packed comedy and retrieve your monkey friends. Four Players can join in on super split screen action and save the Kong Isle.  As the pioneer of the platform game genre, the game has received immense popularity back in the day, selling over 88 million units worldwide to date.

6.    Castlevania

Select from among the game’s main protagonists – vampire hunter Reinhardt Schneider or magical girl Carrie Fernandez– in this action-adventure platforming video game to seek out Castlevania and put an end to its residents’ plans. Depending on your choice of character, the game’s quest will be slightly different. You can also buy power-ups from a “demon merchant” along the way in the levels and also acquire tertiary weapons or projectile weapons. Taking place in the mid-1800s, the game is one of the top third person action games on the N64 and has enjoyed a great repute.

7.    Perfect Dark

Boasting a complex and engaging narrative with elements of conspiracy, espionage, and sci-fi, the engaging plot takes you, agent Joanna Dark, on a mission to uncover a vast conspiracy. The groundbreaking first-person shooter boasted impressive graphics, richly textured environments, detailed characters, and well-executed cutscenes. The game expanded upon the mechanics of GoldenEye 007, featuring a wide variety of weapons, gadgets, and missions, introduced the ability to dual-wield weapons, brought robust multiplayer mode to the gaming arena, as well as added alien weaponry for a unique twist. Perfect Dark is a classic title for the Nintendo 64 that pushed the boundaries of what the console could achieve.

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A Review of the Best Gaming Projectors for 2023

A Review of the Best Gaming Projectors for 2023

Gaming is no longer just a hobby. It is also a profession, and as a recreation, it is quite enriching. In fact, people have now turned their living rooms into gaming theaters, providing themselves and their loved ones a high definition experience that goes beyond all conventional limits.

Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox have raised the stakes. Recently launched consoles like the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are now giving gamers larger-than-life experiences. The experience of gaming today is no longer objective but rather immersive.

That’s right: From high-definition TVs and LED monitors to top-notch gaming projectors, the gaming experience has become multi-dimensional. Gaming enthusiasts today are looking forward to investing in top-notch gaming projectors to amplify their experience. For that, they need one that satisfies the following factors:

  • Picture quality.
  • Refresh rate.
  • Input latency.
  • Projector technology.

Before we explore the best gaming projectors, let us explore what should gamers look for in a projector they wish to buy.

What should gamers look for in a gaming projector?

Gamers should consider some factors before they go for a gaming projector. They obviously do know the advantages a 4K gaming projector will bring. However, displaying those extra pixels needs a lot more processing ability which can hinder the gaming experience.

Hardcore video gamers require projectors to give them a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz, and a low input latency for a smooth gaming experience. Also, wired internet connections are usually faster than wireless connections. They should thus plan accordingly.

Here are some things to consider when looking for a gaming projector:

  • Input Lag: It should be either 50 minutes or less, especially for competitive gamers.
  • Color Spectrum: Projectors have multiple purposes apart from gaming. Hence it should have rich and bright colors.
  • Refresh Rate: Every projector maker does not report this specification. Those who do must be of at least 120hz or more than that for smooth gameplay.
  • Resolution: Both 4K and 1080p are brilliant resolutions, and the latter performs even better during streaming. 
  • Source of lighting: Gamers can go for a laser projector if they have the budget for it. It stays brighter and lasts longer than lamp-based projectors.
  • Brightness levels: This depends on the place the projector is being set. If games are being played in a bright room, an ultra-short throw projector or one having more than 2500 lumens works well.
  • A dedicated mode for gaming: A lot of projector manufacturing companies added dedicated gaming modes to their projectors. This helps provide more resources for the higher demands of gaming. This improves both the gameplay and the lag times.

Time to explore the best gaming projectors for 2023

Now it is time to explore some of the best gaming projectors based on recommendations of long-term customers and partners of a well-known dubai game store:

BenQ HT2150ST Full HD Home Theater Projector

The BenQ HT2150ST Full HD Projector is known to be an excellent choice. It is one of those HD projectors that has a low input latency and also, a short throw distance. It has a lag time of sub 20ms (in the gaming mode) and is best for gaming in small spaces. It even delivers stunning graphics thanks to its accurate color reproduction.

Those who are concerned about rainbow effects from DLP projection are in luck. BenQ did its best to fix the issues using a 6X color wheel (RGBRGB). This helps raise the viewing experience whilst reducing eye strain. 

The 2200 lumens features provide the perfect balance of color vibrance and brightness thus providing a clear view of the image.

BenQ X3000i

The BenQ X3000i is a 4K HDR-capable 4LED gaming projector. Having a brightness of almost 3000 ANSI lumens, a dedicated gaming picture, and sound modes, it also comes with dual 5-watt chamber speakers providing an entertaining experience in gaming. 

The BenQ X3000i was made for immersive open-world gaming for the latest consoles (especially the Sony PlayStation 4 & 5 along with the Nintendo Switch and X Box Series S and X).

The X3000i is part of BenQ’s Console Gaming Projector series. They also contain the X, TK, and TH series too. The company says that its X series is created for cinematic immersion in gameplay using 4LED HDR-PRO for more immense scenery in original colors with dynamic virtual 3D sound from multiple directions.

Epson Home Cinema 2350 4K PRO-UHD Projector

The Epson 2350 4K PRO-UHD smart gaming projector is a top-of-the-line product. It offers a smooth resolution of 1080p with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and input lag times below 20 ms. 

The Home Cinema 2350 delivers an epic gaming experience. Its 3LCD technology offers top-class brightness and color accuracy without affecting the actual contrast. Not only does it ensure rich black colors but other colors are displayed vividly too.

With Android TV built-in the projector, the Home Cinema 2350 smart gaming projector helps in streaming Twitch, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and more. 

It also provides a competitive gaming performance at a resolution of 1080p with a 120 Hz refresh rate. Alternatively, the projector also offers a 4K PRO-UHD1 HDR2 gaming performance up to 60 Hz (which is very smooth for a projector of its kind).

ViewSonic 1080p Projector

The Viewsonic 1080p Projector is one of the best high-performance home cinema projectors also suitable for video games. It delivers stunning visuals and is also quite user-friendly. Providing a brightness of 3500 lumens, it has a contrast ratio of 22,000:1 and has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 in full high Definition (HD).

The projector is best for both entertainment fans and avid gamers. Apart from offering vibrant colors and crystal clear images thanks to its full HD resolution, it ensures each detail is sharp and crisp. Its robust brightness delivers stunning visuals across multiple environments. Also, its contrast ratio shows rich colors. 

The Viewsonic 1080p projector is user-friendly and easy to set up. Its versatile compatibility with various devices helps cater to the diverse entertainment requirements of users.

Over to you

It is indeed fascinating to see that all these projectors mentioned have high resolutions, rich colors, high contrast ratios, crystal clear resolutions, and offer versatility in compatibility with other devices. These projectors are indeed worth the investment and also worth the experience. Hence, no need to hesitate when it comes to buying yourself a proper gaming projector this year.