If you're into competitive online games, I know just how annoying it is when you think your gear is holding you back. And the thing is, it's not all cope: gear actually can make a difference. But you don't need to spend tons to make some significant improvements to your setup. In fact, thanks to some Prime Day discounts, I've managed to find three upgrades that cover a mouse, keyboard, and audio setup for around $100 combined—$106.28, to be exact.
The mouse is a lightweight one that I reviewed and rate very highly. It essentially offers the kind of quality you can expect from much more expensive bigger-brand gaming mice, but for a fraction of the cost. The earbuds are my favorite upgrade of the past who-knows-how-long. I actually swapped from a much more expensive gaming headset down to these cheap IEMs and haven't had a single complaint. I can now place enemies in Counter-Strike maps much easier.
I've not personally tried the keyboard listed here, but Reece rated it very highly in his review, and the most important thing is it has Hall effect switches. This can be crucial for some games, as it allows for super-light actuation and rapid trigger, which can make things like counter-strafing much easier and snappier once you get used to it.
If you're used to bad peripherals or ones that aren't tailored to competitive gaming, I think this three-part combo for about $100 could improve your esports gaming experience noticeably. Obviously nothing can replace skill and training, but gear like this definitely can help.
Amazon Prime Day competitive peripherals deals
The full details
These are cheap but you'd be surprised how far a pair of in-ear monitors can go for gaming. They're great for positioning, staying alert, and at this price, saving some cash. These are what I use whenever I play Counter-Strike now (which is, err, probably too much), and they've been serving me very well, helping me to accurately place enemies on the map.
Key specs: 10 mm Titanium Dynamic Driver
An 8 KHz polling rate, Hall effect switches, rapid trigger, and nice double-shot PBT keycaps. The Gamakay x NaughShark NS68 is noticeably a cheaper keyboard in feel, but those internals truly are phenomenal. Rapid trigger will be key here for counter-strafing in CS2 or Valorant—honestly, since switching to Hall effect, I notice a massive difference in my ability to counter-strafe whenever I go back to mechanical.
Key specs: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz and wired | 8 KHz | Hall effect
The L7 doesn't weight much at 48 grams and yet it packs a great sensor and a decent sized battery. It's a competitive shape, and it makes you wonder, why spend so much more for a speedy FPS mouse when something like this will do just fine? I reviewed the L7 Pro+ model earlier this year if you want to read up more, but the long story short is it's a quality ultralight mouse for less.
Key specs: Wireless | 42,000 DPI | 8K polling

1. Best gaming chair: Secretlab Titan Evo
2. Best gaming desk: Secretlab Magnus Pro XL
3. Best gaming headset: Razer BlackShark V3
4. Best gaming keyboard: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
5. Best gaming mouse: Razer Viper V4 Pro
6. Best PC controller: GameSir G7 Pro
7. Best steering wheel: Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel
8. Best microphone: Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone
9. Best webcam: Elgato Facecam MK.2
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Jacob got his hands on a gaming PC for the first time when he was about 12 years old. He swiftly realised the local PC repair store had ripped him off with his build and vowed never to let another soul build his rig again. With this vow, Jacob the hardware junkie was born. Since then, Jacob's led a double-life as part-hardware geek, part-philosophy nerd, first working as a Hardware Writer for PCGamesN in 2020, then working towards a PhD in Philosophy for a few years while freelancing on the side for sites such as TechRadar, Pocket-lint, and yours truly, PC Gamer. Eventually, he gave up the ruthless mercenary life to join the world's #1 PC Gaming site full-time. It's definitely not an ego thing, he assures us.
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