As a gamer, nothing thrills me more than the thought of plopping down on a couch, feasting on chips and soda, and exploring the worlds of The Legend of the Super Final Chronicles of Mario’s Creed: Ultimate Remastered Version (plus bonus DLC content). However, my gaming setup is not quite up to my expectations, with its aging laptop, dusty second monitor, buzzing desk fan, boring table, and Spartan chair. Ask me where I would prefer to do all my button mashing though, and I’d tell you “In a man cave with the following necessities…”
Multiple Displays
What’s better than a 34-inch curved screen with an IPS LCD panel, 21:9 aspect ratio, 3440×1440 resolution, 1ms response time, and 144hz refresh rate? Three 34-inch curved screens placed side by side, each with an IPS LCD panel, 21:9 aspect ratio, 3440×1440 resolution, 1ms response time, and 144hz refresh rate! That’s overkill, as any 34-inch screen alone would give anyone an immersive experience, but if you want some kicks (and if you have the moolah), more monitors will definitely be better.
While gaming with a super wide-angle field of view can only be done by properly optimized titles on PCs costing as much if not more than a house downpayment, multiple monitors can be useful if you want to multitask, e.g. a game on one screen, social networks on the other, and television stuff on the next. Sadly, those with weaker rigs and consoles have to make do with just one screen for gaming matters.
Gaming Platforms Galore
The reality is that even though most games are cross-platform titles, some AAA releases are unfortunately platform exclusives. Getting each system—the Playstations, Xboxes, Wiis, and PCs—will be the only sure-fire way of getting around this industry barricade. And because the production of games for legacy consoles don’t stop even after the next-gen of cash-grabs has been released, you’re going to have to keep the PS1 through 4, Xbox 1 through One, Wii and U, and their subsequent follow-ups if you hope to play most every title that has been and will be released.
The sheer amount of devices you have to hook up to your display(s) will equate to a spaghetti of video output cables that will be hard to distinguish from one another. If you don’t fancy taking a headlong dive into a rat’s nest, neatly route your cables to an HDMI splitter. Though a bit pricey for what they are, these switchers will allow you to seamlessly shift between systems without having to painstakingly swap out cables.
Wireless Peripherals
Cables are a necessary inconvenience for game systems because we’re still quite far from achieving wireless power. Luckily, keyboards, mice, headsets, and analog controllers have all gone wireless, giving you one less thing to trip over. If in the past, wireless peripherals have been frowned upon due to unstable performance, signal interference, and slow response time, we’ve arrived at a point where their only glaring problem is dying out on you in the middle of an intense skirmish.
Media Cabinet
You can ghetto your setup and nonchalantly stack consoles and game boxes on top of each other on a plain coffee table, or you can have your friends weep in the glory of a sleek-looking video game cabinet. There are many shelves in the market that have racks aplenty, though if you want to take your gaming shrine to the next level, you should break out some elbow grease and build one yourself. All you need are a couple of wood panels, power tools, LED lights, power strips, nails, wood glue, primer, and paint to come up with your own personal sanctum that fits your needs and wants like a glove. Or, you could make a drawing and have a qualified professional build it for you. Nobody said you have to use your own elbow grease.
Comfy Seats
You have a couple of options here, from bean bags, to ottomans, to recliners, to dedicated gaming chairs, to the conventional sofa. Whatever your precious bum may choose, get the most fluffy, most comfortable one with appropriate lower back, middle back, and neck support. You are going to be glued on there for hours on end so it’s best to find one that won’t leave you feeling numb and sore when you (finally) stand up.
Mini Fridge
When you just have to grind a bit more to get that Sword of Noobish Enchantment or Frying Pan of Insta-kill, you’re going to need the closest thing real life has to health and mana potions: energy drinks. Place a mini fridge near your couch for a hassle-free pick-me-up of ice-cold sugar-laced drinks. Stuff some pizza, nuts, chips, and other foodstuff in there as well so you’ll never have to leave your throne again, save for a potty break.
Air Conditioner
All those doodads in a single room can generate a fair bit of heat that will leave you sweating, and your hardware with shorter lifespans. Add our country’s hellish climate and you might as well be gaming in a sauna. Take the heat stress away with a low power air conditioner with automatic temperature control so the room’s only as cold as you want it to be.
Other Knick-knacks
Of course, your little cave won’t be complete without other important gadgets such as a power strip with surge protector, uninterruptible power supply, wireless router, multimedia remote, and lights. To make your room a bona fide gaming nook, fill the rest of the available real estate with video game and nerd posters, statues, and other trinkets such as discarded computer components.
Yep, being a gamer isn’t a joke. You’d have to invest a sizeable amount to get all those gizmos. The trade-off’s going to be worth it though—hours upon hours of comfortable, top-notch exploration, pawning, mashing, and clicking, interspersed with the envious looks you’ll get from your friends.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE July 2015 Issue
Words by Chris Noel Hidalgo