The accessories you need for your gaming TV

For most of video game history, gaming on a TV has been a matter of compromise. They were primarily used by home consoles which, under their plus-and-play accessibility, had to work within certain limitations. CRT TVs and early flatscreens did the job and allowed millions of people to enjoy gaming like never before. Nevertheless, PC gaming remained the bastion of true visual spectacle, on account of its GPUs and monitor choice.

That gap has now closed. Contemporary video game consoles – like the Xbox One X and Series X|S and PS4 Pro and PS5 – can kick out crisp resolutions and impressive frame rates, akin to those found on gaming PCs. Thankfully, TV tech has also managed to keep up with this level of improvement.

So, now you can build yourself a seriously epic gaming TV setup, right from the shelf. If you want to do this, the first questions asked are likely to have been around the TV itself. After you’ve answered ‘what’s the best 65-inch gaming TV?’ But after making your choice purchase, you need to turn to accessories.

While the main gaming TV will do most of the heavy lifting – through resolution, colour accuracy and refresh rates – the accessories add that final 10% of shine to a setup. They upgrade your gaming den from good to excellent.

Here’s a list of gaming accessories you need for your gaming TV.

Adaptive lighting

Unless you’ve gone for a TV from the Philips Ambilight range, your only source of lighting drama will be provided by the television screen itself. This is all well and good, but what if you could help your entertainment break free of the screen bezel?

Well, Philips has you covered anyway. The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box provides the same light-atmosphere tech to any TV set-up, matching colours and action on the screen with lights cast from behind the TV onto the wall, creating a greater sense of presence, drama and spectacle to your gaming.

High-quality HDMI 2.1 cable

If you’ve picked a TV specifically for gaming, it’s likely to have high refresh rates (Hz) and at least 4K resolution. So the gaming console can make the most of the impressive stats, it needs to be able to send the TV a large quantity of data.

For that, a new generation of HDMI cable is needed – not just the cheapest one you can find at the local supermarket. Look for an HDMI 2.1 cable, match it up to the latest generation of HDMI port on your TV, and you’ll be good to go.

Soundbar

TV speakers aren’t terrible, but often they aren’t superb. A soundbar can seriously upgrade your sound to brilliant. These horizontal columns of sound are specifically designed to mimic larger surround sound setups, enhance dialogue clarity and provided thick, dramatic bass, all without taking up too much extra space in the room.

Sony, Sonos, Samsung, JBL and Polk Audio are all reputable and readily available.

Extra-long USB cable

Wireless gamepads make life much easier for gamers, adding flexibility that those of the early 90s consoles could only dream of. Sadly, this convenience all comes crashing down when they run low on battery. Plugging in the USB charging cable can mean having to sit too close to the screen.

Solution? Grab an extra-long USB cable from any reputable retailer, and you’ll never have to sacrifice comfort for charge again.

Headphones

A TV has speakers or, even better, a soundbar – why do you need some gaming headphones too? Two reasons – the people you live with and your neighbours. Late-night gaming sessions are often the best, as you’re free from distractions and responsibilities, and can game in peace.

However, loud gameplay can quickly draw the wrath of those sleeping nearby. A decent set of gaming headphones will keep your playing silent to the outside world and keep you immersed in the digital world.

A headset from a reputable gaming brand like SteelSeries, Logitech G or Razer is a good way to go, and prices range from the budget to the premium.

The smart speaker connected to a smart home

There’s almost no doubt that your new gaming TV is smart. That means it can probably be integrated with your smart home for voice control – this can be handy for quickly switching on the set and console.

Further to this, we recommend making sure that you have a smart assistant at hand near your gaming TV. You can make your life easier by having a speaker ready to check on who’s at the door with a Ring-style smart doorbell, send friends messages without putting down the pad, or ask the internet for some quick tips on how to best a pesky boss.

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