This article was updated in March 2023

Globally, gaming is worth more than US$300 billion (A$435 billion). That’s more than the music and movies industries combined, with an extra half a billion players in the past three years adding to the boom. Locally, Australians spend about $4 billion per year on gaming. 

As gaming expands, it can be hard to know what’s worth updating, and what’s next on the horizon. We’ve rounded up all the gaming technology and gaming trends you need to enhance your existing gaming skills.

The Best Gaming Laptops and Monitors

In recent times, much of the focus on gaming laptops has come via the AMD brand and its affordable but powerful Ryzen processor-based systems. It’s still a great bet if you’re looking for a value-for-money setup, but Intel’s not letting AMD have the entire market, with strong moves for new Meteor Lake CPUs expected to arrive in late 2023.

However, there’s another trend changing the way you’ll think about a ‘gaming’ laptop, and that’s the emergence of true cloud-based gaming. This uses a fast internet connection to stream the entire contents of a game as well as your inputs, so you don’t strictly need a high-end local system to play. It’s big business, estimated to become a billion-dollar industry in its own right by the end of the decade.

Gaming laptop screens still typically top out at 17”. However, for that truly wide field of view, it’s worth considering a gaming monitor. But screen size isn’t all that matters. Screen refresh rates are also key; most pro-gamers look for 144Hz or more as their new ‘standard’ requirement. There’s also a cost balance, and it’s worth considering the types of games you play before deciding whether a smaller but faster screen might be more beneficial to you than a larger but slower one. Faster is better, for example, if you’re playing some of the newer racing games, like Forza Horizon 5.

What to look for: For gaming laptops, check battery life expectations, internal GPU and CPU configurations and carrying weight. On the monitor side, consider screen refresh rates (60Hz is standard and 144Hz is decent for gaming) as well as screen size and resolution options.

What To Try

SEE ALSO: Gaming for Beginners

Gaming Peripherals: Keyboard, Controller and Mice Must-Haves

When you game, reaction speed is critical, and you’re likely to thump the keys thousands of times during each session. That’s why so many gamers love mechanical keyboards, built to both take a battering and respond fast every time. The same is true for gaming mice, where high resolution is key to fast movement in first-person shooter (FPS) games.

Gaming peripherals can also show off your fun side, with customisable RGB lighting all but assumed for most gaming products. These let you set custom colour schemes that can reflect your personality, intimidate your foes, or just look cool on your Twitch stream.

When you’re looking at gaming mice, customisation is also worth considering. You’re rarely limited to just two buttons, with options for in-game-specific buttons, DPI precision switching and more on tap. 

The portability of gaming peripherals is becoming a key gaming technology trend for 2023 and beyond, especially as mobile gaming and online, 4G- and 5G-enabled gaming becomes a reality.

What to look for: Hunt out customisable or replaceable keys for gaming keyboards, so what you buy can both be uniquely yours and stand the test of time. For gaming mice, look for adjustable DPI, so you can flick between high sensitivity for FPS games or slower speeds for more tactical strategy games. Heavy-duty design is a must, because when you’re blasting away, the last thing you want is a broken mouse button or unresponsive space bar.

Gaming technology trends for 2023 include new mechanical keyboards and gaming peripherals. 

‍What To Try

SEE ALSO: Real Review: Logitech Gaming Mouse and Keyboard Bundle

The Best Gaming Microphones

Gamers are now far more likely to be yelling commands, whooping for joy or commentating on their own performance in real time for a global audience thanks to the emergence of platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. The hobby of gaming is now a serious business, with top performers earning millions of dollars per year from their gaming streams alone.

None of that happens without a good-quality gaming microphone, because if you can’t talk to your audience or communicate with your online teammates, you’re going nowhere fast. The microphone on your laptop might cut it for Zoom meetings, but it’s nowhere near clear enough for gaming chatter.

You need a microphone that can handle high-bitrate audio, multiple audio modes if you’re not gaming or commentating alone, and preferably a good stand to minimise vibration noise while you’re pounding away at a gaming keyboard or mouse. 

What to look for: Keep an eye out for different audio patterns so you can record more than just your direct voice, an easy single-cable connection for your headphones, and a good stand or mount screw thread to minimise desk noise.

Gaming technology trends for 2023 include new gaming microphones. 

What To Try

SEE ALSO: Real Review: Blue Yeti 3-Capsule USB Microphone

The Best Gaming Headsets and the Best Gaming Speakers

The simple speakers on your laptop just aren’t going to be up to scratch in a world where so many games come with 5.1 or better audio tracks that are the equivalent of, and often better than, Hollywood movie scores. 

That’s where a good set of proper gaming speakers or gaming headphones can make all the difference. If you have your own gaming space, the immersion possible from proper surround speakers can’t be equalled. However, others in your home might not appreciate you’ve won your latest eSports round at 3am quite so much, and that’s where an equally capable gaming headset comes into play.

You might think having two speakers for two ears limits headphones, but that’s not the case. Newer models encompass virtualised surround-sound technology to send audio signals that you ‘feel’ coming from behind you, even though there’s no speaker there. That means you’re more immersed in your gaming without disturbing others, and you can hear your foes coming as though you have eyes in the back of your head.

What to look for: For gaming speakers, go for surround modes and the option to team with multiple speakers for even more coverage. For gaming headsets, seek out virtual surround sound and in-line volume controls, as well as optional microphones for easy portable audio.

Gaming technology trends for 2023 include new gaming headphones and gaming speakers. 

‍What To Try

SEE ALSO: Find the Right Speakers for Your Gaming Setup

The Best Value Gaming Chairs

A good gaming chair can be your best mate during the long hours you’re going to spend in it. Yes, any chair can do the job in a pinch, but that pinch is precisely what your back will feel if you spend too long sitting on a frame without good back support.

What you need is a chair that adjusts to the correct height for optimal comfortable gaming, while giving you the right supports for your back and arms, whether your game of choice is a slow strategy title or one where your hands are a blur of motion while you obliterate your foes.

For those gaming in front of a live audience, your gaming chair can also represent your brand and style in the same way your RGB keyboard and mouse can. Just remember to also take proper breaks, and get up and stretch every once in a while.

What to look for: Adjustability is key to any good gaming chair, from chair height to tilt, adjustable lumbar support, optional arm rests and more. If you’re going to be doing live game streaming, style also counts for a lot, whether you want something dark and intimidating or bright and cheerful.

From chair height to tilt, the key to any quality gaming chair is adjustability. 

What To Try

SEE ALSO: The Ultimate Gaming Chair Buying Guide

The Best Value Gaming Desks

You’re probably no fan of your desk at work, but your gaming desk is the place you choose to unwind with your game of choice or hone your skills for the next eSports tournament.

Gaming desks can feature additional support for quick connectivity of your laptop, sockets to make setting up a clean gaming desktop even easier, as well as fun RGB lighting to once again make your space truly special. If you’re concerned about sitting all the time at a desk, there are even models that incorporate standing mode to help your back out while you game.

What to look for: Go for a gaming desk with a heavy-duty frame, because if you’re going to be playing a marathon, it’s going to need to last. Add a splash of RGB lighting to taste, if that’s your gaming style. Ports where you can easily pass through cables and powerboards are also handy, as well as an inbuilt mouse pad or mouse pad area to make layout easy and a cup holder to prevent spills. You’ll also love a desk that incorporates extra shelves for peripherals, controllers and gaming snacks. 

Look for extra shelving in a gaming desk to allow space for peripherals, controllers and gaming snacks.

What To Try

SEE ALSO: How to Choose the Best Gaming Desk for You