Pro Gamer
(Image credit: www.lyncconf.com)

Playing video games at a competitive level is something a lot of us would like to do, but the truth is that it’s far from being a piece of cake.

Besides the actual talent and hours of practice required for anybody who wants to go on this path, you also need some proper gear. Sure, for starters, pretty much any PC able to deal with the latest releases and some basic peripherals will do, but when it comes to playing in the big leagues, you need to step up your game. Pun not intended.

Esports require professional equipment, designed in such a way to maximize your overall potential, but also keep you from breaking down. Because, you know, top-level gaming can be as stressful as any other daily job!

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Breaking it down, today we’re going to talk a bit about the recommended Esports gear used by top gamers,critical for professional gaming. We will focus on items like keyboards and mice, as well as headsets, chairs and monitors. The essentials, after all.

So, let’s get ready to rumble!

Keyboards

“A mechanical keyboard allows you to act milliseconds faster, which doesn’t necessarily always matter,” reveals, Harsha Bandi, assistant coach for the Vancouver Titans, playing in the Overwatch League.

“Still, it’s important when you are playing against the best in the world.”

Among the models he recommends is the Corsair K95 – the RGB Platinum model, to be more specific-, otherwise a model which seems to be the first choice among most professionals!

At a first look, the main thing you’ll notice about this keyboard is its look and feel. Featuring an aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame, it’s designed to last…well, like forever. And don’t get fooled by the material, as besides being rugged, it’s also lightweight. The exact features a keyboard that’s going to see a lot of action should have, we’d say.

Of course, there’s much more about the Corsair K95 than the regular goodies, like dynamic multi-color per-key back-lighting, which can be adjusted to the finest details, and the macro keys, which you can use to customize the keyboard to your needs, not to mention that they are specifically textures, so you can easily find them while gaming.
Since we’re talking about a peripheral designed for professional gamers, it’s the switches that matter a lot. In this case, we’re looking at Cherry MX Speed mechanical keys, with a 1.2mm actuation and increased durability. Somehow noisy, but we don’t mind at all.

Quite a beast of a keyboard, don’t you think?

Mice

When you’re playing at the highest level, your in-game moves should be as accurate as possible. And this is something you can achieve only by using a top-notch mouse, featuring a sensor with a ridiculous DPI value.

In fact, just like professional CS: GO player shox (Richard Papillon) says, this is exactly what makes the difference, so he had to go with the Logitech G Pro Gaming Mouse. We know, it doesn’t look at all like those crazy gaming mice we see everywhere, but this baby packs some really impressive features under the hood.

According to the manufacturer, the G Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse is the result of more than two years of work alongside professional esports games, managing to mix advanced technologies with an ultra-lightweight design.

And when Logitech says “advanced technologies” they mean the HERO 16,000 DPI sensor, a super-fast 1-millisecond report rate connection and ten times the power efficiency of the previous generation.

We should also mention the innovative exoskeleton which, despite maintaining a reduced weight, it creates a very strong outer shell, taking the total weight to just 80 grams and the ability to last for 50 million clicks.

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Chairs

A solid and comfortable chair can make a huge difference when it comes to professional gaming. Yes, we do know about the tons of so-called gaming chair available on the market, but the bad news is that a lot of these are just some basic office chairs, with a few neon colored accents and a bit of lateral support.

However, there are also some excellent models out there, able to keep your back straight and ensure a comfortable and correct posture, even after a full day of playing.

“Gamers can spend up to 16 hours a day sitting in their chairs, so good back support is key to limiting injuries and all-around well-being,” says the same Harsha Bandi.

One of our current favorite choices is the Maxnomic Cloud9 2.0, a high-end model featuring an ergonomic design which encourages proper posture, without making any comfort-related compromises.

To be more specific, we’re talking about the chair’s high backrest, as well as the lumbar pillow, which provides great support for your lower back. The padding is very comfortable, made with high-quality cold-cured foam, able to maintain its shape and structure, even after using the chair for a long time.

The chair is covered with multi-layered PU, great against sweating and peeling, while the wheels also come with a soft PU coating, which makes them perfect for use on hardwood or low carpet. And finally, it’s fully adjustable, with 4D armrest, reclinable backrest and a lockable tilt mechanism.

In a nutshell, it’s pretty much everything you can ask from a gaming chair.

Additionally, you could also give Secretlab Titan, a model designed by a couple of former Starcraft II players, a try. You will surely like it from every point of view, except the price, of course.

Headset

When you’re going on the professional gaming path, you need more than just some peripherals which allow you to control your character. You also need to hear its moves, but also your enemies’ and teammates! And for this, a pair of high-end headphones is mandatory!

Luckily for all you gaming enthusiasts out there who want to go professional, there is a plethora of top-notch headsets available, but as you probably guessed, we’re going to stick to just one model.

Our favorite is, by far, the Turtle Beach Elite Pro Headset with Tournament Mic, the latest iteration in a long line of professional headsets from the manufacturer, chosen by some of the best gamers in the world.

The brand has been a favorite of pros for years and we can totally understand why it’s also being used by CS: GO team Astralis.

“Besides practice, tactical preparation, studying the opposition, teamwork and staying in shape, our equipment is extremely important. Both in terms of headsets and the tournament mic Turtle Beach is second to none,” reveals Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander.

Spec-wise, the headset comes with the ComfortTec fit system, delivering a groundbreaking level of comfort, while the aerofit ear cushions keep your ears comfortable and cool while blocking out external noises and improving bass.

Of course, we’re looking at a DTS-certified headset, with X 7.1 Surround Sound, pinpointing the exact location of every sound. Plus, they look pretty bad ass with those orange finishes, don’t you think?

Monitors

Last – but not least – the pro gamer’s ‘tools of the trade’ set is completed by a monitor, as you just can’t advance without a performance model, whether you’re playing immersive RPGs or a quick round of Overwatch.

A monitor designed for performance gamers should integrate a few top features – we’re talking about specifications, of course – but also some goodies, able to make it stand out of the crowd. And we believe that we somehow managed to find the model that fits into both categories.

The BenQ EX3501R puts HDR and Ultra-Wide together at last, resulting in something which we can call “gaming monitor goals”.

According to the manufacturer, this 35” panel comes with a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 21:9, while the total brightness stops at 300 cd/m2. Add a 100Hz refresh rate and a response time of 4ms and you will understand why the EX3510R is labelled by BenQ as “video equipment monitor”.

We know, it can be pricey, compared to what other models, with roughly the same size, can offer, but what differentiates this one and pretty much the main reason why we’re recommending it can be summarized in one abbreviation: HDR. Once you’ve tried it, you will never want to go back!

And this wraps it up, fellow gamers! Our list with gear recommendations for anybody who wants to achieve max performance is ready and we bet that you’re eager to find out as much as possible about all these items. After all, they’re recommended by some of the top esports players in the world!

We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our selection, so make sure you drop a few lines, using the comments section below!

Gear Mentioned in This Article

Last update on 2023-11-11 at 11:43 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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