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Best Gaming Accessories 2026: What’s Actually Worth Buying in the UK

May 21, 2026 • 23 min read
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Lucy Parker — Buying Guide Editor, RetroInHand

Last updated: May 2026

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Last October, a colleague of mine spent £180 on a wireless headset that a gaming peripheral brand had plastered across every YouTube pre-roll for months. The audio quality was mediocre, the mic sounded like he was calling from a motorway services, and the earcups started creaking within three weeks. When I asked why he’d bought it, the answer was: “The reviews all seemed positive.” Those reviews were from the same sites that had received the headsets for free two weeks before launch. He could have bought something genuinely brilliant for £60 less. That story more or less summarises the state of gaming accessories in 2026: the marketing budgets are enormous, the actual quality varies wildly, and the gap between hype and value has never been wider.

This guide is for people who want to spend their money wisely on gaming accessories this year — whether you’re kitting out a new gaming PC, upgrading your console setup, playing retro games on original hardware, or looking for something genuinely portable. I’ve tested or used extended versions of everything I’m recommending here. I’ve also deliberately included things I think are bad value, because knowing what to avoid is just as useful as knowing what to buy. Prices are current UK retail as of early 2026 and I’ll flag where deals are realistically available.

The best gaming accessories in 2026 are the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless (£39), SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 (£59), Elgato HD60 X (£129), Samsung T7 Shield (£89 for 1TB), BenQ Mobiuz EX2710Q (£329), and the Backbone One PlayStation Edition (£99). That’s the short answer. Everything below explains exactly why — and what to buy if those prices don’t suit your budget.

Product Price (UK) Best For Score
8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless £39 Best all-round value controller 9/10
Xbox Wireless Controller (Series) £54 PC gaming, Xbox, best ergonomics 8/10
DualSense Edge £199 Competitive PS5 players only 6/10
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 £59 Budget-conscious audio upgrade 9/10
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless £279 Serious audio enthusiasts 7/10
Elgato HD60 X £129 Streamers and content creators 8/10
AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus £89 Capture card on a tight budget 7/10
Samsung T7 Shield (1TB) £89 Fast portable game storage 9/10
BenQ Mobiuz EX2710Q £329 Mid-range display upgrade 8/10
Backbone One PlayStation Edition £99 Mobile gaming and remote play 8/10

What Actually Matters When Buying Gaming Accessories in 2026

Before spending a single penny, there are three questions worth asking about any gaming accessory. First: does this solve a real problem I actually have, or am I just bored and browsing? Second: is the premium version genuinely better, or just more expensive? Third: will this work across multiple platforms and setups, or am I locking myself into something single-purpose? Most impulse purchases fail on at least one of these counts.

The gaming peripheral market in 2026 is saturated in a way it simply wasn’t five years ago. The number of brands has exploded, manufacturing costs have dropped, and the result is everything from genuinely excellent sub-£50 controllers to embarrassingly cynical £200 headsets with mediocre internals hidden behind RGB lighting. I’d estimate that about 60% of gaming accessories on sale in the UK right now offer actively poor value for money. The trick is identifying the 40% that don’t.

Build quality is increasingly unreliable as a proxy for price. I’ve used £35 controllers that held up perfectly across two years of daily use, and £120 ones with thumbstick drift problems within six months. Read long-term owner reviews, not just launch reviews. Check Reddit threads from six months after release. Look at whether the manufacturer offers a decent warranty in the UK — many don’t, and getting a refund or replacement can be a genuine ordeal. Logitech, SteelSeries, 8BitDo, and Elgato are all relatively good on UK customer service. Some of the cheaper Chinese-market brands that have moved into UK retail are not.

Best Gaming Controllers 2026: Ranked for Every Budget

Best Value: 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless — £39

This is the controller I recommend to virtually everyone who asks. At £39, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless is extraordinary value. It connects via 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth, works on PC, Android, and Nintendo Switch, has a sensible button layout with Hall Effect thumbsticks (which means no drift — a genuine rarity at this price), and the build quality is better than controllers costing twice as much from brands you’d recognise. The triggers are satisfying, the D-pad is excellent for 2D games and retro emulation, and the battery life is legitimately impressive at around 22 hours via 2.4GHz.

8BitDo has been making controllers for the retro gaming community for years, and it shows. They understand what actually matters in a controller — the things you’re touching 60 times a minute — in a way that some bigger brands, distracted by their own marketing departments, seem to have forgotten. If you’re building a retro emulation setup or play a lot of 2D games, this is essentially the perfect controller. I use one daily for PC gaming and have done for eight months without a single complaint. I’ve recommended it to at least a dozen people in that time and none of them have come back dissatisfied, which is the most honest endorsement I can give anything.

One caveat: it doesn’t have PlayStation-compatible haptic feedback or adaptive triggers, and it won’t work natively on PS5. For Nintendo Switch and PC it’s hard to fault. For PS5-specific features, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Best for PC and Xbox: Xbox Wireless Controller (Series) — £54

If you’re primarily on PC or Xbox, Microsoft’s own Series controller at £54 remains one of the best mainstream options. The ergonomics are genuinely superb — the asymmetric thumbstick layout suits most players’ hands naturally, the build quality is solid, and Windows compatibility is seamless because it just is. No driver headaches. The textured grips added in the Series revision are a meaningful improvement over the older design, and the bumpers no longer feel like they might snap off, which was a legitimate complaint about Xbox One-era pads.

At £54 it’s slightly more expensive than it should be — it uses AA batteries rather than a built-in rechargeable battery, which is either a design philosophy or a cost-cutting decision dressed up as one, depending on your level of charity towards Microsoft. A rechargeable battery pack adds another £20–25 from Microsoft, though third-party options exist for less. When you factor that in, it creeps towards £75–80 all-in, which changes the value equation somewhat. Still, for raw feel in the hand and PC compatibility, it earns its recommendation.

Best Premium Controller: Xbox Elite Series 2 — £129

The Elite Series 2 at £129 is where I start to get more cautious. It’s a genuinely excellent controller — hair trigger locks, adjustable thumbstick tension, swappable D-pads and paddles, built-in rechargeable battery — and for competitive play or simply someone who spends four or five hours daily with a controller in their hands, it justifies the price. The problem is the quality control history. Early batches had notorious bumper issues. There have been widespread reports of stick drift and component failures within 12–18 months. Microsoft’s warranty and repair service in the UK has improved but it’s still not what you’d hope for on a £129 peripheral.

If you buy it, buy it from somewhere with a generous returns policy — Currys or Amazon — and keep the receipt. Don’t buy it secondhand unless you can test it thoroughly first.

The One That’s Definitely Not Worth It: DualSense Edge — £199

I’m going to say it plainly: the DualSense Edge at £199 is poor value. That’s not a universal opinion, but I’ll stand by it. You’re paying roughly £140 premium over a standard DualSense (£59) for swappable stick caps, trigger travel adjustments, back buttons, and customisable profiles. Those features have genuine utility for a narrow group of players — people deeply invested in competitive FPS or fighting games on PS5. For everyone else, you’re paying a premium for features you won’t use and getting a non-replaceable battery that degrades over time. The standard DualSense is one of the best stock controllers ever made. Buy two of those for £118 and you’ll be better off than one Edge.

Best Gaming Headsets 2026: Where the Real Value Lives

Headsets are where gaming peripheral marketing reaches peak absurdity. Brands will charge you £250 for audio that a decent pair of £60 cans would beat, then justify the premium with “spatial audio” software that’s often just an EQ preset and a USB dongle. I’ve spent a lot of time in this category and my general view is that the sweet spot is firmly below £80. Above that, you’re usually paying for convenience features — wireless, active noise cancellation, built-in mic — not audio quality.

Best Value Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 — £59

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 at £59 is the headset I’d recommend to anyone who wants a clear, comfortable, multiplatform gaming headset without spending silly money. The sound is clear and detailed, the mic quality is noticeably better than most at this price (it uses a retractable ClearCast Gen 2 mic rather than the flexible boom you get on budget sets), and SteelSeries’ build quality has always been reliable. The earcups are comfortable for long sessions — I’ve worn mine for four-hour stretches without the earache that plagues cheaper options.

It connects via USB-A or 3.5mm, which means it works on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, and essentially anything with an audio jack. There’s no wireless, which is the deliberate trade-off that keeps the price sensible. If you sit at a desk to game, wired is genuinely fine and the cable management problem is easily solved with a velcro tie. The claim that wireless is essential is largely marketing.

Mid-Range Headset Worth Considering: HyperX Cloud III Wireless — £109

If you genuinely need wireless — because you sit far from your TV, or because you just hate cables — the HyperX Cloud III Wireless at £109 is the most honest option in that category. The 2.4GHz connection is stable, the battery lasts around 120 hours (yes, genuinely), the audio is warm and detailed, and HyperX’s headsets have a long history of being more durable than the competition. It’s the headset I’d buy if I were setting up a sofa gaming rig. At £109, the value is reasonable. At £150 and above, I’d ask harder questions.

What to Avoid: Razer and CORSAIR Flagships Over £150

Both Razer and CORSAIR make headsets in the £150–£250 range that are aggressively marketed but rarely competitive on value. The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro at £179 has acceptable sound but its mic quality is unremarkable for the price, and Razer’s build quality history gives me pause. CORSAIR’s HS80 RGB Wireless at £149 is better, but you’re still paying a significant premium for the brand name and RGB lighting that does nothing for your gaming. The Arctis Nova Pro Wireless at £279 is genuinely excellent audio — I won’t pretend otherwise — but you need to be a serious audiophile who happens to game to justify that spend. For most people, £59 gets you 85% of the experience.

Best Capture Cards 2026 for UK Streamers and Content Creators

Capture cards have become increasingly relevant in 2026 because more people are creating content around retro gaming, emulation, and classic hardware — and because the Nintendo Switch 2’s expanded content creation features have brought a new wave of streamers to the hobby. If you’re considering streaming your retro setup or documenting your collection, a capture card is one of the few accessories that genuinely earns its money. It’s also one of the categories where understanding what you actually need can save you £100 or more.

Best Capture Card: Elgato HD60 X — £129

The Elgato HD60 X at £129 is the right capture card for most people. It captures up to 4K30 or 1080p60 HDR via USB-C, supports passthrough at up to 4K60 HDR, and works seamlessly with OBS, Streamlabs, and virtually every major streaming platform. The 4K VRR passthrough is particularly useful if you’re capturing PS5 or Xbox Series footage. Setup takes about ten minutes including software installation. I’ve used Elgato capture cards for years and their software reliability is genuinely better than the competition — a point that sounds boring until you’re in the middle of a recording session and your AVerMedia card decides it doesn’t recognise HDMI input today.

If you’re capturing retro hardware — original SNES, Mega Drive, N64 and so on — you’ll likely need an upscaler like a RetroTINK 4K or at minimum a RetroTINK 2X-Mini before the capture card, since these older consoles output analogue signals that the HD60 X can’t accept directly. It’s an extra cost to plan for, but the resulting capture quality is excellent. For anyone working through the challenges of getting PAL hardware onto modern displays, our guide on fixing PAL SNES composite video flicker on a modern flat screen TV covers some of the underlying issues you’ll encounter.

Budget Capture Card: AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus — £89

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus at £89 is a legitimate budget alternative. It captures 1080p60, works standalone (records to SD card without a PC), and the passthrough quality is acceptable. The software is less polished than Elgato’s, and I’ve encountered occasional driver conflicts on Windows 11 that required a reinstall to fix. But at £89 it gets the job done, particularly if your primary use case is recording rather than live streaming.

Capture Cards to Skip in 2026

Avoid the generic no-brand USB capture cards flooding Amazon at £15–30. They’re marketed with impressive-sounding specs that bear no relationship to actual performance. I tested one branded “DIGITNOW” last year — the capture quality was blurry, the audio had persistent sync issues, and it stopped being recognised by Windows within a month. The £50+ saving is an illusion when the product doesn’t work. Spend the money on the AVerMedia if budget is genuinely tight.

Best Gaming Storage 2026: SSDs, MicroSD, and What’s Actually Fast Enough

Storage has become one of the most consequential accessory categories because game file sizes have grown aggressively. Modern AAA titles routinely exceed 100GB. PS5 and Xbox Series X internal storage fills faster than you’d expect, and the Switch 2 — which I covered in our Nintendo Switch 2 review — uses fast UHS-II microSD Express cards that require specific hardware to realise their full speed. Getting storage wrong can mean sluggish load times or wasted money on speed you can’t use.

Best Portable SSD: Samsung T7 Shield (1TB) — £89

The Samsung T7 Shield at £89 for 1TB is excellent. Samsung’s T7 range has been reliable for years and the Shield variant adds a ruggedised rubberised exterior that genuinely survives drops — I’ve dropped mine twice and it’s fine. Sequential read speeds of around 1,050MB/s via USB 3.2 Gen 2 are more than fast enough for running games from external storage on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and for PC game libraries. On Xbox Series X it’ll comfortably handle last-gen titles; next-gen titles still require internal storage, which is an Xbox hardware limitation rather than an SSD one.

The 2TB version is £159, which is fair pricing for the capacity. Western Digital’s My Passport SSD is a comparable alternative at similar pricing, but the Samsung’s read/write speeds and build quality consistency have been more reliable across the batches I’ve tested.

Best Internal PS5 SSD Upgrade: WD_BLACK SN850X (2TB) — £129

If you’re upgrading PS5 internal storage — and if you own a PS5, you almost certainly should be — the WD_BLACK SN850X in 2TB at £129 is the one to buy. It’s PCIe 4.0 NVMe, fits the PS5’s M.2 slot directly, read speeds hit around 7,300MB/s which is above Sony’s minimum 5,500MB/s recommendation, and it comes with a heatsink included in the box (important, because the PS5 slot is fussy about thermals). Installation takes 20 minutes if you follow Sony’s official guide. The 1TB version is around £75 if the budget is tighter, though with modern game sizes the 2TB is genuinely the more sensible long-term choice.

MicroSD for Nintendo Switch 2: Samsung PRO Plus (512GB) — £49

The Switch 2 supports standard microSDXC cards, though it can also use the new microSD Express format for higher speeds. For most users, a fast UHS-I card like the Samsung PRO Plus at £49 for 512GB is perfectly adequate — the speed gains from microSD Express cards are only meaningful when loading very large games, and those cards currently carry a steep premium. Stick with a quality UHS-I card from Samsung, SanDisk, or Lexar. Avoid unbranded cards on Amazon Marketplace regardless of the claimed speeds — the counterfeit microSD card problem is real and persistent.

Best Gaming Monitors 2026: What’s Worth the Upgrade

Monitor buying advice gets overcomplicated very quickly because there are genuinely a lot of variables that matter: panel type, refresh rate, response time, resolution, HDR implementation, and input lag. I’ll cut through it: for most gamers in 2026, a 27-inch 1440p IPS panel at 165Hz+ with good HDR is the sweet spot. 4K gaming monitors are still priced at a significant premium for meaningful gains that most mid-range GPUs can’t fully exploit. Ultrawide is a niche preference. And OLED gaming monitors, whilst spectacular, start at £500 and above — a point I’ll address honestly.

Best Mid-Range Gaming Monitor: BenQ Mobiuz EX2710Q — £329

The BenQ Mobiuz EX2710Q at £329 is the monitor I’d recommend for the majority of PC gamers upgrading from a 1080p or older 1440p panel. It’s a 27-inch IPS display, 2560×1440 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and BenQ’s HDRi implementation is one of the better software-assisted HDR solutions at this price point. The built-in 2.1 channel speakers with a physical subunit are a genuine bonus — not audiophile quality, but meaningfully better than the tinny speakers built into most monitors, which is useful for desktop gaming without a dedicated speaker setup.

Response time is 1ms MPRT, which is fast enough for competitive play, and the IPS panel means viewing angles are wide — relevant if you share a screen for couch co-op or have a dual-monitor setup where you’re sometimes at an angle. At current UK pricing, it’s one of the better value propositions in the 1440p category. Keep an eye on Amazon and Scan Computers for sale pricing — it has dropped to £279 on occasion.

Budget Monitor Pick: AOC 24G2U — £139

For anyone on a tight budget, the AOC 24G2U at £139 is a 24-inch 1080p IPS panel at 144Hz that represents exceptional value. It’s not cutting-edge, but for competitive gaming or anyone with a mid-range GPU that can’t push 1440p comfortably, 1080p144Hz IPS is a genuinely pleasant experience. The build feels slightly plasticky and the stand has limited adjustment, but the panel quality is good. If you’re buying your first dedicated gaming monitor and aren’t sure you’ll stick with PC gaming long-term, this is a sensible starting point.

OLED Monitors: Brilliant But Check the Price

OLED gaming monitors genuinely are as good as the enthusiast press suggests. Infinite contrast, pixel-perfect response times, stunning colour accuracy. The LG 27GS95QE at around £549 is the most accessible quality OLED at 27 inches in the UK, and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDP at £749 is spectacular if you can justify it. But both carry burn-in risk with static gaming HUD elements, both require a display warranty that specifically covers burn-in (check the small print carefully), and both cost more than many graphics cards. Unless you’re a serious sim racer, fighting game competitor, or just have specific budget, the BenQ above gets you 80% of the experience for 60% of the price.

Best Mobile Gaming Controllers and Accessories 2026

Mobile gaming is no longer something to be snobbish about. Cloud gaming services have matured, PlayStation Remote Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming both work well on phones and tablets, and for retro gaming on the go — emulators on Android have never been better — a proper controller transforms the experience. I’ve been saying for three years that mobile controllers are underrated and I’ll keep saying it.

Best Mobile Controller: Backbone One PlayStation Edition — £99

The Backbone One PlayStation Edition for iPhone at £99 (there’s a USB-C version for Android and newer iPhones at the same price) is the best mobile gaming controller in 2026. It’s not cheap for what it is — a controller housing that clamps around your phone — but the execution is excellent. The buttons are clicky and satisfying, the triggers are proper analogue, the layout mirrors a DualSense, and the passthrough charging means your battery keeps up during longer sessions. PlayStation’s own Remote Play app integrates particularly neatly with this version.

For anyone who bought a Nintendo Switch 2 but wants something more pocketable for commuting, the Backbone is a genuinely compelling alternative for emulation and streaming use cases. There’s an interesting question about whether a device like this, combined with a mid-range Android phone, gives you more flexibility than a dedicated handheld — something we explored in depth in our comparison of the Steam Deck versus dedicated retro handhelds.

Budget Mobile Option: Gamesir X2 Pro — £49

The Gamesir X2 Pro at £49 is a decent budget alternative to the Backbone for Android users. The build is less premium — the plastic feels lighter, and the connection can occasionally dropout if your phone shifts in the mount — but for the price it’s functional and the button quality is better than you’d expect. If you’re testing the waters with mobile gaming before committing to the Backbone’s price, it’s a sensible first step.

Best Retro Gaming Accessories 2026: What the Community Actually Uses

This is RetroInHand, and I’m not going to write a gaming accessories guide without addressing the retro-specific kit that makes a genuine difference. Whether you’re playing original hardware or running emulation, there are accessories that transform the experience — and several that claim to but don’t.

Best Upscaler: RetroTINK 4K — £295

The RetroTINK 4K at £295 is the gold standard for connecting original retro hardware to modern displays and it’s worth every pound if you play original consoles seriously. It accepts composite, S-Video, SCART, and component signals, outputs at 4K with excellent processing options including scanline emulation and CRT filters, and the developer (Mike Chi) has released consistent firmware updates that have materially improved the product since launch. If you’re wondering why your PAL SNES or N64 looks mediocre on your 4K TV — and the PAL speed penalty compounds these display issues — an upscaler is the answer. For a deeper look at the underlying connection challenges with these older machines, our article on connecting a PAL Atari 2600 to a modern TV covers the fundamentals that apply across most pre-HDMI hardware.

If £295 is too steep, the RetroTINK 2X-Mini at £69 handles composite and S-Video to HDMI at 480p/576p and is a solid entry point. It won’t produce the same output quality as the 4K, but it’s a meaningful improvement over using an unmodified signal with an adaptor, and for casual retro gaming it’s perfectly satisfying.

8BitDo Retro Controllers: Worth It for Retro Purists

8BitDo’s dedicated retro controllers — the SN30 Pro (£34), the M30 for Mega Drive-style layouts (£29), and the N30 arcade stick (£49) — are genuinely excellent for specific use cases. The M30 in particular is my controller of choice for anything that benefits from a proper six-button layout: Street Fighter, Sonic, Gunstar Heroes. The build quality is notably better than the knock-off retro controllers flooding the market, and the wireless connectivity (both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz) means you’re not locked to a specific setup. If you’re building a dedicated retro emulation station or connecting to original hardware via the 8BitDo USB receiver, these earn their price.

I’ll add a note here about cartridge maintenance, because the two go hand in hand: if you’re playing original hardware, you’ll periodically need to clean cartridge contacts, and a proper isopropyl alcohol kit costs about £8 from most hardware shops. Don’t use WD-40, don’t use water, and don’t use those pencil erasers you read about in mid-2000s gaming forums. Our guide on cleaning oxidised PAL SNES cartridge contacts without damaging the board has the exact process.

Best Wireless Adapter for Original Controllers: 8BitDo Retro Receiver — £19

The 8BitDo Retro Receiver at £19 is a small device that plugs into an original NES, SNES, Mega Drive, or N64 controller port and allows you to use any Bluetooth controller — including DualShock 4, DualSense, Xbox Wireless, and 8BitDo’s own pads — with the original hardware. It’s brilliant for multiplayer setups where cable tangle is a genuine problem, and at £19 it’s cheap enough to own several. The latency added by the wireless connection is imperceptible in normal gameplay.

Gaming Accessories to Actively Avoid in 2026

I promised I’d be direct about bad value, so here it is. These aren’t just products I personally dislike — they’re products where I think UK buyers are routinely spending more than they should for what they get.

Generic Amazon RGB Keyboards Under £30

The market for sub-£30 mechanical keyboards from brands you’ve never heard of (Redragon, Havit, Royal Kludge and their many variants) is a lottery. Some are decent. Many have wildly inconsistent switch quality, rattling stabilisers that no amount of lubing will fix, and keycaps that wear through in months. If you want an entry-level mechanical keyboard, spend £60–80 on an Aula F75 or Keychron K2 Pro. They’re categorically better in every way and will last years rather than months.

£150+ Gaming Chairs from Unknown Brands

The gaming chair market is almost entirely built on marketing. Most chairs branded as “gaming” with LED strips, bucket seat styling, and aggressive branding are ergonomically poor. The lumbar support is often in the wrong place, the foam compresses within a year, and the racing seat design works for racing drivers (who are braced in a fixed position) but not for desktop gaming (where you need to shift position regularly). For £150, a decent second-hand office chair from a brand like Herman Miller, Steelcase, or even a quality Ikea Markus will serve your back better over three years than any gaming chair at that price. I will die on this hill.

Branded HDMI Cables Over £10

There is no practical difference between an HDMI 2.1 cable from Amazon Basics at £8 and a branded “gaming” HDMI cable from Belkin or UGREEN at £25–30 for standard gaming use cases. Digital signals either work or they don’t — there’s no middle ground where an expensive cable produces “richer colour” or “lower latency.” The HDMI specification ensures compliance. Buy a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable from a reputable brand (Amazon Basics, Cable Matters) for under £10 and spend the rest on an actual game.

Console-Specific Subscription Hardware That Locks You In

Be cautious about accessories that only function within a single manufacturer’s ecosystem. Certain streaming docks, proprietary storage expansions (looking at the original Xbox Series proprietary expansion cards here), and platform-specific audio adapters have a history of becoming unusable when platform support ends or pricing changes. Cross-platform accessories hold their value and utility far better. This is part of why the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C, which works across Switch, PC, and Android, is a smarter buy than a premium single-platform-only pad for most people.

Where to Buy Gaming Accessories in the UK in 2026

Where you buy matters almost as much as what you buy, particularly for consumer rights and warranty purposes. Under UK consumer law, your statutory rights run for six years from purchase (two years under the Consumer Rights Act for guaranteed fault-free operation), and your contract is with the retailer, not the manufacturer. This means buying from a UK-based retailer with a physical presence is meaningfully better than buying direct from overseas brands.

Amazon UK is convenient and its returns process is generally reliable, but be careful about Marketplace sellers — always check that the sold and dispatched by is Amazon itself, or verify that the third-party seller is UK-based with strong ratings. Counterfeit accessories, particularly microSD cards and cables, are a genuine problem on Marketplace.

Currys (in-store and online) has improved significantly as a retailer and their Knowhow team is generally knowledgeable about gaming hardware. Prices aren’t always the lowest but their price-match policy and straightforward returns process make them worth the occasional premium. For monitors and headsets in particular, being able to test in-store before buying is useful.

Scan Computers (scan.co.uk) is my preferred source for monitors, SSDs, and PC gaming peripherals. Their pricing on components is frequently the best in the UK, their customer service is excellent, and they stock a wide range of products that never appear in mainstream retailers. If you’re looking at the WD_BLACK SN850X or a BenQ monitor, check Scan first.

Game is fine for controllers, headsets, and console accessories but rarely offers the best pricing. Their in-store staff can be helpful for advice on platform-specific accessories. Don’t buy games or accessories at full RRP from Game without checking Amazon and Currys first.

CEX is worth knowing about for controllers specifically. You can frequently find Xbox Series controllers and DualSense pads in good condition for £25–35 secondhand, which is a meaningful saving if you need a second pad for multiplayer. Their grading system is reliable and they offer a warranty on secondhand purchases.

For retro-specific accessories — upscalers, SCART cables, console-specific controllers — RetroGamingCables (retrogamingcables.co.uk) and Castlemania Games are both excellent UK-based specialists. Hand Held Legend is worth bookmarking for retro handheld mods and replacement screens. These niche retailers understand the products they sell in a way that mainstream retail simply doesn’t.

The Accessories That Actually Changed My Setup This Year

Every year I try to be honest about what I’ve personally used and found genuinely transformative, rather than just listing products I’ve tested briefly. In 2025–26, three accessories have made a concrete difference to my actual gaming time.

The first is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C, which I’ve already praised. I switched to it from an Xbox Series controller for all my PC gaming and the Hall Effect sticks have completely eliminated the low-level drift anxiety that was a permanent background noise with the Xbox pad. It sounds trivial but it genuinely improved how relaxed I feel during longer sessions.

The second is the Samsung T7 Shield, which I use for my retro gaming library on both a handheld emulation device and a living room PC. Having a single fast drive that I can unplug and carry between setups — with full BIOS folders, save states, and ROMs all in one place — has simplified my workflow enormously. I used to maintain three separate storage solutions and it was a mess. One portable SSD with a sensible folder structure fixed it.

The third is less glamorous: a proper desk monitor arm at £45 from Amazon Basics. It freed up significant desk space, lets me reposition the monitor instantly for different games (slightly closer for PC gaming, angled up for handhelds on a stand), and cost a fraction of what I expected. Not every accessory needs to be exciting to be worth buying. That desk arm improved my daily gaming experience more than any £200 headset would have.

If you’re thinking about how accessories complement the broader question of platform choice — particularly whether a Steam Deck setup with good peripherals competes with dedicated retro handhelds — we’ve done the numbers on that in our piece on whether the Steam Deck is worth it for retro gaming over dedicated handhelds. The accessory ecosystem around the Steam Deck is one of the factors that genuinely shifts the value calculation in its favour for certain users.

Final Verdict: Spend Smart, Not Heavy

The single most important thing I can tell you about buying gaming accessories in 2026 is this: the quality ceiling at £60 is higher than it has ever been, and the value floor above £150 has dropped through the floor. The best controller for most people costs £39. The best headset for most people costs £59. A genuinely capable portable SSD costs £89. You don’t need to spend more than that to have an excellent gaming setup.

Spend more when it solves a specific, real problem you have — a capture card for streaming, an upscaler for serious retro gaming, a fast internal SSD for PS5. Don’t spend more because a brand has a convincing marketing campaign or because a product looks impressive in a YouTube unboxing. Ask whether the premium version is better or just more expensive, and be sceptical of the answer the manufacturer gives you.

The accessories in this guide are things I’d spend my own money on. A few of them I have spent my own money on. That’s the test I apply to everything I recommend here, and it’s why I’m comfortable telling you plainly when something isn’t worth it. The gaming industry has been very good at convincing people that more expensive means better for long enough. You can stop believing it now.

If you’re building out a retro-focused setup specifically, bookmark our best budget consoles guide for 2026 — the right console choice and the right accessories chosen together will give you far more for your money than an expensive controller attached to a disappointing machine.