Gaming was once the domain of teenagers with too much free time. In recent years, though, playing video games has gone mainstream to the point that there are professional gaming leagues. In fact, around 64 percent of adults now play video games to one degree or another.

For the aspiring professional gamer or actual professional gamer, though, just setting up a gaming system on your TV isn’t really enough. You need a gaming setup so you can play for fun or practice.

Keep reading and we’ll cover the gaming essentials every pro gamer needs.

Also, read this article: What Video Game Character You Are Based on Your Zodiac Sign

Gaming Headset

Whether you’re a dedicated PC player or a hardcore console gamer, odds are good that at least one game you play requires team interaction. That means you need a decent gaming headset.

A good gaming headset must meet a few basic requirements:

• Comfortable
• Good audio quality
• Good mic quality

You’ll wear that headset for hours at some point, so comfort is a must. You need good audio quality so you can understand what your teammates say. You need good mic quality so they can understand you.

Ideally, a good headset will help improve your play as it improves understanding between teammates. It’s definitely up there in terms of gaming accessories that you should have to compete.

Portable Hard Drive

You can often upgrade the storage space on both PCs and consoles, but there are practical limits. It’s often easier and less expensive to invest in a portable hard drive.

The portable drive lets you install and store all of your games and data in one place. It’s also an easy way to add a terabyte or two of storage to your system without the hassle of opening up your tower or console case. Plus, you don’t have to worry about copying over any data.

Most external drives will work as a plug-and-play device with your existing systems.

Gaming Chair

Lounging on a couch is fine for casual play, but it’s not ideal for pro-level play. For those extended play sessions, you need something with a more ergonomic design in mind. That means you need a gaming chair.

Much like a good headset, a good gaming chair should have a few key features, such as:

• High back
• Lumbar support
• Adjustable arms
• Adjustable height
• Tilt

There is some crossover in design between office chairs and gaming chairs, but they aren’t the same. Look for a dedicated gaming chair to get all those back pain-reducing features that make them such a worthwhile investment.

Gaming Essentials and You

There are, of course, countless accessories that you might think of as gaming essentials. For example, you might get a charging cradle for controllers, a webcam for recording, or even a headset hanger.

When you pare it down to the absolute needs, though, you get a headset, a chair, and a portable hard drive. They make you more efficient and more comfortable. Plus, they will also limit how much time you spend altering your tower or console.

Looking for more gaming or gaming setup tips? Check out some of the other posts over in our Gaming section.