Being a pro gamer isn’t just about getting good. Trust me, I’ve been playing competitive shooters for over nine years now, so I know what I’m talking about. No matter how good you get, you’re going to have to invest a little bit of cash into getting the right equipment. If you want to be a pro gamer, you need:
- A headset
- A Scuf controller/keyboard and mouse
- A gaming chair
- A monitor
- Gfuel or some other energy and concentration enhancer.
- Good internet
It’s not enough to just do up a shopping list and call it a day, though. So, let me dive into why you need equipment like this from a theoretical standpoint.
You can get all the pro gaming you need for a great price on Amazon here.
Equipment You Need For Professional Gaming
Regardless of how good you are at gaming, investing in some equipment is mandatory at the professional level for one big reason.
Fundamentally, you need professional gaming equipment because that’s what your competition is using. You’re not going to see a professional driver cruising along a track in a Ford Focus, even if they’re the best driver in the world.
A good craftsman doesn’t blame their tools, but they need to be operating on a level playing field. If your opponent has better equipment than you, then they’re going to see better results even if they don’t play better.
A Professional Headset
The first and most important piece of gaming equipment I recommend you invest in is a decent headset. If you’re on a budget, a $50 pair of Turtle Beaches will do you just fine. Ideally, though, you’ll have a few hundred to spend on a quality pair of Astros which you can find for a bargain on Amazon.
There are few things to consider when you’re trying to improve at your game of choice, but one of those things is your awareness. When you’re in a game, the two senses you have at your disposal are sight and sound. You can already see what’s going on, so it’s more important to optimize your ability to hear.
It’s not good enough to be able to hear random explosions and gunshots through your speakers. You need to be able to identify where sounds are coming from at any given time. Specifically, you want to be able to hear your opponent’s footsteps.
A quality headset not only helps you hear those footsteps easier, but it’s also going to allow you to hear where they’re coming from, letting you know where your enemies are before you see them.
In games like COD it is SUPER important to get the jump on your enemies, to see my tips as an amateur COD player to improve check out my article
SCUF Controller or a Good Keyboard and Mouse
This equipment changes based on whether you’re on console or PC, but the function of both remains the same: you move and aim better.
You’re not going to be winning any games if you can’t hit your shots. This goes for shooters and RTS games like League of Legends.
If you and your opponents are both on the same skill level, a fraction of a second is all it takes for you to either win or lose the game. A Scuf controller or a good quality mouse and keyboard affords you those extra milliseconds. To see if a SCUF controller is worth it see my article.
A Gaming Chair
If you have aspirations to become a professional gamer, then I have to assume you’re playing at least four or five hours per day. Ideally, you’ll be playing upwards of 10 hours, but that’s only if you’re serious about gaming as a career.
Either way, you’re going to be spending a lot of time sitting down at your setup. Take it from me when I say that a routine like this really takes a toll. Not only is your back going to get destroyed over the course of several years you need to become pro but it can get to the stage where you struggle to stand up straight for more than a few hours at a time.
I took a holiday to Rome a few years ago. At that point, I was so used to sitting down that my back cramped up while I was on a tour of the Colosseum. The only way I was able to walk for hours after that was by hunching over because my spine was used to being curved.
A gaming chair isn’t going to negate this completely, but it is going to make a massive difference compared to an office chair or something like a couch or beanbag.
I highly recommend the company GTRACING, they make excellent game chairs at a reasonable price to see if more information about the company take a look at my article.
Gaming Monitor
Aside from your headset, a good quality monitor should be what you’re prioritizing before you buy anything else. If any of you out there trying to become professional gamers are playing on your 42-inch flatscreen; you’re putting yourself at a big disadvantage.
Not only are competitive games not built for that kind of resolution, but the input lag you’re going to get compared to anyone on even a budget monitor is night and day. If it takes your screen half a second to register your gunshots, but it takes my screen 0.01 milliseconds, I’m going to beat you every single time.
When you’re shopping for a monitor, the most spec to look for is your response time. This dictates how much input delay the monitor has. Whether you’re getting an Asus or a BenQ, make sure you’re getting a model with a 0.01ms response time. Don’t settle for anything other than that. Curious why gamers use two monitors? Learn the truth from my article.
Take a look at the best gaming monitors with 0.01ms response time for great prices on Amazon here.
Gfuel or Monster
When I say Gfuel or Monster, I really mean any kind of supplement that’s going to give you energy and help you concentrate. I’m partial to Gfuel myself, but you can go with an energy drink of your choice I personally love coffee made with an Italian Press.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you to drink caffeinated drinks because they’re unhealthy. If you can drink water instead. However, when you need to be playing at the top of your game for eight or nine hours at a time, you’re going to start getting gassed.
Having a go-to energy reserve can be helpful for the longer grinds you find yourself on; just make sure you don’t overdo it.
Good Internet
Last but not least, you’re going to need some high-speed internet. I hate to break it to you, kiddos, but if I pay $400 per month for broadband and you pay $50, I am going to beat you. You could be leagues better than me, but that difference in connection is going to be too strong to overcome
There’s one simple way to boost your internet without paying for a package upgrade, and that’s using a wire. If you’re not close enough to your router to run a wire from it, get yourself a wireless amplified that runs through your electricity.
Alternatively, invest in a Nighthawk gaming router. These machines are an easy way to tack on some extra Mbps to your internet speed, provided you’re willing to shell out $150-$300 on one. It might be expensive but after all your trying to be the best right?