What to Upgrade First in a Setup

Fix the chair and the desk height before buying any device. A comfortable position improves every session, not just games. A cheaper item that fits your desk and your hands beats an expensive one that does not.

Fit matters more than specs

Upgrade the monitor next if the current one is small or slow. Check the refresh rate, which changes how smooth games feel. The gear you touch constantly improves the experience more than the gear you look at.

Spend where you touch the game

Then upgrade the mouse and the keyboard, which you touch constantly. Audio comes next, since a good headset lasts for years. Buy one item at a time and use it for a week before deciding on the next.

Before ordering, measure the desk, the available space, and the distance to the screen. Gear that does not fit is returned or left in a drawer, whatever the reviews say. Check the return window and the warranty, and read recent reviews rather than the launch coverage. A single well-chosen item that solves a real annoyance is worth more than a collection of small upgrades. Read the measurements twice and compare them with the space you have, because a product photo hides the real size.

Upgrade the PC or console last if the games run acceptably. Comfort and reliability matter more than the numbers on the box.

Before you order

• Chair and desk first
• Monitor second
• Input devices third
• Hardware last

Test before upgrading

Check the bottleneck rather than the oldest component. A faster monitor does nothing if the hardware cannot reach the frame rate. Cleaning and cable management extend the life of gear more than any upgrade.

Buy one item at a time and test it before the next. Do not upgrade for a game that releases next year.

Keep it clean and working

Check the return policy on expensive gear. Sell the replaced item rather than storing it. Return policies matter, because fit is difficult to judge from a product page.

If the new gear does not improve things, change the setup before buying again. Height, distance, lighting, and cable routing often matter more than the device itself. Keep the packaging for the first two weeks, clean the item regularly, and write down what you changed. The best gear is the gear you stop noticing because it simply works. If a device feels wrong after a few sessions, adjust the position first, and keep the receipt until it has survived a week of normal use. Keep a simple list of what you own and when it was bought, because the warranty and the replacement cycle are easier to track than to remember, and measure the space again before the next order.

Consider used gear for accessories, which age slowly. A stable desk and a good chair outlast every device on it. Upgrade for the sessions you actually have. If you want the wider picture, read How to Get a Gaming Headset to Fit Properly before you decide.

For the underlying guidance, see the RTINGS headphone reviews.