Christmas is now officially less than 10 days away, as hard as it may be to believe. As a result, shoppers are in their final stretch of Christmas shopping, so it seemed like the perfect time to take a look at the best options out there for those looking for gifts for gamers. With many different platforms out there, it made sense to split them up to allow those looking to better navigate the systems in which they are looking to purchase or purchase games for this holiday season.
To kick off the festivities, we are going to take a look at the console that has sold the best over the last year, the PlayStation 4. While it was finally uncrowned this past month, there is no doubt that it could easily fight back this month and reclaim the title in December. This guide will not only be focused on the games, as the console itself and accessories will also be discussed. Some of the games may overlap between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One list, but mostly we will stick to one that has the better overall experience from DLC exclusivity to better performance.
These are the PlayStation 4 related items you may want to look for as gifts. The prices listed within the parentheses are the retail prices on each, but the detailed descriptions may provide sales going on in the next week or so before Christmas, if there are any.
PlayStation 4 Console ($399.99)
Where else could we start but with the system itself that is needed to play all the games, the PlayStation 4 itself. Retailing for $399.99, bundles for the console have finally cropped up since Black Friday, including the best offering that comes with Grand Theft Auto V and The Last of Us Remastered, along with one that comes with both LEGO Batman 3 and LittleBigPlanet 3. Making this even better is the deal we told you about yesterday at Target that lasts through Saturday, where you can get the console at 15% off at only $339.99 total by using their Cartwheel app. If you are interested, you can check out more details here, but just be forewarned that it ends on December 20 and then you will only be able to get it for the regular price of $399.99
DualShock 4 Controller ($59.99-$64.99)
Currently on the market, there are four official DualShock 4 controllers from Sony that you can buy. There is of course the default black controller that retails for $59.99, along with the Wave Blue and Glacier White that will cost you the same. In addition, there is the Urban Camouflage DualShock 4 that will cost you a little extra at $64.99. The base console only comes with one controller, so it is always a good idea to at least have one extra for local play with friends.
PS Plus Subscription ($49.99 per year)
While it was just something extra gamers could have on PlayStation 3, a subscription to PS Plus is a near requirement for anyone that buys a PlayStation 4. In addition to getting free games every month, which is reason enough to subscribe, players will now need to sign up to play any games online. Online centric games like Destiny and The Crew can still be played without the membership, but so many features cannot be accessed and it just makes sense to subscribe now, much like how most everyone was an Xbox Live Gold member on Xbox 360.
PlayStation Camera ($59.99)
Rather than including it with the console as was done with the Xbox One and the Kinect, the PlayStation Camera was sold completely separate, which led to many shortages earlier this year. However, it is now very easy to find and with games like Just Dance 2015 able to use it, as well as the streaming apps, this could be worth a purchase for some gamers.
PlayStation 4 Wireless Headset ($99.99-$149.99)
The PS4 itself comes with a very lame earbud, which means that those who like to play online almost have to go out and buy a quality headset. There are cheaper ones out there, but comfort and sound quality is very important these days, especially if you play on using them to just play games or watch movies as well. The official Sony Gold Wireless Stereo Headset is a quality option at $99.99, which can often be found on sale as well. I personally was a big fan of the Turtle Beach Ear Force PX4 headset for PS4, which retails for $149.99, so it really all depends on how much you are willing to spend, as both feature surround sound. You may want to visit somewhere like Best Buy, where you can typically find some on display to try out, to see which is most comfortable for you.
The next page will cover the best exclusives to the PlayStation brand that are available on PlayStation 4.
