2023 Christmas Gadget Buying Guide

Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach React-R Controller

I’ve been a long-time fan of Turtle Beach, and with their latest React-R controller being compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC, it ticks all the right boxes for my gaming needs, and more importantly, my kids.

With it being wired, there’s no worrying about charging or batteries, so you can game for as long as you like. However, despite being cheaper than an official controller, it packs a few more features, such as a built-in USB Turtle Beach soundcard that adds EQ, SuperHuman Hearing, and even some quick-map buttons on the back like you get on SCUF controllers; if there’s a better budget controller on the market, I haven’t seen it!

Features

• Game-Enhancing Audio Controls – Quick-access audio controls including Superhuman Hearing, game and chat volume balance & mic mute right at your fingertips.
• Superhuman Hearing – From quiet footsteps sneaking up, to enemy weapon reloads, Turtle Beach’s exclusive Superhuman Hearing sound setting lets you hear every detail for the ultimate gaming audio advantage.
• Two Mappable Quick-Action Buttons – Speed up your response with two mappable buttons that you can set to your preferred function.
• Vibration Feedback – Dual rumble motors in the handles and triggers enhance immersion for realistic, next-gen gameplay.
• Officially Licensed for Xbox – The REACT-R Controller is built to dominate on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows 10 & 11 PCs.

It’s got an MSRP of just £31.68 but at the time of writing it’s just £29 on Amazon and available in a range of funky colours too!

£29 at Amazon.com

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick

The Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick is by far one of the most incredible peripherals to ever hit the market. Not only is it crammed full of exceptional features, but it’s also surprisingly affordable. At just £119 I’m staggered by how much value for money this flightstick offers.

Features

• High-precision, Non-Contact Main Axes
• Customizable, Multi-Function Throttle & Flap Levers
• 27 Programmable Buttons, 8 Axes, POV Hat & Rapid-Fire Trigger
• Integrated, OLED Flight Management Display
• Intuitive Flight Configuration Wheel

It’s a stunning thing to look at, with RGB lighting, a modular left/right-handed design, and a plethora of unique control surfaces, such as both a d-pad and analogue stick on the head of the flight stick, a touch pad mouse and scroll wheel, and the best feature of all is the OLED display.

The silver circle around the base is a giant dial and D-pad, you can turn it to cycle through various settings and readouts on the OLED display, customise response curves, RGB, configure the built-in sound card levels and profiles, cycle device modes, and so much more.

Given a fully featured HOTAS is triple the price, I’m actually shocked just how much this comes with for its price range, and it’s easily configured for simulation games like Flight Simulator 2020, to space-based action in games like Elite, or Star Citizen.

It’s fully compatible with Xbox consoles and PCs as well as add-on devices such as the rudder pedals and throttle peripherals that Turtle Beach also produce.

This means you can expand your sim setup in the future, which is just awesome!