Today, the Apple Watch is considered one of the most popular smartwatches globally, and it’s not a surprising fact when you consider the number of people you see walking or jogging on the street with their Apple Watch smartly strapped around their wrists. And, if you’re someone who absolutely cannot do without their Apple Watch, then this collection of innovative and nifty accessories is for you. From NASA-themed Apple Watch bands to bands made from plant-based leather – these super cool accessories are a must-have for Apple Watch lovers.
1. RSTR Case
Designed by Golden Concept, the RSTR Case features a beautiful transparent crystalline design that converts your Apple Watch Ultra into a shimmering jewel that you can wear on your wrist and show off. The case is available in four beautiful colors and is built using 50 meticulously engineered parts. Both the home and action buttons are crafted from stainless steel, making them slightly larger and easier to use.
2. The (Re)Classic Band
The (Re)Classic Band for Apple Watch is a cruelty-free Italian leather-inspired band. The band is made using repurposed mycelium, which is essentially fungal threads that span long distances underground, from which mushrooms blossom and grow out. It is one of the many all-natural resources utilized in the synthesis of Yatay by Coronet.
3. Sandmarc’s Apple Watch Ultra Band
Designed by Sandmarc, this Apple Watch Ultra Band is an Oyster-style that is made from grade-2 titanium. It features the perfect color and finish to match the Apple Watch Ultra. All you need to do is slip the band on, and the extreme smartwatch converts into a luxurious-looking haute timepiece.
4. TimePorter
Twelve South’s TimePorter is the ultimate organizer for your Apple Watch straps. It holds and showcases all your watch straps on an easy-to-access linear shelf, and can transform your Watch Strap collection into a displayable art piece that allows you to flex your straps the way people flex their sneaker collection!
5. Mark_B_Case
Dubbed the innovative Mark_B_Case , this unique design is intended to power your Apple Watch and keep it functioning without missing a beat. The case features a 450mAh battery, which extends your Apple Watch’s utility by three times more. The case is designed to be more than an ordinary Powerbank case and is instead a sleek masterpiece that incorporates your Apple Watch as a case.
6. Hermès Apple Watch Bands
Hermès has launched a variety of roughly 20 leather band variants for the newly released Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2. The brand also released a variety of other designs, colors, and materials, which provide a quick and cool update for your wrist. This collection includes four new styles that have been inspired by luxurious textiles.
7. Y24 Apple Watch Cases
This collection of Apple Watch cases is designed by Y24, and it is a price-friendly collection that draws inspiration from the lifestyle of Tokyo. The unique collection perfectly captures the cool vibe of the city, and they’re designed to provide an innovative identity without compromising on or sacrificing Apple’s originality.
8. HiRise 3 Deluxe
Dubbed the HiRise 3 Deluxe, this MagSafe-certified accessory is designed by Twelve South and can charge your iPhone up to 15W. It features a unique and adjustable MagSafe pad, which offers a 35-degree angle shift to support optimal viewing. It favors a front-to-back arrangement, unlike the usual side-by-side layout.
9. NASA-themed Apple Watch Straps
MobyFox’s Apple Watch straps come in seven diverse NASA-approved designs that you can choose from. They come along with 20+ watch faces to match. The straps are built from sweat and UV-resistant silicone, and they feature a large range of graphical elements that surround NASA’s rebranding over the ages.
10. Nomad Sport Band
Nomad released its latest limited-edition glow-in-the-dark Apple Watch Sport Band which features a cool green phosphorescence. It redefines the way you approach intense workouts and everyday styles. The band will be the perfect companion in your athletic and modern journey during the day and night.
As we near the final days of 2023 (known in some circles as either one of the best years in gaming history or one of the worst) the massively popular gaming hobby shows no sign of slowing down in terms of public reception. In fact, Statista predicts that 3.1 billion humans (a little less than half of the current global population) will regularly play games as a hobby by 2027.
But can you truly call yourself a “gamer” if you don’t spend at least a little time and money decking out the room you play games in? I’m half-joking; of course there is no specific “correct” way to play video games in your own house. But there are quite a few gadgets and cool decorative items you can use to make any gaming room more impressive.
Whether you’re a PC gamer who wants an extra edge, a racing game enthusiast who wants maximum immersion, or if you simply want to make your entertainment center a little more comfortable, you’ve got a number of options at your fingertips to trick out your gaming room to match your style. To help you out, I’ve come up with a list of gaming room accessories that immediately come to mind, including a few mainstays I’ve used in my personal gaming setup for years.
1. Playseat Trophy – Logitech G Edition
Playseat is one of the best racing chair brands you can buy from, and this collaboration between Playseat and Logitech (called the Playseat Trophy – Logitech G Edition) is probably the best option for an all-rounder racing chair with direct drive wheel support plus all the other bells and whistles you’ll need for maximum immersion. It’s also advertised to naturally conform to the shape of your body thanks to Playseat’s patented ActiFit material, so you can theoretically sit inside of it and race for hours without developing aches and cramps. It’s a little expensive at an MSRP of $599.00, but it’s hard to find a decent racing chair below that price range, and critics love the mix of features and high build quality.
2. Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel and Pro Racing Pedals
If you’re going to invest in a high-quality direct drive racing wheel and accompanying racing pedals, you’re going to want to go straight to the best one on the market. That’s the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel and Pro Racing Pedals bundled together for around $1348.99 – which, yes, is expensive, but if you’re in the market for a high-end racing setup anyway, is money even an object? GamesRadar+ had some especially kind words for the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel, highlighting the powerful force feedback, robust customization options, and advanced features throughout the design. It’s also widely known as one of the sturdiest racing wheels around, with IGN’s slightly less enthusiastic review still giving credit to Logitech for delivering on its commitment to quality.
3. Cololight Smart RGB LED Gaming Lights
Hexagonal LED wall lights are a popular and stylish way to decorate any gaming area or entertainment center, and I find the Cololight COLO PLAY Ultimate Fusion Set offers the best price balance for the widest range of features as it’s designed around PC gaming setups – letting you sync a wide range of lighting systems (like Razer Chroma) with Cololight’s hex lighting pieces. The included COLO PLAY light switch sits comfortably on your desk and is especially useful to quickly cycle your hex lights and PC lights by simply twisting a knob. Not only that, but the company pledges to plant a tree with every purchase made on its online store, which is a nice gesture on its own.
4. Secretlab MAGNUS Pro
Sit-stand desks are an excellent centerpiece for any modern PC gaming setup, and one of the best-rated desks in 2023 is the Secretlab MAGNUS Pro. It’s spacious, sturdy, and has a number of quality-of-life features like electric height control, a cable management system, and even a little headphone hook for added convenience. It also contains a rather impressive integrated RGB lighting system, making for a unique and stylish design. Its height is configurable via an array of buttons conveniently accessible on its front panel. It’s expensive, but the reviews are unanimously (overwhelmingly) positive, with GamesRadar+ calling it the best sit-stand desk they’ve ever tested when they reviewed it in February 2023.
5. NEWTRAL MagicH Ultra Adaptive Support Home Office Chair
I personally dislike most gaming chairs I’ve ever sat in. I’m a firm believer that the secret to buying a proper gaming chair is avoiding them altogether, and instead investing in a really nice office chair. After all, office chairs are designed to be sat in for at least eight hours a day by office workers of all builds and ages. Their most critical function is comfort, and the NEWTRAL MagicH seems to push the boundaries on just how comfortable an office chair can be. This Kickstarter-backed office chair is advertised to provide full support in any sitting position, whether you’re sitting upright or reclining back. As someone who spends a lot of time sitting down in the same computer chair all day for both work and gaming, I’ve been looking for something that adapts to my needs throughout the day, and the NEWTRAL MagicH is on the tippy top of my wish list.
6. Logitech G560 LIGHTSYNC PC Gaming Speakers
I’ve been using these Logitech G560 2.1 PC speakers for years now, and I still recommend them as a compulsory purchase for any modern PC gaming setup. Their sound quality is decent enough – these aren’t going to compete against a proper 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, or even a nice pair of monitors. However, for the $200 MSRP, you’re getting a powerful 2.1 PC speaker system that also provides a ton of visual ambiance. These speakers double as LED lights that beam colors onto the surface behind your monitor. They can be configured via Logitech G HUB software to mimic the visuals on your monitor itself, creating a dynamic backlighting experience that heightens immersion when playing games and watching movies. Just remember to turn up the brightness to max and boost the subwoofer in the acoustics menu, otherwise these will be a lot darker and a lot quieter than advertised.
7. Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
The most stylish gaming PC monitor you can currently buy is the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, which looks incredible at 5120×1440 resolution with 1800R curvature …and all the additional bells and whistles you could possibly want. The Odyssey OLED G9’s integrated HDR 400 support should look produce crisp and rich colors thanks to its OLED display, which doesn’t rely on a backlight and therefore negates the need for local dimming to generate deep blacks and bright whites. It’s designed for gamers first and foremost, running at up to 240Hz refresh rates with Freesync. It’s also rated for 0.03ms response times, meaning almost no perceptible input lag. From a purely aesthetic perspective, the minimalistic design of its stand and the integrated RBG backlights make the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 a centerpiece rather than an eyesore.
8. Xbox Mini Fridge
The Xbox Mini Fridge is admittedly a bit goofy, but then again, it’s not a “real” fridge. What was originally a meme product designed to build up hype for the then-new Xbox Series X in 2020, is still a genuinely cool item to have sitting around in any gaming room. It’s small, with a sleek black chassis and bright green inlay that mimics the design of a proper Xbox Series X. But its best feature is the integrated green LED that gives it its visual flair. Besides, it’s perfect to store a few cans of soda in since it is, after all, classified as a mini fridge.
9. Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV Backlights
Console gaming is way more immersive with a dynamic TV backlight that beams colors onto the surface behind your TV to match the visuals on-screen. Thanks to the Govee DreamView T1 Pro, you can light up your entire entertainment center across three different zones. It’s all controlled by a single camera placed on top of (or below!) your television screen, which can interpret the colors on the screen into information which tells the lighting zones which color to display at any moment. In action, the wide range of lights and colors displaying across the entire entertainment center makes games and movies come to life.
10. PDP REALMz Gaming Controllers for Xbox/PC/Nintendo Switch
Unique gaming controllers are a great way to personalize your gaming room, and thanks to the PDP REALMz diorama controllers for Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch, you can impress your friends with artsy designs that feature popular characters and backdrops. What really stands out here, though, is their transparent design, which makes them look retro. These are a great gift for any gamer in your life, or you can decorate your own gaming room with the wide assortment of styles and colors offered by PDP REALMz.
Meta in partnership with Ray-Ban has launched the second generation of their smart glasses today. A refreshing take on their 2021 Stories smart glasses, these are named more attractively as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. The company is refraining from calling them the successors to the first ones, since they were not fancied by the tech community in general.
That said, the new version also comes with built-in speakers and five microphones to attend calls or seamlessly use the voice assistant. Meta is positioning them as a daily wearable to click photos and videos from your eye’s point of view. Pretty interesting isn’t it?
Designer: Meta
They were released during the Connect event and the hardware alone has a significant bump up compared to the Stories smart glasses. There’s a 12MP wide-angle camera capable of recording videos at 1080p/60fps and 32GB on-board storage. The photos and videos are much crisper now, enough for you to stay in the social media limelight. If you want, the recorded videos can be live-streamed to Facebook or Instagram via a nearby paired device. However, in this option, the quality can deteriorate if your internet connectivity is slow.
According to Meta the new open-back speakers are 50 percent louder and leak less noise, so you can keep your conversations incognito. The bass has a thump and the vocals are much clearer which in combination with the spatial audio elevates the listening experience. The design has also got a bump up, as the glasses have thinner arms and the larger touchpad is very easy to use. Tap and swipe gestures for controlling the volume levels and recording videos, make these smart glasses intuitive.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with 36 hours of battery life in the accompanying case look better than most of the other major competitors in the market. They no longer feel like a concept rushed into the production stage and solve the intended purpose.
The glasses are up for pre-order in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia right away for a price tag starting at $299. You can opt for the polarized version costing $329 or the transition lenses for $379. The official sale for the smart glasses available in cool color options will commence on October 17.
