I’m a nerd, gamer, and pa. I would like these 10 Christmas presents as a result of nobody ever asks!

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi gaming headset

My present set of cans is a catastrophe. The Razer Kraken Professionals served me effectively throughout hundreds of gaming periods and esports romps, however now their ear padding is clinging on for expensive life because of a judicial software of duct tape (it fixes every thing).

I haven’t changed them but as a result of, you recognize, lease and meals and youngsters’ sports activities ain’t low cost, particularly whenever you’re a single dad. However I’ve been eyeing a alternative headset for when my tax returns or an additional paycheck rolls round, and I do know my subsequent set: SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi gaming headset.

These got here out in 2022, however they nonetheless verify each field I search. Sterling audio and mic high quality are desk stakes after all, however as a geek, I’m drawn to the deep software program personalizations accessible. Extra importantly, this S-tier headset connects not solely to PCs, but additionally all main gaming consoles, with essential twin wi-fi performance that permits you to swap between sources with the press of a button. Placing a sport down in my workplace and choosing it up in my front room will likely be a breeze.

However the actual draw is Energetic Noise Cancellation. Generally I simply want some quiet, man — and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Professional Wi-fi delivers. Curiously, a function we listed as a unfavourable in our evaluate (“Energetic Noise Cancellation gained’t block out all exterior sound”) is definitely a constructive for me. I need to listen to if my daughter begins yelling or a pipe bursts.

The Düngeonmeister Cookbook

Jef Aldrich/Jon Taylor

In THIS family we stan Dungeons & Dragons. However my daughter is in highschool and gained’t be a part of THIS family for much longer. So, I need to stage up her life expertise whereas she’s nonetheless in tutorial mode.

Enter The Düngeonmeister Cookbook, a tome so pleasant my colleague Gabriela Vatu highlighted it in her personal geeky presents roundup as effectively. Wish to strive your individual bardic tavern meals? This comes with 75 recipes — pleasant dishes like Dwarven Battle Pasta, Adamantine Bars, and Dragon on a Stick Simple-Eat Meat Skewers — and since they dovetail with our D20-rolling pursuits, I’m certain my child would love rolling up her sleeves and making meals with me.

Private time with the child and scrumptious eats? How are you going to go mistaken?

Amazon says it will present up by Christmas should you order with rush transport at the moment. However should you miss the deadline, there’s additionally a Kindle model accessible to obtain.

Luca Designs Males’s Commander Jacket

I’m obsessive about Mass Impact. (Let’s neglect Andromeda exists.) How obsessed? I burned by way of not one, not two, however 4 authentic Xbox 360s suffering from Pink Rings of Loss of life and disc learn errors so I may preserve maintain of the console’s awkward side-slice exhausting drive and end my authentic Shepard’s trilogy. I sobbed so exhausting throughout the run on the finish of ME3 that it made my then-wife begin crying in sympathy.

So yeahhhhhh… I’d kill for this leather-based N7-themed jacket from Luca Design. Good god, I’d be raring to endorse my favourite retailer on the Citadel on this beaut. It ain’t low cost at $350, however rattling.

Talking of my favourite retailer on the Citadel, Luca Design’s personal web site is filled with wonderful recreations and inspirations from popular culture. Simply look at this wonderful Samurai jacket recreation from Cyberpunk 2077. I’m drooling. There’s one thing for each gaming, anime, and comedian geek there, man or lady!

None of those will arrive earlier than Christmas, together with the N7 jacket on Amazon alas… however should you gave me a card saying this is able to land at my doorstep in just a few weeks, I’d downright swoon.

Nextmug self-heating espresso mug

I begin my days getting up earlier than daybreak to pull my child to high school, then return dwelling to take a stroll, bathe, and begin my workday — a workday that begins at full pace since PCWorld is a multinational group that operates throughout the globe. My espresso typically goes chilly, is what I’m saying.

But it surely wouldn’t with a Nextmug. This ingenious gadget retains your espresso at heat (130 levels Fahrenheit), sizzling (140) or piping (150) for as much as two hours away from its dock, or indefinitely whenever you’ve plopped it the charging pad, no apps or further software program required. That’s it. And that’s all I would like.

Is it value $95 to maintain your espresso heat all day lengthy? As a dad whose schedule is packed till about 10pm tonight: Completely.

An Apple reward card for Apple TV

Apple

Hello, I’m Brad, and I’m hooked on F1 racing.

Luckily for my household, the season wrapped up simply earlier than the vacations (get it, Lando!), however I’m going through a pickle in 2026: F1 was once on regular tv by way of ESPN, however in 2026, all F1 races are migrating to Apple TV for the subsequent 5 years.

Ugh. It’s not that a lot of a change, however I already pay for YouTube TV, Netflix, and a pair different streaming companies. I’m not thrilled in regards to the concept of paying for an additional service, however I gained’t abandon the game. Higher but, Apple TV’s model will embody the deep, nerdy options beforehand solely present in an F1 TV subscription, together with auxiliary feeds exhibiting cockpit views and radio transmissions for each group.

It wasn’t value subscribing to F1 TV once I already had ESPN, however now that it’s on Apple TV? I’m quivering on the concept of watching full races from the angle of my favourite drivers.

So somebody gifting me an Apple TV subscription could be warmly welcomed and deeply appreciated, particularly since I may spend weeknights catching up on dad-friendly exhibits like Severance and Ted Lasso. You’ll be able to’t reward particular person Apple TV subscriptions, however a $100 Apple reward card would cowl the price of the service for the 12 months. Simply sayin’!

TheraGun Reduction physique massager

As a result of I nonetheless work out and take walks, however I’m getting older and every thing hurts.

The TheraGun Reduction is one in every of TheraBody’s entry-level massagers, however I’m not keen to drop $250 or extra on a stronger TheraGun till I’ve tried this and confirm it’s definitely worth the funding. I’m a geeky dad. I min-max shopping for choices, what can I say?

Alienware AW2725D OLED gaming monitor

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Okay, again to the costly stuff. (Perhaps that is why no person ever asks what I would like?)

I’m a PC and gaming geek, however I’m particularly a monitor nerd. I used to have screens of all styles and sizes earlier than a devastating home hearth in 2023 wiped ‘em out, and it’s time to lastly get a good alternative for all-around gaming. In 2025, which means OLED.

Ideally, I’d snag the elegant MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED ultrawide, which simply earned PC accent of the 12 months in our 2025 Full Nerd Awards. However right here in the actual world, payments are due and I can’t drop a grand on a show even when it’s definitely worth the money. Enter the Alienware AW2725D, a “price range” gaming OLED that hangs with screens costing a whole lot extra.

At the moment on sale and arriving earlier than Christmas, the AW2725D is a 27-inch OLED gaming monitor with a 1440p decision and a blistering-fast 280Hz refresh price — the present PC gaming “candy spot,” particularly in case you have an Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics card that may use DLSS 4 multi-frame technology to maintain this beast fed with frames.

You’ll be able to learn our complete evaluate for extra particulars, however right here’s the upshot: This monitor will soften your eyeballs for a entire lot much less than comparable panels. I would like one monitor to rule all of them till I can rebuild my assortment and this one delivers bang-for-buck like no different.

Playing cards Towards Humanity Nerd Bundle

Nothing’s higher than cracking open some chilly ones and enjoying Playing cards Towards Humanity with my homies after an extended week. The Nerd Bundle provides geeky aptitude to your combos, including an non-obligatory Fantasy Pack, Geek Pack, Sci-Fi Pack, World Huge Net Pack, A.I. Pack, and Human Pack.

Sounds prefer it ought to pair effectively with “being a motherf***ing sorcerer,” one in every of my favourite playing cards within the base sport. Er, one in every of my favourite playing cards that I gained’t be fired for mentioning on this web site, at the very least.

An RGB mousepad

Some individuals hate RGB of their gaming rigs and solely desire a neat, clear, svelte setup. Not me. I don’t need full-on rainbow puke, however I like customizing my desk with tasteful lighting accents.

Enter Corsair’s MM700 RGB prolonged fabric gaming pad. Not solely does it embody refined, customizable RGB LEDs across the periphery, nevertheless it’s additionally a big-ass fabric gaming pad designed to accommodate each your keyboard and mouse, with ample room to mouse round. Aggressive avid gamers want room to mouse round once they’re sniping and wall-dashing… and with the MM700 you’ll look good doing it. Think about gaming on this when you’re sporting that candy N7 leather-based jacket 😍

Some sweet-ass Full Nerd merch

As soon as once more, my child has to eat, so let’s finish this with blatant shilling, despite the fact that I personal most of these things already.

I’m genuinely an enormous fan of the shirts, hoodies, and different merch that Adam helped create for our Full Nerd podcast. My favourite’s the Outrage Pony, however from Construct It Your self to the Smooooooth 30 tee poking enjoyable at console gaming, I like letting my PC geek flag fly whereas I’m cruising round city in these unhealthy boys.

If you wish to be a part of the Cool Children Membership, head over to our Crowdmade retailer, and you should definitely comply with our Full Nerd podcast on YouTube when you’re at it. We stream a number of occasions per week, digging deep into the most popular, geekiest PC subjects of the day — as a result of when you go Full Nerd, you by no means return.