Top games and gear for the back-to-school gamer

Nintendo once again finds itself one of the hottest gaming companies in the world, and that's all thanks to its Switch console. Doubling as a handheld gaming machine, the versatile device costs you AU$459.

A console is only as good as the games on it, and on that front Nintendo has made sure the Switch is sorted. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild got many "best game of 2017" nods, as did Super Mario Odyssey. 

The Cynosa is Razer's entry-level keyboard. It's stylish, and has enough substance for most casual gamers, and starts at AU$99. 

Microsoft's Xbox One S is one of the most affordable ways of getting into the current generation of gaming. Though, unlike the One X, it can't play games in 4K, it can play movies in 4K, and it only costs AU$319.

The decision between Xbox One or PlayStation 4 is tough, and right now PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG, is the ace up Microsoft's sleeve. The massively popular battle arena game is exclusive to the Xbox One and PC. 

Who needs 3D? Not the DS, it turns out. The Nintendo 2DS XL is comfy to use, gives you access to a huge library of games and costs just AU$189.

If you're after serious gaming power, Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro may be what you're after. Like Microsoft's Xbox One X, the AU$559 PlayStation 4 Pro outputs games in 4K. You may shoot for Sony's console if your a social gamer, as it is the more popular platform of the two. 

These are a great idea because of their flexibility: They're great gaming headphones, especially considering the AU$129 cost, and double as lifestyle headphones that won't raise eyebrows on the commute into school. 

Dell's Inspiron 15 7000 series is an economic way to game. You can get a machine powered by an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti from AU$1,499.  

If PUBG is too real for you, Blizzard's squad-based Overwatch may be a better fit. It'll run on almost any laptop, though at much higher resolution if said computer has a discrete graphics card, and is fun in groups.