A new survey from AO.com has revealed the UK’s gaming addiction, with the average Brit planning to spend more than £1,000 on their gaming set up.
The study found half the nation describe themselves as gamers, and with one in three admitting they plan to invest in a new console this Christmas, it’s clear gamers are going big with their spending this festive season.
The data also revealed that the average Brits spends around £424 on their gaming accessories alone – ranging from gaming chairs to lighting and screens. Add in that the average cost of a console this year ranges from £400-700, and Brits are forking out over £1,000 to create their perfect gaming setup.
The newly released Nintendo Switch 2 has been hailed as a top gift this Christmas and retailing at £395.99 alongside the highly anticipated PS5 Pro, available for £699.99, showing that expert gamers will be splashing the cash to make the most of their hobby this festive period.
AO’s data has also uncovered the UK’s biggest gaming cities, with people from Plymouth saying they plan to spend around £834 on gaming accessories alone this Christmas – creating a total spend of £1,234 – £1,534 this Christmas, depending on the type of console they choose.
The UK cities who plan to invest the most in their gaming set up this Christmas are:
RANK | City | Gaming accessories budget | Estimated console budget | Total budget |
1 | Plymouth | £834 | £400-700 | Up to £1534 |
2 | London | £779 | £400-700 | Up to £1479 |
3 | Edinburgh | £572 | £400-700 | Up to £1272 |
4 | Leeds | £553 | £400-700 | Up to £1253 |
5 | Oxford | £515 | £400-700 | Up to £1215 |
6 | Kingston Upon Hill | £509 | £400-700 | Up to £1209 |
7 | Manchester | £507 | £400-700 | Up to £1207 |
8 | Birmingham | £498 | £400-700 | Up to £1198 |
9 | Cambridge | £495 | £400-700 | Up to £1195 |
10 | Chelmsford | £494 | £400-700 | Up to £1192 |
Plymouth topped the charts budgeting over £1500 on gaming gadgets this Christmas, making it the top gaming city in the UK followed by London and Edinburgh. Chelmsford still made it into the top ten, but with a slightly reduced budget of £1192.
In light of the findings, Nick Bunce, gaming and tech expert at AO.com, has shared simple set-up tips to help gamers make the most of their new devices this Christmas: “The UK gaming scene is growing year on year, and our survey reveals just how many people are looking to get into gaming this Christmas.
Nick said: “Every year we see people unwrap new gaming consoles, only to be disappointed by overall game play due to a lag or screen stutter – and it’s often down to a simple setup issue.
“Most modern TVs come with a refresh rate of 60Hz as standard, but today’s top consoles and gaming PCs are built to perform best at 144Hz or above.
“A key mistake many people make, that often has an adverse effect on game play, is not having a TV with the right refresh rate for your console.
“It’s a small detail that can make a big difference. If your TV or monitor isn’t set up to match the console’s output, fast-moving games can look slightly blurred or feel less responsive.”
Fortunately, Bunce says that whether you’re using a compute or TV to pair with your gaming console, screen lag and blur is an easy thing to fix:
“The good news is it’s an easy fix – just check the refresh rate in the settings and turn on Game Mode. It’s a quick tweak that can make those new Christmas gaming sessions look and feel exactly as they should.”
“To get the best picture and sound, check your TV or monitor settings. This includes simple things like turning on Game Mode, adjusting resolution, and using surround sound or a headset can all enhance the experience – especially for immersive or fast-paced games.
