PG Christmas 2018 gift guide for Android gamers

Mobile games are great, but a whole bunch of them would play better with a proper set of physical controls.

That's not even to mention the vibrant Android emulation scene, which practically demands a console-like controller to get the most out of.

Whatever the case, a dedicated Bluetooth controller is a great gift for any dedicated Android gamer. There are plenty of decent options out there, but you can't really go wrong with Steel Series.

In particular, the SteelSeries Straus XL is a great premium choice for serious gamers. It's not the cheapest on the market (around £50), but you're basically getting a proper console controller here.

More and more flagship phones are abandoning the 3.5mm headphone jack these days. And before you Android users start blaming Apple, remember that the Moto Z came out months before the iPhone 7.

Despite this, we maintain that a new set of headphones is one of the biggest improvements you can make to your smartphone set-up - even if your particular phone boasts a punch pair of stereo speakers (you lucky thing you).

Games are just so much more immersive with a decent set of headphones, and it goes without saying that music and movies will benefit a lot too.

For a decent affordable pair of wireless headphones, consider the Jabra Move Wireless. If you need more sound quality but still don't want to pay above £100, check out the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT. For those with £300 to spend, the Sony WH-1000XM3 sounds awesome and boasts brilliant noise-isolation tech.

Maybe your headphone situation is just peachy. What about projecting that sound outwards?

Okay, so this is perhaps less of a need for gaming. But when you want to play music in your holiday residence or set up an impromptu party, a battery-powered Bluetooth speaker is a handy thing to have in your armoury.

These aren't the tinny, poor-quality things they used to be either. Now if you know what you're looking for at least. The likes of UE, Bose and B&O turn out brilliant speakers for a range of budgets.

If you're after a robust and waterproof travel speaker that won't break the bank, give the UE Wonderboom a whirl. For a richer home listening type experience, the Audio Pro Addon C3 offers a classier package and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Of course, what an Android gamer really wants when you get down to it is more games. Given the digital nature of the Google Play Store, that means store credit.

Google offers Google Play Gift Cards in a range of values: £10, £25, and £50. These cards can be redeemed against games and in-app purchases, as well as music, books, and movies.

You can't purchase these direct from Google, but you can find them in a whole bunch of high-street stores, like Tescos, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda, Currys, Superdrug, Boots, Co-op, and Argos.

You can also buy them online from the likes of Game, which is what we've linked below.