I usually have a lot of random junk and papers strewn all over my desk, but when it comes down to it, the most important things on my desk are for work. You'll have to excuse the heinous lighting in the picture because my desk isn't in an area conducive for good photography, and it can't be moved easily as it weighs a ton. I'll spend a majority of my day at my desk either writing, researching, or just playing games. Work and fun don't always collide like that — I just happen to be lucky. Here's everything I use on my desk to get through my work day.
Much of my job is writing, but I can't do anything without my PlayStation 4 Pro. It's my go-to when I need to figure out troubleshooting guides or test a game running at 4K for a review. Having access to games like God of War and The Last of Us is just an added bonus.
I'm new to the VR scene, so this is a relatively recent addition to my desk. Part of my job as our PlayStation content lead means I need to understand all aspects of the console, and that includes virtual reality. VR is only getting bigger, and now I understand what the fuss was about.
I alternate between the Razer Raiju Ultimate and the Astro C40 TR controller when I'm on PlayStation. Right now, I tend to be using the Astro C40 TR because I love the ability to swap the positions of the thumbstick and D-Pad. Astro knows how to make amazing, high-quality controllers.
I'm not much for console wars. My efforts may be focused on PlayStation for Android Central, but I love my Xbox One X as well. I want both companies to push themselves to do better every year. I grew up on Xbox, so it was only fitting that my main console is the Xbox One X.
Several years ago I was working at GameStop when my manager let us pick out some accessories from a box being thrown out. This controller stand was one of them — though mine is black instead of white. I can't imagine my desk without it now. I love being able to display my controller and have a designated spot for it on my desk.
If I ever need to record a podcast or jump in on a work meeting, I'll use my HyperX QuadCast microphone. As stereotypical as the red color is for gaming, the bright LED when it's on actually looks pretty cool. Plus it has a built-in pop filter and anti-vibration shock mount to mitigate any unwanted sounds.
This is by far the most comfortable headset I've ever worn. It's lightweight and doesn't apply pressure to my head, which is necessary as someone who wears glasses. I've had issues with some of Razer's prior Kraken headset models, but this one is different and I won't give it up any time soon.
Part of my job also means taking a lot of pictures of products that I receive, or even just my desk for this article. I'm not an expert by any means and I'm still learning the ropes of photography on a device that isn't my phone, but it helps to have an incredible camera like this to make my job easier.
This isn't a gaming laptop, but it gets the job done. I picked this up a couple of years ago when my old laptop was falling apart — quite literally, I had it taped together. I just needed something with a decent enough processor that would run Microsoft Office, and this is what I ended up with.
I honestly don't remember how long ago it was when I bought this. Right now I almost exclusively use it to transfer screenshots or video from my PS4 to my computer. It's much easier to move them in bulk than using the share button on my controller, especially for embargoed games.
My previous gig before this was entirely focused on Xbox, so when the digital game codes kept rolling in for reviews, I eventually needed more storage. I thought 2TB would be enough, but I had to upgrade on my Xbox to a 4TB hard drive. Now this one is used for my PlayStation 4.
I upgraded to this after my 2TB hard drive ran out of space, and it's served me well over the years. It has more than enough space to store all of my games and I've never had any issues using it. If you play a lot of games, I can't recommend an external hard drive enough.
I'm always going to be a kid at heart, and Star Wars will always play a huge part in my life. For Christmas last year my friend bought me an X-wing 3D model kit to build myself. It took a few hours, and though I never painted mine for fear of messing it up, I'm happy with the result. It's been sitting on my Xbox ever since.
My displays and stuff collecting dust
And what about my gaming monitor? Well, I use a small 24 inch Insignia television, and it's so old and cheap that it's been discontinued. Honestly it's not something that I would recommend people get anyway. I bought it when I didn't have a ton of money and just needed something to get the job done. And it does for the most part. But when I need to test a game that supports 4K resolution and HDR, I use my Samsung NU7100. It's also an older model that's hard to find anymore (and not on my desk) but it's actually a great television.
As for streaming, I have an old Elgato Game Capture HD that I don't use anymore because it only captures in 1080p 30FPS. Not exactly conducive to show off a game's graphical fidelity or performance nowadays. Right now it's sitting in one of my drawers collecting dust.
Each of my devices are important to both my work and play, but considering my job, my PlayStation 4 Pro is probably the most important thing on my desk.
