December is here, and while the Black Friday dust has barely settled, South African gamers are nowhere near done hunting for upgrades. Retailers across the country have quietly rolled their November momentum into December clearance promos, and some of the most popular gaming products of 2025 are already selling out at Takealot, Game, Incredible Connection and Hi Online.
Instead of simply listing deals, we dived into what South Africans are actually buying. Search spikes, retailer stock movements, Discord chatter and social buzz paint a clear picture of the hardware dominating year-end wishlists.
No ad to show here.
Here is a Gearburn breakdown of the gaming gear currently ruling Mzansi’s carts.
Budget gaming laptops are the season’s biggest winners
Despite a tough economy, gaming laptops continue to fly off shelves thanks to aggressive deals and the rise of creator-gaming hybrids.
The hottest movers include entry and mid-tier machines offering RTX 3050 or 4060 graphics, 16GB RAM and SSD-heavy configurations. These deliver 1080p performance across Fortnite, Apex Legends, Valorant and EA FC without blowing a hole in the budget.
Trending this week:
-
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (Ryzen 5, RTX 3050) – consistently topping Takealot’s cart-add list.
-
Acer Nitro V 15 (RTX 4050) – strong movement due to its thermals and price-to-performance ratio.
-
HP Victus 15 (12th-gen i5 + RTX 3050) – the biggest mover at Hi Online after a major price cut.
What’s driving the boom? Students upgrading before the 2026 academic year, creators looking for dual-purpose rigs, and a growing trend of budget gamers shifting from consoles to entry-level PCs.
The PS5 Slim and Xbox Series X are selling out for very different reasons
Retailers confirm that consoles are still in hot demand, but motivations have shifted.
PS5 Slim Digital Edition
The newly updated form factor, lower power consumption and bundles with Spider-Man 2 and EA FC are pushing momentum. It continues to outsell Xbox in SA almost 3 to 1.
Xbox Series X
Game Pass remains the console’s secret weapon. A combination of:
-
EA Play
-
Day-one indie titles
-
Backward compatibility
-
Value bundles
has kept the Series X steady among budget-conscious South Africans who want predictable gaming costs.
Interestingly, Series S sales have slowed slightly compared to last year as more buyers choose to stretch into the X for long-term value.
Creators are driving a surge in accessory kits
We’re seeing an unexpected spike in demand for creator-focused gear, driven by TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Twitch and even Instagram Reels.
Most-requested products right now:
-
USB microphones (FIFINE, Razer Seiren Mini)
-
Ring lights and compact softboxes
-
Webcams with 1080p/60fps capture
-
RGB mouse and keyboard bundles
-
Portable green screens
Takealot confirmed in their trend brief that “creator kits” are one of the top-selling bundles for the month. Even gamers who don’t stream full time want better audio and lighting for Discord sessions or content experiments.
Wireless headsets and earbuds dominate December audio
Gaming audio in South Africa is moving towards premium feel at mid-range prices. Shoppers are ditching cheap wired headsets in favour of Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless with real microphone clarity.
Top movers include:
-
Razer Barracuda X
-
Logitech G435
-
Sony INZONE range
-
Redragon’s budget wireless headsets
-
JBL Quantum series
Audiophile-tier ANC earbuds are also trending thanks to gamers using them for hybrid work and play.
Mesh Wi-Fi and routers are the new surprise hit
Gamers are finally done with lag. Mesh Wi-Fi systems and gaming-friendly routers have surged in sales, particularly:
-
TP-Link Deco series
-
Huawei AX3 and AX5
-
ASUS ROG Rapture routers
With fibre rollouts stabilising and wireless-fibre alternatives like Vox Kiwi Wireless expanding, households want stable low-latency gaming environments without blackspots.
What to expect heading into 2026
December is shaping up to be the strongest post-Black Friday tech month in years. Retailers will push:
-
clearance deals on GPUs
-
storage upgrades (especially 1TB NVMe)
-
gaming chairs and desks
-
next-gen creator kits
-
early-back-to-school PC bundles
Gamers are spending smarter. Instead of chasing the most expensive gear, South Africans are hunting for maximum value at mid-range prices, and the market is responding.
Gearburn will keep tracking the hottest products through December as price drops continue.
