So you just bought an Xbox One, or perhaps you gave it as a gift to someone. Either way the shopping isn’t over yet. Now you need to figure out what are the best games to buy. You also need to figure out what accessories you want or need as well.

Regardless of what Xbox One console or bundle you purchased you will have what you need to get started. That being said, there are still going to be some “must have” accessories that most people will want to have, but which ones are best for you?

Our following list of top accessories for Xbox One consoles should help you navigate these waters if you are a new Xbox One owner, or if you want to buy a gift for someone with an Xbox One.

Table of Contents

#1 Xbox One Controller(s)

A second controller is a must have on most people’s list of most wanted accessories. If you like to play any 2 player games an extra controller is essential.

Plus, if you play a lot having an extra controller means that the fun doesn’t need to stop when the battery is dead in your controller. You can simply use your second controller while the first one is charging.

Our recommendation is to get an Xbox One branded wireless or wired controller. That way you can feel confident about the quality of the controller you are buying. We are not saying that all of the other controllers for the Xbox One are to be avoided, but not all of them measure up in terms of quality and performance. So if you want to be sure that you are getting a quality controller you might want to stick with an Xbox One Wireless Controller from Microsoft like we do.

Getting an Xbox One branded controller doesn’t mean that it has to look blah. You can see a multitude of cool colors and designs for the Xbox One controllers here.

#2 Xbox Live Gold Membership

Some people will say that the Xbox Live Gold Membership isn’t really an accessory because it is a subscription service. On the other hand, you could make the argument that the Xbox Live Gold Membership is the most important accessory for your Xbox One. Either way, you really want to think about getting the Xbox Live Gold Membership.

For those who are not familiar with how the Xbox Live Gold Membership works; it is a subscription service that allows you to play multiplayer games online, gives you access to free games, and gets you exclusive deals and discounts.

The main reason the vast majority of people buy an Xbox Live Gold Membership is for the online gaming. It should also be noted that some games can ONLY be played online and are useless with an Xbox Live Gold Membership. In addition, if you want to take advantage of the multiplayer features of some games (specifically playing with friends online) an Xbox Live Gold Membership will be required.

Xbox Live Gold Memberships are sold in different time durations with the longer durations offering the best value:

#3 Headset

With all of the online gaming that occurs these days, a headset is another must have accessory for anyone who likes to play Xbox One games online with their friends. A headset with the included microphone allows you to communicate with your friends while you play online.

There is a huge variety of headsets out there. You could spend less than $20 or close to $400 depending on how fancy you want to get and how much money you have to spend.

The most expensive headsets will have Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound. Do they sound great? Absolutely. Is it required for you to play a game effectively? No.

In our minds comfort is king. So our main suggestion would be to get a comfortable headset. You will be wearing your headset for long periods of time. If your headset isn’t comfortable it doesn’t matter how great it sounds or how great the microphone is because you won’t be wearing it.

As part of being comfortable, we would suggest that you get a headset with two earpieces. Headsets with just one earpiece can sometimes dig in and feel uncomfortable where the side without the earpiece pushes into the side of your head.

Here are some headsets for the Xbox One at some different price points:

#4 Charger for Xbox One Controllers

One of the realities of having wireless controllers for game consoles is that they will need to be charged. There are a couple of ways to do this. One way would be to run a cable from your console to your controller, but this can feel like a cluttered mess sometimes. The other option is to get a nice charging station where you can both store and charge your controllers when you are not using them.

The advantage of having a charging station is that they can be put in a nice out of the way place and they help you avoid having a mess of cables in front of your console.

The other great thing about a charging station is that they are one of the most affordable accessories for your Xbox One with many models priced at less than $20.

You can browse chargers for the Xbox One controllers here.

#5 Stand

One problem a lot of us have with video game systems is space. We need to find a place to put them that doesn’t take up too much space. That is where stands come in. Buying a stand is a great solution. Getting a stand for you Xbox will allow you to store it vertically.

In addition to saving space some stands offer other valuable benefits:

Cooling Your Game Console

Modern day video game consoles have a lot of computing power and current games take full advantage of that power. The result of this is game consoles can run hot. If it gets to be too much this heat can cause problems for your console. This means that at the very least you want to make sure that you have your console in a well ventilated space to prevent overheating, which has happened for some people. However, getting a stand with a built in cooling fan might be an even better way to go. Some stands don’t have cooling fans, but for just a few dollars more you can get this valuable feature built into your stand.

Charge Controllers

Some stands will also have a dock where you can store/put your controllers to be charged. The stands that have the built in dock/charger for your controllers are usually designed for the Xbox One controllers from Microsoft, which is another reason why you might want to stick with the standard Xbox One controllers if you buy extra controllers for your console.

When you buy a stand (with or without a cooler) make sure you get one for your particular type of Xbox One, because the dimensions of the different models are not all exactly the same. So make sure you get the model of stand that fits the type of Xbox One you own. There is the standard Xbox One, there is the Xbox One S, and the Xbox One X.

You can browse through vertical stands for Xbox One here. Click here if you only want to look at stands with built in vents or cooling fans.

#6 Thumb Grips

Starting with thumb grips we are beginning to get away from the must have accessories. Most people like the standard thumb grips on the Xbox One controllers just fine. However, some people really like the feel of different thumb grips reporting that things like increased surface area, increased height, and better grip help their gameplay.

Plus, if you want to customize the look of your controller(s) getting new thumb grips for your controller is a fun place to start. They come in different colors, styles, and themes with some of them even glowing in the dark.

The good news about thumb grips is that most of them are priced below $20 with a many even below $10. You can browse through thumb grips here.

#7 Cases & Game Storage

Most people buy their game console, set it up, and leave it be – never taking it with them from place to place to place. However, if you plan on taking your Xbox One with you on a frequent basis you probably want to invest in a case to transport it in. Not only will a case help protect your Xbox One, but it will help you keep everything organized so you don’t lose things during your travels.

As far as game storage goes you probably won’t worry about that until you get several games and even then you might have a shelf picked out where you can store your games. However, if you do want a special place to store your games there are some different options out there. There are some stand alone units that are designed to specifically store your games. There are also some vertical stands for your console that have some video game storage built-in.

However, before you run out and buy something to store your video games in you should think about how you are going to buy the games. Specifically, do you plan on buying the actual physical copy of each game or do you plan on buying digital copies? There isn’t a right or wrong way to go on this issue. It is a matter of personal preference. If you have never thought about this you might like to read our article on Physical Video Game Copies vs. Digital Copies – Which is Better?

There are a lot of great cases and game storage choices available on Amazon that you can view here.

#8 Faceplates, Protectors & Skins

Similar to thumb grips, faceplates, protectors, and skins are another great way to personalize your Xbox One while protecting it at the same time.

These items typically aren’t on most people’s list of must-have accessories. So don’t spend your money on these items unless you have taken care of the items higher up on this list.

However, if you have all your other accessories covered and you want to personalize and/or protect your Xbox One there are some really cool options out there and most of them are pretty affordable. You can get custom colors, as well as logos of your favorite sports teams or themes from your favorite game.

Before buying anything for the exterior of the console make sure that you are getting one that fits the version of the Xbox console you are shopping for as the different versions of the Xbox console had different dimensions.

You can browse through a lot of fun options here.

Conclusion

So even though you will have what you need to get started when you buy an Xbox One console most people will still probably want or need to make a few additional purchases. Hopefully, our list helped you figure out which of the top accessories are the most important ones for you.

Top 8 Best Accessories for Your Xbox One