Quick Answer
It depends on what you control: smart plugs and a smart light strip are a worthwhile R350-R900 upgrade that lets you schedule and voice-control your gaming setup, but smart fridges or ovens add nothing to a PC battlestation. For a gamer, the high-value picks are a smart plug to power-cycle a frozen router and a light strip synced to your screen.
Which Smart Devices Help a Setup
The useful ones for a desk are a smart plug (from about R250) on your monitor and speakers so one voice command kills standby draw, and an RGB light strip (R350-R900) behind the desk for bias lighting that eases eye strain over a 4-hour session. A smart plug on the router lets you remote-reboot it without crawling under the desk. These are small, genuinely handy wins.
Which to Skip for a Gaming Room
Smart kettles, fridges and ovens are home-appliance purchases, not setup upgrades; they do not touch your fps, latency or comfort. If the question is really about the battlestation, ignore the kitchen line entirely. A R400 smart plug strip does more for a gamer than a R20,000 connected appliance.
Network Load and SA Reality
Each smart device joins your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and adds a small client to manage. On a single-router home with a Vumatel or Openserve fibre line, ten smart gadgets are fine; on a weak signal in a back-room flat, they can crowd the band. If your Wi-Fi already drops, fix coverage with a mesh kit before piling on smart devices.
FAQ
Are smart home devices a real upgrade for gamers?
Selectively yes. Smart plugs (~R250) for power control and an RGB bias light (R350-R900) genuinely improve a desk; kitchen appliances do not affect a gaming setup at all.
Will smart devices slow my Wi-Fi for gaming?
A handful on 2.4GHz is fine on a healthy fibre line. If your signal is already weak, sort coverage with a mesh kit before adding more clients.
What is the single best smart buy for a setup?
A smart plug on your router, around R250-R350, so you can remote-reboot a frozen connection mid-game without reaching behind the desk.
Start with one R250 smart plug on your router, then add bias lighting; skip connected kitchen appliances if your goal is a better battlestation.