There are (21) types of equipment, also known as gear, that can brought along by investigators to a contract and of these there are 8 types of equipment known collectively as "starter items". The tier of the equipment has no effect on an item being classified as a starter item so most of the time it's a good idea to use Tier II gear as opposed to Tier I gear, with some exceptions.

The Tier II Crucifix, unlocked at Lvl 37 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by having two charges instead of one and can nullify Hunt attempts at a range of 4 meters instead of 3 meters. The range is still increased by 50% for a Demon (6 meters) or a Mimic mimicking a Demon.

This is often one of my priority upgrades with no real reason to stick with the Tier I model.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II D.O.T.S Projector, unlocked at Lvl 20 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by emitting a field of D.O.T.S instead of the unidirectional "laser pointer". It technically has the same range as the Tier I model by having a radius of 2.5 meters for the same amount of coverage, however it's omnidirectional nature makes it more likely to spot a Ghost in D.O.T.S mode.

This is often one of my priority upgrades with no real reason to stick with the Tier I model.

ELECTRONIC but doesn't lead the Ghost to a player but does empower a Raiju.

The Tier II EMF Readeer, unlocked at Lvl 20 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by switching from analog to digital with distinctive beeps for each EMF level which are more noticeable than the sound effects of the Tier I model.

This is often one of my priority upgrades with no real reason to stick with the Tier I model.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Firelight, unlocked at Lvl 47 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by having twice as long duration and decreasing passive Sanity drain by 50% instead of 33%.

The priority of this item upgrade really depends on what type of maps you usually play on -- not as much of a priority for smaller maps but extremely useful for larger maps both for its duration and passive Sanity drain reduction.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Flashlight, unlocked at Lvl 19 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model just by having a greater intensity of light.

The priority on this upgrade depends on map size and your own brightness settings -- you really don't need it on Small maps but for larger rooms on farmhouse maps as well as Medium and Large maps this becomes neccesary so as to avoid stumbling around in the dark.

ELECTRONIC when turned on.

The Tier II Ghost Writing Book, unlocked at Lvl 23 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by increasing the range from 3 to 4 meters and upgrading the interaction probability.

I wouldn't put this at the top of my list for priority upgrades but definitely above many other items -- the greater range of the Tier II model really helps to rein in those Ghosts who can provide the evidence but don't seem to want to write in the book.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Headgear, unlocked at Lvl 49 and costs $10,000 for the item upgrade, isn't an improvement per se but completely changes the Headgear's functionality. While the Tier I version provided a camera this one provides a head-mounted flashlight which has the benefit of not needing an inventory slot for a flashlight.

This usually isn't a priority upgrade for me unless needing a good flashlight is a priority, otherwise considering the steep cost to upgrade I often avoid this and only take it on my way to Tier III upgrade.

ELECTRONIC when turned on.

The Tier II Igniter, unlocked at Lvl 41 and costs $500 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by not having a finite number of matches and having twice the total duration. You're no longer restricted to 10 uses like with the Tier I model and it's doubtful you'll run out of it during an investigation unless it's your primary light source.

I make this a priority upgrade because it gets rid of that pesky finite number of uses and it's the cheapest Tier II item upgrade.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Incense is unlocked at Lvl 37 and costs costs $3,500 for the item upgrade. It's an improvement the Tier I model by providing a longer range of 4 meters, an increased duration of 6 seconds while keeping the effect for 5 seconds, and additionally slows the ghost down during the 5 seconds.

The Tier II Motion Sensor, unlocked at Lvl 45 and costs $2,500 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by adding a second mode of operation and a sound alert when it's triggered.

This usually isn't a priority upgrade for me unless I have regular use of the second mode of operation or really need a sound indicator for the Motion Sensor.

ELECTRONIC but doesn't lead the Ghost to a player but does empower a Raiju.

The Tier II Parabolic Microphone, unlocked at Lvl 31 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by increasing the range from 20 to 30 meters and having a display screen that shows if it detected a sound and how strong that sound actually is.

If I'm using the paramic extensively it's somewhat of a priority upgrade, otherwise I hold off on upgrading it until I have a good reason. This also depends on what map size you usually play on as the upgrade doesn't mean much on Small maps but can be absolutely vital on larger ones to locate th e Ghost.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Photo Camera, unlocked at Lvl 25 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by only taking 2 seconds between photos instead of 3, having some paranormal disruption resistance, and having a display screen so you can better see what you are photographing.

This is usually somewhere in the middle of my priorities as the Tier I model being electronic only when in use is actually a nice advantage especially during Hunts.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Salt, unlocked at Lvl 43 and costs $2,500 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by being able to leave 3 piles instead of just 2 and leaving them in a line instead of a small pile

This is towards the top of my priorities as three piles instead of two is a big improvement and the Ghost isn't likely to miss a line that can fill up most of a doorway.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Sanity Medication, unlocked at Lvl 39 and costs $2,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by taking 10 seconds instead of 20 seconds to give the complete amount of Sanity to a player.

This usually isn't one of my priority upgrades since I'm usually taking sanity meds in the truck where the difference in 10 seconds isn't a big deal -- this can become important if you are taking in a time-critical fashion such as trying to slow down a Moroi during a Hunt.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Sound Recorder is unlocked at Lvl 39 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade. It's an improvement over the Tier I model by providing a range of 5 meters and a display screen for sound levels. It still operates similarly to the Tier I model.

ELECTRONIC ITEM that can be turned on or off to avoid detection.

The Tier II Sound Sensor, unlocked at Lvl 37 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by adding a third range - 15 meters - but otherwise functions like the Tier I model.

Since Sound Sensors are usually the least used piece of equipment this is usually at the bottom of my upgrade priorities.

ELECTRONIC but doesn't lead the Ghost to a player but does empower a Raiju.

The Tier II Spirit Box, unlocked at Lvl 27 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by increasing the range from 3 to 4 meters, increasing the response rate and audio quality.

This is in the upper middle of my upgrade priorities as getting Spirit Box evidence can be difficult especially on larger maps and in larger rooms.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Thermometer, unlocked at Lvl 65 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by being a digital thermometer with a display that instantly shows the current temperature (within a range).

This is somewhere in the middle of my priorities on a Small map but a priority for larger maps as I don't have the time to wait on thermometers if I'm having to check a lot of rooms.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Tripod, unlocked at Lvl 34 and costs $5,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by having more stability and a rotational control that allows you to rotate the tripod and attached Video Camera a full 360-degrees.

The price tag for the upgrade reduces my priority to upgrade it but the panning feature can be nice for larger rooms.

NOT ELECTRONIC even though technically it has an electric motor.

The Tier II UV Light, unlocked at Lvl 21 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by being a chemical "glow stick" which is non-electronic and is a good infinite light source. It needs to be "recharged" by being shaked every minute or so but still emits, albeit less, light when its not charged up.

This is a priority for my item upgrades as the "glow stick" model has more uses than the Tier I or III models including being a non-electronic light sources.

NOT ELECTRONIC

The Tier II Video Camera, unlocked at Lvl 33 and costs $3,000 for the item upgrade, is an improvement over the Tier I model by having a better display making it easier to use in-hand but also has more paranormal resistance.

This usually isn't a priority unless I only use the video camera in-hand instead of watching through the video feed to the truck.

ELECTRONIC

The Tier II upgrades are unlocked between Level 19 and 49 and your priorities for item upgrades may differ from other players but I hope this guide gave you enough information to make informed decisions about how to spend your money on item upgrades.

“Equipment.” Phasmophobia Wiki, phasmophobia.fandom.com/wiki/Equipment.