Best Gaming Chairs for both PC and Console 2022 | In-Depth Guide
Everyone is very different. Some of us are casual gamers that sit down to play only from time to time, others – long-term players – grinding games non-stop. Tastes, needs and preferences differ with each and every one of us – and so does our choice of gaming chairs. Therefore, just before you blindly rush off to buy yourself the king seat, you might want to answer yourself a few questions that are going to help you determine your own best PC gaming chair or in console gamer’s case – the best gaming chair with speakers.
The List of 12 Best Gaming Chairs for PC and Console
1. Herman Miller Classic Aeron Chair C size + Posture Fit
Herman Miller Aeron chairs was the main chair model that all the gamers referred to, back when racing seats weren’t around. Herman Miller is likely the most famous, healthy, sturdy and adaptable, office chair brand. They are very well-known around the world for their sturdy and comfortable chairs. Their name is likely what makes the gamers feel safe buying them. Only problem – they are very expensive. Classic Aeron C size is made to fit users up to 300lbs and 6’6”.
Good / All of the functions and mechanisms are smooth in action and hold up perfectly. The chair lasts years, so no worries about buying another one. It is very comfortable. Very healthy, prevents any sedentary lifestyle health complications. Has all the adjustable features to be considered as healthy as it gets. Adjusts to body types. Easy to use and easy to assemble if bought disassembled. Cleaning isn’t a problem. The quality all around is top-notch, nothing to add.
Not so Good / Doesn’t have many comfort features that gaming chairs have. Attachable headrest must be bought separately.
Overall / This is the definition of quality. Although it doesn’t have the luxury comfort functions most of the competing best gaming computer chairs have, no one can go wrong with this one if they are looking for quality. It’s healthy, comfortable and lasts for many years. One of the best, all-time, heavy duty gaming chairs or perhaps – the very best.
2. AutoFull Pink Bunny Gaming Chair
A cute, in-trend mid-price ergonomic gaming chair by well-known AutoFull. One of the most in-demand chairs on Amazon, recommended to anyone up to 300 lbs.
Good / Very sturdy and lasts quite a while too. Smooth in action. Easy to assemble. Very comfortable. Seems to be able to manage weights above recommended limit.
Not so Good / Doesn’t have retractable footrest (which isn’t a big deal). Arm covers doesn’t seem to be enough to make armrests comfortable for some buyers. No adjustable lumbar support. Seems to stain from dyes.
Overall / Cute and trendy chair offering just about everything you’d want in a gaming chair for a very fair price.
3. GTRACING Gaming Chair with Mesh Back
A lower-price range ergonomic Herman Miller style gaming chair by GTRACING that are known for their low-price range gaming chairs.
Good / Pretty comfortable and very healthy. Easy to assemble, not too annoying to clean.
Not so Good / Quality doesn’t seem to be optimal at a glance. Can’t find maximum recommended user weight limit.
Overall / A pretty decent, healthy gaming chair for the money, focusing mainly on ergonomics but still styled like a quite cool gaming chair.
4. AKRacing Masters Series Max Gaming Chair, 400 Lbs Weight Limit
A gaming chair for bigger people by a well-known mid to high-price range gaming chairs brand, AKRacing. AKRacing is found to be one of the best brands for gaming chairs. Some say that they find their chairs even more comfortable than Herman Miller chairs. 5-year warranty included. Recommended to people of – height: 5’6″ – 6’6″ | weight: 170-390 lbs | BMI: Not exceeding 45.
Good / Has just about every function there’s to have on a gaming chair. Very comfortable. Easy to assemble and clean.
Not so Good / Could be healthier with smarter lumbar and headrest designs.
Overall / A well-rounded top-quality high-price range gaming chair for bigger people. Likely to be one of the best choices on the market.
5. GTRACING Gaming Chair with Bluetooth Speakers
Another one of GTRacing chairs. One of the best-selling low-price range gaming chairs on Amazon. Recommended for anyone up to 300 lbs.
Great / Quite comfortable & sturdy. Main ergonomic functions & gaming chair functions. Easy to assemble & clean. Great value for the price. OK sound quality.
Not so Great / Reported potential bad out-of-factory smell. Doesn’t have too many functions.
Overall / Great value for price gaming chair fit for anyone looking to experience a gaming chair without spending a lot of money on it.
6. AKRacing Core Series EX
Another chair from AKRacing but this time for more average-sized people. Best for anyone of Height: 5’3″ – 6’3″ | Weight: 130-250 lbs | BMI: Not to exceed 32. With 5-year warranty.
Good / Very comfortable. Very sturdy. Easy to assemble. A lot of ergonomic functions. Quite good quality.
Not so Good / Customer complaint over an unresponsive warranty team.
Overall / Possibly one of the best high-priced gaming chairs on the market with just about every function gaming chairs have.
7. Razer Enki
A stylish gaming chair made by a well-known gaming equipment manufacturer Razer. Recommended for anyone up to 300 lbs.
Great / Quite decent quality. Comfortable. Has many functions, including 4D armrests. Easy to assemble.
Not so Great / Non-adjustable lumbar support. Could be slightly cheaper.
Overall / An interesting choice for a high-end gaming chair. Comes in pink too.
8. Secretlab Titan
A high-end gaming chair by the very famous & trusted gaming chair manufacturer Secretlab. Titan series is made for people 5’9” – 6’7” tall and up to 290lbs. For shorter people, look into their Omega series.
Good / Great performance and very sturdy. Great quality. Very healthy. Pretty comfortable. Adjustable lumbar support.
Not so Good / Expensive.
Overall / A pretty good choice for a high-end gaming chair, although it’s quite an investment. Still a little cheaper than their newer models.
9. Openwheeler Advanced Racing Seat Driving Simulator
As far as racing simulator chairs go, Openwheeler is likely the best brand in both customer service and quality of their products. This model is one of the more affordable simulator chairs despite being awesome all around. Adjustable enough to fits various range of user sizes.
Great / The performance is top notch, although there isn’t many adjustable functions they hold together very well when in use. Very sturdy – lasts years. Very comfortable bucket seat. Fairly healthy. Very easy to use. Easy to assemble and disassemble. Moving around is too very easy compared to other, heavy-weight racing simulator seats. Overall quality is just great.
Not so Great / Could have a couple improvements to make it even more comfortable. Doesn’t have lumbar support or any extras that help with health levels. Cleaning can be tedious, as is with real mesh car seats.
Overall / Although the extraordinary costumer service makes me want to cheat and call it the best racing simulator chair, there is no need to do so, because it already is. I would simply recommend it to anyone looking to get their racing games. Great value for the price.
10. X Rocker 5125401
This X Rocker model is made for heavier and bigger console gamers. It does not have 4 speaker surround system, however the overall quality is as good as “Rocker” chairs come. And it has most functions necessary to enjoy your gaming or relaxing time.
Great / Has Bluetooth that you can use to connect to other Bluetooth devices (sound output). The performance is simply great, not much more to add. Sounds really nice. Quality is best there is as far as rockers go. Does have a long life if you treat it with care. Ergonomically designed – very healthy. Really comfortable for most people.
Not so Great / Value for the price could be better. No vibration motor and extra features that increase immersion. Rustling a lot might loosen up the stitching over some time.
Overall / If you are a big person this is really your only choice as far as gaming chairs with speakers go. The overall quality is really good for the price, all though the cost could be lowered some. Best for someone big and looking for comfort and ergonomic design.
11. X Rocker 51259 Pro H3
If you are looking for every feature a Rocker can offer this model is exactly that. It has pretty much everything to enjoy your games and your leisure time to the fullest. Except it’s made for people of small or average builds.
Great / Has 4 great sounding speakers and a powerful sub-woofer. Performs really well all around, as expected. Quality is much better than average and it does live a fairly long life. Overall comfort for fitting users is great. Has padded armrests for additional comfort. Really healthy and comfortable for longer periods of use. Easy to clean. Has extra vibration motors for added immersion.
Not so Great / Armrests don’t flip out of the way, limiting capacity of the seat. Unlikely to hand much straining if you are really heavy. Doesn’t fit big people.
Overall / It has everything you could possibly want from a seat with speakers. The value you get for the buck you pay is really, really good. Only downside is that big people won’t get to enjoy this chair. Best one for someone looking to experience “Rocker” chairs’ full potential!
12. X Rocker 5127401 with Pedestal
X Rocker 5127401 is the most comfortable and probably healthiest seat with pedestal in middle price range for rockers. The model is made for above average people and has a good value for the price.
Great / Quite sturdy. The overall performance is quite good. It doesn’t lack quality and lives a fairly long life given that you are not too big. It is very comfortable for a chair this price. Swiveling feature. Really healthy, designed ergonomically. Easy to take care of.
Not so Great / Doesn’t have Bluetooth what is unusual at this price. Materials and parts used do not seem extremely durable.
Overall / The quality, performance and longevity are not something to surprise someone with. However, this chair’s selling points are comfort, capacity and healthiness. You can use it for longer continuous sessions without getting tired. Handles adults as well as young ones and is a flexible all around.
Gaming Platforms and Chair Types
What gaming platform do you use?
Needless to say, not all chairs are built right for every platform. Depending on the platform or platforms you are going to use the chair with your choice for a gaming chair will vary.
If you are a console player you are probably looking for something low seating, comfortable and couch-like. Why? So you could kick your feet up into the sky and dive right into your favorite game. But that’s not the only reason why you’d need a low-seating chair.
On the other hand low seating, immobile, always in a backwards tilted position chairs are often the opposite of what you’ll need to make the best out of your gaming experience as a PC player. As a personal computer gamer you often find yourself repositioning your chair, sitting with your back straight and, amongst other things, chair height adjusted to match your set up. Which is why rockers and bean bags as tempting as they surely are, won’t cut it for a PC gamer.
There are 5 major categories you can fit basically every gaming chair there is in.
i) Bean Bags (Console Gaming Chairs)
Likely the cheapest, oldest and the most primitive choice for a console. It does get the job done and can be pretty comfortable for short gaming sessions. I am a fan of bean bags. They can be a nice change of pace when you are looking for a quick game. It’s also very useful to have on hand in case your friends decide to come over for a few drinks, a match of NBA or both. Nothing extraordinary, simply a quite cheap alternative that’s better than the floor.
ii) Rockers & Pedestal-base Rockers (Console Gaming Chairs)
The best type of chair for console gamers is without a doubt a “Rocker”. There are three types of rockers: pedestal based, no base at all (just like a rocking couch), or both of the previous types combined with removable pedestal base in case you want to switch to the ol’ rocker. “Rockers” could be described as the coziest and the most feature-full chairs for console gaming ever. It is a low seating chair designed to be comfortable when playing big-screen games. Giving off its nice couch vibes, it has been attracting customers not only to play games. Sitting down and chilling, watching a movie, reading a book become a lot more fun in this chair. Capability to rock back and forth, and in many cases – play sounds, is what gave the chairs their good name and, well, their name.
Most of the higher end rockers aim to make gaming even more entertaining and enticing. Usually, they have many features that make gaming very immersive. The most exciting one is probably, as mentioned before, the built-in sound surround system. Having two or more hidden speakers on both of your sides and a built-in sub-woofer with control panel for bass and volume are surely going to give you a whole new kind of experience when playing your favorite games.
Additionally, most of this type of high-end chairs will connect to the same kind of chair for multi-player gaming. Some of them even have vibration motors that further improve your gaming experience. There is also an audio jack for input that could be used to connect your iPod and listen to some music.
Likely nothing to get you this immersed into the game other than a rocker chair with speakers. If that’s what you are looking for you can take a look at my article for best video game chair with speakers and recommendations here.
Although getting one for PC gaming might be tempting I would not recommend it. In addition to being extremely uncomfortable (wrong ergonomics-wise) your skills will drop to the level of a first time player.
iii) Wheel-base (Gaming Computer / PC Chairs)
Most common and probably the only comfortable type of PC gaming chairs. Wheel-base gaming chairs are basically office chairs, adapted to best match the gamer’s needs. Although, unlike rocker chairs, they do not usually have fancy speakers and sub-woofers they more than make up the difference in quality, adjustability and overall performance.
Here’s a great, simple review on one of the chairs from a perspective of long-term PC user:
Ignoring the height adjustability feature – what makes them the best PC gaming chairs, one of the strongest high back chairs’ point is their ergonomic design and comfort. Attempting to target the biggest problems most PC users encounter – correct posture, high back gaming chairs manufacturer’s main focus is always their ergonomic design. Which is probably the most mind-boggling problem for a personal computer gamer.
As hard to imagine comfort sitting in an office chair for many continuous hours as it may be… the second most annoying thing for long-term gamers was also thought about, states the often encountered cold cure, thickly padded, base of the throne and countless other features that make the higher-end chairs very comfortable to use for longer sessions of gaming. In addition to that, most of the chairs are often accompanied by neck and lumbar support designs. Needless to say, one of the most attractive features some of this type of chairs have to offer a gamer is the ability to tilt backwards and recline all the way to laying position. It is a must-have function for a heavy grinding gamer. Taking a nap here and there or just reclining back to relax is nothing short of necessary if you are playing many hours a day.
iv) Simulator Chairs (Gaming Chairs for Simulation Games)
The last kind major type of gaming chairs is simulator chairs. These chairs are for gaming freaks that take gaming to a whole another level making the experience very close to real. It includes racing simulator, flight simulator seats and similar.
Racing simulator seats usually comes with frames for mounting your steering wheel, pedals and, in some cases, gear shifter mounts and depending on the price it might also include other features such as multiple monitor mount. Fortunately, controllers are mostly never included with the package so you can use your own.
Some of the older models of the chairs do not all have adjustable mounts and are quite heavy because of their sturdy builds (cockpits), what results in overall bigger prices and a really hard time moving and positioning it. Wouldn’t call it an ideal choice for a gamer. Quite a few racing enthusiasts do still prefer old fashioned cockpit builds for personal reasons. But you will simply have less problems with the less expensive, adjustable, lightweight racing chair models.
+ Gaming Chair Ottoman (Gaming Computer / PC Chairs)
While not the main choice to be used as a gaming chair it still deserves as spot in the list. Some PC gaming chair brands like DXRacer make super high-quality ergonomic gaming ottomans that will complement any PC gaming chair. They can be used as a footrest for your power napping sessions or a spare half-complete gaming chair for your unexpected gaming guests. Or just a design detail.
This one (example picture) also comes with wheel locks.
Important Things to Know Before Buying your Best PC Gaming Chair
A few important topics concerning best PC and Console gaming chairs.
i) Recommended User Size
I noticed there are quite a bunch of gamers who are dissatisfied with the fact that they had to spend a lot of money on, their so thought best, gaming chairs only to receive one most uncomfortable seat. So how exactly does it work and why do most people find them insanely comfortable while others would sit on a cheap office chair instead? It’s a very important question that many of the others fail to answer.
Most, if not all, gaming chairs have a recommended user size in weight and height that you must fit to receive the best experience possible. Some people are simply not aware of the fact before they buy their thrones. Which is exactly why they swear at the high-end gaming chairs.
Although, it’s the case with both Console and PC gaming chairs, rockers are often more lenient about the user’s build. While some PC gaming chair brands’ models do fit a big range of body types and sizes, most high-quality one’s will not. As they sometimes are an equivalent of a custom made suit.
Brands like DXRacer make each of their series for a different body build. By doing so, they make chairs you are extremely comfortable sitting in if you fit their recommended weight and height. Of course, it’s better to weigh less or to be shorter than recommended rather than go above the max capacity. But still, if you are far below the recommended sizes you likely won’t be as comfortable either.
If you are a big guy check out my Best Gaming Chairs for Big Guys post.
All in all, to avoid picking the wrong “best chair for gaming” make sure to find out the recommended user size. Unfortunately, there are chairs that do not state it and in such case, you should look for max capacity. However, don’t mistake max weight capacity for max weight limit, because the latter one only states the ability to handle that heavy of a load. Surely not in a form of a person. Also if you are looking for your own high-end best PC gaming chair you should be able to find the exact product dimensions on each of the parts on their product description page – in case you are still not sure you’ll fit.
ii) Long-term Gamers vs Casual Gamers (Budget)
How much should you spend for it?
A thing to consider is whether you’d name yourself a long-term player or a casual player. Depending on which one you are – your choice of a best chair for gaming also changes.
Long-term Gamers
If you are a long-term player who can’t afford a high-end seat immediately, you should save up a little. You are buying a piece of equipment that will get worked to the bone day in and day out. It’s pretty obvious, but buying one quality chair is a lot better than having to replace the cheaper one over and over again.
When you spend a lot of time playing games it is not only important that you are as comfortable as possible but that you are also able to maintain your posture. Otherwise you will be soon greeted by back pain, neck pain or other health problems. Saving up some for a high-end ergonomic chair with some extra healthy features, instead of rushing off to buy one you can afford now, will definitely solve some future issues for you.
Casual Gamers
On the other hand, for a casual player it’s not such a mind-boggler. If you are one and you aren’t planning to spend much time sitting or lying in your chair, you could just go ahead and buy a seat that’s comfortable playing in for shorter periods of time and is within your current budget. However, you can’t expect a long life from a cheap chair. If you are not planning to let up your casual gaming tendencies, you should consider making a purchase of quality build rather than that of fancy features.
If you are a casual or need a quick solution see my Best Cheap Gaming Chairs post for recommendations on budget gaming chairs.
It never hurts to think forwards a little. Decide what you want to get out of your buy in the future too. One of the things that decide how much the chair will cost is its features. So ask yourself a question, is that feature really necessary? If you are on a hunt for a chair running a tight budget – maybe you don’t need your personal best PC gaming chair to recline or have little foot pegs to rest feet on.
iii) Gaming Chair VS Office Chair
“So what exactly is the difference between office and PC gaming chairs?” This is a question I’m hearing a lot.
Technically speaking, PC gaming chairs are office chairs, because in most cases they are documented as such. Though, the reality is a bit different. While you could find some big chain stores using the word “gaming” in their office chairs’ titles used for marketing purposes, most gaming chairs will actually be gaming chairs.
A PC gaming chair is a wheel-based chair focused on giving the users the best possible gaming experience. But because some models do not have as much to offer as others I’ll only talk about the main features that most of the real PC gaming chairs have.
Design
None of the PC gaming chairs will look like your everyday office chair. Many people trash talk PC gaming chairs saying they are all about looks and not much anything else. I can assure you that these people likely never ever had their butts down on a good, high-end seat.
Many of the seats have gaming themed designs and colors. Or rather – they have bucket-seat style designs with bright colors that go perfectly with the gaming theme. That kind of design is not only a sweet way to get yourself in the mood but it also complements your setup. However, not all seats made for gamers scream “gaming”. Thus, if you are not of a fan of bright colors and sharp lines, you could always go with something more professional looking like DXRacer office series.
High Backrests
While there are various types of office chairs – low-back, mid-back, high-back – gaming chairs for PC all have high-back backrests.
Because comfort and healthiness are their main focus – high-backs are essential. They are mostly there to prevent users from getting back and neck pains of any sort. But in many cases they are also necessary so you can recline into a sleeping position.
Reclining Function
More or less every “racer” chair reclines. At least the ones fitting to be called best gaming chairs for PC. Although, reclining function isn’t the definition of what they are – I think, amongst other features, reclining is important to have for a gamer’s chair.
See my recommendations for top reclining gaming chair here.
It’s an awesome feature that lets you take a nap or just relax whenever necessary. Needless to say, reclining function and simple office chairs wouldn’t go well together because they are mainly used for work and not relaxing. Unless, of course, you are a hard working owner of a company.
Adjustable Lumbar Support & Headrest Cushions
Certainly not a thing often found on office seats. With computer chairs it’s the very opposite. You will often find gaming computer chairs offering adjustable lumbar support and headrest cushions. The lumbar support cushions is there for comfort and health purposes. Same with headrest cushion, many people place them against their necks or as pillows for when they are napping while reclined.
Adjustable Armrests
Although there are some office chairs that do have height adjustable armrests, not often you would find them 3D or 4D.
Many of the gaming computer chairs have adjustable armrests that you can adjust not only in height. Usually you can adjust them in all directions in order to make yourself more comfortable and efficient. In a single word – ergonomics. A good example would be 4D armrests that you can adjust almost any way you like. You can turn them inwards and outwards, raise it and lower it, push or pull to either side or front and back. It’s a great function to increase your comfort and healthiness levels.
In Summary
So what are PC gaming chairs? They are office chairs that were built with individuals comfort, well-being and satisfaction being the priorities. As opposed to most of the office seats, unfortunately.
As office chairs are made for work they don’t much care about the individual’s experience. Relaxing and being overly comfortable at work are not a normal thing. While you could find some normal office chairs that partly fit the description, they won’t match up to a PC gaming chair’s quality. On the other hand PC gaming chair manufacturer’s main focus is gamers. Being fueled by the desire to satisfy every gamer’s need and preference – they long since beat their predecessors at everything.
In the end, it’s up to you whether you call it an overly comfortable ergonomic office chair or a gaming chair.
iv) Compatibility Issues Concerning Console Gaming Chairs
“Is it compatible with my PS3/PS4/Xbox 360/Xbox One/Wii?”
This question falls into the “gaming chairs with speakers” category only and it seems to have been shoving away some potential customers. To make it simple, the answer is yes. Even when it is not compatible with your console (what is rarely a case) it will be with your TV that the console in question is connected to. And even if your TV doesn’t have RCA outputs (what is very unlikely), you can buy an HDMI to HDMI + SPDIF + RCA L/R Converter that will make sure your chairs do indeed ROCK… unlike my sense of humor.
Going into details – whether it is a wireless audio system or not, it will be using cables that most of the time can be used to connect to your TV either for wireless transmitter or direct connection. Meaning that there are more than one ways to get the sound flowing to your fresh buy.
The cables are included with the package of your buy. However, in case the audio system isn’t wireless, you might run out of cable. Of course, you can always buy an additional cable adapter to make it longer. But to save yourself some trouble, you should check out the product description for the cables length if stated.
7 Important Criteria to Evaluate your Best Gaming Chair
There are 7 important categories that you can use to analyze how good your choice for a best gaming chair is.
i) Looks
Like with most other things – good looks aren’t necessary to function but are still important. I think none of us would like to sit in a chair that looks broken down or is weirdly shaped. Good looking seat equals better mindset and greater satisfaction even before you start playing your favorite games. Personally, it’s never the first thing I search for when I’m checking them out but for some it may be crucial that their best PC or Console gaming chair looks great.
Everyone has their own opinion of what looks good and what doesn’t. But in my opinion there are clearly better looking chairs. And there a more than a few reasons they look better than the rest.
First and foremost, the chair’s shapes have a lot to do on whether you’ll like it or not. Whether we are talking about console chairs or PC chairs, poorly shaped seat is just not beautiful. No matter what you do to it, if it has weird shapes all over it will look not very appealing. So far I’ve seen only a few seats that actually made me shudder in disgust but they do exist and they are not pretty. If poorly sized poor shapes and extrusions can cause such a bodily response it’s likely worth a lot of attention concerning chair’s design.
Positions, sizes and symmetry are crucial for a nice seat. Some of the cheaper chairs do seem to have a problem with this because gaming chairs are a lot more complicated to make. Needless to say poorly positioned accents, logos and similar can ruin an otherwise nice design too.
As for the cover, whether you like the material it’s made of depends on you personally. However, stitching also has a visible effect on a chair’s looks. High-end seats always have great stitching that is either only invisible upon closer inspection or complements the rest of the chairs design.
Stitching aside, colors, shades and color patterns have a big impact on a chair’s design too.
ii) Comfort
For chairs you’re going to use day in and day out comfort is the most important thing. If it’s not comfortable there is little use in buying it. However console chairs and PC chairs have different opinions of comfortable.
In general, the more adjustable the chair is – the better. Adjustable features allow you to adapt to any situation and settle for your own most comfortable settings.
For a higher-end rocker comfort means being able to cozily fall back in the chair and enjoy your favorite games for few hours straight without getting tired. Casually getting armrests out of the way when necessary and rocking back and forth. All that while you remain in good posture.
High-end PC chairs are a bit more complicated concerning their comfort. They have a ton of features directly involved with overall comfort. The ideal best PC gaming chair would have them all:
- High-density cold cure foam that is comfortable for many continuous hours of use;
- Extruded shoulder and waist protections that make the chair fit you like a glove if you are within the recommended height and weight;
- Seat depth that’s just right for your legs or adjustable one;
- Adjustable angle reclining function if you decide to take a power nap or just chill out;
- Multi-functional tilt mechanism that you can use to get yourself settled in the right position or just rock it back and forth;
- Adjustable 4D armrests that you can turn inwards and outwards, raise or lower, push or pull to the sides or front and back;
- Adjustable headrest/neck and lumbar support cushions you can use for additional comfort or your naps;
- Extendable footrest, or little foot pegs on each of the chairs legs;
- Tilt tension control;
iii) Performance & Longevity (+Quality)
A lot of gamers tried guessing and brainstorming on what their best PC gaming chairs are. Howevever, they fail to understand that fancy design and crazy comfort doesn’t amount to much if the chair doesn’t function well for a long time. Longevity and smooth action of all the mechanisms are also necessary for a pleasant experience.
Bones
First and foremost, good gaming computer chairs must have a sturdy frame. A great example of sturdy frames are chairs made by DXRacer. Their frames are mostly built from metal and have a life-time warranty. In addition to their sturdy frames, they must also have a base strong enough to handle a person of recommended weight. In my book a strong base is usually made from either nylon, aluminum (thick), metal or graphite.
For a wheel-based chair – casters are also very important. Bad casters not only damage the floor but they are quick to break, wear out or start malfunctioning. Which is mostly the case with PVC casters. An example of an ideal type of casters would be PU. Not only they are as soft as rubber ones but they are also very durable and look nice. Nylon casters are also a good option but they are not usually found on gaming chairs.
Meat & Skin
If the filling of the seat is bad, not only it’s not comfortable, it doesn’t stay in its original form for too long. Unfortunately, if the information on the chair’s contents is not public, there is little you can do to find out. In any case, a quality seat, as mentioned above would have a high-density cold cure foam which is very close to the ones used in cars. Not only it has a long life but because of it, you can use your chair comfortably for many hours straight.
Normal office chairs often have problems with poorly treated vinyl cover wearing out fast. Normally, you’d think that would be the case with other chairs too. However, properly treated vinyl can last very long. The safest bet, however, is strong mesh / fabric. Chairs covered in strong mesh rarely if at all have any durability problems. Except, they are quite hard to clean.
Joints
The performance of mechanisms and moving parts is very important. Which is also the case with rockers’ speakers and electronics systems. No one likes their products squeaking or speakers underperforming.
There’s no simple way to find out the quality of mechanisms except to give them a try. Although some of the manufacturers do specify the quality of their parts on their sales page or product specifications e.g. class 4 adjustable height gas spring.
Take a look at the differences between a normal chair and DXRacer high-end gaming chair.
iv) Healthiness
Gamers spend insane amounts of time playing. I’m sure quite a few of you, just like myself, already tasted what it feels like to spend a lot of time sitting in a bad quality chair. Yes, back pain, neck pain and those are nothing compared to some gamers who’ve developed something even worse. If you are a long-term gamer, you must make sure to consider your own well-being too. Ergonomic design is necessary so we can play and stay healthy.
Rockers, as chairs that don’t need to match the typical ergonomics are a bit behind. As there is no keyboard or mouse – just a controller, there isn’t much room for ergonomics. As long as they get you sitting comfortably and in the right posture – they are good to go.
Wheel-based gaming chairs, though, are bit more complicated. Not only do the quality chairs get you sitting in the right posture they also offer a lot of other features that help healthiness and comfort levels.
Most of the quality chairs are shaped in a way that’s good for your spine and your neck. In most cases they’ll include a couple of cushions that you can use for neck and lumbar health. But what makes them especially good for health are the adjustable features. The more adjustable a chair is – the better it can adapt to any situation without breaking the ergonomic rules.
Likely the most important healthy features are adjustable lumbar support and adjustable armrests. Adjustable lumbar support cushion or mechanism is pretty self-explanatory. If you’ve been using an everyday office chair, just like I used to, I’m sure you don’t even use the armrests. Most of us don’t. Why? Because they just don’t fit. Wrist pain cause number one. Adjustable armrests make sure that your elbows stay at the right height at all times. In some cases they are adjustable in more than just height. And that’s even better if you find yourself with an unusual set up or have past wrist injuries.
v) Ease of Use & Assembly
I’ve read about many people having trouble assembling chairs, using the functions, maintaining or cleaning it. Either it being too complicated, screw holes not aligning or them breaking some part while assembling them. Basically it’s a score of how easy it is to work with.
Most of the chairs are hard to assemble. The main suspect being the cover material. It’s quite normal for cover to be tightly wrapped thus not ideally aligned with screw holes etc. Some of the manufacturers work on easing the process with clear instructions, putting together some parts and pre-installing screws before shipping.
Depending on the cover materials the seat can be hard to clean. Faux leather (PU, vinyl) can be easy to clean but might have other downsides. Mesh, on the other hand, is usually quite hard to clean. If you are the kind of gamer that tends to be a bit clumsy when multi-tasking in eating-and-grinding mode, considering an easy to clean seat could be a smart move. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend choosing a a seat based only on how easy it is to clean. If you happened to pick yourself a chair that has materials harder to tend to, I’d recommend considering spending a couple of bucks on deep cleaning multi-purpose foam cleaner used to quickly wipe any stains in your car seat materials. Let’s be honest here, did you ever see a gamer that doesn’t snack while using their PC or console?
There’s also the issue of hard to reach or hard to distinguish levers and buttons. If you are not going for a cheap choice – this isn’t something to be worried about.
Example of an easy to assemble PC gaming seat.
vi) Value for Price
Or, simply, a rating used to tell whether a chair is overpriced or not. A.K.A When all of the things mentioned above and more are pitted against the product’s price. Usually quite difficult to calculate because it requires a lot of research, especially so with high-end products, but having a good point of reference can make things a lot easier.
vii) Amazon GamingChairsXP.com fixed Ratings
Amazon has a good rating system and most of the reviewers are really honest with their opinions. I often take it into consideration to tell whether the stuff I buy is good or not. But some vendors might buy or somehow fake reviews. The higher the price of the product the less likely it’s faked but it’s still possible they have few fake ones. It takes some work to tell which ones might be fake by researching the reviewer’s profiles but it is possible. Once the potential fake reviews are out of the picture you get an accurate fixed amazon rating.
The End?
That covers most of the important things you need to know about gaming chairs. However, each kind of gaming chairs have their own very best. Therefore, feel free to read up on my other posts concerning gaming chairs!
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