"Gaming chairs" often look much like something you would see in a race car, and this is a good thing since the bucket seat and cushy, adjustable backrest on these pieces of furniture are geared towards comfort for long periods of sedentary activity.
Most gaming chairs on the market today tend to focus on price point, aesthetics, or range of adjustable motion. I have found that cushion material can play a big role in longevity as well, since no one wants a chair that goes flat after 6 months of use.
The latest offering from Respawn ranks highly on many a gamers list, and with good reason. This is a chair that is designed to be affordable without the loss of comfort and customization that you often find in competing lower priced chairs. This is most apparent when it comes to the foam and pillows.
This chair is more on the firmer side, and that’s a good thing as it means the cushioning will not lose it shape or sag over time. Many users report that the foam is well suited to everyday use and can last for many years without showing signs of sagging.
The Omega also comes with a pair of lumbar+ upper head memory foam pillows. The fabric is reasonably soft and velvety, however they are free pillows and not permanently affixed to the chair, which tends to make them a little too easy to move around.
Lastly, the Omega series has 3 different offerings when it comes upholstery: standard PU leather (which is suitable for more users) at a $329 price point, softweave fabric for $349, and full NAPA leather for $899. For the most part, this is an upper range chair that carriers a mid-range price. Respawns strategy of dealing direct with consumers and cutting out the middle man seems to be paying off here, and we hope to see more from this company in the future as they produce some of the best gaming chairs on the market today.
Respawn 200
At first glance, the Respawn 200 may seem cheap & plastic. But its minimal design actually works in its favor. This chair is quite simple to assemble - there are maybe about 5-6 groups of parts and it is pretty easy to assemble without instruction in less than 10 minutes, and the mesh design is an ideal choice for those who tend to prefer a less insulated chair. The seat is convexed which can be bad or good depending on your preferences and seating style.
The downside to the Respawn is that the head and armrest cushioning tends to be a bit too minimal – think soft instead of firm here. The armrests are only adjustable up and down which can be a drawback for shorter folks. Although it isn’t obvious at first glance the Respawn d=actually does have a lumbar adjustment /pillow which is underneath the lower mesh. This is a unique feature that is only possible due to the fact that the chair backing is a mesh instead of leather.
The respawns biggest strength is its price point of about $200, and the comfort level is a step above a normal office chair. However, it isn’t quite on the level of some of the higher end gaming chairs on the market.
Herman Miller Aeron
The Aeron series by Herman Miller are chairs that are not specifically targeted towards gamers; however they do deserve an honorable mention here as they are designed with ergonomics and health in mind. As someone who has some minor back issues, I am always interested in a chair that places wellbeing above flash & pizzazz.
The stand out feature on the Aeron is its adjustability - you can adjust the height and tension as well as raise/lower and swing the arms in or out. There is also an emphasis on lumbar support thanks to the Aerons “posturefit” design, which helps to support the sacral region and push the pelvis slightly forward, to discourage slouching. I actually rather like this feature as I tend to slouch when I sit in one position for too long.
Gamers who don’t desire a particular aesthetic and are concerned about their posture health would do well to consider an Aeron, especially since the chair comes in 3 different sizes to accommodate people of any height.
X Rocker 2.1 Triple Flip 2.1
In addition to its unique name, the Triple Flip 2.1 also boasts a few interesting features - chief amongst them being it’s built in stereo speakers and subwoofer. The speakers are recessed and hide behind the head rest, and the subwoofer is built into the base retract which helps give the chair a more normal look. Although it lacks Bluetooth, there is a RCA/headset jack for those who desire to use an external setup. The Triple Flip also has an area in the base for storage of gaming accessories.
You may be wondering why it’s called the “Flip”, and so were we. The chair actually acts as an ottoman if you fold the back down. This adds a little versatility to your gaming room if you are I need of a second chair for some local coop but lack the space.
This is an ideal chair for gamers who are lacking in space however it is not adjustable and does not come with additional pillows/supports.
X Rocker Pro H3
While we aren’t a fan of “on the floor style” chairs, the Rocker Pro distinguishes itself with its 4.1 built in surround sound and its Audio Force Modulation technology, which supposedly works by utilizing the empty space inside the chair to help resonate and amplify the harmonics of the speakers. In addition to its sound capabilities, the H3 is also wireless capable and supports the most coming gaming systems and tablets of today.
The build quality of the chair is decent; however the H3 is not adjustable due to it being a rocker/sit down style. The manufacture claims that the chair can support up to 275 lbs. without the base bending/warping. The bottom base has been found to be quite sturdy; however there are reports of the cushioning losing its shape after heavy use.
Arozzi Torretta
As far as esthetics go, the Arozzi matches and sometimes even surpasses its more expensive competitors when it comes to the “racing chair” look. The manufacturer lists about 7 different colors (we love the Azure one!) at the time of this writing, with promises more to come at a later date. The chair also is available in a XL version for those taller gamers out there.
The manufacture saw fit to use a steel frame in its construction, which is a rarity for a chair in this price range. This should help to give the chair added durability and longevity, especially when compared to the plastic frames used by rival companies. The armrests are fully adjustable (both up/down and side to side) and the cushioning is firm like you would expect for a racing chair.
GT Racing Gaming Office Chair
This is more of a hybrid gaming/office chair from up and upcoming manufacturer GT. The chair comes in about 4 different color varieties and is reasonably priced at around $150 on most sites. The neck and lumbar cushions are about average in terms of quality and support, however the major feature (or drawback) of this chair lies in its large bucket seat.
It appears that the manufacturer took the term “racing chair” quite literally when designing this chair, as the seat is quite deep and modeled after an actual real race car seat. Bucket seats are popular on race cars as they are designed to keep the driver from moving side to side too much. For a stationary chair this may be a bit much for some games; however those who prefer the look & feel of such a chair could do much worse than this one, especially for the price.
GTMONSTER Racing Style Gaming Chair
If you couldn’t already tell by the name, this chair is made with real leather. This is a chair for those who absolutely must have an all leather gaming chair. Generies actually offers 2 different styles of leather for this chair, one “real leather” and another with ultra-soft NAPPA leather that is about double the price.
For such a premium chair, the GTMonster lacks in a few key areas, chief among them being the armrests (which are plastic only and do not have cushions) and the lack of an adjustable lumbar support.
This is a very firmly cushioned chair, and the neck/head pillows are a bit on the thinner side. Gamers looking for a firm chair for that extra added support racing chair would be wise to purchase this one as its also one of the best gaming chairs for the price.
The most interesting thing about this chair might actually be its esthetics. Although the backrest and seat closely resemble what you might find in other gaming chairs, the all metal base stands out as it actually colored and resembles a race car, unlike the standard black/silver plastic seen on similar competing products.
As far as features go, the Homall is outfitted with the usual goodies like up/down & rotating armrests as well as both head and lumbar support pillows. The chair also has the ability to lean all the way back to 120°, a useful feature that I wish was more common on gaming chairs.
Lastly, the Homall is built like a race car. The base and frame are made of steel, and the only plastic to be found is in the armrests. This chair is about 30” wide which places it on the larger side when compared to its competitors.
Who doesn’t like a good beanbag chair?
Ok, it’s not a top of the line gaming chair. But we felt we should include this chair as it is affordable, functional, and downright neat looking. The shape and texture is reminiscent of days long bay (especially if you are a 90’s kid), and the fact that that it weighs only about 5lbs and isn’t much taller than most people’s footrests makes it easy to fit into a small gaming room/tuck it away when not in use.
There are also handy pockets on the sides that are great for storing things like your favorite beverage or snack during those long gaming sessions.