The Best Gaming Chair: Shopping Guide and Recommendations (02/23)

YOURLITEAMZ Racing Gaming Chair with Massage, Office Ergonomic Computer Desk Chair with Padded Footrest Support, Swivel High Back Recliner, High-Adjustable Cushion, PU Leather for Home Office（Blue）

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122.95 GBP

Play haha.Gaming chair Office chair Swivel chair Computer chair Work chair Desk chair Ergonomic Chair Racing chair Leather chair PC gaming chair (Blue)

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79.99 GBP

Fullwatt Racing Gaming Chair for adults with Footrest and Massage Lumbar Pillow, Swivel Height Adjustable Reclining PU Leather Video Game Chair, E-Sports Gaming Chair Big and Tall(Black)

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122.90 GBP

bigzzia Gaming Chair Office Chair Desk Chair Swivel Heavy Duty Chair Ergonomic Design with Cushion and Reclining Back Support

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93.49 GBP

RL7 Gaming Chair Racing Style-Computer Desk Chair with Footrest High Back Swivel Conference Work Chair for Lumbar Support-Ergonomic Design with Cushion (Black)

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109.89 GBP

YOLEO Gaming Chair for Adult, Ergonomic Home Office Desk Chairs Lumbar Support High Back Swivel Racing Style Computer Games Chair Larger Armrest with Height Adjustable and Headrest-Black/White

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96.99 GBP

Buying and evaluation criteria for gaming chairs

The most important criteria with which you can compare gaming chairs include the following:

Ergonomics
Load capacity
Features
Material

In the following paragraphs, we’ll explain what really matters so you can get up after a long session without lumbago.

Ergonomics

An ergonomic chair is important when working several hours a day, because your health is at stake. The following criteria should therefore be taken into account when you sit down in your gaming chair for the first time:

The back of your head should not protrude more than 5 cm above the headrest so that your neck is well supported.
There should be about 5 cm of free space between the back of your knees and the seat so that you can put your feet completely on the floor without having to move your pelvis forward.
The legs should ideally be bent at 90 degrees and touch the floor flat with the feet.
The back should be completely touching the backrest.
The seat should be sufficiently wide and the side bolsters should not pinch.
The upholstery should be neither too hard nor too soft.
The ideal chair can be adapted to your needs.

High-quality office and gaming chairs have different options to fit you. There is no such thing as the perfect chair for everyone, as everyone has a different body type and therefore different needs. More on this in the section: Features.

Load capacity

It is also important to consider the maximum weight that a gaming chair can support. This is often stated by manufacturers and, depending on the equipment, ranges between 120 and 150 kilograms, rarely even up to 200 kilograms.

The maximum weight is influenced both by the construction and by the built-in gas pressure spring with which the height is adjusted. Some manufacturers also offer replaceable gas springs to extend the adjustable height range.

Features

A good gaming chair offers some important features, which we will discuss in more detail here.

Construction

Gaming chairs can be constructed in two ways: steel frame or seat shell.

With a steel frame, the chair is made of welded steel tubes, with padding placed on the metal seat and elastic straps placed in the spaces between the metal struts.

Wood does not mean “less robust”, but much more “ergonomic”!

In a shell construction, the seat and backrest each consist of a moulded wood panel, which can distribute the weight evenly thanks to their curved shape.

The wooden shell also offers the advantage that the seat cushions cannot settle in the gaps of the metal struts, as with a steel frame the cushions are hooked in with rubber bands, which lose their elasticity over time.

The chair then has a “sedentary” effect, which is intended for a longer period of time so that it feels really comfortable. Nevertheless, there will come a time when the material will start to weaken.

Backrest

As already mentioned, your head should not protrude more than 5 cm above the backrest. For ergonomic sitting, it is important that it can be adjusted to a 90-degree angle to the seat.

The ideal backrest is one that is adjustable in height and can be curved in the lumbar area by turning a knob to accommodate the natural double-S shape of the spine.

Manufacturers often offer removable neck and lumbar cushions that provide additional support for the head and pelvis and are included with the chair.

Seat

There are individual requirements for the seating surface depending on the buttocks, which is why the chair should ideally be tried out. It is important to have enough space at the sides and to choose the right hardness of the filling material.

When it comes to the filling material, PU cold foam (also known as cut or performance foam) with different degrees of hardness is usually used for both the backrest and the seat surface.

Here, as with buying a mattress, the rule of thumb often applies: the more weight, the harder the upholstery should be. The less weight, the softer the padding should be.

The side bolsters, which were borrowed from racing and offer the racer support in curves, certainly look sleek. However, they should not be uncomfortable at any time!

Rocking or synchronous mechanism

The rocker mechanism is another part of the ergonomic features of a gaming chair. It allows the chair to rock while the angle between the seat and backrest remains constant.

An extended rocker mechanism allows the chair to be locked in place so that the sitting position is maintained. This mechanism is present in almost all gaming chairs and ensures that the weight is distributed evenly over the back as well as the lumbar region.

The synchronous mechanism is an even higher quality version of the rocking mechanism, as the angle between the backrest and the seat adjusts as it rocks and supports the change of sitting positions. This is important because we remember: the best sitting posture is the next one!

Armrests

Armrests should not be neglected, as poor posture can cause shoulder and neck tension. Therefore, the forearms should be able to rest comfortably and loosely on the armrests.

If a chair has 4D armrests (D = Direction), these can be adjusted in four directions: Up / Down, Left / Right, Forward / Back and slightly rotated.

In this way you can be sure that no incorrect posture is adopted at any upper arm length or shoulder width and that tension is prevented over time.

Turnstile and castors

The turnstile is usually made of plastic, aluminium or steel and should be sufficiently dimensioned so that you do not sway either when leaning back comfortably or when tilting forward into the “gamer posture”.

With the castors, it is important to remember what material they are made of and what kind of floor you are using them on.

Cheap castors made of hard plastic can permanently damage sensitive floors such as laminate. It is therefore advisable to prefer larger castors made of rubber or at least with rubberised rolling surfaces.

Material

Gaming chairs are available in various materials, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here is a brief overview and tips for care.

Genuine leather

Genuine leather has by far the best feel, so it feels noble and is also breathable on hotter days, which means you sweat less. Unfortunately, this material also has its price and requires a certain amount of care with special leather care products for a long life.

Advantages

High quality
Breathable
Robust

Disadvantages

Must be cared for regularly
Expensive to buy

PU imitation leather

The majority of gaming chairs are covered with PU imitation leather, as the material is cheaper and easier to clean. A light care programme with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and a grease-free cleaning agent is also advisable here!

Advantages

Cheaper
Widely available
Easy to care for

Disadvantages

Less breathable depending on grade

Laif VyP artificial leather

The artificial leather with the cryptic name combines the advantages of artificial and genuine leather, as it remains breathable due to the pores and is nevertheless easy to clean just like PU leather.

Advantages

Easy-care
Breathable
More abrasion-resistant than PU imitation leather

Disadvantages

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Fabric cover

Fabric covers are also widely available in many colours and designs and are very breathable, but you will need some patience to clean them if the cover is not removable.

Advantages

Very breathable
Various colours and designs

Disadvantages

Cleaning difficult

Guide: Questions you have probably already asked yourself, answered in detail.

With all this information, there are bound to be some questions that you are asking yourself right now. This guide will answer them so that you can make the best purchase decision for your future gaming chair.

What is a gaming chair?

A gaming chair is a chair with a special look and, depending on the price range, different adjustment options to suit your physique. Especially if you work or play on your PC for a long time, it makes sense to think about a good chair.

Does a gaming chair make sense?

The longer you spend in a sitting position, the more important the choice of furniture becomes. Gaming chairs have many adjustment options to allow you to sit as comfortably as possible for longer periods of time.

Gaming Stuhl-1 — The gaming chair is often the most underestimated part of a gaming set up, but it should still not be neglected. Your body will thank you for it!
(Image source: 123rf.com/ dragoscondrea)

So you’re actually investing in your own health when you choose a chair that can adapt perfectly to your body and thus prevent physical ailments like back pain.

In the end, it’s all about your physical well-being, which a high-quality chair can protect and preserve.

What makes a good gaming chair?

The following points should be found in a good gaming chair:

A good chair has many adjustment options for the backrest, seat, armrests and height so that it optimally supports your individual physique when working or playing.
High-quality upholstery and covers guarantee a long service life. If it smells strongly of chemicals, cheap chemicals have probably been used, which can lead to headaches and nausea. You should definitely not expose yourself to these for any length of time (especially with skin contact)!
A solid construction and durable materials such as aluminium and / or steel guarantee a long life.
Rubberised castors and smooth running over the floor to prevent scratches.
A good finish: no creases, crooked or open seams, wobbling or squeaking.

Which is the best gaming chair?

The best gaming chair is the one that fits you best. Someone with a larger build will have completely different requirements and perhaps even their own preferences in terms of shape, hardness and upholstery than someone with a narrower body shape.

But the general rule remains: Comfort is more important than design.

Therefore, there is no such thing as the best gaming chair, but rather chairs with more or fewer functions or of higher or lower quality. A slightly more expensive gaming chair will last longer and benefit your health. So it is a personal decision how much you want to spend on a high quality chair.

How much does a gaming chair cost?

Of course, there is a certain price range that is open to the top. However, if you want to buy a chair that you will enjoy for a long time, you should expect to invest at least 150 euros.

Ergonomics	price range
Height-adjustable only	80 – 120 euros
Height-adjustable, 4D armrests, rocker mechanism	120 – 400 euros
Height-adjustable, 4D armrests, synchro mechanism, lumbar support	400 euros and up

If you skimp too much on the quality of the chair, you may be in for a nasty surprise when the package arrives. From complicated assembly to defective steel frames or material that stinks of chemicals, many things can go wrong.

The following video shows you very impressively why it is worth doing some research and why it can be the right decision to invest a little more in a good gaming chair.

As we can see, investing in a really good gaming chair can definitely pay off. You can use it for far longer without risking a warranty claim or, at worst, a bruise if a part actually breaks.

Which chair fits every stature?

If a chair is to fit every physique, it must be both flexible in its adjustment possibilities and resilient. Therefore, only high-priced models come into question, as they offer the largest number of adjustable individual parts and also have a high quality of construction.

Gaming Stuhl-2 — At top-class e-sports tournaments in particular, teams rely on professional gaming chairs to deliver their best performance. If you sit comfortably, you have an advantage over your opponent!
(Image source: 123rf.com / Drobot )

However, it should also be noted that the chair should also be adjusted to the respective user before prolonged use. If two people share a chair, it is seldom ideally adjusted to both of them, which can again lead to health problems.

How do I clean a gaming chair?

That depends on the material used for the cover!

Material	Cleaning	Care
Genuine leather	Suitable leather cleaner	Clean every 3 months and use special care product to moisturise and seal
PU or laif VyP	Slightly damp microfibre cloth, grease-free cleaning agent	Clean every 6 months
Fabric	Upholstery or foam cleaner	Avoid stains, clean every 6 months

The most time-consuming way to care for genuine leather is to use a suitable leather cleaner and a special care product that moisturises and seals the leather. In general, you should never use a product that is not made for this purpose (e.g. car polish), as these can damage the leather and leave stains.

Chairs made of artificial leather (PU or laif VyP) are very easy to care for, as they hardly absorb dirt and do not require regular care like real leather. It is therefore sufficient to clean the chair with a damp cloth and possibly suitable cleaning agents and then care for it with a special balm.

Fabric covers, on the other hand, are more difficult to clean because stains stick easily. Upholstery or foam cleaners are therefore recommended, unless the cover can be removed and thus cleaned more easily.

Which brands are best known?

Well-known brands include noblechairs, AKRacing, Vertagear, NeedforSeat, SecretLabs and DXRacer.

On their homepage you can often take a closer look at which series or model is suitable for you.

Tips and suitable care products can also be found there!

Manufacturer	Warranty	Shipping costs
noblechairs	2 years	Germany 17,99 €, Austria 29.99 €, return shipping free of charge
AKRacing	2 years	Dependent on mail order company
Vertagear	Racing Series: 2 years, Gaming Series: 2 – 5 years	Depending on mail order company
NeedforSeat	2 years	Germany 14,90 €
Secretlab	2 years, Secretlab 2020 Series 3 years	Between 19,90 € and 29,90 € (DHL)
DXRacer	2 years	Germany 9,90 € per DXRacer, Austria 39,90€ per DXRacer (DPD)

With these manufacturers you can rely most on good workmanship, high quality and secure customer support.

What alternatives are there?

If the thought has crossed your mind that a good office chair or executive chair could also be suitable for sitting for long periods of time, then you’re not necessarily wrong!

Executive chairs may be less expensive because of their simpler design and may be suitable for shorter periods of sitting. Sometimes, however, they have fewer adjustment options that are important for prolonged gaming.

The video gives you an idea of whether a gaming chair or an ergonomic office chair is right for you.

High-quality gaming chairs are tailored to the human body so that no physical discomfort occurs even after several hours of gaming. Therefore, gaming chairs can even be recommended for everyday office use, as long as the sporty design is not out of place for the boss.