The rise of the gaming industry has definitely led to some well-thought and niche-focused common household furnitures and one of these is the gaming chair. Gamers who are truly invested in making their ultimate personal gaming headquarters will surely choose their own choice of gaming chair to complete the look.
The Gaming Chair
You know for certain it is a gaming chair because of the design that is similar to chairs used in racing cars. Just by its general aesthetics the branding imagery directs you to the idea of a race or a competition. Exactly playing out this psychological association, this gaming chair becomes the throne for the champions. However, we are not just limited to tech companies or gaming companies providing gaming chair options. Nowadays there are several websites and stores that offer branded or even customizable chairs for the avid gamer.
Gaming Chair VS Ergonomic Office Chair
The two cannot be compared against each other for the reason that these two have core focuses on their niche. As the name suggests, ergonomic office chairs are designed specifically for the long use in the office. Because of their strong focus on body-chair complementary relationships, their mastery in ergonomics will surely win. However, when it comes to price they will also far exceed the budget of a gaming chair.
Choosing a chair is not primarily about ergonomics of the chair although they also are designed for comfort. Set your expectations that as much as there is comfort, that race car seat design is why you are in it for this gaming chair.
Comfort Features
A truly comfortable chair which you will sit in for long hours of gaming will require a certain level of adjustability that allows you to fit the chair’s structure according to your needs in positioning.
Most ergonomic chairs, if not all, have a basic height adjustment. However here are some adjustable parts that you might want to look out for when deciding for the right chair:
- Adjustable armrest – you want to go look for a versatile adjustability because it is not just about raising the armrest higher or lowering down. Great features would allow it to slide further forward or backward and even tilt it at a certain angle so that it is not just parallel to each other. The labels in your product specifications would be written as “2D” or “4D” where “D” refers to “Directional” and the number corresponds to the number of directions it can adjust to. However even with the label, you might want to be on the side of caution because there is not universal agreement on which direction these labels will refer to so it is best to check with your supplier or the brand’s website.
- Headrest Adjustment – especially important for those who might be taller than the chair’s height, you would want a head rest that fits you. Although you could just slouch a bit to fit your head at the headrest but that defeats the purpose of finding the right position that is good for your back and overall posture. The last thing you would want is sitting in a position that leads to joint problems in the future.
- Incline Adjustment – though basic gaming chairs will allow you to do some incline, more premium ones will go all the way down so that you can nap on it! Advanced features you might want to check out as well is an incline lock so that the incline is not just brought out by pushing the chair back but is locked by a safety mechanism that holds it in place. So these chairs are not just great for sitting, they can be also used for short naps in between games.
- Wheel locks – not necessarily a feature which covers on seating comfort but you do not want to have a chair that rolls away with a slightest push or movement. This can get quite inconvenient during gaming a session. You would think they would have this wheel lock option readily available but you would be surprised how many chairs do not have this so best to double check before buying.
Seat Cover Choices
Choosing the seat cover will affect how the chair will feel in terms of temperature and even comfort. There are people who are allergic to leather or find its texture uncomfortable. If you are in a rather hot environment, well-aerated covers are much better. With the choice of material as well price could go way especially for more premium skins
Fabric – considered the most common choice also because it is the more affordable choice of cover for the seats. You see this choice of cover for your standard office chairs and it is a common choice because fabric is more breathable than leather and other leather-like materials. The disadvantage is it tends to absorb liquid and may even smell if not cleaned properly. Stains can also be a problem if they seep through the fabric and into the cushion.
Mesh – most breathable of all the materials listed here, mesh offers cooling much more than its fabric counterpart. Though a bit of a challenge to clean up, there is a risk of damaging it if you are aggressively cleaning with abrasive tools like hard brushes. But a good quality mesh cover usually can withstand some amount of wear.
PVC Leather – if you want that leather-look without the pure leather pricing (or you are against using animal hide) then PVC or polyvinyl chloride is an imitation leather which is also resistant to most stains and which makes it quite a popular choice especially for public gaming facilities where multiple people take turns sitting on the gaming chair. Easy to clean, fire-resistant, and generally a good-looking cover. But being a leather imitation, it also means in a humid environment, you will tend to sweat on it more much like when you are sitting on a leather sofa. Check for reviews to see if the PVC leather cover of your choice is of good quality because cheaper and thin versions can easily break up even just from a few months of use.
Leather – one way to have a gaming chair that will last for quite a long time is to use leather. Remember that there are semi-leathers out there like PU or polyurethane leather so be sure to read the fine print if your cover is indeed genuine leather. Genuine leather has been proven to be more durable than your synthetic imitators and depending on how it was treated in production, it could even improve as it ages. And because leather is porous compared to synthetic PVC, air can get through and is more breathable.
Cost of Comfort
You might be able to get an acceptable gaming chair at around a hundred and fifty dollars. Ranging around three hundred to five hundred dollars you can get branded gaming chairs that are quite popular to gaming athletes. There are luxury chairs going as high as two thousand dollars but that is what it is: luxury lines.
At the end of the day, whatever the cost of the chair is, see to it that it provides all your basic needs most especially the adjustment features and other extra add-ons like lumbar support pillows.
Our team has considered all the factors outlined in this buying guide, along with their expertise and knowledge in Gaming Chairs, to recommend the top choice for you. You can shop being confident that someone has considered all relevant information and you will get the best gaming chair to meet your needs. Happy shopping!
