You’ve probably put a lot of time, money, and consideration into choosing the best screen, speakers, and controllers for your gaming. You should put just as much focus on choosing the right chair.
The best gaming chair will take your play to the next level. By keeping you comfortable and providing ergonomic support, a good gaming chair lets you focus on setting a lap record or storming the castle instead of worrying about an achy back.
Picking the right chair for you depends on several factors, like your weight and height, the width and depth of the chair’s seat, the amount of lumbar support the chair provides, and its upholstery and general aesthetics. Read on for reviews of some of the best gaming chairs.
Types of Gaming Chairs
There are three main types of chairs preferred by serious gamers: rocker, racing, and office chairs.
Rocker-style gaming chairs are the original gaming-specific chairs. These chairs generally have no legs, wheels, or arms and sit directly on the floor, putting users at eye-level with old-style console and projection TVs. Today’s rocker chairs have features like vibration and Bluetooth speakers. They’re comfortable for controller and console-based gaming, but not great for PC gaming with a keyboard and mouse.
Racer-style, as the name suggests, are automotive-inspired seats that look like they were pulled out of a race car. Originally, these seats were glorified-versions of office chairs. Now, you can find them with lumbar support, adjustable armrests, and Bluetooth capability. They’ll keep you comfortable for binges of both PC-gaming and console gaming.
Before rocker and racers hit the market, gamers had to use office chairs. Even though they lack gaming-friendly features, like Bluetooth and vibration feedback, some gamers still opt for office chairs because of their ergonomic support. Office chairs are made to keep office workers comfy for an eight-hour workday in front of a screen, so they’ll keep a gamer comfy for a Fortnite marathon. Office chairs blend into the room’s decor more smoothly than racing or rocker chairs do.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Gaming Chair
When shopping for the best gaming chair, there are several factors to consider.
Consider the amount of space you have when choosing a gaming chair. Rocker chairs with swivel bases can take up quite a bit of room. While that’s not a big deal in a game room, it might not work as well in your main living space. Rocker chairs rarely have wheels, so you can’t just roll them to another room. If space is scant, consider a racing-style chair. They’re smaller than a rocker chair and can be rolled away with ease.
Most gaming chairs are made of synthetic materials like plastic, polyurethane, nylon, and bonded leather. They have foam padding under the seat and back of the chair. There are benefits to synthetics; plastic and nylon are lightweight, keeping the chair easy to move. And synthetics are less expensive than real leather. Many chairs have nylon mesh areas to allow airflow and keep you cool.
How a gaming chair looks matters. You want to choose a chair that fits your space or can be stowed when not in use. If you do most of your gaming in the living room, a rocker or racing chair might stand out. Consider choosing an office chair you can push to a corner of the room when not in use. If you’re building a gaming cave, the louder the chair, the better. You can find both rocker-style and racing-style chairs, in bright colors with bold patterns and aggressive-looking lines, that will look like they jumped right off the screen of your racing games.
Comfort and Ergonomics
To stay comfortable during a gaming marathon, you need ergonomic chair features like proper lumbar support and adjustable, padded armrests. The best gaming chairs will come with adjustable lumbar support in the form of a lumbar pillow or an adjustable back. Lumbar support will keep you from slumping while you play, so you sit upright longer and with less discomfort.
Many gaming chairs also come with adjustable footrests, so you can kick back and crush another level while taking pressure off your legs and knees. Add a reclining backrest, and you’ve got a comfortable place to pilot a simulated flight from coast to coast.
If you’re looking at a chair with features like Bluetooth and vibration feedback, make sure they work with your gaming system. If your chair isn’t compatible, you can get adapters that plug into your console or PC to hook up the speakers and vibration control to your chair.
Also, consider if your chair is physically compatible with your setup. A rocker might not work well with a desktop computer gaming system. An office or racing chair that can roll under the gaming desk might be a better choice.
Weight Capacity and Recommended Height
Keep weight and height capacities in mind when choosing the best gaming chair for you. If you’re large, you might want a gaming chair with a heavier weight capacity. Most gaming chairs can hold a maximum of 275 to 300 pounds. Racing chairs are contoured to hug your hips and torso and allow a wide range of motion for your arms. If you’re too tall or short, you won’t fit comfortably in these seats.
Gaming chairs come in children’s and big-and-tall versions, which are good options if you’re aren’t the right height for average chairs.
Gaming chairs with built-in Bluetooth speakers have different battery life ranges. If you play racing games, you may prefer a racing chair setup that sits directly on the floor with mounts for a steering wheel, pedals, and even a shifter. If you’re a sports fan, you might prefer speakers that last through extra innings or a doubleheader.
We reviewed some top-performing gaming chairs, measured them against our buying considerations, and picked some favorites.
If you want a gaming chair built for speed, the GTRACING Gaming Chair with Speakers and Footrest is worth checking into. This polyurethane leather-wrapped, racing-style chair has an aggressive look, with colorful accents available in blue, red, or purple.
The GTRACING is comfy too. It has a slide-away footrest, a backrest that can recline to between 90 and 170 degrees, and adjustable armrests. The chair can rock or lock into place, and the seat height is adjustable. It also comes with lumbar and neck pillows for support. It rolls on five casters and has a weight capacity of 300 pounds.
It has two Bluetooth speakers that connect to your console or computer. If your machine isn’t compatible, you can buy GTRACING’s USB Bluetooth adapter (sold separately).
When you need affordable functionality, check out the OFM ESS-3085 Gaming Chair. This hybrid of an office and racing chair is manufactured in polyurethane leather fabric, with perforated nylon fabric on surfaces that touch shoulders, hips, and legs for maximum breathability. It comes in several sporty color combos, including black on black, yellow, pink, purple, red, and white.
The OFM ESS-3085 has a sturdy base and five casters that can hold up to 275 pounds. It has flip-up armrests, 360 degrees of swivel, and a padded headrest. You can also adjust the chair’s seat height and tilt.
If you’re looking for a high-end, durable gaming chair, check out the AKRacing Masters Series Premium Gaming Chair. This faux leather chair has deep bolsters as well as neck and lumbar pillows for added support. It comes in five sporty color combinations that would be right at home in a race car. The chair has an aluminum base; heavy-duty, gas-lift adjustable height; and thick foam padding. It can hold up to 330 pounds, more than most gaming chairs. The armrests are adjustable, and can be moved up and down, back and forth, in and out, or rotated out of the way. The chair has a 360-degree swivel, and the back reclines to 180 degrees, so you can lay flat in what AKRacing calls “chill mode.”
If you want a gaming chair that’s adjustable and ergonomic, check out this chair from Ansuit. It has neck and back support pillows, a seat that can be adjusted for height, and adjustable height armrests. The chair swivels 360 degrees, so you can slip out from your desk with ease. It also has a slide-away footrest that tucks away under the seat, and the back reclines up to 155 degrees.
The chair has a heavy-duty, five-caster base with a 300-pound weight capacity. Polyurethane leather covers thick, foam padding and comes in several colors, including red, pink, and several combos of black with accent colors for a sporty look.
When it comes to getting completely lost in that new game, the X Rocker Pro Series 2.1 Vibrating Video Gaming Chair will take you there. This rocker-style chair sits atop a swivel base with futuristic-plastic arms, and offers built-in neck and lumbar support.
As far as technology and connectivity features go, the X Rocker Pro Series 2.1 Gaming Chair provides plenty. In addition to two speakers built into the headrest, this chair provides a built-in subwoofer. The vibration motors sync with the subwoofer to create vibration during movies or intense gaming. It works with Bluetooth, but also has built-in RCA jacks and can connect to other X Rocker Chairs.
When it comes to storage, the X Rocker Pro Series 2.1’s backrest folds down, providing a bit of flexibility.
Whether you’re into retro gaming or modern first-person RPGs, the X Rocker Surge Bluetooth 2.1 Video Gaming Floor Chair is worth a look. This rocker-style chair sits on your game room floor and allows you to kick back comfortably while you play.
The RESPAWN RSP-800 Racing Style Rocker Gaming Chair can keep you comfortable through an hours-long gaming tournament. It sits on a sturdy, trumpet-style pedestal and has built-in neck, head, and lumbar support. The RSP-800 holds up to 275 pounds and is covered in a PVC leather-style fabric that’s soft and easy to clean. The armrests flip up to give you more room to stretch during long gaming sessions. This rocker has an adjustable height and rotates 360 degrees. It rocks back as far as 155 degrees and has an adjustable tension system.
You can get immersed in a great racing game with the Openwheeler Advanced Racing Seat Gaming Chair. This chair has an adjustable frame to mount your steering wheel, racing pedals, and gear shifter, making you feel like you’re really in the cockpit of a race car.
The Openwheeler is totally adjustable. You can slide the pedal and steering wheel mounts back and forth, tilt the steering wheel, or move it up and down. The back reclines, allowing you to lean back for a relaxed ride through virtual canyons. The fabric-covered seat has back, leg, and shoulder support. If you’re a spirited gamer, you’ll appreciate the Openwheeler sturdy pedal mount that can handle your slamming on the brakes.
Still have questions about choosing the best gaming chair? That’s completely normal. Read on for tips to help you make your decision.
Q. How do I choose the right gaming chair?
If you’re a PC gamer, you want a chair that fits under your desk so you can reach your controls. If you’re a console gamer, you might prefer a rocker that allows you to kick back a bit. If you’re a hardcore racing enthusiast, you might want a racing chair that gives you as authentic an experience as possible.
Q. Does a gaming chair make a difference?
Yes. If you spend hours at a time in front of a computer, a good gaming chair can give you neck and back support that relieves pressure and fatigue.
Q. How do you sit in a gaming chair?
For prolonged comfort, sit with your hips, back, and shoulders resting in the bolsters of the seat back. Leaning forward, like so many gamers do, will cause back pain and bad posture, regardless of the chair.
Q. How do you clean a gaming chair?
It depends on the material. Most gaming chairs are polyurethane leather, so you can wipe them clean with a mild detergent. Just be careful not to spray any electronics.
Q. How long do gaming chairs last?
The best gaming chairs can last up to 5 years, with 2 to 3 years being the average. It depends on how often you use your chair and the quality of its materials.