In a bid to find the best gaming chair on the market, you may find yourself quickly overwhelmed by the options available to you. And in a surprisingly disconcerting number of cases, gaming chairs from several companies often look identical, with no clear difference between models. Finding the right gaming chair, therefore, takes some legwork. And it generally starts with understanding what a gaming chair is — and how it differs from traditional office chairs.
For one, you’ll quickly discover that gaming chairs have decidedly different designs than their office alternatives. They’re often fashioned after race car seats and come with bright and colorful accents. And although many office chairs use fabric and leather, gaming chairs may use a variety of materials to deliver comfort.
Herman Miller
Indeed, long-term comfort is one of the hallmarks of a gaming chair. The companies behind them, like SecretLab, Herman Miller and others, (correctly) believe gamers spend an inordinate amount of time in their gaming chairs. And to keep backs healthy and gameplay experiences exciting, the best gaming chairs are designed so you can sit in them for hours on end.
In order to achieve long-term comfort, gaming chairs typically have higher backs than their office chair alternatives, creating better support. They also come with lumbar supports and, in some cases, you’ll even find a footrest. Overall, gaming chairs — at least the best gaming chairs — tend to be extremely comfortable.
But there are some other considerations to keep in mind before you buy a gaming chair. For one, you’ll want to determine whether you need any bells and whistles, like built-in speakers (some have them) or Bluetooth integration. You should also look at what their weight capacities are and see what kind of recline angle you can expect, so you know the chair can maximize your comfort.
So, if you’re ready to invest, read on for some of the best gaming chair options out there. All were chosen for their range of features and strong user and critic reviews. And in some cases, we’ve even tried them out ourselves.
Best Gaming Chair Overall
Embody Gaming Chair by Herman Miller
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 45 x 29.5 x 18 inches
- Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
- Material: Polyester
- Reclining Degree: 120 degrees
Although it’s one of the newest gaming chairs to enter the market, the Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody Gaming Chair is one of the best options you can buy if you care about comfort and long-term use while gaming. The chair is built on Herman Miller’s wildly popular Embody office chair design and comes with a polyester material that will keep it cool during use. The Embody’s backplate has a unique construction that’s designed to reduce pressure on your spine and adjust to your back as you move around in the seat.
To boost its gaming chops, Herman Miller partnered with accessories maker Logitech to improve certain elements for players. Chief among them is additional cushioning to facilitate long-term use and better posture. The company also added a new cooling foam to the seat to reduce heat. Add that to some neon blue design tweaks and adjustable armrests to meet the size of your desk during PC gaming and the Embody makes for a decidedly comfortable gaming chair for critics and users alike.
Best Gaming Chair For Fortnite Fans
Fortnite OMEGA-Xi Gaming Chair
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 24.4 x 26.8 x 48.0 inches
- Weight Capacity: 275 pounds
- Material: Leather/Vinyl
- Reclining Degree: 155 degrees
There are times when design matters more than anything. And in that case, the Fortnite OMEGA-Xi Gaming Chair might be right up your alley. The chair comes with both leather and vinyl material and offers a reclining degree of 155 degrees. It also comes with an adjustable headrest and a swing-out footrest to boost comfort, though some users said they wished it had more ergonomic features you’ll find in higher-end models. Well-padded cushions, however, made extended gaming sessions a bit more enjoyable, they said.
Regardless, what most people will turn to this chair for is its design. It’s modeled after elements of the wildly popular Fortnite franchise and features orange and silver accents around its largely black finish. Serious players who really enjoy Fortnite — and they are legion — may want to give this one a look.
Best Gaming Chair For Audiophiles
GTRACING Gaming Chair
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 32 x 26 x 14 inches
- Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
- Material: PU Leather
- Reclining Degree: 165 degrees
Gaming chairs often come with features you simply won’t find in office chairs. And the GTRACING Gaming Chair is exactly that. The chair has built-in Bluetooth speakers, making it what GTRACING calls a “music gaming chair.” In reality, you can use the speakers to boost your game experience by connecting the chair to your console or PC to create a surround sound audio effect. Many users said the feature made for a more appealing gaming experience and the audio performance was quite good. Plus, they’re able to get five to six hours out of the Bluetooth audio before they need to recharge the speakers.
Aside from that, the gaming chair comes with PU Leather material and has a reclining angle of 165 degrees. GTRACING has added extra foam to the seat and there’s an adjustable headrest at the top that can be moved up and down the backplate for optimal alignment. The gaming chair also features a swing-out footrest that users say significantly improved their overall comfort, and a lumbar support to protect your back.
Best Gaming Chair For Budget Shoppers
Homall Gaming Chair
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 19.8 x 20.5 x 47.8 inches
- Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
- Material: PU leather
- Reclining Degree: 180 degrees
If you’re looking for a gaming chair that offers a nice selection of features but will also save you a few bucks, the Homall Gaming Chair is a worthy spot to land on. It comes with PU Leather, which helps to keep its cost down, and offers a 180-degree recline. There’s a headrest at the top of the high-back chair and it comes with a contoured design that wraps around the sides of your body. Some users said they liked the feeling of the chair wrapping around them but others cautioned it felt too tight and restrictive, so keep that in mind.
There’s no footrest in the chair, which helps to keep its cost down, but you will find a lumbar support. And although users said the chair’s armrests were comfortable, they’re not adjustable, so they may not be perfectly positioned for everyone. Still, for the price you pay, it’s not a bad option.
Best Fabric Gaming Chair
AKRacing Core Series EX Gaming Chair
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 19.7 x 20.9 x 52.8 inches
- Weight Capacity: 330 pounds
- Material: Fabric
- Reclining Degree: 180 degrees
Although there are a variety of gaming chairs on the market that come with leather (or faux leather), the AKRacing Core Series EX delivers fabric, giving you a different feel with upholstery users said is surprisingly soft and comfortable. And since it’s not leather, they found that the chair is “breathable” and allows for air flow during extended use, creating a cooler seating experience.
AKRacing was also quick to note that it uses memory foam technology under the fabric to create a more ergonomic feel and its frame uses a one-piece steel design to limit chances of it getting damaged during extended use. At 180 degrees, the Core Series EX has one of the deepest reclines and with a weight capacity of 330 pounds it’s also one of the stronger chairs in this roundup. Be aware, however, that some bigger users said the raised edges on the seat felt too restrictive to them.
Best Gaming Chair For Arm Support
CORSAIR CF-9010008 WW T2 ROAD WARRIOR
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.7 x 34.6 inches
- Weight Capacity: 264.5 pounds
- Material: PU leather
- Reclining Degree: 170 degrees
It’s sometimes overlooked, but arm support in a gaming chair is especially important. Whether players are using controllers or moving characters with a mouse and keyboard, they need to have proper support for their arms. Corsair, a company best known for making PC accessories, designed its CF-9010008 T2 Road Warrior gaming chair with arm support in mind.
The chair comes with what the company calls 4D armrests that can be moved in any direction. So in addition to up and down, the armrests can move backwards and forwards and even swivel in the direction you want. Most users said it was among the chair’s best features. Aside from that, Corsair’s gaming chair offers both a headrest and lumbar support and offers a reclining angle of 170 degrees. But with a max weight capacity of 264 pounds, it’s less than what you’d find in other chairs.
Best Gaming Chair For Back Support
noblechairs HERO Series Gaming Chair – Fallout Vault-Tec Edition
NewEgg
noblechairs HERO Series Gaming Chair – Fallout Vault-Tec Edition
Key Features:
- Dimensions: 54 x 22 x 20.5 inches
- Weight Capacity: 330 pounds
- Material: PU leather
- Reclining Degree: 135 degrees
While there are some chairs in this roundup that offer lumbar protection, the noblechairs Hero Series Gaming Chair is specifically designed to provide support all the way up your back. To do so, the chair’s backrest comes with a specially designed angle that’s meant to conform to the curvature of your spine. It also uses memory foam and customizable lumbar support to adjust to your comfort level. Users say the feature works extremely well — and delivers a comfortable seating experience.
Aside from that, you’ll find a chair that delivers PU leather specifically designed to look like it came out of the popular Fallout franchise. The blue and yellow finish also comes with the game’s familiar main character, the Vault Dweller. It’s not the best-looking of chairs and some may find it gets old after a while, but if you’re a Fallout fan and care more about back posture and comfort than anything else, this one’s for you.
