The best gaming chairs aren’t a mere indulgence. For PC gamers especially, they’re a necessity. All those hours spent parked in front of a monitor or TV can take a toll on your neck and back, not to mention your glutes, which is why it’s worthwhile investing in one that’s got the right specs to level up your playing setup (and keep you comfortable logging all that screen time).
Thankfully, in our current work-from-home era, office chairs have been getting better and better, souped-up with all sorts of adjustable features, high-density foam, and reclining capabilities. They can easily pull double-duty for your next Call of Duty marathon, and tend to look a lot better than their dedicated gaming peers. To get the juices flowing, we’ve gathered some of our top recommendations for you below—some from gaming specialists like Razr and SecretLab, plus other traditional office chair alternatives that offer pretty much the same perks.
The Best Gaming Chairs, at a Glance:
What’s the Difference Between Office and Gaming Chairs?
Companies like Razer, Anda Seat, Mavix, Vertagear, SecretLab, and even Herman Miller make chairs designed specifically for gamers. A quick search on Amazon yields hundreds of these for sale. But in most cases, there’s only one real difference between a dedicated gaming chair and one designed for your home office—the aesthetics. And with all due respect, those hulking, throne-like options for PC players look pretty awful. If you want something more respectable for work and play combined, we recommend zeroing in on high-end office chairs that combine comfort, durability, and adjustable features. And don’t just take our word for it; Reddit’s gaming community agrees that an ergonomic design from Herman Miller or Steelcase will offer more support and value for your money than anything you’ll find in the gaming world (and they tend to last forever).
How We Chose These Gaming Chairs
No matter how it’s branded, the best gaming chair for your setup will offer lumbar support, multiple points of adjustability, a comfortable seat, and durable casters and wheels. With this in mind (along with some helpful intel from the gamers on staff), we’ve pulled together a helpful guide to stylish and functional chairs that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen with on a livestream or Zoom call.
The Best Gaming Chair for Most People: SecretLab Titan Evo
Gamers tend to disagree on just about everything, but they’ve reached a rare consensus on the SecretLab Titan Evo being well worth the money. It has all of the features you could want in an ergonomic gaming chair, and its design isn’t too loud or distracting. The $549 price tag makes this seat significantly more affordable than most high-end models, but there are also some optional add-ons if you really want to go all-out.
What makes this chair so special? Let us count the ways. The armrest and memory foam headrest attach magnetically, so you can pop them on and off as needed. The Titan Evo also comes with “4D armrests,” which means they adjust backward and forward, left and right, up and down, and rotate in and out as you see fit. On the inside, you’ll find comfortable and supportive foam for the seat and backrest, as well as all the lumbar support your lower back deserves. We’ve listed the specs for the “Regular” size model, but we also appreciate that this chair isn’t one-size fits all, and big and tall gamers can upgrade to the XL edition, while more petite players can opt for the smallest size. Thoughtful details like these make the Titan Evo a standout even in a crowded market.
The Best Splurge-y Gaming Chair: Herman Miller Embody Gaming Chair
The Herman Miller Aeron is widely considered to be the Platonic Ideal of office chairs. However, you might be surprised to learn that the iconic design house also makes seating specifically for gamers, too. So if you’re prepared to spare no expense on tricking out your gaming rig, the Embody Gaming Chair (made in partnership with Logitech) practically has your name written on it. The Embody embodies everything people love about Herman Miller’s designs, from adjustable lumbar support to a sleek ergonomic silhouette.
The Embody also has an extra-wide seat that rests on a smooth five-point caster base for added mobility. And despite being relatively lightweight, it can still support users up to 300 pounds. Under the Herman Miller name, you’re also buying into superior engineering and materials, which is why this chair is backed by a very generous 12-year warranty.
The Best Office Chair Slash Gaming Chair: Branch Verve
For a design that’s streamlined without costing an entire rent check, it doesn’t get better than the Verve chair from Branch. We love the striking all-black color as a neutral office chair, but you can also choose from other shades like coral red and mint green. This chair isn’t just a looker, though. It’s also highly adjustable and offers plenty of ergonomic and lumbar support, plus a high-density foam seat. It’s also one of the most lightweight options for gamers, thanks to its aluminum frame.
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