Gaming Chair Review
Whether you want to imagine yourself on the bridge of the Enterprise or just need some amazing functionality for a competitive edge, choosing the right gaming chair is essential.
There are a lot of choices out there and the quality of these types of product have improved immensely over the last few years, not just in terms of comfort but connectivity as well.
Gamers can spend a lot of time online battling against alien nations, winning wars or scoring the best goal ever in the World Cup. A comfortable seat that supports you is vital but so is having the right technology attached to it. There are several chairs now on the market that deliver an immersive experience.
A great gaming chair makes you feel on top of the world but it also gives you a competitive edge. The good news is there is a gaming chair to meet virtually any budget and they all have pretty high production values.
Here we look at how to choose the right gaming chair and focus on three great products in various price ranges that can enhance your gaming experience.
At the end of the day, however, your choice of chair comes down to personal preference. Pick a one you feel comfortable with and which works with the gaming system you have at home.
What to Look For in a Gaming Chair
In truth, most competitive gamers will know instinctively what they are looking for in a gaming chair. Some successful gamers may well have their own, custom-designed chair. For the rest of us mere mortals, however, picking the right gaming chair can be a little challenging.
The first thing you need to be looking for is comfort. If you’re taking on otherworldly species or fighting for your survival in a war zone or hoping to score a hattrick in the World Cup, staying relaxed is important.
According to the research, online gamers play on average about 7 hours a week which is a lot of sitting time. If you’re really into your gaming, that could mean you are playing two or three hours a day as a bare minimum.
Most gaming chairs look like they were built for comfort but that doesn’t always mean this is true. Choosing a respected brand with plenty of good reviews is one option if you want to be sure. The other is to find a chair and try it out before you buy.
Another thing that gamers look for with a chair, of course, is connectivity. They want Bluetooth, speakers wired up and the ride of their lives. Modern gaming chairs aren’t just ideal for online battles, they’re great if you want to watch a movie or just listen to some music. The surround sound and immersive experience can make a big difference.
Indeed, sound quality is probably the one thing that most experienced gamers are looking for when they choose a gaming chair. For most gamers, it’s about ‘feeling the sound’ and it’s something that adds a great deal to their playing experience. It’s also an aspect of gaming chairs that has improved over the last few years.
What sort of gaming chair you go for will depend on several factors. Cost is important and paying a bit more does deliver a much better experience as well as value-added extras such as Wi-Fi connectivity. These chairs are also pretty robust – they’re built to last and you should expect a good few years use out of them if you are a regular gamer.
Now let’s take a look at three gaming chairs within different price ranges and what they offer the customers who buy them.
1. BraZen 17994 Stag 2.1 Bluetooth Surround Sound Gaming Chair
If you are looking for a budget chair that delivers on quality, then BraZen is a fairly good product range to choose from. It’s a brand that has shown up on The Gadget Show and provides two powerful forward-facing speakers and a creditable sub-woofer.
Designed by gamers and used by gamers is BraZen’s mantra. They are certainly competitive, with a range of decent quality chairs that dominate the lower end of the price point in this retail category. This is a UK based company that speaks regularly to competitive e-sports gamers and asks them what they are looking for in a comfy gaming chair. They certainly care about doing their research.
The BraZen 17994 Stag 2.1 Bluetooth Surround Sound Gaming Chair is available in black and grey and doesn’t require any assembly when it arrives at your front door (unlike some products from other gaming chair companies). You can be up and running as soon as you get your gaming chair into your studio or bedroom.
At a weight of 16.8 Kg, it’s a pretty sturdy product and looks and feels comfortable when you settle into it. More flight deck than an office chair, it does support you in all the right places including the lower lumbar region. That means you can game for hours and not feel that lower back or shoulder pain that comes from sitting in a bad chair for too long.
Memory foam and a breathable material may add to your gaming comfort, but the sound is the biggest thing that gamers look for in a product like this. The good news is that customer reviews of the sound quality suggest there is nothing to complain about. Most say that it’s high quality and well worth the money.
If your device doesn’t attach by Bluetooth, there are cable attachments on the chair itself which means, whether you own a PS2 or an Xbox or anything else, you’ll get the same quality sound experience. For those who are limited on their budget but want a gaming chair that ticks all the boxes, this is a pretty good choice.
What Customer Say
While a large number of customers say that the BraZen 17994 Stag 2.1 Gaming Chair is value for money, the big issue is actually Bluetooth connectivity.
Some systems such as PS4, Xbox, and PC need to be attached by cables according to customer reviews and the chair only connects with Bluetooth for your tablet or mobile phone. Whether this presents an issue may depend on what your personal preferences are but it certainly shouldn’t interfere with your gaming experience.
Positives:
- There’s no doubt that this is a comfortable product that delivers well on the low end of the current market when it comes to gaming chairs.
- If you are restricted in your budget but want quality and great surround sound, it certainly delivers a lot more than some chairs which cost a little bit more.
- It’s built using memory foam which makes it mould to your body and the breathable material should ensure you don’t overheat even though you’ve bee fighting online for hours on end.
- It provides 2.1 surround sound and the reviews all seem to say that the quality is exceptional within the price range.
- It looks like a solid chair and does provide a considerable amount of comfort for users.
- These products are also compliant with all the latest UK health and safety standards.
Negatives:
- The negatives revolve around whether the chair can be connected via Bluetooth to the PS4, Xbox and PC or not. Most reviews suggest that the chair needs to be connected by cable for the more prominent gaming boxes. If this isn’t an issue for the price you are paying then it’s no problem but the company could probably be a little clearer about what connects and what doesn’t.
2. X Rocker Viper 2.1 Pedestal Gaming Chair
The Viper 2.1 Pedestal Gaming Chair is advertised as being perfect for long gaming sessions. X Rocker is a gaming chair designer who put ergonomic design at the forefront of their products. The chairs do look really good and with features such as vibration control for deeper emersion and wireless and Bluetooth control, you should have everything you need for the perfect gaming experience.
If you want a chair that has a really solid base, the pedestal design is perfect. It’s weighty and there’s little movement when playing in the chair.
As a mid-range gaming chair, the Viper 2.1 certainly has plenty to offer. One of the first things to consider with any gaming experience, of course, is the surround sound. Like many gaming chairs, the Viper 2.1 offers high-quality audio with a base-mounted woofer.
If you’re playing games, it’s not just sound that counts. The system has a tri-motor vibration system that delivers the in-game and in-film immersion that many people are looking for. It puts you in the zone, which enhances your gaming experience.
The fact that the chair can operate with a direct cable connection, through Bluetooth and with Wi-Fi is a big bonus. The chair has a firm pedestal base which gives it a solid feel compared to chairs that have the traditional four-pronged wheel attachments. The red and black design looks pretty sci-fi, the sort of chair you’d find on the bridge of the Enterprise, and it has the overall feel of both comfort and stability that many other products simply don’t deliver.
X Rocker has been manufacturing chairs for a good fifteen years now and they have a great reputation within the gaming community. If you’re looking for a chair that’s great for the office and gaming at the same time, this is a pretty good choice as well. It looks professional, is sturdy and durable and delivers great quality sound and a good deal of immersive vibration if that’s part of your gaming thing.
What Customers Say
More than 90% of the reviews for the X Rocker are either 5 or 4 stars with many people impressed with the quality of both the chair itself and the sound it produces at the price you have to pay. There are a few issues about the time it takes to set up if you are not an experienced gamer or have no real tech experience. If you know what you are doing, however, it’s an easy setup. If not it can be a little bit challenging.
Positives:
- This is a pretty good looking chair and if you want value for money as well as something that’s aesthetically pleasing this may well tick most of your boxes for you.
- The surround sound quality is good and it’s relatively easy to set up for someone with a moderate amount of tech-savviness.
- The vibration gives you a more immersive experience when gaming but is also great for watching movies.
- X Rocker starts from a design aspect of being as comfortable as possible and then build the functionality into their system. The chair is durable and you should expect it to last a long time even with regular use.
- If you have a limited budget and are searching for a mid-range chair that delivers on expectations and is built to last, then this is a good product to focus on.
Negatives:
- The big issue with gaming chairs seems to be their connectivity. As with cheaper models, there is some discourse about what systems connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and which you have to connect via a cable.
- Some people have had issues, others not, and this problem may be due to lack of technical knowledge on their part, something the manufacturers may want to look at when providing setup instructions or online support.
3. Ace Bayou X Rocker 5143601 II Video Gaming Chair
X Rocker also makes the Ace Bayou which is a step up when it comes to gaming chairs and costs a little bit more. With two forward-facing speakers and a pretty strong subwoofer, the company are quick to tell customers that you can feel the sound when you sit down to game.
This is a higher-end quality video gaming chair and that shows in the price. But what does it deliver for the dedicated gamer?
This is a substantial chair that really provides great comfort levels for people who just love to game. It has more control for volume and base than other, cheaper models and the connectivity is what you would expect for a high-end chair like this.
A lot of parents have bought this gaming chair for their kids because they wanted something comfortable, supportive and highly functional. The Ace Bayou has all the features you could want, including audio force modulation (AFM) technology that delivers a more realistic sound. With two speakers and a 4-inch subwoofer, it’s certainly more powerful than other, cheaper gaming seats.
It’s not just great for gaming, however. If you love watching movies and want that immersive surround sound experience, you’ll probably not find a better chair to change your viewing experience. Yes, it’s more expensive but, if you have the money to spend, it’s a pretty good investment.
What Customers Say
Over 70% of reviewers for the Ace Bayou give it four or five stars on Amazon and it’s one of the most popular chairs on the market today. It’s the kind of gaming chair that not only looks good but is also very comfortable and has great connectivity. This is a seat that is built to last and should give you many, many years of enjoyment and really enhance your gaming experience.
Positives:
- The Ace Bayou is a step above other gaming chairs on the market.
- With a solid base and sturdy appearance, it’s great for both gaming and watching movies or listening to music.
- The faux leather cover looks amazing and the availability of more controls will satisfy avid gamers who want to adjust their surround sound without leaving the chair.
- The seat is also foldable if you need to store it away. While not a value-added extra that many gaming enthusiasts will look for (and pay extra for), it’s useful if you live in a space-restricted environment or need to move home.
- The back support with this model is pretty good too so if you spend a lot of time gaming then this is the perfect ergonomic solution for you.
Negatives:
- Setting up and connecting is a problem if you aren’t tech-minded and can lead to some frustration. The instructions and troubleshooting with this product, as with other chairs on the market, could probably be better. For those with above-average tech knowledge and skill, setting up should be a breeze.
Final Thoughts
The good news is that there is a gaming chair to suit most budgets out there and they’re all generally good quality. Perhaps more than any other product on the market at the moment, however, you do get what you pay for if you want state of the art performance.
If you’re on a tight budget and want a comfortable chair that delivers high-quality surround sound, the BraZen Stag is a good option.
These are quality chairs that are built to last. They deliver great levels of comfort and aren’t just suitable for gaming. If you want to watch the latest movie or have a chair you can also use for working from home, they are also absolutely ideal.
