Whether you play PC games on a monitor or console games on a TV, you need a place to sit. You can use any form of seating, including a sofa, La-Z-Boy, or dining room chair, but if you really want an optimal seating arrangement, you should buy a dedicated gaming chair. They're comfortable, sturdy, and designed with gamers in mind.
We've tested many of the most popular gaming chairs on the market and narrowed them down to this list of the very best. Read on for our top picks, along with what to consider in your search for the best gaming chair for you.
What Is the Best Chair for Gaming?
At first glance, gaming chairs don't look all that different from desk chairs. They're typically pretty large, with backrests that extend high enough to support your head and generous armrests. Most have a swiveling base with wheeled castors that let you roll and spin freely (the Puma Active Gaming Seat is one exception). You've probably seen executive office chairs that look pretty similar. Gaming chairs have a few key differences, though.
First, gaming chairs' color and style options are generally different from office chairs. Most office chairs focus on dark colors and earth tones, and have more traditional seat designs. Gaming chairs usually come in a variety of colors, and even if the chair is mostly black, there will likely be many eye-catching accents. Some gaming chairs are even branded with superheroes, esports teams, movies, or shows. The seats of gaming chairs are also designed more closely after racing chairs used in simulators, so you'll see a lot more bucket seats than frumpy armchair designs.
Second, the best gaming chairs are much more adjustable than office chairs. All of the models we've tested have the usual options like height and tilt, just like office chairs. But they go a step further with adjustable armrests you can pivot, slide, and move up and down. Sadly, we've yet to find any with cupholders.
Third, gaming chairs recline. While office chairs generally offer only limited adjustments on the angle between the seat and the back of the chair, gaming chairs let you lean back with the pull of a lever. Every gaming chair we've tested has a reclining function that lets you sit back comfortably and stare at your TV as easily as you can lean forward and watch your computer monitor.
All of these features add up to a sturdier, more comfortable chair you can easily use for a variety of situations. It also adds up to a hefty price tag: Gaming chairs typically run between $200 and $600 (with good ones starting at around $300, and some extreme picks reaching nearly $2,000). They are typically much more expensive than a basic desk chair at an office supply store. Of course, if you're going to spend a lot of time in it, you probably want to invest in a good one. They're like beds that way.
Does Gaming Chair Size Matter?
The most important thing to consider when you shop for a gaming chair is size. Gamers vary wildly in body types, and most manufacturers design chairs specifically for different sizes.
Standard gaming chairs usually support a maximum weight between 240 and 300 pounds, depending on the model. Larger, more heavy-duty chairs support maximum weights of 350, 400, and even 450 pounds. The difference in seat dimensions can vary by several inches in width and depth, which can lead to an uncomfortable chair if you buy one that's too big or small.
Fortunately, most manufacturers offer detailed measurements for every aspect of their chairs. Seat depth and width, backrest height and width, armrest height range, and other measurements affect how a chair feels. If you aren't sure about a given model, go over the measurements and compare them with your current chair.
What Is the Most Comfortable Gaming Chair?
A chair's materials are also important to consider, both what's packed inside and what's wrapped around it. The best gaming chairs we've seen typically use polyurethane leather (PU), a leather-like synthetic material, for the covering, and dense foam for the padding. It's the most common configuration for a gaming chair, but it isn't the only option. Some chairs have fabric shells, while others are available in genuine leather (for significantly more money).
The chairs on this list all use similar foam padding, but the amount and placement of the padding can vary. The seat is almost always solid, as it should be to support your weight, but the chair back is a different story. Some chairs pad the back's skeleton, but otherwise use a thinner padding layer and PU leather to provide more give with less mass. Meanwhile, the SecretLab Titan EVO completely packs its chair back with foam. We're fans of the thick, full-back foam filling.
There's value in spending more for a chair that seems to have less material, though. Herman Miller's chairs are incredibly expensive and look more minimalist than the more overbuilt, conventional gaming chairs on this list, but they still feel comfortable because of all the engineering that goes into them.
What Is the Best Gaming Chair for the Price?
It's best to try furniture before you buy it, but that isn't always the case for gaming chairs. You can sometimes find a limited selection at your nearby Best Buy, Micro Center, or Staples. Aside from that, your best bet to try these chairs before you buy them is to go to video game conventions, such as Evo or PAX, where gaming chair companies often set up booths with chairs to try and offer convention-exclusive discounts. Otherwise, make sure to thoroughly research the chair you want to buy because it's a significant investment.
For more, check out our favorite desktop and laptop PCs for gaming. While you're at it, take a look at accessories that will help improve your game, including headsets, keyboards, and mice.
