What is the best gaming chair? We’ve spent years sorting evaluating the sea of seats on the market today, and have put together this list of the most comfortable, supportive, and downright flashy thrones for you. So, lean back, and check out PCGamesN’s expert recommendations and reviews for the next place you could be parking your posterior.
Given how long you often find yourself sat at your gaming PC, it’s important to have a chair that supports both your posterior and back for many hours at a time. And it’s always a sensible plan to pair your top-of-the-line chair with the best gaming desk to ensure everything you need is within reach at the right height, with plenty of storage space to boot.
It’s fair to say the gaming chair market has really taken off over the past few years. That’s great news for you, as it means there’s a range of options to meet your every whim, including chairs that come in different upholsteries like fabric or leather and cater to a wide variety of heights and weights. There’s also a wide variety of trusted brands that feature in our recommendations, all jostling for place with their excellent products to earn your custom.
Here are the best gaming chairs in 2023:
1. Secretlab Titan Evo (2022 series)
The best gaming chair is the Secretlab Titan Evo (2022 series).
Secretlab Titan Evo (2022 series) specs:
| Maximum weight | 90kg (small) / 100kg (regular) / 180kg (XL) |
| Recline | 165 degrees |
| Upholstery | Leatherette / Fabric / NAPA Leather |
| Warranty | 3 – 5 years |
Pros
- High build quality
- Wide variety of designs
- Available in three sizes
Cons
- Expensive base price
- Customization is costly
It’s no secret that the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series is our favorite gaming chair, and it checks all the boxes when it comes to comfort and aesthetics. It even pays homage to some of the best PC games of all time, including The Witcher 3, Overwatch, and League of Legends.
Videogame-themed shenanigans aside, the Titan Evo 2022 Series boasts style and substance, featuring full-metal 4D armrests, a locking full-tilt mechanism, and a perfectly plush memory foam cushion. Secretlab’s premium seat is also a sturdy bugger, but if you’re not convinced it’ll stand the test of time, its included three-year warranty will provide you with peace of mind.
The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is undeniably a premium perch, and those fancy game-themed variants mentioned above cost even more. Yet, it actually trades blows with other contenders like the Razer Enki Pro – an ultra-premium alternative that costs more than many living room sofas. So, while paying over $500 USD for something to sit on sounds excessive, it’s far from being the most expensive option out there.
We honestly can’t think of anything wrong with the Titan Evo 2022, other than the fact it’s quite expensive. If you’re in the market for a premium seat, you could say Secretlab’s solution is almost a bargain, but there are various cheaper alternatives out there that’ll fill the brief if you’re on a budget.
Read our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 series review.
2. Corsair TC100 Relaxed
The best gaming chair for most people is the Corsair TC100 Relaxed.
Corsair TC100 Relaxed specs:
| Maximum weight | 120kg |
| Recline | 160 degrees |
| Materials | PU fabric of leather |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Pros:
- Comfortable materials
- Wide seat base
- Good lumbar support
Cons:
- Rigid neck cushion placement
- 2D armrests
If you’re in the market for a midrange gaming chair, then look no further than the Corsair TC100 Relaxed. It’s got just about everything you could want from a gaming chair and packs levels of comfort you’d find in premium competitors.
Reasons to buy include a 160-degree recline as well as high-quality leather and fabric upholsteries. It doesn’t slack when it comes to sitting up straight either, with robust lumbar support and a comfortable memory foam neck pillow. It does have some minor shortcomings, like its 2D armrests, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a gaming chair that offers the same level of value at this price point.
And how comfortable would you really be, regardless of how good a chair is, if you’ve spent all your life savings on it? Not very. This is a great chair anyway, and with a two-year warranty, you don’t need to worry about it falling apart and you becoming chairless in the near future.
Read our Corsair TC100 Relaxed review.
3. NeueChair
The best office chair for gaming is the NeueChair.
Neue Chair specs:
| Maximum weight | 190kg |
| Recline | 130 degrees |
| Upholstery | Three-layer polyester mesh |
| Warranty | 3 – 12 years |
Pros
- Secretlab quality
- Breathable material
- Up to 12-year warranty
Cons
Can you keep a secret? The NeueChair is actually a Secretlabs chair in disguise. Alright, we’ll quit the brand puns now, but this office chair embodies the same level of craftsmanship as its parent company, and it ditches all those gamer tropes associated with most seats targeted at PC enthusiasts.
NeueChair describes its solution as the “ultimate modern computer chair,” and it certainly looks like something that belongs in 2023. Its aluminum frame and three-layer mesh are a visual treat, with both contributing to the chair’s incredible build quality and comfortable form factor. In addition, adjustability helps make it one of the most versatile seats out there, accommodating a selection of preferences.
You’d expect the NeueChair to last, as prices start at a whopping $649.00 USD. That’s significantly more than our top gaming char pick by Secretlab, so it’s a good job it comes with a 12-year warranty. The company says “NeueChair is an investment, not an expense,” and the included lengthy guarantee really hammers that sentiment home.
If anything, we’d argue the NeueChair is a bit too professional. It almost feels like a Secretlab’s chair grew up and started working a nine till five job instead of playing in a grunge band – a scenario that feels a bit too close to home. Of course, that’s not remotely a bad thing, and we’d only suggest looking elsewhere if you’re not really into plain and subtle furniture with a futuristic finish.
4. Mavix M9
The best ergonomic gaming chair is the Mavix M9.
Mavix M9 gaming chair specs:
| Maximum weight | 109kg |
| Recline | 130 degrees |
| Upholstery | ATR fabric and M-Breeze leather |
| Warranty | 12 years |
Pros
- The best lumbar support around bar none
- Lockable rubber wheels
- Can be upgraded with Elemax attachment
Cons
- Undeniably pricey
- Rattly arms
- Bland design
When it comes to lumbar support, the Mavix M9 understands the assignment, and if your back could talk, it’d probably agree. It’s a ridiculously expensive option for those who want to experience egregious levels of comfort, even if that means arguably trading away fancy aesthetics.
The Mavix M9 has a bit more visual going on than the NeueChair mentioned above, but lumbar support is at the top of the chair’s agenda. Its incredible dedication to comfort is accompanied by an array of adjustable settings, as you’ll be able to tweak the headrest, back height, and armrests until they feel just right.
We feel the Mavix’s M-Wheels deserve a shoutout too, as they glide like butter across hard floors. In a way, it almost feels like this chair is wearing a pair of rollerblades, but you can lock them into place if you’d rather not Jet Set Radio away from your desk by accident. The setup will probably change the way you feel about traditional caster wheels, especially if you’ve damaged an expensive hard floor in the past by rolling your seat around.
Admittedly, there are more solid-feeling gaming chair options on this list, and many of them feature an aesthetic edge. Yet when the Mavix M9 gets it right, it whacks it out of the park and into outer space. Its strengths outshine any gripes we have with the getup overall, but it also feels like an appropriate match for its lofty MSRP.
5. Razer Enki Pro
The most comfortable gaming chair is the Razer Enki Pro.
Razer Enki Pro specs:
| Maximum weight | 136kg |
| Recline | 152 degrees |
| Upholstery | EPU synthetic leather and Alcantara |
| Warranty | 3 years |
Pros
- Magnetic memory foam head cushion
- Robust cushioning
- High-quality materials
Cons
- Costs as much as a mid-range gaming PC
- Finicky construction
The Razer Enki Pro is an outrageous gaming chair in many ways, and it completely delivers on the comfort front. Pleasing your toosh isn’t its only superpower, as it’s built like a tank and embraces expensive materials, but it’s hard to pay attention to all that when it feels so damn good to kick back on.
Gaming chairs often emulate sports motor interiors, but the Razer Enki Pro is clad with the exact same materials. Upholstered with Alcantara leather, the Enki Pro is comfier than an actual car seat, and it feels more like something that belongs in a vehicle than a piece of office furniture. That said, it comes with lumbar support abilities and adjustability that you won’t find in the priciest of briefs, so don’t get any ideas about repurposing something from the scrapyard.
The Enki Pro is a heavy beast, and it should have what it takes to outlive Razer’s included three-year warranty. That might not be surprising given it costs nearly $1,000, but it offers better build quality than the Mavix M9 for ever so slightly less. That’s a quality worth shouting about in our book, particularly if you prioritize style and comfort over ergonomic dedication.
If you’re looking for an ultra-comfy chair that’ll potentially outlive your current gaming PC, the Razer Enki Pro is up to the task. There are flashier-looking thrones out there, but rivals will need to cook up something spectacular to challenge Razer for the comfort crown.
Read the Razer Enki Pro review.
6. Noblechairs Legend
The best versatile gaming chair is the Noblechairs Legend.
Noblechairs Legends specs:
| Maximum weight | 150kg |
| Recline | 125 degrees |
| Upholstery | PU leather |
| Warranty | 3 years |
Pros
- Subtle, sleek design
- Comfortable
- Robust
Cons
The Noblechairs Legend is a standout contender in the top gaming chair race, as it offers a blend of versatility, comfort, and style that’ll fit in with any setup. It ditches flamboyancy for functionality in a way that’ll win over anyone opposed to gamer tropes, all while still embodying everything that makes products designed for PC gaming worthwhile.
At $689 (£459.95) the Noblechairs Legend is far from cheap, but it offers a lot for a chunk less than our other premium picks. A concoction of high-quality leather, aluminum, and plastics helps the latest Legend wields an unassuming aesthetic on one hand, robust build quality on the other, and respectable levels of comfort stowed on its hip for good measure. In other words, it’s armed to the teeth with everything you’d want from a premium seat, catering to everyone rather than a select few.
Just like many of our top chairs, the Legend includes reliable lumbar support, but we’re not too thrilled about its included head pillow. The cushion seemingly doesn’t contribute anything to the overall experience, and it skips on the magnificent benefits of magnets. Nevertheless, it does come with a pillow as an extra, and you might get more use out of it than us.
Noblechairs puts up a great fight against its competition with the Legend Series 2022, and it wins a few fights using the power of versatile subtly. If you’d rather dodge the Henry Ford “long as it’s black,” approach to design, you can grab either a white version or one that looks like Spider-Gwen without having to spend extra pennies.
Read the Noblechairs Legend 2022 series review.
7. Vertagear PL4800
The best RGB gaming chair is the Vertagear PL4800.
Vertagear PL4800 specs:
| Maximum weight | 163kg |
| Recline | 140 degrees |
| Upholstery | PUC leather |
| Warranty | 2 – 10 years |
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Good range of colors
- One of the only RGB LED chairs
Cons
- RGB upgrade kit is expensive
Strapping RGB lighting to a gaming chair isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but the Vertagear PL4800 encourages it. You’ll have to pick up the actual chair first before cladding it in rainbow shenanigans, and the kit will cost nearly the same as the seat itself. Yet, if you’re looking for a perch that shines as bright as the rest of your desktop ensemble, this bananas approach offers exactly that.
For an extra $300 on top of the PL4500’s $579.99 USD price tag, you’ll get an RGB gaming chair that can wirelessly sync up with your PC audio. Cutting the cord means you won’t have to wrestle with tethers as you roll around – a huge caveat that plagues most electronically enhanced furnishings. You won’t even have to fiddle with cables while charging, thanks to a nifty magnetic connector located on the back.
You’re looking at $900 USD for both the Vertagear PL4500 and the RGB upgrade kit, but that’s perhaps not completely unacceptable. For your money, you’ll get something that looks like it belongs in Cyberpunk 2077 while featuring lumbar support, reclining abilities, and durable materials. The chair also contours your caboose using signature ContourMax technology, meaning it should feel like that section of your couch. Y’know, the one with the permanent imprint of your behind? That one.
Other RGB gaming chairs out there are vastly cheaper than Vertagear’s pricey package, but they are severely lacking in comparison. When it comes to accessory and peripheral lighting, quality matters, and the PL4500 should please even the fussiest light show enthusiasts, both in terms of visuals and comfort.
How we chose the best gaming chairs
There are thousands, if not millions, of gaming chairs to choose from. How did we narrow this list down to just these eight? There were a few key things which helped us narrow the field:
- Pricing: We wanted to ensure that we had included options to accommodate readers on different budgets
- Ergonomics: We didn’t want to recommend anything that’s going to cause chronic pain for the rest of your life, which ruled out a lot of them
- Upholstery: What’s it made of? Everyone likes their chairs to feel a bit different, so we included a variety of chairs upholstered in different ways
- Aesthetics: You want something that’s going to fit in with your gaming space, not something that’s ugly and brings the mood down
FAQ
What is the difference between a gaming chair and an office chair?
The main differences between a gaming chair and an office chair are the materials that are used, and the shape of the chair. Both will have height and angle adjustment for the chair itself and ways to adjust the armrests. Gaming chairs will often be made from leather or faux leather materials and have a much harder padding on the seat and back. Office chairs are known for having mesh materials that are softer, more breathable, and mold to the shape of the person who is sitting.
Why do gaming chairs cost so much?
If you compare the cost of high-end gaming chairs and office chairs, there can be quite the gap. Gaming chairs use more expensive materials and undergo a more rigorous manufacturing process. The advantages of this are that you can replace individual parts if they get damaged or start to wear, rather than buying a whole new chair. Gaming chairs often come with a longer warranty to that helps offer a piece of mind when it comes to longevity.
Read our how we test page for more information about how we put buyer’s guides together.
Already sitting comfortably? Why not check out the best gaming desk picks in 2023 and spruce up your setup with a brand-new surface?
This story originally appeared on PC Gamesn
