The market for gaming gear is driven by marketing departments: companies keep on promoting their gaming mice, gaming keyboards – and also gaming chairs – with fancy terms like ‘choice for gamers‘, ‘number one for esports‘ or ‘leading technology‘. The truth though is that most of that is being said to just promote products and convince less knowledgable customers to just buy their stuff. The real advantages or disadvantages of certain products are often hidden in the dark, and most gamers are not able to buy an actual good product.
This is especially difficult for gaming chairs: how can you decide if a certain chair is good, or just an expensive piece of crap? There are certain details to look out for, and we’ll guide you through them in this article.
Steel Framework:
The most important thing to look for is durability. If a chair is just made out of hard plastic, it might not be able to support a gamer’s weight for several years. Good gaming chairs are constructed with a steel framework inside.
Aluminum Base:
Most gaming chairs only have a base made out of hard plastic or (very often) nylon. As all the weight of the chair will last on that base, nylon is not the ideal choice. Good gaming chairs like e.g. the DXRacer Iron Series will have an aluminum or steel base.
Durable Wheels:
The same applies to the wheels: all the weight of the chair and the person sitting on it lie on these (often tiny) wheels. Good chairs have reinforced wheels, preferably made out of high-quality materials.
Adjustable Arm Rests:
What could be worse than sitting too far away from your keyboard, only because your chair does not fit under your desk? This could become a reality if the arm rests can’t be adjusted. Good gaming chairs have adjustable arm rests, that can even be turned in multiple directions.
Flawless Cover Material:
Some gaming chairs can be seen to have visible wrinkles in their cover material, for example around the head rest of leather-covered chairs. Good gaming chairs will always have perfect craftmanship and a smooth cover.
Craftmanship:
Speaking of craftmanship: the overall build quality often gives away cheap construction methods or design flaws.