Gaming chairs are on the rise. If you’ve spent any amount of time watching esports, Twitch streamers, or really any gaming content over the past few years, you’re likely well acquainted with the familiar visage of these pieces of gamer gear. If you’ve found yourself reading this guide, chances are that you’re looking at investing in a gaming chair.

But with the explosion of options out there to choose from, how do you choose the right chair? This guide hopes to make your purchasing decision a little easier, with insights into some of the biggest factors that could make or break your buying options. We’ll also highlight some of our favorite gaming chairs, sorted by price range. So sit back, relax, and read on for tips on how to sit back, relax, and game in comfort and style.

Gaming Chairs’ Keys To Comfort: Ergonomics And Adjustability

Most gaming chairs offer options to adjusting the chair to a gamer's desired posture, maximizing comfort.

When it comes to choosing a gaming chair, comfort is king — after all, you don’t want your back and neck cramping up in the middle of a marathon gaming sessions. You’ll also want features that prevent you from developing any chronic pain from merely enjoying your gaming hobby.

This is where ergonomics come in. Ergonomics is the design principle of creating products with human physiology and psychology in mind. In the case of gaming chairs, this means designing chairs to enhance comfort and maintain physical wellness. Most gaming chairs pack in ergonomic features to varying degrees: adjustable armrests, lumbar support pads, and headrests are just some of the features you’ll find that help maintain perfect posture and ideal comfort for long stretches of sitting.

Many gaming chairs feature multi-directional adjustable armrests. This is often called out in manufacturer specs in the format of “2D” or “4D” armrests, with the “D” standing for “Directional.” (Writer’s note: While researching different chairs to include in this guide, I encountered a chair that promoted ‘4 Dimensional’ armrests, which I’ll chalk up to either being a misnomer or a gaming chair that requires advanced knowledge of quantum physics to operate). There doesn’t seem to be a universal consensus among chair manufacturers as to what directions correspond to 1D, 2D, and so on, so it’s best to consult the spec sheets for each chair to find out exactly what adjustment abilities will be at your disposal.

Some chairs include cushions and pillows for added pressure relief, typically in the form of lumbar support and head/neck pillows. Lumbar support is crucial in the prevention of back of short-term and chronic back pain; lumbar pillows sit against the small of the back and preserve the natural curvature of the spine, promoting good posture and circulation and minimizing strain on the spine. Headrests and head pillows, meanwhile, support the head and neck, easing tension for those who want to kick back while they game.

The Stuff Gaming Chair Legends Are Made Of

Comfort isn’t the only factor to keep in mind when making a gaming chair purchasing decision. The right materials can sometimes make all the difference in the creation of a quality chair. The following materials are some of the most common you’ll find in popular gaming chairs.

PU Leather

PU Leather Is A Synthetic Leather, But Still Offers Excellent Durability And Water Resistance.

PU leather is a synthetic composed of split leather — the material left behind after the more valuable top grain layer of “genuine” leather is stripped away from a rawhide — and a polyurethane coating (hence the “PU”). In relation to the other “leathers,” PU is not as durable or breathable as genuine leather, but it does have the advantage of being a more breathable material than PVC.

In comparison to PVC, PU leather is also a more realistic imitation of genuine leather in its appearance and feel. Its major drawbacks in relation to genuine leather are its inferior breathability and long-term durability. Still, PU is cheaper than genuine leather, so it makes for a good substitute if you don’t want to break the bank. PU leather can be found in such gaming chairs as the Yuhang gaming chair www.yuhangfurniture.com

Fabric

One of the most common materials found on standard office chairs, fabric is also used in many gaming chairs. Fabric chairs are more breathable than leather and its imitators, meaning even less sweat and retained heat. As a downside, fabric is less resistant to water and other liquids compared to leather and its synthetic brethren.

A major deciding factor for many in choosing between leather and fabric is whether they prefer a firm or soft chair; fabric chairs are generally softer than leather and its offshoots, but also less durable. If you’re looking for an exceedingly cool, soft chair, Yuhang gaming chair has an entire fabric series of their popular fabric gaming chair series.

Comfort At All Costs

A booming gaming chair market means manufacturers are producing models all over the price spectrum. In the spirit of healthy competition, popular brands are trying to stretch the limits of how many features they can pack in at a competitor-beating price; in the end, the winner is the customer. Here are some choice chair options across multiple price ranges.

Yuhang furniture offers a few excellent inexpensive chair models, but we’re going to highlight their mesh gaming chair. Its breathable mesh back is complemented by a seat and headrest made of quality PU leather. If the cool mesh isn’t comfortable enough for you, the AutoFull mesh chair also includes a cushy lumbar support pad and a curved seat to meet the curvature of the spine. If you want to kick back after a long gaming session, the AutoFull can be reclined at any angle between 90° and 170°, the widest reclining range of the value-priced chairs highlighted here.

And also premium gaming chair is involved, Backed by a steel frame, this offering from the celebrated manufacturer reclines between 80° and 150°, sports 4D armrests, and is covered in premium PU leather. Complimenting the water-resistant PU is a dense foam padding that provides the support and comfort gamers need. The contoured backrest is perhaps the best part of the SL4000, offering comfort and ergonomic support to keep your back healthy and painless. cold foam throughout the inside of the chair and memory foam in the headrest, making for the kind of exceptional cushioning that demonstrates why Yuhang gaming chair is held in such high esteem by gaming pros and hobbyists alike.