When you’re gaming, you need to be able to have your head in the game. If you’re constantly shifting around to try to get comfortable, it’s going to be hard to focus. While you might be able to settle down on your couch or a recliner in your living room, a gaming chair can give you a comfortable seat that’s easy to move from room to room, so you can have consistent comfort whether you’re playing PS5 or Xbox Series X on the big screen or running a gaming PC at your desk.
There’s an incredible variety of gaming chairs to fit all types of setups, with everything from rockers and recliners to the typical racing-style seats and even some more unique, ergonomic models. Some come with a high price but match that with quality materials, like solid steel frames and densely padded cushions. Alternatively, there's plenty of budget gaming chairs, which offer surprisingly good comfort for low prices – click here to find them in the UK. And, if you want to deck out the rest of your gaming setup, you can find great discounts with certified refurbished PC peripherals on eBay.
TL;DR – These are the Best Gaming Chairs:
- Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series
- Cougar Explore S
- OFM Essentials Racing Chair
- Cougar Argo
- Razer Iskur
- noblechairs Icon
- Corsair TC60
- Vertagear Triigger 350 SE
- Respawn 205
- Cougar Ranger
- Big Joe Dorm Chair
- Respawn 900 Gaming
- Thermaltake CyberChair E500
- Secretlab Titan Evo XL 2022 Series
1. Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series
Best Gaming Chair
The best gaming chair has received an upgrade. The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series (read our review) takes what we already loved about the Titan series and refines it. It’s still providing a soft and spacious seat paired with a sturdy backrest that sneaks in an adjustable lumbar support. You still get a deep recline that you can lock into place as well.
Where the new model changes things up is in the headrest and armrests. Secretlab has ditched straps for holding the neck pillow in place and instead opted for magnets, it makes for a stylish appearance and finer control over positioning. The tops of the 4D armrests are also held in place magnetically, so you’ll have an easy time taking them off if you want to swap them out for some of the alternate toppers Secretlab has coming.
2. Cougar Explore S
Best Budget Gaming Chair
If you're on a tighter budget but want to kick back in style like the best of them, then the Cougar Explore S (see our review) gaming chair will be right up your alley. At just $270, it's still coming with a lot of the features you'll find on more expensive gaming chairs, and it even has a design that can keep up with the competition.
The Cougar Explore S offers up a quilted-style PVC leather finish on top of steel frame that can support up to 264.55 pounds. The chair is filled with high-density foam to support you, and it even includes some extra padding in the form of an adjustable lumbar pillow and a neck pillow. When you're gaming, you can sit upright and dial the 3D armrests in where you need them. When you want to relax, you can lean back into a deep recline. If you find that sweet spot in the recline, you can even lock it into place.
3. OFM Essentials Racing Chair ESS-3085
Best Ultra Cheap Gaming Chair
Whether you're gaming on a budget or just want to keep it simple, the OFM Essential Racing Chair can help out. This seat doesn't get overly elaborate with its features, keeping it simple so as to keep the price low. In fact, you can sometimes see this chair going for as little as just $75.
The OFM Essentials Racing Chair certainly hits some of the style points of other racing chairs, especially with the shape of its backrest. But, it also avoids one of the more contentious elements of racing chairs: the bucket seat. Without the little wings at the side of the chair, you're free to move your legs around more while you're sitting. The seat also has basic armrests that may not be 4D adjustable but can flip up and out of the way when you don't need them or when you want to slide your chair under your desk.
4. Cougar Argo
Best Ergonomic Gaming Chair
If you want a gaming chair that's less focused on how much it can replicate the cockpit of a racecar and more on how it can provide proper ergonomics for long-term comfort while gaming, the Cougar Argo has you covered. This gaming chair is built sturdy with a metal base, and it has mesh that's both tough and breathable to keep you cool in the heat of gaming. Just how tough is that mesh? Well, the seat can hold up to 330 pounds.
The Cougar Argo provides 3D adjustable armrests to help you dial in the proper levels for an ergonomic desk setup. The seat itself can slide forward and backward, providing the right amount of support without putting pressure on the back of your lower legs. You'll also find padded lumbar and head supports as well as a 130-degree recline to let you relax between matches. And, even though it may not have as pronounced a gamer aesthetic as some other chairs, it can come in a striking combination of black and hot orange.
5. Razer Iskur
Best Racing-Style Gaming Chair
If you want a racing style gaming chair to give you that slick pro gamer look, then the Razer Iskur (read our review) has you covered. This gaming chair will support a wide variety of gamers, as it's designed for users from 5.6 feet to 6.2 feet and can hold up to 299 pounds.
Once you settle into the Razer Iskur, you'll enjoy comfort provided not only by the high-density molded foam throughout the construction of the chair but also by a sculpted lumbar cushion that can offer your back a bit more support than the basic pillows you can often find on racing-style chairs. The seat is wrapped in a stylish looking PVC leather, and Razer has even put its snake stylings onto some of it with snake-like scales. You'll also find 4D adjustable armrests you can position to your liking. The only thing that feels like it's missing is RGB lighting, and that's only because Razer is so oft to include it.
6. noblechairs Icon
Best Leather Gaming Chair
If you’re going for a premium gaming chair, you can also go for premium materials. The noblechairs Icon lets you get a stylish gaming chair, but instead of using the PU leather that you’ll usually find, noblechairs offers a model with real leather. There’s a healthy dose of cold foam packed inside the chair to give you a soft, comfortable seat for extended gaming sessions. The subdued design of the chair also will let it fit in just as well in a work environment as in a gaming one.
The seat has a nearly 4-inch height adjustment range, giving you plenty of room to get a good position at your desk. The 4D armrests will make it that much easier to find an ergonomic position. When you want to kick back, the chair can recline back to 135 degrees, and the base provides a bit of rocking range as well. Though the design doesn’t insist on them, the Icon includes a lumbar cushion and neck pillow for those who want a little extra support.
7. Corsair TC60
Best Fabric Gaming Chair
PU leather might look cool and be easy to keep clean, but it doesn’t always feel so good when your skin comes into contact with it. So if you’re gaming in shorts, tank tops, or go for the occasional birthday-suit gaming sessions, you’ll be much more comfortable in a fabric gaming chair, and the Corsair TC60 brings it.
At $270, this falls on the budget-side of the gaming chair market, but it’s a solid throne. The Corsair TC60 provides a spacious seat that offers a decent height range. You’ll also get support for up to 264.5 pounds from the chair and piston, so heavier gamers don’t need to shy away from it. You can recline and relax in the chair, even getting a synchronized tilt so your butt doesn’t slide out of the seat when you lean all the way back. With 3D adjustable armrests and a built-in lumbar support, you’ll also get some extra ergonomic benefits.
8. Vertagear Triigger 350 SE
Best Mesh Gaming Chair
Mesh chairs are great for keeping you cool since the whole thing is breathable. They're popular in offices but there's no reason you can't have the same comfort while you game. Vertagear must have been thinking the same thing when it came up with the Triigger 350 SE, a gaming chair that features both a mesh back and seat.
It's made out of Reinforced DuPont TPEE Mesh if you're worried that this chair's netting material won't stand up to everyday wear and tear. And everywhere else that isn't made of mesh, you get the soft feel of calfskin leather. Of course a gaming chair this nice is going to cost and it's pretty expensive at $1,000 for the special red edition.
9. Respawn 205
Best Budget Mesh Gaming Chair
Respawn doesn't want you to overheat while you're gaming, so its Respawn 205 gaming chair is built with a mesh backrest for a higher degree of breathability. Mesh doesn't mean a lack of durability though, as this chair is constructed on a steel frame and can support up to 275 pounds. That frame is encased in a molded foam for comfort. You'll also get a wide seat with a decent range of height adjustment, making this a viable option for tall and short gamers alike.
The Respawn 205 gaming chair offers some basic adjustments beyond height. For one, you can raise and lower the armrests, letting you better position your arms for ergonomic use of a keyboard and mouse. It can also recline back to 130 degrees, and can lock in three positions. Attached lumbar and neck pillows also allow you to position cushion where you need it. All that in a sub-$200 package makes for fairly compelling value.
10. Cougar Ranger
Best Gaming Arm Chair
Our ultimate dream is to have a racing style gaming sofa and while we're not there yet, at least Cougar has given us a racing-style armchair. The Cougar Ranger is a reclining armchair engineered for gaming. It features padded lumbar and neck support, while the padding of the actual chair is a little stiffer than you would find in a lazy boy.
In its standard configuration, the Cougar Ranger basically has you sit up at attention. Of course, like a recliner, you can lie back in this chair as well and it'll tip all the way back to 160-degrees for when you can just relax and watch live streams or Esports matches.
11. Big Joe Dorm Chair
The Bean Bag Option
Big, expensive gaming chairs aren't for everyone, especially if you live in a smaller space. For anyone currently grinding through games in front of a TV in a modest pad, the Big Joe Dorm Chair is made just for you. It's filled with dense beans that conform to your shape, has handy pockets for your controllers, and is available in a variety of colors to match your room's aesthetic.
Also, while this chair is affordable, it's not junk, and sports quality double-stitched seams. It even has a handle on the top so you can easily drag it from room to room. Sit down, relax, and save your money for what you really want to spend it on: more games.
12. Respawn 900 Gaming Recliner
This Gaming Chair Recliner is a Dream Come True
We've just taken a look at a gaming chair rocker and big armchair, but what if you were to combine those two things into one? A gaming recliner, which is just what the Respawn 900 (read our review) is. Dreams do come true folks.
Unlike gaming chairs, you're not really meant to pull up to your computer desk with the Respawn 900. Instead, it's meant for more sedentary life in your living room, letting you kick back as you play your Xbox One X or PS4 Pro—or a gaming PC you have hooked up to a TV. It even has two cup holders and pockets for snacks so you really won't need to get up for a while once you get comfortable.
13. Thermaltake CyberChair E500
The Best Office Chair for Gaming
The only hint that the ThermalTake CyberChair E500 has anything to do with gaming is the brand. Beyond that, you're looking at a sleak combination of aluminum and black mesh for a seat that can serve as an office throne. But, comfort transcends the office and gaming, and the Thermaltake CyberChair E500 is designed with that in mind.
You'll find a nice wide seat and a tall backrest all covered in breathable mesh that supports you while keeping you from getting too hot during tense gaming situations. Highly adjustable arm rests will support you so you're not overburdening your shoulders while using your mouse and keyboard. And, the lumbar and headrest on this chair will help ensure you're supported and can lean back and relax in this chair just as much as you can lean in and take your opponents to school.
14. Secretlab Titan Evo XL 2022 Series
Best Big and Tall Gaming Chair
The Secretlab Titan Evo is amazing, but it might not be the best for big and tall gamers. Enter the champion of big and tall gaming chairs: the Secretlab Titan Evo XL 2022 Series. This model swaps out a number of the parts of the standard version with extra large parts, and it boosts the overall weight capacity and max height.
The seat is extra wide at 19.3 inches, and that’s not including the raised sides of the bucket seat. The backrest is also longer and wider. You’ll still get the same deep recline, but the XL version can support almost 400 pounds — a serious upgrade from the regular-size model. And, the Secretlab Titan Evo XL 2022 Series has the same magnetic neck pillow and armrests of its smaller sibling.
15. Homall High-Back Racing Chair
Best Budget Big and Tall Gaming Chair
Big and tall gamers can stay on budget just as easily thanks to options like the Homall High-Back Racing Chair. This plus-sized gaming throne only costs $90 and yet it's designed to support up to 300 pounds. This gaming chair also has a tall backrest measuring 30.5-inches that should accommodate most users.
Homall had to make two small sacrifices to meet costs. Unfortunately, the chair's seat is fairly narrow at only 14.5-inches and it sits low to the ground. Still, though it's hard to argue that this gaming chair doesn't come at a bargain.
Where to Get the Best Gaming Chairs in the UK
Upgrading your gaming setup with a brilliant gaming chair is always a good idea. Not all the chairs we've mentioned in this article are available in the UK, but there are still plenty of great chairs ready to order. This includes some of our favourite choices from Secretlab, such as the Titan, Omega, and Titan XL gaming chairs.
What to Look For in a Gaming Chair
There are plenty of reasons to invest in a chair dedicated to gaming, but the biggest one of all comes down to comfort. Gaming can be an incredibly sedentary lifestyle, not moving anything but their thumbs and forearms for hours at a time. Sitting on a lumpy chair for a few minutes is already uncomfortable and if you stay there for a long gaming session, you're going to be in a world of hurt.
Chairs designed with gaming in mind help support your back, neck, and arm positions in ways non-gaming chairs don't. This is largely thanks to the tall backs found on gaming chairs, which end up supporting your back and shoulders better than a short office chair. At the same time, the best gaming chairs should stop you from slumping over and falling into other bad postures with neck and lumbar pillows.
Between the tall back and support pillows, you should almost feel like you're being forced to sit up straight. The best gaming chairs should feel almost a little challenging and uncomfortable to sit in. That might sound counterintuitive to how chairs are supposed to be just comfortable, but it'll help save you from a lifetime of lower back pain and developing other gaming-related health complications like repetitive strain injury.
That doesn't mean you have to spend a ton on a higher-end chair to reap the comfortable rewards. But it makes a noticeable difference. Ultimately, it all comes down to how comfortable you want to be while you're playing games.
There are other benefits to a gaming chair outside of comfort and a sturdy build. Pretty much all dedicated gaming chairs, from the cheapest ones on Amazon to the highest-end pro-gaming thrones, look awesome. Seriously, they're called racing chairs because they look like the chairs you find in a high-speed touring car. Factor in the loud colors, aggressive angles, and eye-catching shape and there's no question as to your chair's intended purpose.
If you already have a high-end PC with a top-end graphics card or a dedicated PC gaming desk with a crazy 144Hz gaming monitor on top, do you really want to sit in a folding chair you picked up at Goodwill?
Since the majority of gamers play on console, a gaming chair might not suit your needs. But a chair for gaming is still a good investment. Whether it's a beanbag chair like the Big Joe Dorm Chair or something wild like the X Rocker Pro Series Pedestal 2.1, console gaming still requires a level of comfort. Well, at least until things get heated and you have to lean in.
No matter which type of gaming chair you choose one thing you'll definitely want is good, adjustable ergonomics. When I say that I mean a chair with customizable lumbar support, adjustable armrests, levers to tilt and height, and a movable headrest. For the most part, all the gaming chairs on this list include at least one to all the points of adjustability I just mentioned and you'll want to take advantage of them.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
