Should you choose the best gaming chair or office chair?
It’s a constant battle of gaming chair vs. office chair in a race to be the most comfortable gamer on this side of the TV. So, which do you choose? The differences between the two chairs are blurier than ever now and may come down to aesthetics for you. In short, if you like the racer style of a gaming chair, get one. If you don’t particularly care, find an office chair you like. Both the best gaming chair and the best office chair can be comfortable or uncomfortable, depending on your perspective. So, here are some features and specs to help you decide.
Check out our office chair reviews for more in-depth coverage of comfort while working.
Design
In general, an office chair is designed to be of great comfort first, with, preferably, adjustable lumbar support, and the option to recline. A gaming chair is just the opposite, with a metal frame, premium PU leather, and flashy features. There are always exceptions, but keep this in mind when making your decision. And, for more options, you’ll want to check out our mashups of the Homall gaming chair vs GTRacing, mid back vs high back chair, and the best big and tall gaming chairs.
PC Gaming chairs are designed to look cool. They are typically racing-style gaming chairs with a bucket seat design. Some brands will have multiple color options with bright colors. Office chairs are typically more neutral colors like black, brown, or gray. Sometimes they might come in blue or red, but the design is fairly simple.
Comfort
Many people don’t find gaming chairs very comfortable, even with an added lumbar support pillow. However, there are many gaming chairs on the market in different shapes and sizes, so it may not always be true. Comfort can also be subjective, so you would have to try it for yourself.
When comparing a gaming chair to an office chair of high quality, with plenty of ergonomic designs, you likely won’t be as comfortable. They’re intended for different purposes, though, with different sitting positions, and different uses.
Unless you plan to spend big bucks on an ergonomic office chair, you likely won’t notice the difference in comfort between the two. Especially at lower price ranges, you may find an office chair more comfortable, but the difference won’t be as vast as you might think.
Cost
A gaming chair of equal quality will be slightly more expensive than an office chair, but it’s not that simple. Gaming chairs, even the best ones, don’t cost much more than about $800, whereas high-quality, ergonomic office chairs often cost double that.
At lower price points, however, what you’ll find is that a gaming chair of $100-$150 is cheaply made, and an office chair at that same price is much better. Keeping that in mind, you’ll find that you get a better value from more expensive gaming chairs, but there are still office chairs out there that are much more comfortable and much more expensive.
Adjustments
If you want your seat to be adjustable when it comes to height, backrest, armrest, or tilt, you’ll find more options in gaming chairs at the same price point. That’s not to say that office chairs don’t have adjustable features, but that you will pay more for an office chair that does. For a nicely adjustable chair with ultra comfort, check out our comparison of La-Z-Boy vs Tempur-Pedic office chairs.
Other Features
Excluding adjustments, cost, comfort, and design are out of the picture, some other features don’t vary much from gaming chairs to office chairs and may or may not impact your gaming experience. That includes things like 4D armrests, rocking capability, and the ability to lock your chair in place.
There is no definitive answer, which may disappoint you, but it’s a very personal choice. Whether you want an office chair or a gaming chair is up to you, and it would be best to read the reviews, try it out, and send it back if you don’t like it.
