In both cases, you want a chair that’s comfortable to sit in for extended periods of time. You should be ending your gaming session because you’re done playing, not because your body hurts too much to keep going.
This means ergonomics are at the top of the list of features. A properly curved back, adjustable armrests, neck and lower-back support, and anything that promotes good posture and comfort is a bonus.
It’s also vitally important that you get a chair that’s rated for your weight and height. Any ergonomic features won’t work correctly if the chair is mismatched to your physical frame, making you extremely uncomfortable—not to mention that the chair may break.
Durability and choice of materials are important, as well. A full steel frame leather chair will be more expensive, but you won’t have to replace it as quickly. Then again, modern synthetic materials might breathe better, while materials like leather will typically retain heat. Keep the temperature and humidity of your gaming space in mind when deciding on chair materials.
Finally, the styling of the chair is much more important when it comes to gaming chairs than regular office chairs. The truth is that a good office chair works perfectly fine as a gaming chair—and, for many people, the “gaming aesthetic” isn’t appealing or something they want to advertise.
However, if you feel like wearing your gamer badge loud and proud, picking a chair with the nicest design for your setup is just as important as functionality. At the end of the day, the space is for you, after all. Picking a chair you find looks good is just as important as how comfortable it is!
Now, let’s get into our best gaming chair recommendations.
Best Gaming Chair Overall: Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
Secretlab is a relatively new company, but it’s consistently topped lists for gaming chairs over the last few years with a focus on upmarket materials and construction. As you might imagine, this means their chairs are more expensive than the average gaming chair, but not so expensive that they’re unaffordable.
✓ Built like a tank✓ Comes in multiple sizes✓ Choice of materials to suit your budget and taste✓ Ingenious magnetic attachment system for cushions
✗ Can get pricey, especially with all the trimmings
The Titan Evo 2022 is the culmination of that philosophy, refined over the years into a chair that does exactly what it needs to perfectly, without adding features no one cares about.
This gaming chair is built like a tank, is designed from the ground up to provide the best gaming ergonomics, and uses an elegant magnetic attachment system to add or remove the bundled head pillow.
What truly elevated the Titan Evo to the top of the pack is the customizability on offer. The chair is offered in three sizes, so you can get the perfect fit, and then you can choose your own upholstery materials, colors, and even designs based on gaming or pop-culture properties.
A fully customized Titan Evo can inflate the price significantly, but that’s the cost of getting exactly the chair you want. If the price is too shocking, you can still opt for one of the more standard models.
Best Budget Gaming Chair: Hbada Gaming Chair
Hbada makes some great budget office chairs, so it’s no surprise that the company has another low-cost winner on its hands in the gaming chair category with the Hbada Gaming Chair.
✓ Looks great✓ Great ergonomic features✓ Reclines and locks between 90 and 155 degrees✓ Highly Adjustable✓ 440-pound weight rating with steel frame and nylon base
✗ Not memory foam
Starting with the style, the Hbada absolutely looks like a gaming chair. If you’re looking to start your own Twitch stream or gaming YouTube channel, aesthetics matter. This chair looks just as good on-screen with its PU leather and striking colors as chairs that cost twice as much—so it’s a great choice for streamers looking to save a bit of money.
Of course, if you can’t make it through a multiple hour-long streaming session in comfort, a nice-looking chair wouldn’t be a good option at any price. Thankfully Hbada has the ergonomic fundamentals right, with an anatomically-curved backrest, adjustable armrests, 155-degree recline function, and seat height adjustment.
Durability is also surprisingly good in this segment, with a 440-pound rating. That means Hbada’s chair should work for most big and tall people that typically need more expensive chairs, which is great for those on a budget.
At this price, something has to give, however, and the main sacrifice is foam quality. It’s thick and comfortable enough but isn’t memory foam. So it doesn’t retain the shape of your body when you take a break, making it not as comfortable as some of the other options on this list.
Best Big and Tall Gaming Chair: Thermaltake X-Comfort
If your weight, height, or both are at the higher end, it can be a battle to find a comfortable chair to game in. While many chairs have high weight ratings, there’s more to a “big and tall” chair than making stronger chairs.
✓ 331-pound rating✓ Wide seat and tall back✓ Metal base and casters✓ A fair amount of adjustability
✗ If you only care about weight rating, there are cheaper chairs✗ Users who need 400-pound support should look elsewhere
The Thermaltake X-Comfort understands this assignment well and doesn’t go all-out on the weight capacity rating. If you need a chair that can handle more than 330 pounds, the X-Comfort is sadly not for you. Instead, the budget gaming chair will be a better choice.
However, if you’re within that weight limit and no taller than six feet and three inches, the X-Comfort is an excellent choice.
Everything about the chair has been scaled up to make it more comfortable for big and tall users. The armrests can be adjusted in multiple directions, so even those with a wider wingspan are accommodated. The foam is high-density so it can take the extra weight while remaining comfortable and not losing its shape.
This chair can recline between the 160-degree and 90-degree positions, while the heavy-duty gas lift and all-metal base and casters keep it stable. This means you’ll be comfortable gaming no matter what position you’re in.
While the Thermaltake X-Comfort isn’t one size fits all (few chairs are), it accommodates a lot of the big and tall market without breaking the bank.
Best Ergonomic Gaming Chair: Secretlab Omega (2020)
The Secretlab Omega’s main purpose is to provide comfort for long gaming sessions. It’s perfect for heavy-duty gamers and streamers who are in danger of fusing with their chairs. If your needs aren’t quite this extreme, you’ll still find this Secretlab chair fantastic ergonomically.
✓ Designed specifically for long sessions, while maintaining comfort and posture✓ Memory foam head and lumbar cushions
✗ Pricey
A key part of this ergonomic puzzle is Secretlabs’ cold-cure foam. This foam creation process, the company claims, benefits posture and feels significantly more comfortable to sit on than other types of foam.
In other respects, it’s much like other chairs from Secretlab such as the Titan Evo that’s topped our list. It’s got the same ergonomic curve to the cushions and backrest, it reclines, and you have a choice of designs and upholstery.
In addition to these features, you can add adjustable lumbar support and armrests designed to mitigate carpal tunnel syndrome. Best of all, it’s less expensive than the Titan Evo, so if you’re okay with an older Secretlab model, you can save a bit with the Omega.
Best Gaming Chair with Footrest: RESPAWN RSP-110
When you need something that’s not quite a recliner, but still lets you put your feet up when you need to, you want to get a gaming chair with a footrest. The thing is, when you don’t want a footrest it shouldn’t be in the way, which is what makes the Respawn RSP-110 so great.
✓ Great price✓ Bonded leather gives it a premium facade✓ Reclining, contoured backrest✓ The footrest can be put completely out of the way✓ Above-average weight capacity
✗ The footrest might not work well for tall individuals✗ Might not stand up to the most hardcore players
This is a bonded-leather racecar style seat, and in most ways, it’s pretty much like other budget gaming chairs. You can recline it up to 155-degrees, adjust the armrests in multiple directions, and you get neck and lumbar cushions as part of the deal.
The magic happens when you fold the footrest out from underneath the seat, making it the perfect chair for watching a movie or gaming with a controller. When you need to sit back up, you can simply fold the footrest away again, making sure it stays out of your way.
That being said, this is a budget chair, and some buyers have noted that heavy use can see it wear out in a few years. However, given that this chair comes with a five-year warranty, that’s not a huge concern—just contact Respawn and they’ll take of you.
Best Gaming Recliner: RESPAWN RSP-900
Gaming chairs are often a great mix of practicality and comfort, but if you really want to move over to the comfort side of the scale, a gaming recliner is where it’s at. The Respawn RSP-900 maintains the gaming chair aesthetic while offering the comforts of a recliner. It’s perfect for console gamers with dedicated gaming spaces looking for a comfortable and gaming-styled chair.
✓ Looks beautiful✓ Reasonable price✓ Has a cup holder✓ Independent Back and Footrest recline
✗ Not suited for gaming at a desk with a keyboard and mouse
We say “console gamers” since recliners like these aren’t really suited to playing at a desk with a mouse and keyboard. If you have a mouse and keyboard solution you can use on your lap and have your PC hooked up to a TV, then it’s great for that too.
Another issue is that this recliner doesn’t have a height-adjustable seat, which is fine for a recliner, but not great for a desk chair. Basically, it’s built to sit back and relax, and a lot of features you’d see in a typical office chair aren’t present.
The backrest and footrest recline independently, so you can find the combination of angles that work best for you. We also especially like the inclusion of a pouch and cupholder, so you can access your phone or remote without getting up or needing a side table.
