The whole hype about gaming chairs will not have escaped you, maybe you are already sitting in one and are convinced of its comfort. But are gaming chairs really better than office chairs and how do they differ apart from the appearance?
One of the first things you will notice about gaming chairs is the way they are designed and that they look way cooler” than traditional chairs. But looks are not everything, are they more comfortable than traditional office chairs?
Comparing Gaming Chair Vs. Office Chair
The style of the gaming chair has a purpose. It is intended for gamers that enjoy playing their favorite games for many hours. Sitting in the wrong chair for a long time can cause the different parts of the body to cramp and hurt badly, making it difficult to get up. Gaming chairs are said to help reduce this problem through ergonomic design.
Differences In Design And Appearance
Most gamers would prefer the overall look of the gaming chair just because it is more aesthetically designed to fit most rooms. There are some differences in styling that you will immediately notice:
- Gaming chairs usually have a higher backrest as compared to office chairs. The height of the backrest is meant to provide the comfort that gamers need while playing their favorite game for hours.
- The armrests of gaming chairs are adjustable whereas the armrests of office chairs may just stay in place.
- The padding of gaming chairs is usually more pronounced as compared to office chairs.
Take note that gaming chairs will also have some differences in the way that they look. For example, racing chairs will have more cushions as compared to regular gaming chairs.
Which chair is more comfortable?
Most people will agree that in the beginning, office chairs seem to be more comfortable as compared to gaming chairs. People usually have poor posture although they may not always realize it. They may always sit hunched near their computer which can also make it easier for them to adjust to the height of the office chair.
When you have poor posture, you may start to notice that there will be more aches and pains that you will feel. For example, if you have tight muscles and limbs, you can expect that sitting on the gaming chair for the first time is going to be very uncomfortable.
You may need to sit on your gaming chair from time to time to break it in. In no time at all, you will start to appreciate the way that it is built. You will realize that you can stay comfortable playing your favorite games for hours with the use of your chosen gaming chair. You need to know the other details that can make your gaming chair even more comfortable:
- The thickly padded seats will provide the cushion that you need especially when you are sitting down for hours. Have you ever experienced having a painful backside during long trips? The right cushion can help avoid that from happening.
- Set the recline of the chair to the angle that you will be most comfortable in. If you feel that 110 Degrees will be the perfect recline, then do it.
- Expect that your neck and head will be properly aligned so that you can look at your monitor properly while you are playing your favorite games.
Individual adjustment options for best sitting
A lot of people know that office chairs are easy to adjust especially when it comes to the height of the chair. If the height of your desk is too high, you can make your chair higher. If your desk is too low, you can make your chair low too. There are other things that you can also adjust when you have a gaming chair:
- Recline – This was already discussed earlier. You can change the recline of your chair depending on what you think will be the most comfortable angle for you.
- Armrests – There will be moments while you are playing your favorite games that you do not want to use the armrests anymore. You can just put it up when you do not want to use it or adjust it when you need to rest your arms and wrists while playing.
One note to remember: If you are planning to recline your gaming chair deeper than 135 Degrees, this means that you are planning to use the chair to rest. It will not be comfortable or even possible to play games when the recline is too low.
Traditional office chairs do not have an adjustable recline. This means that if you would sit on a chair for long hours, you are bound to make your backache. Unfortunately, most office workers have no choice but to sit on their office chairs for hours. Some would sit up to 8 hours every day but there are also some who would be sitting on their chairs for 13 hours straight.
Some Accessories
You have to admit that one of the reasons you choose a particular brand or model is the extra comfort features you might get. Some chairs come packed with accessories that will take your gaming experience to whole new heights.
In contrast to office chairs, gaming chairs often have an external lower back support cushion and a neck pillow that is attached to the chair with straps. In higher-priced chair models, the lumbar support is integrated into the backrest.
A widespread trend regarding accessories is the footrest that quite a few chair models feature. Then there are even models that have built-in speakers when the backrest or small massage motors are built into the lumbar support that promise relaxation for the lower back.
You cannot expect that affordably priced office chairs will have the same accessories and sitting comfort. Budget office chairs are often very simple and they may come just come with the basics. However, this can change with high-end office chairs with a very sophisticated ergonomic design, as they may have features that are far superior to those of inexpensive models.
Ok, but what’s better now?
So it is obvious that both gaming and office chairs have a number of differences. And when it comes to features and comfort, there are clear differences in gaming chairs depending on the price. In general, expensive gaming chairs are much more comfortable than cheap models. Makes sense, if it’s supposed to be cheap, the manufacturer has to cut costs somewhere.
The price differences have to come from somewhere and that’s only possible by making compromises in terms of equipment and the quality and durability of the materials used. However, you cant get over the fact that high-priced office chairs can offer features and a comfort factor that is far superior to cheap mass-produced cheap gaming chairs
