When you are planning to buy a gaming chair, the first question is often “How much is a gaming chair?” Well, gaming chairs can be quite cheap as some cost just under 100 dollars. On the other side of the price scale, there is hardly an upper limit and a high-end chair from a reputable manufacturer can cost over 1000 dollars. However, most of the popular chairs can be found in the price range between 200 and 500 dollars.
And if you think about how much time a day you spend sitting, then a good ergonomic chair is actually one of the most important investments you can do. So, how much is a gaming chair? Prices vary depending on the design, workmanship, and quality of the material, whether it’s an office chair or a gaming chair.
What makes the price of a gaming chair?
The price of a gaming chair depends on the market and demand. In addition to the quality of the chair, the supply of raw materials, labor costs, and the logistics of bringing the chair to the customer also influence what a gaming chair costs. Then there are other factors like the events in 2022 that caused some surprising and shockingly strong price increases that nobody expected.
How Much Is A Gaming Chair?
There are three different price ranges of how much gaming chairs cost. On the lower end of the scale, are the budget gaming chairs. Then there are the medium-priced gaming chairs that cover by far the largest range and widest variety of gaming chairs. And last but not least, on the other end of the scale are the high-end gaming chairs that promise the best quality and best after-sales support.
Budget Gaming Chairs
Chairs in the price range of under 200 dollars are highly popular and sell in large numbers. But to offer chairs in this price segment it is necessary for the manufacturer to cut costs on every corner. Only if the production costs are kept as low as possible, and profit margins are kept minimal, can gaming chairs cost under 200 dollars.
You can tell from the quality of the workmanship and the materials that are used that these are not the highest quality chairs. But for many occasional gamers, simple chairs without too many bells and whistles do the job and provide enough comfort for playing only a couple of hours at a time.
For serious esports fans who spend eight or ten hours sitting in a chair, such chairs are rather unsuitable because most are not built robust enough to withstand high permanent loads and are not comfortable enough to sit in permanently.
Medium Price Gaming Chairs
Between 200 to 400 is how much a good gaming chair in the medium price range is going to cost you. You’ll find a remarkable selection of chairs in a wide range of colors, designs, and various sizes in this price range.
Manufacturers use higher quality materials for the production of these chairs and put more effort into detailed crafting and precise workmanship. Better materials and better workmanship result in more features that benefit the sitting comfort.
On inspection, you would notice better foam cushioning, higher-quality covers, and advanced ergonomic designs that not only increase the life of the chair but also allow you to sit for many hours in comfort and enjoy esports. A lot of gaming enthusiasts buy in this price range knowing these chairs are stable, long-lasting, and simply have all the features you need.
High Priced Gaming Chairs
Gaming chairs that cost about 400 dollars or even more, will be your choice if you don’t want to compromise on quality and demand to sit as comfortably as possible. As with most merchandise, you get what you pay for, and the difference between a cheap gaming chair and a premium gaming chair can be considerable.
To justify the higher price, manufacturers must use the very best material and invest a lot more effort in workmanship and the small details, which shows in a high-quality finish of the chairs. When you look closely, you will surely notice sound workmanship.
And of course, the moment you sit down in an “expensive” gaming chair, nothing squeaks and crunches, you just sit very comfortably. You can game or work for many hours while maintaining a good posture. If you are a professional player sitting in front of your computer 15 hours a day, this type of chair may be right for you.
Chairs that do not exactly meet the standard, i.e. those with special features such as an extra-large seat, wide backrest, or particularly high weight ratings for tall and heavy people, or themed special edition chairs that are produced in smaller numbers are also often found in this price range.
How To Tell If A Gaming Chair Is Worth It, Or If It’s Overpriced?
High-quality gaming chairs consist of first-class, good raw materials that are properly processed. You have to look closely and inspect the details. These are the most obvious that you should take a look at first:
- proper, even welded seams
- no sharp metal edges,
- good and smooth operability of the adjustment options
- no strong chemical smell that remains for days
- proper sewing and seams
- tightly covered and wrinkle-free covers
- firm padding that adapts to your body
- smooth and noiseless rolling over the floor
- no squeaking when you move in the chair
The chair must be robustly built so that the stability of the gaming chair is ensured even under heavy loads, a shaky construction is no fun can also be dangerous. The seat and the backrest with lumbar support and headrests, as well as the armrests, should be adjustable to ensure a comfortable sitting posture to the individual needs of the occupant.
Features affecting the cost of a gaming chair
- Choosing the right chair size: You can only take advantage of the ergonomic design of the chair and sit comfortably if your gaming chair has been selected according to your height and weight. If the chair is too big or too small, you will not sit comfortably even in the best and most expensive chair.
- Ergonomic design: An ergonomically designed gaming chair has many adjustment options that allow the chair to be adjusted to the needs of the occupant. This is essential to reduce problems caused by long gaming and excessive sitting.
- Height adjustment: A height adjustment is a must to individually set the seat height to your body size and take a back-friendly relaxed posture while playing.
- Backrest: You want to be able to lean back comfortably to relax the musculature of your back. Your gaming chair should have a firm, ergonomically curved backrest so that it supports your spine optimally during gaming. The angle of the backrest must be adjustable so that the backrest can be optimally adapted to your body and prevents back pain that can arise from the incorrect position.
- The lumbar support: This is in most gaming chairs the cushion is between the backrest and the lower area of the back. These provide support to the back to avoid incorrect posture when sitting.
In the high-end or premium chairs, you will often find a lumbar support system that is integrated into the lower backrest. The lumbar support can be adjusted with the help of an adjustment button the bulge in the lumbar support can be reduced or increased. - Armrests: While not standard with a conventional office chair, they are essential in gaming chairs. The option to put the arms down not only relaxes the shoulder and neck area but also gives a calmer hand, which is particularly helpful when mouse precision is required in the game.
- Upholstery – fabric, synthetic leather, or genuine leader: The quality of materials and fabrics has a big impact on how comfortable you sit on it. It should not smell of chemicals or solvents, the covers should be wrinkle-free, and must be sufficiently breathable to reduce sweating.
So, How Much Does A Gaming Chair Cost?
Well, we have just discussed the price ranges of gaming chairs and what features and criteria you have to pay attention to if you want to buy one.
There are cheap gaming chairs that are really affordable, you can get one of those for under $ 200. They do the job if you sit in the chair for 1 or 2 hours a day and play a little or surf the net for a bit. But don’t forget all the other times in the day that you spend sitting.
Realy good high-end gamers seats can cost over half a grand or more. If you need a chair for work or sit 10 – 12 hours battling your way through long gaming sessions, then an expensive chair with all its amenities will be worth it.
A good way to get your hands on a high-quality gaming chair is to look out for special offers. At certain times, chairs are heavily discounted. You should also look out for clearance sales.
Are expensive gaming chairs better?
As I just said it all depends on what you want to spend and what features and quality you need. If you are still wondering whether expensive gaming chairs are really worth their money or whether a cheap chair can do the job too, I can only recommend that you check this out yourself.
Sit in a cheap chair and then sit down in a high-quality gaming chair, the question will answer itself for you. Once you have sat in a premium chair, then you know what the difference is and the higher price will certainly appear justified to you.
