There are a few different desk chairs to choose from if you need a new one. You may get a traditional office chair, which would most certainly have a sleek black design with a few ergonomic features. Alternatively, based on your budget, you might go for a gaming chair with a more “gamer-friendly” look and some exclusive features.
When looking for the right desk chair, you’ve already heard the age-old question: Which is cooler, a gaming chair or an office chair? In reality, the two aren’t identical – depending on your work (or play) style, one chair can be preferable to the other. In this article, we’ll explain a gaming chair and lead you through the controversy of gaming chairs vs office chairs so you can relax comfortably and stylishly.
Gaming Chair vs Office Chair
PC and racer gaming chairs are often compared to office chairs because they look similar in look and features. When comparing gaming chairs and office chairs, it is normal to see that they emphasize style over comfort, while office chairs prioritize comfort over style. However, this isn’t always the case – though the two have distinct visual and structural distinctions, they’re both ergonomically built and intended to make you safe for hours at a time.
Playing chairs and office chairs have several structural parallels. Casters, swivelling platforms, armrests, the padding on the bench, rear, and armrests, and several flexible settings are common features of both.
Visually, the distinctions are more noticeable; while office chairs are typically plain and tidy, gaming chair designs focus more on elegance. Many gaming chairs have the flashy appearance of racing cars because they are modelled after luxurious sports car seats with bold accent colours, embroidered symbols, or character-oriented covers. In addition, gaming chairs have higher backs, while office chairs have lower backs. With the increase in popularity of video game streaming, ultra-cool gaming chairs are getting their moment in the spotlight, so it’s normal to see avid gamers seated in flashier chairs.
It’s more difficult to tell the distinction in comfort between the two. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to sitting at a desk peacefully for hours, whether you’re a lawyer or a professional player. Ergonomically built gaming chairs usually have reclining, lumbar support, adjustable seat height, sides, and footrests, among other comfort-enhancing features. Most ergonomically built office chairs have the same features – reclining, lumbar support, adjustable seat height, and adjustable arms. Some have additional features, such as adjustable back height and waterfall benches that enable your legs to hang comfortably.
Gaming chairs have features such as steering wheel mounts, headphone output, built-in microphones, and Bluetooth connectivity that are exclusive to video gaming. Most office chairs and gaming chairs are priced uniformly, but the best ones are usually much more costly than the best gaming chairs.
Which Chair Design Is More Appealing?
An individual’s choice for an office chair over a gaming chair, or vice versa, can vary from person to person, as you’ll see in this article.
There are some very attractive office chairs available. But unfortunately, some assume that the subtlety of office chairs is superior to the bold and glamorous design of racing-style gaming chairs.
And, of course, the same is also real. For example, the cool-looking racing-style design of gaming chairs is common among gamers. That’s one of the reasons they’re so famous.
The bottom line is that it isn’t fair to say that gaming chairs look better than office chairs, and everyone’s view is different.
A gaming chair is preferred over an office chair if you want a bold, bright, and dazzling look.
You’ll probably prefer an office chair to a gaming chair if you prefer a more tame, sleek, or conservative look.
Differences in Comfort Levels Between Office and Gaming Chairs
One criticism levelled at gaming chairs is that they are less convenient than office chairs. This assertion isn’t accurate, based on my experience sitting in a variety of racing-style gaming chairs as well as a variety of mid-range office chairs.
When people equate gaming chairs on the market to high-end ergonomic office choices, they often conclude that they aren’t. Depending on the style, a new Herman Miller chair will cost anything from $600 to over $1,000. The majority of gaming chairs cost less than $400.
And the comfort gap between office and gaming chairs is smaller than some would have you believe when you get into the lower price ranges.
Now, I’ll assume that, on average, an office chair would have more comfort than a similarly priced racing-style gaming chair on a dollar-for-dollar basis. However, in the lower price ranges—where most consumers are looking—the discrepancy in comfort between the two chair types isn’t as big as you may assume.
Which Is More Expensive? Office Chairs or Gaming Chairs?
Gaming chairs are generally more expensive than office chairs. But, once again, this is merely a generalization. It’s more complex than claiming that gaming chairs are more expensive than office chairs.
For example, the top tier of gaming tables would cost at most $800. On the other hand, the overwhelming majority of the best gaming chairs on the market would cost between $300 and $500.
However, the high-end market for ergonomic office chairs will cost up to $1,500. (Herman Miller Embody). That’s near twice the price of the most luxurious racing-style gaming chair and 3-4 times the average high-end gaming chair range.
As a result, office chairs are more expensive than gaming chairs at the top end of the industry.
The low-end and mid-range price ranges, on the other hand, are where gaming chairs get slammed. The distinction between a $150 office chair and a $150 gaming chair is that a $150 office chair can be a very good seating choice over time, while $150 gaming chairs usually need to be better constructed.
The top-of-the-line ergonomic office chairs would cost much more than the top-of-the-line gaming chairs on the high-end side of the chair industry. Top-of-the-line office seats are designed to a higher standard than top-of-the-line gaming chairs. Furthermore, in the lower-end and mid-range markets, mid-range and cheaper office chairs are less expensive than mid-range and cheaper gaming chairs.
Which Chair Style Offers the Most Adjustment Options?
Adjustability capabilities are the last thing to remember when purchasing a machine chair.
Armrest adjustment, height adjustment, backrest adjustment (recline backwards), and base tilt adjustment are all possible chair adjustment features. These are the four key modification features that machine chairs have.
And, as with the previous pieces, there is no definite winner between gaming chairs and office chairs in terms of which model provides more adjustment features.
However, gaming chairs generally have more adjustment options than comparable-priced office chairs because most racing-style gaming chairs have a recline option (which office chairs typically do not). Also, the most affordable gaming chairs on the market typically have a recline option.
Gaming Chair vs Office Chair: Which One Should You Pick?
When selecting a desk chair, your tastes are most important – since they’re all alike in terms of comfort and features, there’s no straightforward ergonomic or cost-effective winner. However, a flashy, racer-style gaming chair with built-in speakers or Bluetooth connectivity is a good option if you’re a gamer who wants to download or use built-in audio features.
A flashy gaming chair may not be the most business-appropriate option if you’re a professional specializing in video calls or hosting clients from home. Filter the chair quest through the features you like most to find the right chair, whether you work hard, play hard, or do both.
So, what’s the last word? Is it better to get a gaming chair or a regular office chair? It would help if you drew your conclusions from the preceding study, but here’s my perspective from an ergonomic standpoint:
- Bucket seats and winged backrests on gaming chairs can be detrimental in terms of ergonomics; however, a bigger gaming chair can be a solution.
- Gaming seats are marginally more ergonomic than budget office chairs at the lower end of the price spectrum. Even a low-cost gaming chair has the essential components of a proper ergonomic chair, such as lumbar pillows, strong reclining, a backrest, and 2D or 3D armrests.
- When you increase your spending, ergonomic office chairs begin to outperform gaming chairs in terms of comfort and ergonomics. They are not limited to the trendy form factors of gaming chairs; as such, they can be creative with lightweight fabrics, 3D headrests, interactive lumbar support, and other features.
Final Thoughts
Gaming chairs have increased in popularity and provide an improved seating environment for playing video games compared to a sofa or furniture from across the home. On the other hand, opponents of gaming seats commonly cite them as being less practical, overpriced solely for cosmetic reasons, and lacking in warranties.
The criticism is often justified, but the truth is that gaming chairs have benefits that regular office chairs do not. These are the looks and the feelings you get as you sit in your chair in your basic home setup and play your game.
Standard office chairs do not support multi-tone fabrics, custom logos, or other customizations. If you want to buy a chair solely for its appearance rather than its usefulness, a gaming chair is a way to go. On the other hand, I suggest a traditional office chair if you want a convenient, flexible, ergonomic chair with support.
