Can’t decide whether to get a gaming chair or an office chair? We are comparing all aspects of these two options to ensure you make the right choice.
Whether you are a heavy gamer or a less enviable workaholic, spending long hours every day in your chair is probably nothing new. When choosing a chair, the first dilemma you face is whether to purchase a gaming or standard office chair, but even if you’re not a gamer, the idea of owning a swanky gaming chair surely crosses your mind.
There has always been a supremacy battle between gaming chairs and office chairs, and it will not end any time soon. Throughout this post, we will examine what differentiates gaming chairs from their office counterparts. The purpose of these differences is to help you make a better decision regarding what is best for you.
Table of Contents
Key differences between Gaming Chair vs Office Chair
| Features | Gaming Chairs | Office Chairs |
|---|---|---|
| Headrest | Fixed, static | Often Adjustable |
| Backrest | Winged | Wingless |
| Seat | Bucket Seat | Flat Seat |
| Seat Edge | Raised Lip | Waterfall shape |
| Lumbar Support | Detachable Pillows | Fixed or Adjustable |
| Backrest Recline | Very High Degree of Recline | Low to High |
| Armrests | Highly Adjustable (3D) | Adjustable (2D) |
The differences between a gaming chair and an office chair are often obvious. Gaming chairs stand out because of their bright colors and sometimes larger frames, while office chairs blend in better with the background. However, if you’re wondering how a gaming chair differs from a regular office chair, there are a few key things to consider.
Gaming chairs are usually designed in the racer style, with a tall winged back, bucket seat, and raised seat edges. In most cases, the chair will have lumbar and head support cushions, and armrests that can be adjusted in at least three directions. A gaming chair can also recline significantly further than an office chair, and it comes with rocking and tilting controls as well.
While office chairs calm things down considerably. Typically, you will find a flat cushion with a wingless back, often with fixed lumbar support. Armrests are generally limited to up and down movement, and reclines are restricted with more restrictive tilt locks.
Comfort – Gaming Chairs vs Office Chairs
A gaming chair is made to withstand prolonged use, so it employs materials that many users find comfortable. A memory foam seat cushion with padding across the back and armrests is more likely to be found in the starting price category. Unless you find an office chair that is exceptionally expensive, many chairs utilize thinner materials to keep costs low, which means you’ll need to take more frequent breaks while working.
Additionally, gaming chairs are usually built bigger than office chairs. However, these chairs are not ideal if you have a small workspace or if you’d like your desk to blend into the background when not in use, but they do suit a wider range of body types and weights, with even smaller people being able to fit into the larger models comfortably. For the best ergonomics, though, choosing a chair with the right dimensions is always recommended.
Cheaper office chairs may be less comfortable in terms of padding and size, but they are often made of cooler materials. At the entry-level starting price, the mesh is more common and provides better temperature regulation and airflow.
Winner (Gaming Chairs)
With memory foam cushions and wider designs, gaming chairs tend to offer better value for money than office chairs. It’s common for these seats to have thick padding across the entire surface, even in budget models. Nevertheless, chairs with mesh designs might offer better temperature regulation.
Bucket vs. Standard Seat – Gaming Chairs vs Office Chairs
The biggest difference between bucket seats on a racing-style gaming chair and a standard office chair seat is the way they make you feel when you’re sitting in them. Bucket seats are designed like car seats and give the feeling that the chair is hugging you as you sit. Having a standard office chair on your desk will enable you to move around freely and won’t restrict your movements. If you like to sit for long periods of time, you need to decide which style is best for you.
The main disadvantage of the racing seat design is the side bolsters, which restrict movement. People who cross their legs or sit in different positions throughout the day may experience discomfort if they aren’t slim or small. A standard office chair, on the other hand, will allow people of varying sizes to sit comfortably.
Winner (Office Chairs)
When it comes to ergonomics, a good office chair beats a good gaming chair. Compared to a regular office chair, the raised sides on the latter restrict movements and don’t support as many sitting positions.
Also Check: CELLBELL® GC05 Transformer X-Series High Back Gaming Chair – Review
Aesthetics – Gaming Chairs vs Office Chairs
The biggest question in the gaming chair vs office chair debate is whether the aesthetics of the former really meet the needs of today’s chair buyers. Even gamers can’t bring themselves to install a massive, colorful hunk of a chair in their living rooms as more of us search for a comfortable working from the home seat.
The aesthetics of a standard gaming chair won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’re streaming then the tall headrest and branded cushions make sense. An office chair, however, suits a wider range of tastes if you use it in your home office.
The design of office chairs is usually simple, with black, gray, or white color designs and a minimalist structure that prioritizes function over form. Thus, they can fit into much broader ranges of environments, and can even be used as part of an RGB-clad gaming setup.
Winner (Office Chairs)
Despite the popularity of the racer back style of the classic gaming chair, the office chair suits a much wider range of tastes and uses. In contrast, gaming chairs can take up a considerable amount of space, whereas an office chair can be placed in any room and blend in seamlessly.
Price – Gaming Chairs vs Office Chairs
When you look at the way these office chairs are designed, you’ll notice that they are designed with their functionality in mind. While comfort, durability, and adjustability are important for office chairs, aesthetics might not be the highest priority.
In gaming chairs, you’ll see that different colors, stitching, logos, pillows, and other features make the chair stand out or match a specific setup for a home office.
Although these chairs serve different purposes, the price may vary depending on their quality. A $400 gaming chair, for example, is on the high end, while a $400 standard office chair falls somewhere in the middle. Having said that, a mid-range office chair will typically provide more functionality, a better warranty, and smoother adjustments than a high-end gaming chair.
Winner [Tie]
In terms of price, office chairs and gaming chairs aren’t quite as clear-cut.
Also Check: Best Gaming Chairs for Big Guys
Recline Function – Gaming Chairs vs Office Chairs
The backrest of most gaming chairs can recline or tilt to a great degree. Some can even tilt 180 degrees. But why does this happen? Well, if you’re a serious gamer you know gaming can be quite intense, so as soon as you’ve won a few battle royales, you can sit back and relax comfortably so that your back can rest from sitting so straight.
Various studies and advice have recently been published regarding the ideal position to sit in. In terms of long-term ergonomics and comfort, sitting up straight may not be the best position. According to studies, reclining puts the least strain and stress on your discs since your back is absorbing more weight than if you were sitting up straight.
This finding was made by the Canadian researcher Waseem Amir Bashuir, who conducted a study using 22 volunteers without a history of back pain. As their spines were scanned, the subjects assumed three different positions: slouching, sitting up straight at 90 degrees, and sitting back at 135 degrees.
The best biomechanical sitting position is a 135-degree body-thigh posture, as opposed to a 90-degree posture
Those who spend long hours seated, such as serious gamers or office workers, would benefit from a high-recline chair in order to avoid backaches and injuries. When it comes to tilting mechanisms and back recline angles, entry-level, and budget executive chairs are quite restricted.
Winner (Gaming chairs)
We believe that gaming chairs with high reclines offer users more positions than standard office chairs, making them a better choice when comparing their budget and entry-level price points.
Verdict
So what’s the final verdict? Are gaming chairs better than regular office chairs? Based on the above analysis, you can draw your own conclusions, but here is my takeaway strictly from an ergonomic standpoint:
- From an ergonomic standpoint, gaming chairs with bucket seats and winged backrests can be counterproductive, though the workaround is to get a larger chair.
- Compared to budget office chairs, gaming chairs are slightly more ergonomic at the lower end of the budget range. Basically, any good ergonomic chair includes lumbar pillows, reclining backrests, armrests, and 2D or 3D armrests.
- In terms of comfort and ergonomics, office chairs start to surpass gaming chairs as your budget increases. In addition, they have innovative features such as flexible materials, 3D headrests, and dynamic lumbar support, which gaming chairs cannot match.
I hope you found this information helpful in selecting your next chair. What is your take on this? Please share your gaming and office chair experiences with us in the comments below.
