Backpains, spinal dysfunctions, and pot bellies are all adverse effects of bad posture. This can be a common occurrence for gamers breaking their back during long gaming sessions.
The culprit isn’t your innate posture. It could be your gaming chair. Most of these racecar-type chairs are marketed toward gamers. But, they don’t offer much ergonomic support.
If you want to reduce back pains—even after long gaming sessions, get an ergonomic gaming chair. Here are a couple of guidelines to help you find the best one for you.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Gaming Chair
The difference between an office chair and a “gaming chair” is marketing. In fact, you’d be better off getting an ergonomic office chair rather than a typical chair marketed for gaming.
But, each one of us has different needs. So, before choosing your gaming chair, we need to find one that’s dynamic enough to adjust to our needs, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.
When researching for your next gaming chair, consider the following:
Adjustability
Gamers either have a passive or active posture. You might be familiar with it as it looks like this:
So, the gaming chair needs to be dynamic enough to support you in both states. Here is a quick checklist to help you decide on your next purchase:
- Comfortable Armrest: The armrest should get the proper weight distribution when you rest your elbows and wrists on them for long periods to help prevent discomfort.
- Adjustable Height: Your monitor should be eye-level. Most gaming chairs’ specifications are in Imperial or US units so you’d need to find your height in inches. Having a chair with adjustable height helps with this and maintains your knees and elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Ergonomic Back Support: The bare minimum for a gaming chair is lumbar and back support. Ergonomic gaming chairs have lumbar support sitting directly in the middle to help match your natural spinal curve.
Material
Ergonomic gaming chairs can get pricey. So, you need to make sure that the material you’re paying for is worth the premium price tag.
As a rule of thumb, go for a material that’s breathable, durable, and easy to clean. You get all of these attributes from materials like mesh, fabric, or leather.
Size
Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all gaming chair. There are chairs for smaller frames and ones for taller or heavier individuals. If the chair is forcing your shoulders forward, you may be too big for it.
Remember, the right gaming chair size can complement your posture. If you’re choosing a bigger chair than your frame, you won’t be getting the best ergonomic support. Luckily, most manufacturers have different sizes for the same model of chairs.
Aesthetics
The chair you choose should match the theme or aesthetic of your gaming room. Are you going for a minimalistic approach? If so, most ergonomic office chairs will serve you just fine.
But, if you’re going for a specific theme or color, choose a gaming chair manufacturer that offers a lot of choices.
Budget
Our budget ultimately decides what gaming chairs we can go for. The good news is, you don’t have to spend an insane amount of cash for quality gaming chairs.
Look back at the factors above before you make your choice. On average, gaming chairs can cost between $200 to $1000 (sometimes more).
Key Takeaways
The best gaming chairs aren’t the most flashy or aesthetically pleasing—it’s the ones that offer the most ergonomic support. But, that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice aesthetics for comfort.
If you want the best ergonomic gaming chair, consider the following before you buy:
- Adjustable height.
- Durable, cool, and easily cleanable material.
- The size of the chair.
- How it fits your overall gaming room aesthetic.
- Fits within your budget.
