What does a gaming chair feel like?

[Sundr0wn_]

I'm currently looking into chairs to get for my streaming Setup. I originally wanted to get an armchair since my TV-Stand is rather low and i've been gaming for the past years either laying down on my long chouch or in an armchair.

Now i've seen that gaming chairs are actually cheaper than most halfway decent armchairs. And also way easier to move, which i'll have to-do daily.

 I can figure out the height on the modells myself.

But what does a gaming chair feel like compared to an armchair? For someone who has never ever sat in one.

Especially for longer sessions, i'm someone who likes to get in a chill position after a while.

 

Also how well can you play with a controller in them? Since they're made for pc gaming.

I normally dont use the armrest, i like to have my arms on top of my legs. But armchairs are usually wide enough to account for my elbows, how about gaming chairs?

Edited March 20, 2018 by Sundr0wn

[Zolkovo]

Honestly I find the couch infinitely more comfortably for console gaming, mostly because my posture and positioning of arms is so different with a controller compared to a mouse & keyboard. Imo gaming chairs are really designed for the PC experience, and it doesn't feel relaxing at all when I've tried to use one while playing PS3/PS4 and can't get into any kind of "chill" position. Not to mention the armrests are annoying as f*ck with a controller, because they are typically positioned a lot higher than a sofa armrest. Also I like to put my feet up quite a lot when console gaming, and because of the ergonomics of a gaming chair optimised for the PC experience, there's usually not a lot of give in that regard if you try to lean back too much.

 

Who knows, maybe I just have a really sh*t one.

Edited March 20, 2018 by Zolkovo

[Sundr0wn_]

53 minutes ago, Zolkovo said:

Honestly I find the couch infinitely more comfortably for console gaming, mostly because my posture and positioning of arms is so different with a controller compared to a mouse & keyboard. Imo gaming chairs are really designed for the PC experience, and it doesn't feel relaxing at all when I've tried to use one while playing PS3/PS4 and can't get into any kind of "chill" position. Not to mention the armrests are annoying as f*ck with a controller, because they are typically positioned a lot higher than a sofa armrest. Also I like to put my feet up quite a lot when console gaming, and because of the ergonomics of a gaming chair optimised for the PC experience, there's usually not a lot of give in that regard if you try to lean back too much.

 

Who knows, maybe I just have a really sh*t one.

Yeah, i imagine that the armrest would be way too high since they're for mouse and keyboard. Hence why i'm asking about space. I dont even like armchair rests, most i do is a tiny cushion when i'm on the couch.

For your feet i suggest you might try a thick cushion on the floor to put them on. It works wonders on my armchair, feels way better than any elevated rest!

 

(EDIT: fight instead of feet? Wtf brain!)

Edited March 20, 2018 by Sundr0wn

[Lorajet]

I use this one, and I also use it when working on the PC.  Very comfortable. Has loads of adjustments.  If I'm using it with the big screen, I just add a coffee table for my feet!

 

 

 

[Masamune]

I was a bit curious about them myself (most of them are out of my price range though...).  I just use a basic computer chair most of the time while gaming, nothing fancy, but I like it (mainly because it pivots).  

Spoiler

 

I'll usually use that while gaming so I'm next to my PC if needed, but sometimes I just gotta sit on my couch though (especially if I'm playing a Vita game).  

[Zolkovo]

@Lorajet Damnn gurrrl, are those adjustable armrests?

 

Edited March 20, 2018 by Zolkovo

[DARKB1KE]

Gaming chairs, the biggest gimmick ever.

 

[Lorajet]

@Zolkovo Yea, baby!  Adjustable or they come off if I get really violent!

Just now, DARKB1KE said:

Gaming chairs, the biggest gimmick ever.

 

But, so comfortable and cheap!  I think I paid something like $150US when it was on sale.

[AlchemistWer]

I have one but I think the camp chair is better ?

[Sundr0wn_]

If i'm getting one, i'm probably gonna look out for a wider one that can go low. I lilke to be just a wee bit lower than my tv, with it being 55" i find it most enjoyable this way 

Thanks @Lorajet for the suggestion, i'll look into it!

But still, what do they feel like to sit in? 'Comfortable' doesnt tell me much, try comparing it to something i might know, like to me it looks like those leather armchairs that let out a little air everytime you sit down.

 

Edited March 20, 2018 by Sundr0wn

[Lorajet]

1 minute ago, Sundr0wn said:

If i'm getting one, i'm probably gonna look out for a wider one that can go low. I lilke to be just a wee bit lower rhan my tv, with it being 55" i find it most enjoyable this way 

Thanks @Lorajet for the suggestion, i'll look into it!

But still, what do they feel like. 'Comfortable' doesnt tell me much, try comparing it to something i might know.

 

Well, sitting on the couch didn't give me enough support for the back.  And sometimes I like to rest my arms on the armrests, if I'm not throwing them all over the place in a game.  If I play for a few hours, you definitely need the support for the lower back.  If you have a really nice office chair that you like to lean back in at work or school, think of that but with support and padding.  I also like being able to set the back at different angles, like you do in a car.  Depends on the game.  If I'm playing GTA V and we are cruising on bikes, you just lean back and it's like you are cruising, you know?

[Zolkovo]

12 minutes ago, Sundr0wn said:

[...] that let out a little air everytime you sit down.

 

What kind of air...

Edited March 20, 2018 by Zolkovo

[Sundr0wn_]

21 minutes ago, Lorajet said:

Well, sitting on the couch didn't give me enough support for the back.  And sometimes I like to rest my arms on the armrests, if I'm not throwing them all over the place in a game.  If I play for a few hours, you definitely need the support for the lower back.  If you have a really nice office chair that you like to lean back in at work or school, think of that but with support and padding.  I also like being able to set the back at different angles, like you do in a car.  Depends on the game.  If I'm playing GTA V and we are cruising on bikes, you just lean back and it's like you are cruising, you know?

I used to have a real nice office chair back when i worked a Syngenta, so that's a good comparison. Actually sounds quite nice when you put it like that. ?

Just have to get one that get's real low and a model for big people *cough*

 

18 minutes ago, Zolkovo said:

 

What kind of air...

And that's why it's a problem for a twitch stream ?

[Lorajet]

I forgot to mention...I replaced the wheels with lock wheels so I don't go shooting across the room in a frenzied moment 

[Sundr0wn_]

7 minutes ago, Lorajet said:

I forgot to mention...I replaced the wheels with lock wheels so I don't go shooting across the room in a frenzied moment 

I was gonna ask about that, cause that's a 'problem' i remembered from those office chairs ? (in an office it's actually a quite usefull feature)

I figure it's just a question of the model? (Those lock wheels arent DIY though right?)

[DARKB1KE]

5 minutes ago, Sundr0wn said:

I was gonna ask about that, cause that's a 'problem' i remembered from those office chairs  (in an office it's actually a quite usefull feature)

I figure it's just a question of the model? (Those lock wheels arent DIY though right?)

[Sundr0wn_]

1 minute ago, DARKB1KE said:

I mean the fitting, can you just screw them on there normally?

[Lorajet]

I found some that screw on.  Home Depot and Harbor Freight.

[Dav9834]

2 minutes ago, Sundr0wn said:

I mean the fitting, can you just screw them on there normally?

 

1 minute ago, Lorajet said:

I found some that screw on.  Home Depot and Harbor Freight.

And when they dont, drill and hammer will get the job done! 

 

Though I don't have a gaming chair, I used similar rollers for other things

[Lava_Yuki]

Personally I don't like gaming chairs, they just feel like a normal luxury office chair that you might encounter in a law firm or fancy doctors clinic. For me, I much prefer lying on the couch or better yet my bean bag!! I recommend Bean bags a lot more than regular chairs, they just feel so stiff and formal being upright and everything, almost like you are at work. You can get ones with a back rest as well. 

 

 

[Sundr0wn_]

1 hour ago, Lava_Yuki said:

Personally I don't like gaming chairs, they just feel like a normal luxury office chair that you might encounter in a law firm or fancy doctors clinic. For me, I much prefer lying on the couch or better yet my bean bag!! I recommend Bean bags a lot more than regular chairs, they just feel so stiff and formal being upright and everything, almost like you are at work. You can get ones with a back rest as well. 

 

 

Okay first of all, a beanbag with a backrest?! What the hell ?

Secondly i think a bean bag would be a bit "to" relaxed for streaming. Also pretty big if i wanna set up a greenscreen later (then again, that could look quite funny though)

[Lorajet]

Well, when I sit in my gaming chair, I feel like this......

 

[Deluziion90]

Everytime I set down after a long day at work

 

I use this chair btw, It's heaven:

[Sundr0wn_]

Thank you to everyone for your input!
I've spent the whole day comparing chairs, and i've now settled on the AKRacing Prime/K7012 (so far at least). From what i've gathered, they seem to be the exact same chair, just with a different visual design. So i'm probably gonna go for the K7012 since the Prime is to flashy for my taste.

 

I've basically started by comparing minimal seat heights of different manfuacturers, and by doing so i noticed that most chairs have a minimal seat height of over 50cm. The chair i use now has one of around ~33cm, and i have some headroom upwards of about 10-13cm. AKRacing chairs has generally over most of their models a seat height (top of the seat) of 46cm (manufacturer website, another source claimed a few cms lower).

Only beaten by the DXRacer F-Series, which comes in at less than 40cms! Perfect! Just that they are made for people up to 1.80m, now i am 1.86 or 87. It's not a lot more, but since these are ergonomic chairs and i'm spending over 200 bucks on it, i dont wanna risk it. Now if anyone with a similar height to me owns a DXRacer F-Series (Formula), i would LOVE to hear about your experiences, since this chair would be my top pick!

There are some other options from DXRacer, like the Racing Series which offer a simiar height to AKRacing, but those are all PU Models. I dont mind it for a short while, but i really dont like sitting in any leather like chairs for several hours, so my choice pretty much comes down to the 2 models listed above, and potentialy the F-Series. Also they're the cheapest models anyway ?  The AKRacing Pro X looks really tempting! But if only there could be a cloth model ?  I would consider it though if it was a little cheaper.

 

EDIT: i think i'm gonna go with the prime in red anyway. I exclusively own black shirts, so that might be a way to bring some collor in, especially if i'm using a greenscreen ?

 

Edited March 22, 2018 by Sundr0wn

[Lava_Yuki]

21 hours ago, Sundr0wn said:

Okay first of all, a beanbag with a backrest?! What the hell 

Secondly i think a bean bag would be a bit "to" relaxed for streaming. Also pretty big if i wanna set up a greenscreen later (then again, that could look quite funny though)

This is the exact one I have from a shop called Beanbag Bazaar and the back rest works pretty well. But yeah I guess it's probably to relaxing for a serious gaming session on online play. I don't play online or anything so I'm always pretty relaxed gaming, I sometimes even game while sitting in bed?