Post Menu and Details.
- Gaming Chairs vs. Office Chairs: A Brief Overview
- Gaming Chairs
- Notable Features of a Typical Gaming Chair:
- Office Chairs
- Notable Features of a Typical Office Chair:
- Gaming Chair vs. Office Chair: Who wins?
- Gaming Chairs Vs. Office Chairs - Verdict
Words: 2767
Reading time: ~11 minutes
Multiple factors influence our purchase decisions. Especially when you are figuring out the products of a single-overarching category like gaming chairs vs office chairs. Both of them are chairs that are meant to improve our posture and provide comfort through long seating sessions. Yet, you need to consider the cost-effectiveness, ergonomic comfort features, suitability to aesthetics, and much more to know which one suits you the best!
On the one hand, we have office chairs that stimulate sales across the globe for different purposes: in Europe for aesthetic value and brand identity, in Japan for productivity with comfort, and in Middle-East Asia for affordability. On the other hand, gaming chairs are trendy in the US, Germany, and China for residential or commercial spaces with long working hours or gaming hubs.
This market overview informs how our work patterns, lifestyle, regionality, and utility needs are key points to consider while evaluating the difference between gaming chairs and office chairs for making a shopping decision.
Moreover, besides the preference, one also needs to consider the justice that a particular product does to its price and whether those âextra-featuresâ are worth your money in the long term. Say, for example, if you need a bike to commute 5 km a day, you may find it worth spending on features like tweaked designs or range-climbing grips. Yet if you are enthusiastic about design and have the convenience to maintain the high models, you would find the expense justifying your purpose.
Gaming Chairs vs. Office Chairs: A Brief Overview
Gaming Chairs
Gaming chairs are essentially crafted for dedicated gamers who spend an average of eight hours on gaming regularly. Now how did that need come up? With technological advancement, availability of high-speed internet connectivity, efficient hardware compatibility, and the introduction of new PC games, gaming’s popularity, both as a profession and a hobby, has been on the rise. This growing popularity of video games has elevated the demand for gaming chairs across gaming centers, cafes, and even homes.
The remarkable trend in the gaming chair market is the development of ergonomic chairs. These are different from conventional chairs and support the body from all possible angles to reduce pain in back muscles, neck, spine, and hands. Ergonomic gaming chairs primarily facilitate full-size lumbar support, which attracts professional gamers to purchase it, yet that doesnât end its account of merits.
Notable Features of a Typical Gaming Chair:
1. Ergonomic Backrest
To enhance the userâs comfort and provide strong support to the back, gaming chairs have a contoured seat with cushioning that can be tilted far back and be locked if required. This flexible adjustment of the backrest is also called the reclining function. Most of the superior gaming chairs permit 180 degrees reclining features. Individual adjustment options across the parts of the gaming chair are available for users to derive sufficient comfort. It allows resting the body against the contours, stretching legs, and improving posture. One can even take naps in the intervals of gaming or working sessions. Gaming chairs can provide the best support throughout the day.
2. Added Neck and Lumbar Support
Gaming chairs are well equipped with supporting components for improving posture and comfort around the neck and back. These features prevent slouching into an improper posture, thus avoiding consequential back problems. In the morning, oneâs posture is usually more upright than for the succeeding hours of the day.
If you stay in front of the screen for extended hours, you can consider adjusting the chairâs angles and cushionsâ position as per your varying necessity. Therefore, cushions in the neck and lower back area provide extensive support to the spine. They also relax the bodyweight impacts by distributing the pressure from the neck and lumbar area across the larger body area in contact with the chair.
3. Padded Adjustable Armrests
Armrests in advanced gaming chairs do not only provide rest to the arms but also the shoulder-neck area. They are mostly adjustable to optimally adapt to the occupantâs posture, body dimensions, and position-based needs. Though its utility depends on how one generally positions his/her arms during the work or gaming session, the armrest is mostly used during the breaks.
Not to excuse that armrests too function as an extension of the desk surface by providing support to the lower arm and increasing precise control over hand movements like typing, scrolling, etc.
4. Built-in Massagers
Undoubtedly, Gaming chairs have quite many features, from the soft headrest, lumbar pillow to a retractable footrest that facilitates support and posture. Yet, the features list may not simply end too soon!
Several higher and expensive designs have vibrating motors that enhance the gaming experience besides providing a soothing massage. While actively playing video games, you can connect your gaming chair to the console to tangibly sense every collision or wave in your game. The occupant can also regulate the built-in back massagers. While they arenât fundamental to a gaming chair, a massage can be useful if you must sit down for a long time.
5. Vibration and Sound
The gaming chairs designed exclusively for professional gamers feature speakers and additional vibration motors. These could be connected in sync with your audioâs media bass tones to generate a full-body sensation for an enhanced immersive experience. It further enhances your relaxation and entertainment.
These gaming chairs are compatible with the most popular gaming consoles, including Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo. In terms of style and design, these might differ from the typical racing-style gaming chairs and are usually found in a ârockerâ configuration, with or without a pedestal.
Further, these are also favored by many because theyâre foldable and, by extension, portable. Such rocker game chairs often augmented with sound and vibration mechanisms, can be folded and kept away while not in use (Information courtesy: Zoetico).
The control panel by the side gives the occupant absolute control over volume and bass settings. This panel may also have an input and output jack that allows inter-connecting multiple chairs in multiplayer gaming and inserting a personal headphone jack.
6. Augmented Tilt Mechanism
Most of the ergonomic chairs feature an augmented tilt mechanism that gives you a greater range of adjusting the backrest angle and tilting the backrest backward concerning the seat. Such adjustments reduce strain on the muscles in the lumbar region and relax the lower spine.
Since this feature allows the whole seat pan angle to tilt, it can comfortably assist in stretching your pelvis forward and reducing the strain developing on intra-spinal discs, muscles, and tendons. Scientifically, an augmented tilt mechanism ensures supporting a posture in which the pelvis aligns with the spine’s natural SL curvature.
7. Free-moving Casters
While the overall construction and the gaming chair’s seating base have to be durable, adjustable, and robust, it should also feature free-moving casters to help you shift from one place to another without having to get up. Generally, the castors are 360 degrees rotatable, which adds to space-saving features. With the moveable chairs, you can flexibly position yourself at the right distance from the desk and turn around to leave the spot. No need to displace the chair, no need for a bigger room!
Office Chairs
Office Chairs serve a midway between a conventional stable chair and a fully-flexible gaming chair. It provides ergonomic support better than regular chairs while keeping the features less adjustable than gaming chairs. They have an economical design that suits office spaces, classrooms, boardrooms, and living areas to allow comfortable seating.
It prevents the occupant from attaining a bad posture while working, hence, saving body pain. People seated in office chairs have shown greater productivity and lesser exhaustion through the working hours, which is why the importance of office chairs never go overlooked. Some of the office chairs featuring a waterfall edge, as opposed to the raised lip design of gaming chairs, are known to be more comfortable than the latter.
Notable Features of a Typical Office Chair:
1. Subtle Design
Office chairs have a cost-effective design that provides only the most essential features for seating comfort. An ideal office chair must have a height adjustment, moveable casters, and sufficient padding to distribute the body weight. A pneumatic lever is mostly equipped to allow the occupant to readily adjust the office chair’s height even when seated.
Some traditional models require you to place a foot on the chair’s base and spin it around to raise or even lower the height. A high-quality office chair should have a five-pronged base with fully moveable casters. Chairs with four prongs are considerably less stable and tip sideways or backward when the users lean in any direction.
2. Ergonomic Backrest
The office chairs have an ergonomic backrest design, with ample cushioning, that can help alleviate the pain that arrives inevitably with long hours of sitting. It supports the SL curve of the spine for a straight posture but certain generous adjustment help making it better:
- Backrest tilt- This allows you to find the backrest angle, which will support your spine’s curvature. Mostly, it needs the occupantâs constant application of pressure through body-weight to manage the tilt.
- Backrest height- this characteristic is found in a fewer model that allows different postures while still keeping good support for the lower back.
- Horizontal backrest movement – It makes the chair a little deeper for those who need it.
3. Limited Tilt
Unlike the 180 degrees augmented tilt mechanism in most gaming chairs, office chairs allow only a limited tilt. The reason primarily comprises the cost and space-saving design. In an office-based arrangement, the employees are generally one seating behind another. The row and column-like accommodation does not allow one to tilt way back, which is why the office chairs, designed with these spaces in mind, are not given so much flexibility.
4. Fixed Armrests
The armrests of office chairs are generally narrower and fixed. However, some models do allow height and width adjustment to a limited extent. Some office chairs do not feature armrests and have a padded seat and a least adjustable backrest.
5. Priced Cheaper
Office chairs are way more cost-effective and cheaper than gaming chairs. The cost is justified since they have no fancy additions or design sophistication that may sometimes sound excessive or unnecessary. These chairs are less adjustable than gaming chairs but more than any conventional chair. People who spend a lot of their time sitting in front of screens, either working or studying, can improve productivity besides providing comfort.
Gaming Chair vs. Office Chair: Who wins?
Build Quality & Design
The differences between the design of office chairs and racing-style gaming chairs are clear to perceive. Office chairs are made to fit into a specific set up, as we have discussed above. It generally intends to fit the space and blend in rather than to stand out. There are minimal adjustments possible with office chairs.
Certain designs eliminate armrests, while many require leaning with force to acquire a tilt that is not lockable. They usually have an upholstered design with nylon fabric or mesh in neutral or single shades.
Gaming chairs aesthetically have the upper hand over office chairs. They are more concerned with a top-notch ergonomic design with a tall backrest, thick cushioning, and adjustable arms. They have greater support for legs and knees than office chairs. Most gaming chairs also derive their design inspiration from race cars, famous sci-fi movies/ series, and even fantasy novels! A very few to no gaming chairs are designed with row-column office arrangement in mind. Therefore, they are extensive and larger than traditional office chairs.
Ergonomics
1. Armrest ergonomics
Most office chairs have non-adjustable armrests, which may not suit the occupant’s body proportion and end up straining his/her spine and shoulder while holding up the weight of the arms.
On the other hand, Gaming chairs have flexible armrests that can adapt to the occupant’s needs. They generally support the elbows and humerus for better stability during gaming sessions. Both the chairs decently bear the weight of arms at rest, but gaming chairs offer a wider comfort.
2. Backrest ergonomics
Gaming chairs offer more possibilities when it comes to backrest ergonomics difference between office chairs and gaming ones. They have backrests that adapt to the user throughout the session. You may lean forward, backward, slouch, or take a nap on the gaming chair, which is impossible with a standard office chair. Gaming chairs also offer full lumbar support from neck to pelvis with an additional headrest.
Gaming chairs, unlike office chairs, permit generous movements to help improve blood circulation. Changing the reclining angles helps send more nutrients to the intra-spinal discs and reinvigorates the hips, joints, and ligaments.
3. Seat ergonomics
Standard office chairs have contoured seats, unlike the raised lips or bucket designs of gaming chairs. This makes the office chairs stand out in the seating department when it comes to ergonomics. The raised sides in the gaming chairs limit movements and donât support as wide a range of sitting positions, from cross-legged to wide knees, like an office chair.
The recommended ergonomic sitting posture is with knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. An office chair with a waterfall edge is best for reducing pressure developing in the back of the thighs.
Comfort
If you wish to evaluate gaming chairs vs. office chairs in terms of comfort for short hours of sitting at a desk, you may feel surprised to find office chairs emerging as winners. Two things contribute to this comfort: firstly, familiarity with office chairs and secondly, the rather relaxed posture in early hours of sitting.
But the dice turn with extended periods when the absence of flexible adjustments can cause troubles. Gradually with inefficient patterns of extending and contracting muscles, slouching becomes more comfortable. One adjusts to an awkward position on office chairs to combat the situation, which ends up being too uncomfortable. Poor posture also squeezes blood vessels in the muscles, reducing circulation, which accelerates fatigue.
Gaming Chairs provide the flexibility to readjust sitting for a longer duration. With gaming chairs, you can shift the pressure onto active muscles to support the body while allowing the tired ones to rest. They have a thick padded seat for relieving the legs and buttocks. Adjustable neck and lower-back pillows support the spineâs natural curves while covering the spine. These features, including recline angle, lumbar support cushions, or armrests, help the occupant settle down with a healthy posture.
But people who generally shift into a poor posture may initially experience an inconvenience adjusting to the chairs. Usually, it takes a few days to weeks of sitting to develop a familiarity with the gaming chair.
Adjustability
The primary difference between the gaming chairs and office chairs is their adjustability. The reclining backrest of the gaming chair is adjustable to a greater range of angles to support your upper body, besides keeping the spine aligned. Gaming chairs offer greater adjustment opportunities, from giving the desired angle to the backrest to adjusting support pillows and changing armrest positions. The foot space can also be enhanced and decreased with height adjustments.
The flexibility of changing positions enhances blood circulation and opens up the chest for deeper breathing. A good quality chair can give you a floating sensation that relieves stress more efficiently. Lower stress levels also allow the brain to function better. The classic office chair, with a fixed backrest and armrests, can not relieve such intense computing.
Value for Money
If we pay attention to the revenue aspect of gaming chairs vs. office chairs, there must be a consideration for two factors: cost-effectiveness and warranty.
Most popular office chairs cost less than $150 over a 30-day to the 6-month warranty period. Gaming chairs appear more expensive with a lower price range of $120 -$200 and the upper limit of $350 -$550. But they have a longer warranty period of 1 year over cheaper models and 2 to 5 years of warranty over high-end models.
If, for a higher price, you could get added comfort, adjustability, durability, padding, and health benefits, then why not spend those extra bucks for it?
Traditional office chairs might be cheaper than gaming chairs, but the latter has one or more years of warranty. So while office chairs are affordable, gaming chairs offer a better value for money.
Gaming Chairs Vs. Office Chairs – Verdict
Well, the purchase decision lies in your judgment of the information given above.
For a person who already has a better sense of posture and leads a comparatively active lifestyle, office chairs would offer nearly as much assistance as gaming chairs. Similarly, for those setting up a small workshop or board room, to meet clients for a small business, investing in gaming chairs may seem spendthrifty. On the other hand, if someone is looking for the best between gaming chairs vs office chairs, to make a valuable investment over comfort in long hours of work, gaming chairs should appear more suitable.
If seen through the larger perspective, which encompasses comfort, value for money, adjustability, and aesthetics, Gaming chairs clearly emerge as victorious!
Thank you for reading!