If you are not a dedicated worker, my guess is you are a hardcore gamer. Perhaps you’re both! Either way, I’m sure you want to know the truth about this game chair vs. office chair debate.
It’s actually not as tricky of a choice to make as you might have imagined. One is sleek, stylish, and rich in features, while the other keeps it simple without sacrificing functionality. However, you won’t know what chair is best for you unless you fully understand the differences between them.
To start you off on this journey, I’ll declare the winner (if any) between the two and then dissect all the factors that distinguish them.
Gaming Chair vs. Office Chair: Who Is The Winner?
There would be a clear winner between these two if they were serious competitors, but they are not. Instead, each type of chair has a different purpose.
Gaming chairs are designed with features that promote proper posture and comfort for extended gaming sessions. Office chairs, on the other hand, are designed with ergonomic features that make you more comfortable, productive, and efficient at work.
To decide which one suits you best, consider your personal differences and intended use.
Rating Criteria
I will use the following factors to break down the gaming chair versus office chair debate.
- Design
- Aesthetics
- Ergonomics & Comfort
- Extras
- Price
Game Chair vs. Office Chair: Buying Guide & Reviews
1. Design
The structural similarities and differences between an office chair and a gaming chair are fairly straightforward. Both typically have various adjustable parts, casters, padding/mesh on the back and seat, and armrests. However, the rest of their components are very often unalike.
Gaming Chair
Gaming chairs are generally more inclined toward style. They borrow the shape and features of an actual race car bucket seat. Common attributes include a tall winged back, bolstered sides, multidimensional armrests, and a headrest.
Each of these features has a significant role to play in your comfort. Their primary goal, for the most part, is to help you achieve the right sitting posture and ensure complete support to your entire back, neck, and legs at all times.
Office Chair
Office chairs usually prioritize comfort over style. Most of them have a very simple design. The back is often plain and either padded or built with a mesh material, while the seat will have a flat or waterfall design. There are no extras such as themed covers or logos. Headrests, too, aren’t common.
Office chairs, unfortunately, don’t offer as much support as gaming chairs due to their simplistic design. Sitting on them for long hours won’t be as comfortable as sitting on a gaming chair. That said, they still have other features (more about that shortly) that contribute to their overall comfort.
Winner
Design-wise, gaming chairs take the crown. A lot of effort and creativity clearly goes into building one. Office chairs, on other hand, lack complexity and richness of detail.
2. Aesthetics
Aesthetics is all about how the chairs look. This is where the two differ a lot. It’s generally quite easy to determine whether a chair belongs to the office or gaming category.
Gaming Chair
Just like an actual bucket seat, gaming chairs have a bold look, defined by a countered back, embroidered symbols, and themed covers. It’s hard to miss the angles and graphics, most of which are inspired by video games or movies. These chairs also come in a wide variety of color accents and palettes, some of which are very striking.
Office Chair
Office chairs have little to no decorative elements, neither are they vivid in appearance. You could say they have a subtle, minimalistic look. Common colors include black, grey, and white.
I know this sounds like too much sacrifice at first, but it usually actually isn’t. In reality, office environments typically work better with more professional furniture. The flashy aesthetics of a gaming chair make it look like an odd option for such a setting. That’s something to consider if you wish to use one in your office.
Winner
Gaming chairs are no doubt more colorful, decorative, and stylish, but the major shortcoming of such aesthetics is they limit you to specific environments. An office chair, on the other hand, has a neutral look that could easily blend well with any setting. This flexibility makes the office chair the winner in this category.
3. Comfort & Ergonomics
Ergonomic designs aim to make you more efficient, productive, and free from discomfort. Both chairs factor in this aspect and have features that cater to your specific needs as a gamer or office worker.
Gaming Chair
The majority of gaming chairs are made with lumbar and neck support pillows secured onto the frame by straps. You can detach or position them in places you feel offer the most relief to your lower back during prolonged sitting sessions.
Most of these chairs also let you adjust the height and position the armrests at a more relaxed angle. This is, in fact, one of the features you will enjoy the most, since you will be able to move the armrests up and down, backward and forward, as well as sideways.
Some models recline to an almost flat position, allowing you to unwind after a hard-fought soccer match or game of swords.
Office Chair
Office chairs normally have built-in lumbar and neck support. High-end models make these parts adjustable, allowing you to customize the height and firmness. Some have pads around the center of the backrest and headrest to improve your sitting position and provide additional support to your lower back and neck.
When it comes to reclining, most office chairs only do it slightly, thus limiting your freedom of movement. But the seats are way better than what you would find in most gaming chairs. The waterfall design provides much better support to the thighs and encourages a healthier sitting posture.
Since they imitate actual race car bucket seats, gaming chairs sink you toward one end of the seat, leaving your knees higher than your waist. This posture often causes lower back pain.
Other adjustable parts you might find in office chairs include seat height and depth, armrests (mostly up and down), and tilt tension.
Winner
It’s hard to have a clear winner in this category since nearly all the features I have mentioned can sometimes be found in either chair. It all depends on the model, brand, and price. For instance, some gaming chairs use waterfall seats. There are also office chairs with multidimensional armrests and a recline angle of up to 180 degrees.
4. Extras
Extras are basically things you don’t necessarily need, but their presence makes your experience with the chair much better.
Gaming Chairs
Right from the start, gaming chairs have emerged as the option that’s more likely to have extra features. Here are some of the extras you are more likely to find in such chairs:
- Massage functions
- Heating and cooling functions
- LED accent lights
- Built-in speakers
Office Chairs
As I told you earlier, office chairs keep it simple. They only feature what you need. Some luxury options may have things such as leather upholstery, winged design, smooth curved lines, and spring coils in the seat. But you won’t find the kind of extras present in gaming chairs.
Winner
Gaming chairs win on this front. It’s up to you to decide whether these features are worth the extra cost.
5. Price
These two are priced differently. One may look cheaper, but it would be unfair to look at this without considering the price versus value relationship.
Gaming Chair
These chairs are relatively expensive, with the cheapest options generally costing around $100. This is double the price of an entry-level office chair, but let’s not forget the effort and creativity that goes into designing a gaming chair. Even their frame is sturdier; plus, they tend to have more features than office chairs.
Office Chair
Office chairs can go for as low as $50. The quality gets better as prices increases. Notable differences between the cheaper and expensive models include built quality, adjustability settings, material, and design, just to name a few.
Winner
On this front, there’s no clear winner. It may be tempting to go for an office chair because of the low prices, but even an entry-level gaming chair will still give you better value for your money. Therefore, don’t base your decision on price alone; take into consideration the value you will be getting in return.
The Last Word About The Office Chair vs. Gaming Chair Debate
Just to remind you again, these two options aren’t exactly serious rivals, but they have differences that would be significant if you don’t mind having either. The question of which is better ultimately comes down to personal preference and intended use.
Gaming chairs are specifically designed for extended periods of gaming, with features such as adjustable lumbar and neck support, multidimensional armrests, and high backrests to promote proper posture and comfort. Office chairs, on the other hand, are designed for work and productivity, with ergonomic features such as adjustable seat height and in-built lumbar support to promote comfort and good posture.
A gaming chair will no doubt make your gaming experience better, but it may not be suitable for work. Similarly, an office chair will make you more efficient and productive at work, but it may not be comfortable for gaming. Ultimately, you will have to consider the intended use and personal preferences when choosing between the two.
That said, it’s important to note that investing in a good gaming chair or office chair will be very beneficial to your body, mind, and productivity. Check our reviews for ideas on what model to buy.
switch to ergo products has completely eliminated any pain or discomfort despite decades of crazy hours behind screens. I hope you too weave in a bit of ergo into your lives.
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