When most of us think about upgrading our computers we mostly think of the the hardware upgrades to our PCs like our CPU, GPU, RAM and Hard Drives. There are however some other upgrades that are just as important that should be considered.
One of the most commonly looked over aspects of many PC gamers’ setups is the chair that they sit in. Sure you may be able to maintain 144 FPS at 1440p, but if your body hurts from your uncomfortable chair then you can’t really enjoy it can you? I have compiled a list of different chairs at different prices ranges that I personally have experience with. Keep in mind that I am 1.8m tall (5ft 11in) and weigh 73kg (161lbs).
~$50 – It is hard to find good chairs at this price range, but here are a few.:
Best Office Mid Back Mesh Ergonomic chair – $43
– This was one of the first few chairs I bought on my own once I moved out and although it isn’t the best quality it is fairly comfortable. Pretty good for $43
~$100 – This is typically the price range where you will find most office chairs worth sitting it. They aren’t the most well made chairs but they are usually comfortable and will last you 1 – 3 years.
Amazon Basics High-Back Executive Chair – $110
– I often spent ~6 hours a day for 6 months sitting in one of these chairs at one of my old jobs. After some time the pleather began to crack but not peel, although I would imagine that it would after about a year of use. The cushions however remained comfortable to sit on.
Serta Executive Office Chair – $124
– This chair I personally owned and sat in for the duration of about a year and it was incredibly comfortable but lacks an adjustable back which would have been preferable but at this price range I wouldn’t expect too many adjustment options. I eventually handed this one down to my younger brother to which he is using to this day and it still holds up fairly well.
$300+ – You are going to find the most comfort in this price range but I would only recommend chairs in this range if you plan to sit more than 4 hours a day or just have money to spend.
DXRacer Fe08/NO – $350
– This brand in particular has taken off in the past 2 years and likely from its popularity amongst pro gamers a Twitch Streamers. My girlfriend actually owns one of these and boy is it comfortable. This chair also offers a wide range of adjustment options for both the armrests and the chair itself. As a graphic designer she often spends 6 – 9 hours a day in it and remains comfortable.
Maxnomic Dominator – $368
– Now this chair I am not able to sit in on a regular basis, but I have a close friend who owns one so I have been able to do some significant test driving of one and I would have to say the experience is similar to the DXRacer Fe08/NO but with a thicker pad at the base. Although beware I have heard that the manufacturer has had some quality control issues.
Herman Miller Aeron – $650 or more with add-ons
– This has to be the most comfortable chair I have ever had the pleasure to sit in aside from the Embody also by Herman Miller. This chair is my daily driver and I couldn’t be more satisfied. It provides comfort in all the right places and aside from feeling a little stiff for sitting down for long periods of time I have never felt any discomfort while using it. The price is well worth it if you work from
Herman Miller Embody – $1300
Even though I work a lot on my computer at home I can in no way justify this chair at the price that it is, but I have had the please of using one extensively because one was provided to me at my old job to which I sat in for over a year. This chair offers an unbelieveable level of quality and comfort that no chair has been able to top in my book, but at $1300 USD I will definitely pass on this one.
With all the being said, where you sit isn’t the only upgrade that needs to be consider that isn’t. Next week I will be suggesting audio upgrades for different types of listening experiences. Let me know what you thought of this article in the comments below. Also note that I did not provide links because I don’t want to give the impression that we endorse any brands or retailers here at DSOG.
Matt Followell is another contributing author here at DSOGaming. A long time fan of PC Gaming and a huge supporter of the open source and homebrew movement. You’ll see him interacting with the community from time to time going by the user-name of Radapples.
Contact: Email
I hope that this article doesn’t became underrated, because I’ve liked a lot!
Last year, Shamus Young wrote an article “The Reason You’re (Not) A Console Gamer” and one of the points argued was about how your “furniture set up” can influence that choice. While I didn’t fully agree with that point at the time, more and more I’m thinking about the “external upgrades” than anything (especially after some mistakes I did with my current set up u.u ). And a comfy chair is one of those that is needed asap here.
Great and informative article Matt! Can’t wait to see moar! 😀
im from 3rd world country.. and i made the table myself.. aint have no money to buy lol
Major respect man. Even if money wasn’t an issue, nothing is more satisfying than making things yourself.
I built a breakfast-like table with wheels at the bottom that goes across the king size bed =) On it I have both mine and my wife’s monitor/keyboard/mouse.
nice dude ….
Proper seating is important. For years I have used cheap plastic chairs for gaming but one day I decided to get a much more comfortable seating arrangement. Some of the office chairs and gaming chairs I found online were either too expensive or I’m not sure how to buy them(I have yet to get a credit card or Paypal back then).
So, I bought a pair of used car seats and slapped them onto some planks on tiny wheels. Crude carpentry but at least I’m playing games in a much more relaxed and comfortable manner. Recently, however, I have seen a local shop started selling DX Racer seats and I am tempted to get one.
Your current arrangement sounds pretty ghetto fabulous. I mean that in a good way! Car seats are often times very comfortable.
Truthfully, it does. Buying power aside, the deciding factor for me to go ghetto with my gaming chair based on my experience driving around for long hours. I realized that I can drive for hours before feeling tired or sore while sitting on office chairs annoy me for some reason.
I said I was tempted to get one of those DX Racer chairs but I’m not a big fan of chairs with swiveling parts. I find the tiny movements they constantly make very distracting. It became my second reason to make my own gaming seat on a stable base that only move forward and backward, mimicking a habit that I do when getting out of my own car.
I’ve seen many people take racing seats or bucket seats out of cars and attach a heavy base to make a ghetto chair. Cheap and comfortable!
I’m using this: Markus Ikea Office chair. Good article!
Yup, i’m using this also. I tried about 5 chairs before this and with all i had problems to my back, to my wrists, to my legs.
But this one is amazing !!
And the price, at least in italy, is honest: 129-149€
Well, in Greece it’s awful. U paid €178…
I have been arguing with my friend about this. He buys all these expensive parts for his PC and sits on a small hard wooden chair with a short back rest.
That sounds horrible :O
Exactly! He wants to buy an ultra wide monitor next. Lets see how long his back lasts.
My lower back hurts just from reading this.
that jump from $124 to $350
Yeah there ARE chairs in the $200 range, but honestly in my experience its better to just save your money and spring for the higher tier chairs at that point. It really is worth it.
I liked Herman Miller Aeron from this article, but when I looked it up, it stifled the desire – in my country it is sold for approx. 1850$ which is crazy 🙁
Great article, can’t wait for more of these. One thing I can add from personal experience is don’t get a chair with a mesh cushion, it makes it incredibly hard to clean if you eat in it and spill crumbs.
Wish there had been a video to go with this info.
Skip those overhyper overpriced DXRacer chairs with it’s corresponding copy-cat chairs. GET the bloody Markus from IKEA! Best sh*t i’ve sutten in ever, extremely comfortable and sleek! Do it! Just DO IT!
I fully expect all of you to do your research before buying anything. The chairs I listed are just the ones I have experience with that fit my body type. We are all different and have different requirements!
Thanks for your addition man.
Yup for 100USD u can have my President Chair.
Leather/Wood etc. Its very confortable 😀
I’ve got a Maxnomic, I don’t remember the brand but it was the biggest one they sold (I figured biggest would mean it would last a long time). One of the legs on the base snapped a few months after I bought it. They sent me a replacement for free and everything has been fine since.
I rather get another SSD than a new chair! ha!
#SteamFtW
#VeganFtW
I have an antique office chair from the ’40s. It’s not the most comfortable but it looks cooler than any of the new ones so I keep using it.
INCLUDE LINKS PLEASE
I didn’t include links for a reason, I explained it at the end of my article. I don’t want to give the impression that I am endorsing any retailers. I have my preferences, but all of these can be found by simply googling the product names.
ikea markus maybe? sitting in a now 5-6 year old verner. i was considering a markus as my next chair when my current dies, but man, i really could use some adjustable arm rests now.
Jeppi! Correctly, I can really recommend this chair. Amazingly sturdy, comfortable, very clean design, very adjustable.
Good price too 🙂
This is the only chair you need. after buying a high priced Herman miller I took it back and settled on this one. Plus its always fun to bounce into place before a deep gaming session.
A good chair is important especially if you play aim based games like csgo or quake. You need the proper hand position in order to aim properly.