Purchasing a new chair can be a very daunting task especially if you are a novice in this field. Lately, the chair market has grown tremendously partly due to the demand of the people. The sedentary lifestyle of today has caused more manufacturers to step into the chair game causing an influx of chairs in the market.
More confusion arises because of the loose terms used by the manufacturers to promote their chairs. Usually, a consumer has a choice between an office chair or a gaming chair but because of the shady naming practices distinguishing an office chair from a gaming chair has also become rather difficult.
This has confused people in identifying between an office or a gaming chair. There is also a constant debate of Gaming chair vs Office chair but without much understanding of either one of them. Keeping this in mind let’s explore this and come up with a basic understanding of gaming and office chairs.
You May Also Like:
Are Gaming Chairs Worth it?
How to Distinguish Between Gaming and Office Chairs?
The best distinguishing feature between an office and a gaming chair has to their approach to appearance. Gaming chairs tend to have a bold and striking design which incorporates patterns or logo on the upholstery. The upholstery may also feature quilted PU leather to make the chair stand out and attractive. On the other hand office chairs have a muted and clean design. They favor a minimalistic approach and usually come with monotone colors. There are also no logos or fancy patterns found on office chairs.
Another easy distinguishing feature is the design of the frame of the chair. The gaming chair has inspired by racing bucket seats. These chairs have seats and backrest bolstering. Bolstering is simply a raised section that keeps the user locked in place. This is used in race chairs to prevent the person from moving around when attacking sharp corners. What this bolstering does for gaming chairs is that it gives them more presence in the room and anyone familiar with this design can immediately identify a gaming chair from far away.
On the contrary, office chairs do not have any bolstering, and also the seat and the backrest are flat and wide owing to the traditional design. The last distinguishing feature is the addition of external pillows in a gaming chair. These pillows are used for lumbar support and neck rest. Office chairs do not have any sort of external pillows rather they use integrated solutions for both the lumbar support and the neck rest.
You May Also Like:
Are Gaming Chairs Good for Your Back?
Benefits of a Gaming Chair
The main and the most impactful advantage of the gaming chair is its bold and striking appearance. The computer setups today also have striking designs and RGB lighting so a gaming chair is better suited for the modern gaming setups of today.
Another advantage is the reclining of a gaming chair. An office chair also has recline functionality but it is limited when compared to a gaming chair. Even budget gaming chairs can lay almost horizontal. This comes in handy when you want to use your battle station for things other than gaming like media consumption.
The last benefit which people overlook is the price of a gaming chair when compared to an equally equipped office chair. For the same features and adjustability, gaming chairs tend to be cheaper than office chairs. Also, for an office chair, mostly you are paying a premium for the brand name rather than the actual quality of the product.
Drawbacks of a Gaming Chair
The main criticism about the gaming chair is how similar they are. This is valid for most gaming chairs but not all though. The gaming chairs today follow the same general style trend even the padding and cushioning is material is mostly the same. From a general perspective, we can say that gaming chairs follow a strict set of rules with little to no variation.
Another disadvantage of the gaming chair is its versatility. Due to their bold design gaming chairs are not suited for professional or work environments. Also, they might not go well with a living room setup depending on the taste of the person.
Benefits of an Office Chair
With office chairs, you are not bound by the strict set of rules which control the manufacturing of an office chair so manufacturers have a lot more freedom to innovate and come up with unique chairs. This also results in office chairs having different materials for padding rather than the usual PU leather found of gaming chairs. Office chairs can have leather, mesh, fabric, or a combination of these.
Another pro of the office chair is its versatility. An office chair has a muted and minimalist design making the chair suited for a lot of different scenarios. Office chairs can even be used in a gaming setup without them being too atrocious. This versatility makes this chair a multi-purpose companion.
Drawbacks of an Office Chair
The only drawback with the office chair is the price. Office chairs from a good reputable brand can set you back even upwards of a thousand bucks. Also, the barrier to entry is quite high and you would be spending twice or thrice for an entry-level office chair when compared to an entry-level gaming chair.
You May Also Like:
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Gaming PC
Gaming Chair Vs Office Chair: Which One Should You Buy?
This is not as straightforward to answer as you would think. People have different needs which are to be satisfied by a chair. Also, the expectations associated with a chair are different. So buying a chair is totally subjective and personal.
To point you in a basic direction we can say that if you are an individual whose utmost priority is gaming and you also tend to stream or record gameplay then a gaming chair should be your preference because of the striking design of a gaming chair.
On the contrary, if you are working professional and only game part-time then go for an office chair due to its versatility. The office chair will be adequate for work and will get the job done later on when you decide to game.
