Don’t overlook your chair as part of a gaming setup. Here we explain what to look for in a gaming chair and review the best gaming chair you can buy on the market.

You’ve probably spent time and money buying the right gaming keyboard and gaming mouse for your PC, and maybe even have other accessories that you hope will give you the edge (not to mention the gaming PC itself). Few people put much thought into their chair, though.

Gaming chairs are becoming more and more popular, and we’ve rounded up a small selection of the latest models.

Gaming chair buying guide

In most respects, gaming chairs are no different to a regular desk swivel chair. They have height adjustment, castors for smooth movement across the floor and arm rests.

What is and isn’t stylish is down to your personal taste, but what should you look for when buying a gaming chair?

Ergonomics

Basic chairs tend to have only height adjustment, but it’s well worth going for a chair that has an reclining back and adjustable arm rests, too.

Almost all chairs are ‘one size fits all’ so it’s crucial to make sure the seat height adjustment range will suit you. If possible – and it probably isn’t – try to find a shop where you can actually sit in a chair before you buy.

Whether or not a chair is comfortable for you will depend on how well you fit in the chair.

We’ve tested the E-Win chair here with tall and short people, and both large and slim builds, but we can’t guarantee that you will find it comfy.

You won’t necessarily get a more ergonomic chair if you spend more, so good ergonomics don’t have to be expensive.

Longevity

What you will get if you spend more is better quality materials and build. Although the price of some chairs may make you wince, a good-quality chair should last years, if not a decade or more.

At the entry level, cheap foam may feel ok to start with (some manufacturers use recycled foam scraps), but might lose its structure and therefore its support before long, while high-quality foam will retain its shape and also support heavier users. A chair’s specifications should always state the maximum weight they can handle.

Talking of materials, the most common is PU leather, also known as faux leather or vegan leather. Essentially, it’s plastic with a leather-like texture. It’s not a bad choice: it’s reasonably hard wearing, easy to clean and not expensive. Real leather costs a lot, but should last considerably longer.

Some chairs use a suede-like material (or even real suede leather). This isn’t as easy to clean, but has a softer feel which some people will prefer.

Warranty

Since gaming chairs have a gas strut for height adjustment, plus other moving parts, it’s feasible that something might fail. Obviously a longer warranty is better, but always check what the warranty covers.

Ewin Flash XL

• RRP: $428.99

At £322, the Ewin Flash XL gaming chair is one of the most expensive chairs in our roundup – but for good reason. It’s available in either black and blue or black and red, and comes with two matching ergonomic pillows for lumbar and neck support.

We usually discard of lumbar pillows fairly quickly, but the included pillow is firm enough to provide support without being too bulky.

Beneath the PU leather cover, you’ll find high-density moulded cold foam that is softer than what’s on offer with cheaper chairs. As you sit down, you feel slight adjustments in the large seating area as the foam moulds to your body. It’s comfortable, and more noticeable than in other chairs that feature the same material.

It also features 4D armrests, allowing you to adjust just about every aspect of the armrests.

That’s backed up by a durable steel frame and large, five-star base that means anyone up to 150kg can comfortably sit in the chair with no worry.

And that’s who this chair is aimed at; those of us that are a little larger and don’t find standard gaming chairs comfortable. It has a wider and longer seat than many gaming chairs, along with a wide back rest that doesn’t dig into your sides.

It also allows for reclining between 85- and 155 degrees. Oh, and you can get a 15 percent discount by using our exclusive code TA on the Ewin Racing website.

Editor note: This is part of a review post from Techadvisor.