A gaming chair is essential for online gaming sessions on a computer, but it can be hard for a gamer to consider buying a gaming chair as gaming chairs are very expensive. Of course, gaming chairs are made with high-end materials with outstanding features, so the chairs deserve to be expensive. However, office chairs are also built with excellent functionalities and cost more.
But, gaming chairs are very expensive in this segment which can be difficult for someone to afford. This article, why are gaming chairs so expensive, will explore the reasons that make gaming chairs so expensive. We will also discuss the gaming chair mechanism that makes it one of the classy furniture in this segment.
how much do gaming chairs cost? [Gaming Chair Price Criterion]
In this section, we will specify the factors that you find in a gaming chair. Office chairs should be considered rivals to gaming chairs as they perform the same function and come out with exceptional features.
1. Quality Of Material
We should consider the density of the foam, the category of leather used in it, the armrests of the chair, and other features when evaluating the material quality of gaming chairs. Let’s begin by talking about the foam padding’s quality.
2. Foam Padding
Gaming chairs are generally manufactured with cold foam padding of the highest caliber, made of PU polymers. When you sit, it will resume its natural shape because of this quality’s improved compression resistance.
This one can be compared to Tempur’s memory foam pillows. This explains why certain gaming chairs are so pricey.
Some quality gaming chairs are available for under $200 as well; however, those chairs are probably not designed with standard quality materials.
3. Gaming Chair Exterior Design
- Only the exterior of the gaming chair is designed with PU leather. The leather’s quality mostly impacts the gaming chair’s softness, ventilation, and durability. About the style of gaming chair you want, you can see that one of the most well-known furniture manufacturers, Secretlab, offers a variety of exterior leather varieties.
- They provide three different exterior types at three different price points. Every option chair has its characteristics. The most costly variant is luxury car seats, where the most expensive premium leather is used.
- Every gaming chair manufacturer has a different approach to this, and some providers provide many variations for a certain gaming chair.
- There are many reasons behind this; when it comes to the chair leather material of gaming chairs, users will prefer expensive premium leather. Some individuals might even want a softer cloth for the exterior. Leather is unusually utilized because it is valuable, long-lasting, and easy to maintain. If your gaming chair is made of high-quality leather, you can count on its durability for up to 3/5 years.
- Good maintenance also contributes to the long life span of the leather. Cheap leather should be avoided because it chips when used repeatedly and will appear rough. This is frequently visible with old vehicle seats. Fabric gaming chairs have the benefits of being both more affordable and significantly cooler while sitting on them.
4. Other Features
The price of the chair is increased by additional features of the gaming chairs, like the adjustable headrest, armrest, backrest, multipurpose tilt feature, and pillows.
You are bound to spend extra money if you want a lot of high-end functions or features in your gaming chair.
It’s up to you whether you want to prioritize comfort and durability when considering buying a new gaming chair.
5. Ergonomics Or Design
- To evaluate ergonomics from an ergonomics point of view, it is best to compare gaming chairs. Unfortunately, gaming chairs will never be ergonomic enough compared to office chairs. You can find the best designs in all office chairs and those that are long-lasting.
- Chair costs are the root of the issue. At the same time, ergonomic office chairs would likely cost double what you pay. Some office chairs are available at more affordable prices compared to gaming chairs when it comes to low-cost chairs.
- That is why while purchasing a chair, it would not be appropriate to emphasize only ergonomics, the significant feature of the chair is the design which should also be considered. The design of the chair is responsible for maintaining proper posture and providing better sitting comfort. This article on sitting in a gaming chair will give you complete information about proper sitting postures.
- Although the majority of office and gaming chairs include essential features, like lumbar support, height adjustments, reclining backrests, and chair foam, different manufacturers offer various features and aesthetics. If your gaming chair is providing additional functions, and this is not an option, paying significantly more for this chair can be justified.
6. Brand
The final deciding factor in the price of gaming chairs is branding. Brand value impacts the price tag of any product. Any product manufactured by a reputable brand is more expensive.
A product with similar quality or features can be found slightly cheaper than other brands whose brand value is not very strong. The same applies in the case of gaming chairs.
Gaming chair manufacturing companies are the most popular and reputed. Hence, this strong brand value is also one of the reasons gaming chairs are more expensive.
If the high price of a branded gaming chair sounds reasonable to you, you are paying for the brand of the chair with that chair as well.
In some cases, the cost of the chair skyrockets. For example, Herman Miller is a leading and reputed company known for making premium office chairs and gaming chairs. Although all gaming chairs are built using premium materials, Herman Miller’s gaming chairs are generally much more expensive.
How Much Should You Spend On A Gaming Chair?
- Your preferences and budget determine how much it would be reasonable to spend on your gaming chair. Plus, it depends on what better features you want on your gaming chairs. Not every chair comes with similar features. Chairs that provide more and better features are more expensive than chairs that provide fewer functions. Still, if you want a gaming chair that will help you sit comfortably for long periods, we suggest you consider buying a premium gaming chair.
- In this case, buying a Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody gaming chair would be a good idea, even if it is out of your budget. You can apply the same logic to the best gaming chairs from AKRacing or Secretlab. Suppose your budget is between $100 to $200, you will need to increase your budget a bit, and you will have to pay around $300 to $400 for a Secretlab gaming chair.
- Many gamers with a budget of $100 to $200 can also be satisfied with a gaming chair, as most gaming chairs are built to maintain proper posture, provide superior comfort, and be durable.
- So, even less expensive gaming chairs can meet your needs. But, the experience of sitting in a high-end gaming chair will be different, giving you the same feeling as sitting in a high-end office chair. This is because high-end office chairs are far more ergonomic compared to gaming chairs.
- So, how much you’ll need to invest in a gaming chair depends on how much time you spend in the chair and how much comfort and convenience you want from your chair. Obviously, the higher the standard of the chair, the higher the price.
What Experts Say About The Exorbitant Cost Of Gaming Chairs?
In the above discussion, we have highlighted all the possible factors for the exorbitant cost of gaming chairs. Now, we will tell what the experts say on this.
Although every expert has a different opinion, here we will present the opinion of two experts from Malaysia and America, which according to them, are the factors behind the exorbitant price of gaming chairs. With the opinion of these experts, you will also get a little knowledge about this aspect of gaming chairs.
Ammar Adnan, An Ergonomics Consultant At SimplyErgo Sdn. Bhd. And Dr. Malek Hamid, A Certified Associate Ergonomics Professional, USA
Comparing the attributes of a gaming chair with those of an office chair would not be fair, say Ammar Adnan and Dr. Malek Hamid. One of the primary characteristics of the gaming chair is its sporty design, which resembles a racing seat.
The design of the chair ensures a better gaming experience. Before knowing the solution to the question of why gaming chairs are so expensive, we will compare the features of gaming chairs and office chairs.
1. Seat Pan Design
Let’s talk about the seat pan design first. Office chairs have seats that are shaped like a curved surface with a front that slopes down, in contrast to gaming chairs, which have raised sides and backs and bucket seats.
- Padding- An office chair uses a thin layer of high-density pads and is more flexible and light, providing more comfort. A gaming chair uses deeper padding.
- Backrest- The flat, immovable backrest of the gaming chair offers less support for your back. The office chair backrest on the other brand is shaped to the human spine’s curve and features integrated lumbar support.
2. Backrest Angle
A gaming chair’s backrest can be angled up to 180 degrees, compared to a typical office chair’s 120 to 130 degrees.
3. Armrests
Gaming chairs have a 4D armrest that is fully movable in all four dimensions, as opposed to office chairs, which have a 2D armrest that may be adjusted up and down and swivelled in and out.
According To Ammar Adnan And Dr. Malek Hamid, why are gaming chairs so expensive?
There are certain factors that make gaming chairs much more expensive than regular chairs. They are explained below.
- The exceptional quality of the gaming chair.
- The armrest, backrest, seat, finishing, and other components of the gaming chair are all made of materials of the highest calibre.
- The gaming chair certainly lasts longer thanks to the superior materials, but as a result, it is more expensive. An inexpensive chair, on the other hand, is made of plastic and shoddy fabric, which makes it less resilient.
- Your gaming chair is covered by a warranty from a number of reputable companies, including Herman Miller, that can last up to 12 years. It merely shows the manufacturer’s level of assurance in their goods. When compared to a less expensive chair, you might only receive a warranty that lasts between one and two years.
- An expensive chair will typically include a lot of adjustments to make it fit the user’s body.
- You can keep a decent posture by adjusting the features like the seat height, armrest, backrest, and lumbar support.
- The pricey chair’s seat’s superior material allows for greater comfort and airflow when sat.
- Finally, premium chairs offer complete customization. They let you alter your chair to suit your preferences.
why are gaming chairs so expensive? [Conclusion]
So, we can conclude that exceptional features, built quality, brand value, durability, and high performance make gaming chairs expensive. The comfort of a premium gaming chair cannot be compared with a regular chair. It’s true that many gamers are not able to afford a gaming chair due to its high price; however, a premium gaming chair is always welcome for longer gaming sessions.
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I am an Interior Designer and founder of MyComfortHaven.com. Love for ergonomics and content creation made me pivot my career from interior designing to writing.
I like to write compelling, well-researched, and unique content about how commonplace things like chairs can greatly impact pain relief and productivity.