Sitting in the most comfortable gaming chair is vital to your gaming experience and overall wellness. Especially if you tend to spend hours at your gaming desk, you'll need a supportive throne that will prioritize comfort and ergonomics. That way, you can play for hours without putting your health at risk.
Putting "most comfortable" and "gaming chairs" in the same sentence might feel unnatural, especially to gaming chair critics. But, if you haven't kept up to speed, there are now a lot of gaming chairs out there that focus on ergonomics.
Thanks to gaming manufacturers like Mavix, Herman Miller, and Secretlab that are changing gaming chairs for the better, many of these seats have come a long way from their inferior beginnings. The best gaming chairs now prioritize your comfort while also making sure they look just as good.
We've tested our share of gaming and office chairs, putting them through their paces, so we know which ones are the most supportive, the most adjustable, and the easiest to adjust to your comfort level. We then gathered them all here for you to choose from.
By gaming chairs, we also don't just mean those bucket-seat thrones that are made specifically for gaming. We know that a lot of you prefer an ergonomic office chair as your gaming throne, and so do we. So, we threw in a handful of those on our list below as well.
We suggest investing in the best gaming desk or the best standing desk as well, as finding the ideal desk for gaming should help reduce any health risks that come with a sedentary lifestyle. Although trust us, a comfortable chair will also do wonders – more specifically, one of our picks below.
Most comfortable gaming chair 2023
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The Mavix M9 is far from cheap, but it's worth every penny if you're looking for the most comfortable gaming chair on the market. You're getting dynamic lumbar support on top of an already ergonomic design that will support you where you need it most, and both the back height and headrest can be adjusted to better suit your shape and size.
Not only that, but you're also getting a 'Cool Gel M-Foam' seat cushion to keep your tush from overheating. And, we can attest that it really does mean "cool". The build quality is also top-notch which should help to erase any buyer's guilt if you don't like paying for a premium product. Sure, there are more affordable offerings on the market, but many of them won't offer the same quality and comfort as the Mavix M9.
Check out our full Mavix M9 review
The IKEA Markus chair is a great comfortable chair option for those of you that have to adhere to a smaller budget. It might not have all of the 'gamer' style that some of the options on this list have, but it'll still look right at home next to a gaming PC or games console, and not everyone wants their furniture to be emblazoned with game logos or garish colors.
You can adjust the Markus for height, tilt, and the back can be locked in place, or it can be reclined, plus the back is made of a mesh material to let the air through and provide better breathability, which is always good for those longer sitting sessions.
This is a solid chair that isn't going to cost you the earth, and it even comes with an impressive 10-year guarantee for those who might be worried that a budget buy won't last.
Humanscale makes some of the best high-end ergonomic office chairs, with the Humanscale Freedom being our top pick for gamers. It looks pretty nice, with a range of color options that you can match to your existing setup, but the Freedom has a really clever trick up its sleeves when it comes to comfort: it adjusts itself automatically to fit the ideal ergonomics for your body.
That's right. It's designed to do away with the complex knobs or levers and instead will, for example, automatically adjust the backrest resistance to the optimal level based on how much pressure you apply. The end result, we found during testing, is an incredibly comfortable sitting experience minus any thoughts on needing to adjust tension settings and so forth.
A large downside is that this is far from a cheap option, but many of the best ergonomic chairs come at a high price, and this is yet another example where you really do get what you paid for. To sweeten the deal, this chair is backed by a 15-year warranty, which should inspire confidence in its build quality.
Read our full Humanscale Freedom review
Petite gamers often have to settle for those all-too-big gaming chairs that aren't the best ergonomically for shorter users. However, the Branch Verve chair has changed all that with its 16.5-inch lowest seat height. But, it's also more that just petite-friendly; it's also among the most comfortable gaming (or office) chairs we've sat on, with its plush seat and 3D fabric backrest that emulates that hammock feel.
Comfort aside, it's also very intuitive and easy to adjust, which means you don't have to struggle and grunt and swear your way through finding the most comfortable position. Best of all, it's incredibly stylish. Herman Miller is hard to beat when it comes to design, but we think that the Verve has done a pretty great job in keeping up. It's also fairly affordable – more affordable than many of the premium options on the market.
Read our full Branch Verve review
The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is a redesign of the original Secretlab Titan gaming chair. And, while it shares many of the same design elements, the updated model is far and away the most comfortable of the two.
This will appeal more to folks who love to match their gaming furniture to a surrounding environment thanks to all of the aesthetic options you get, from simple faux leather or cloth, up to designs inspired by your favorite games or esports teams. Secretlab has also recently released its SoftWeave Plus Fabric finishes that come in different colors, one of which we're currently testing right now.
The racing-seat style gets a lot of criticism in other brands, but Secretlab has made this into one of the best ergonomic options for lengthy gaming sessions, with adjustable built-in lumbar support, and cold-cure memory foam padding, and a fully magnetic memory foam head pillow.
Check out our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review
The Mavix M4 is the latest midrange gaming chair from the up-and-coming brand, and like the company's more premium offering, the Mavix M9, we found that it delivers where it counts. Its more affordable price inevitably means it lacks some of the more luxurious features of the M9. And, while doesn't have the same bucket-style design as an offering from Secretlab or Razer, but in terms of practicality and comfort the M4 is a fantastic chair for gamers and home workers alike.
The M4 features per-wheel brakes that can securely anchor your chair in place with a quick kick of the heel, but the armrests are only height adjustable, so you won't get the same 4D adjustments found across most of the gaming chair market. Still, this is still one of the most comfortable gaming chairs you’re going to find at this price.
While it lacks the M9’s Cool Gel M-Foam seat with breathable ATR fabric, the Mavix mesh and HD foam provides plenty of support, and the backrest offers plenty of lumbar support with a system that molds to your body rather than needing manual adjustments.
Check out our full Mavix M4 review
The Razer Iskur is the brand's first venture into the gaming chair market, and a successful one at that. This is a high-quality seat that would be a fantastic option for fans of Razer who might want to match up their chair to an already Razer-filled setup, and it's comfortable despite being the most affordable chair under the brand.
It's a little on the firm side, we found, due to its high-density foam, but that only adds to its enhanced support, and you're even getting built-in fully-sculpted lumbar support rather than a separate lumbar pillow that might ride up or otherwise not be as adjustable. It’s made of premium construction and quality materials too, so you don't have to worry about it falling apart after a couple of years.
One of the biggest issues is that this is really a chair built for smaller folk, so if you're above average height and height then it might not be as good an option as alternatives on the list that could better accommodate for your size, but otherwise this is a fantastic gaming throne.
Read our full Razer Iskur review
With ten ergonomic features – including a dynamic variable lumbar support that works with your weight and feels incredible – and a flex mesh material that keeps you cool and keeps you comfortable, the X-Chair X1 Flex Mesh task chair is big on comfort. But, we also found during our testing that it's one of the very few mesh chairs we've tested that feels absolutely robust and premium.
So, although we haven't quite finished our review yet, we're already positive that it's getting a high score from us. That's especially when you factor in how spacious it is, how easy its adjustments are, and how it suits petite users just as well as tall ones. Shell out for the Elemax panel, which adds cooling, heat, and massage features to it, and you might want to just sleep in this chair between gaming sessions.
Herman Miller's Embody was another option in its range of premium office chairs, only this time we can officially say this is a gaming chair thanks to its partnership with Logitech G to create features and support that can aid in lengthy gaming sessions. We're still in the process of testing it, but already we're plenty impressed.
It features a backfit adjustment so that you can tune the chair to your spine, a smooth tilt that mimics your natural pivot points, and a seat with four breathable layers for comfort and airflow. As with most gaming and office chairs these days, height, arms and seat depth are fully adjustable so that you can ensure the chair will be the best fit for your body.
There's also an extra layer of foam to better support your posture while you play and the use of a new copper-infused cooling foam to prevent heat from building up. Color options are a tad restrictive and if we're being honest, it still doesn't have the typical 'gamer' style, but this is very much a premium piece of furniture and it's styled as such.
Razer is proving once again that gaming chairs can have that controversial bucket seat aesthetic and still deliver in terms comfort and affordability. The newer Enki isn't exactly a budget option, but it is still sits in the accessible mid-range, especially next to the premium chairs on this list. And, we found it to be very comfortable to sit on, even after long gaming sessions. Its lumbar support is especially great for our backs, and it's got a solid build as well.
The synthetic leather material its back and seat are made of doesn’t retain much body heat, either. So, if you do run hot during gaming sessions but still want that leatherette finish, this is a good one to consider. We only wish that the lumbar support is adjustable and the neck pillow is better suited for tall users. But, this chair is already pretty impressive in its own right, especially at that price point.
Read our full Razer Enki review
What should you look for when buying a comfortable gaming chair?
Entry-level and mid-range models tend to have memory foam lower back and neck pillows rather than built-in support mechanisms. However, most of the biggest names now also offer slick chairs with adjustable lumbar support for added comfort. Depending on your needs, you might either be able to save some money or need to splurge for the proper support you need.
If you're set on a more elegant look, don’t worry. Not all gaming chairs have that gamer aesthetic in heaps. Others come with a more somber look in case you need that for your daily work video conferencing calls. Be sure to check the adjustability of its height, arms, and back as well, since some are more flexible and versatile than others.
Luckily, all of our recommendations are comfy enough for all-day use, should last for years, and most have great recline features. It’s just a matter of narrowing the list down, and finally picking the most ideal one for you.
How we test gaming chairs
When it comes to making sure a gaming chair is up to snuff, we test every aspect and feature. After all, it needs to fit a gamer’s needs, from comfortable for long gaming sessions to fitting the right look.
General comfort takes a little longer to test. While first impressions are important, a gaming chair needs to be just as comfortable to sit in after four hours as it is after the first.
We consider the materials used. Some use more premium ones such as breathable fabric. And, though that might seem minor, it can make a difference in how comfortable a gaming chair is.
We take ergonomics into account since it’s a key part of a chair’s comfort, as well as its adjustability. We look at how far back the seat goes, what all is adjustable from armrests to lumbar pillows, and how easy it is to make adjustments. Last but not least, we consider any additional features that might set a gaming chair apart.
Once we’ve looked at every factor, we take a holistic look at the chair we’re testing along with its price to see if it’s worth the investment and who might benefit from using that particular gaming chair.
