AndaSeat Transformers Edition Premium Gaming Chair

The AndaSeat Transformers Edition Premium gaming chair is as comfortable as sitting on an actual Transformer

bumblebee themed AndaSeat Transformers Edition Premium gaming chair against wall
(Image: © Future)

TechRadar Verdict

While the concept of the AndaSeat Transformers Edition Premium Gaming Chair is admittedly very cool, the execution is lacking in every field imaginable. It offers no lower back support, sports a cheap plastic frame, and the recline feature is difficult to activate. Buyer beware indeed.

Pros

  • +

    Transformers theme is pretty cool

  • +

    Memory foam pillows are comfortable

Cons

  • -

    Terrible ergonomics

  • -

    Cheap plastic frame

  • -

    Poorly aligned screws

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AndaSeat Transformers Edition: One-minute review

The AndaSeat Transformers Edition Premium gaming chair series was created in the infinite appeal to our long-gone childhood nostalgia. A line of classic Transformers-themed gaming chairs released in three varieties – Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron – it’s priced at $400 (around £348 / AU$594) with availability seemingly only available in the US according to the official website.

These gaming chairs, which are very visually appealing especially to fans of the 80s series, are set to adorn any office in the vibrant colors of the original Autobots and Deceptacon. Or at least that’s the idea, since the reality is far crueler.

Setup in general is pretty smooth thanks to the minimal amount of parts and tools needed for it. The instructions are also extremely clear and well written, which took the mystery out of the chair’s construction. Though, unfortunately, it’s marred by poorly aligned screws.

Another issue presented itself: the lumbar pillow has no way to directly attach to the back of the chair, meaning it needs to be held in place with your own body. In the case of the neck pillow, the instructions stated that it came with a strap to hook around which it didn’t and, after experimenting a bit we found it attaches magnetically.

It gets even worse once you actually sit in the chair. Thanks to the poor build quality, the chair is an uncomfortable mess that offers no support to your lower back and actively stresses it out. Despite the claims on the official website that the ergonomic design will support your spine, it does the opposite.

Do yourself a favor: skip this chair and invest in one of the best office chairs that will cost less and support your back much better long-term.

AndaSeat Transformers Edition: Price & availability

  • How much does it cost? $400 (around £348, AU$594)
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US

The AndaSeat Transformers chair costs $400 (around £348 / AU$594), which is rather steep for an office-styled chair but lower in price than many other premium gaming chairs. Most likely one of the issues lie in its licensing, which inflates the price well past an office chair’s but without the design elements needed for prolonged sitting. But what kept its price well below the average gaming price is the build quality, which is much cheaper.

The chair isn’t available outside of the US either, according to the official site, which means fans who want to get their hands on these chairs might have to import if the option is available.

  • Value: 1 / 5

closeup of screw partially inserted in hole

(Image credit: Future)

AndaSeat Transformers Edition: Design

  • Transformer-theme is very appealing
  • The rest of the chair design is not

Setup is pretty simple, as it comprises of screwing in large screws to connect bulky parts together. These parts can be on the heavy side, which makes it difficult to move them at times. But there’s minimal movement throughout the setup process at least.

However, one huge problem we noticed was a poorly aligned set of screws on the right side of the chair, and no matter how many times we unscrewed and re-screwed it, nothing worked. We either had the choice of halfway shoving the screw in or not inserting it at all. Luckily the chair was stable enough to hold together with the missing screw.

The rest of the setup went smoothly but another issue presented itself: the two pillows had no way to directly attach to the back of the chair, meaning the lumbar pillow and neck pillow need to be held in place with your own body.

  • Design: 2 / 5

closeup of bumblebee lumbar pillow

(Image credit: Future)

AndaSeat Transformers Edition: Features

  • Has a 160-degree recline option
  • Comes with two memory foam pillows
  • Lumbar pillow isn't attached to the chair

The AndaSeat Transformers comes with the main parts of any gaming chair, a set of very well-written instructions along with clear pictures, as well as two pillows: a neck pillow and a lower back pillow. 

It would have been better for the lower back pillow able to be attached directly or at least have some form of velcro. And in the case of the neck pillow, the instructions stated that it should come with a strap to wrap around the chair, which it didn’t. The pillows themselves are quite comfortable, which makes the lack of attachment more disappointing since it contributes to the overall discomfort of the chair.

The main feature, which is the ability of the chair to recline to a 160-degree angle, works but very poorly as well which can be attributed to poor build quality. Activating the feature takes some elbow grease on the handle, and it makes an incredibly loud noise before beginning its recline. It works but it feels wonky and unstable and would most likely disincentivize a buyer from even using the feature.

  • Features: 2 / 5

closeup of recliner lever

(Image credit: Future)

AndaSeat Transformers Edition: Performance

  • Chair is very uncomfortable
  • Poor ergonomics
  • The recline feature barely works

As stated above, the design and build quality is quite poor, which leads to poor performance. There’s the issue of the poor screw alignment which, at best, delayed assembly and at its worst made one of the screws impossible to properly insert as we built it.

The chair cushioning and pillows are comfortable on their own and of good quality, but the way the chair itself is structured makes the full package incredibly uncomfortable to sit on. Many office chairs jut out around the lower back for proper lumbar support but the AndaSeat Transformer chair sits straight, meaning your lower back will be strained after a while due to supporting itself. And if you have lower back pain, this could take as little as a half hour.

The reclining option is badly built and functions but it’s likely you’ll never use it due to how difficult it is to both activate it and actually move back the chair. On the plus side, the chair wheels move around with ease whether on hardwood or carpeted floors, but that’s hardly a positive when the chair itself feels like torture to sit on after a short period of time.

  • Performance: 1 / 5

Should I buy the AndaSeat Transformers Edition?

Yellow bumblebee gaming chair in an office

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You love the classic Transformers series
For those fans of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, or Megatron, these gaming chairs are the perfect collectible with both the designs and color scheme perfectly matching the classic series characters.

You want a cheaper gaming chair
Compared to many other gaming chairs, this one is much cheaper. So if you really want a gaming chair, this is one of your more inexpensive options.

Don't buy it if...

You need proper back support
For those with back issues, this is not the chair for you. There’s already criticism of gaming chairs doing long-term damage to your back and this chair very much reinforces this.

You want a quality office or gaming chair
If you’re looking for a chair to sit in for day-long work hours or long gaming sessions, the lack of support on this chair would make that difficult.

Also consider

Corsair T3 Rush

Corsair T3 Rush
If you’re looking for a good-quality gaming chair on a budget, this one is a great starting point. Not only is it comfortable and plush, but it also bears a heavy load making it ideal for anyone. However, the frame and wheels are plastic which means it’s pretty cheap looking.

Read our full Corsair T3 Rush here

Mavix M4

Mavix M4
This gaming chair boasts great ergonomics and is super comfortable to boot, all at a reasonable mid-range price. But it does have issues with limited adjustability, and the fabric is rough on sensitive skin.

Read our full Mavix M4 review 

Andaseat Fnatic Edition

Andaseat Fnatic Edition
If you’re looking for a good-quality Andaseat, this gaming chair is right for you. It’s sturdy, comfortable with extra lumbar support, and the 160-degree recline is a great feature for napping. Though the ergonomics are poor due to no memory foam pillows.

Read our full Andaseat Fnatic Edition review

AndaSeat Transformers Edition: Report card

Swipe to scroll horizontally
ValueConsidering all the problems with this chair for its price point, it’s better to invest in an office chair instead. 1 / 5
DesignThe Transformers-themed design is pretty cool, especially for fans of the 80s series, but the actual chair design is poorly-built. 2 / 5
FeaturesIt comes with the basics that most gaming chairs have, including two comfortable memory foam pillows, but nothing really stand-out. 2 / 5
PerformanceSimply put, this gaming chair is extremely uncomfortable with poor ergonomics and a cheaply made plastic frame. It's not fit for any long-term sitting, whether for gaming or work. 1 / 5
TotalPoor ergonomics, build, and comfort make it hard to recommend this AndaSeat chair. 1.5 / 5
  • First reviewed September 2022

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

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Allisa James
Computing Staff Writer

Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends. In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on.