Which is Better: Office Chairs vs Gaming Chairs

Spending long periods of time in your chair is probably a common occurrence, whether you consider yourself to be an avid gamer or a workaholic.

When buying an office chair, if you’re a gamer, your first dilemma is deciding between a gaming chair and a standard one, whereas if you’re not a gamer, you’ve probably thought about getting a fancy gaming chair.

My goal is to help you find the best game chair for yourself by explaining the ergonomic differences between gaming chairs and traditional ergonomic office chairs.

Purchasing a new style before you make your next purchase is a lot more complicated than it seems, so make sure you keep reading to find out which ones are right for you.

What Is a Gaming Chair?

A gaming chair is a specially designed chair with ergonomic features, which can be comfortably sat for long amounts of time playing video games. Gaming chairs come in three varieties: racing and PC chairs, rocking chairs, and floor chairs.

PC & Racing:

Gaming chairs that are used for playing video games at a desk are normally PC or racing gaming chairs since their seats are elevated off the ground. These chairs resemble sports car seats in design; they were produced by a luxury sports automobile seat manufacturer.

The backs are usually ergonomically designed with wide, vertical straps. Modern, comfortable, and sturdy, these chairs are perfect for home and office use.

Rocker:

Gaming chairs that rock are called rocker gaming chairs because they rest on the floor and rock forward and backward with the user’s movements. Because the seat meets the back at an angle, the angle can be adjusted easily, which allows the chairs to be positioned in different ways.

When the seats are positioned higher than the ground, the legs are on the ground. They are commonly used in conjunction with video games played at a distance on consoles. In addition to single-player games, these are also excellent for multiplayer games.

Floor:

Of all the types of gaming chairs, floor chairs have the least structure and are also the least expensive. Several types of chairs exist, from rocker chairs that are semi-structured to floor cushions that are completely void of structures.

There are no extraneous features on these ultra-plush, cushy chairs, which are an excellent match for casual console players searching for a comfortable spot to sit.

What are Office Chairs?

It may not always seem like it, but office chairs are made to provide comfort. In-office chairs that are specially designed so you can sit for hours, you’ll find that many adjustments can be made to accommodate different body shapes, back pains, and heights.

Typically, an office chair exists primarily to provide comfort, as opposed to looks. Moreover, there is nothing wrong with office chairs – they just are generally designed more for a corporate environment, so they might not appear as stylish.

Office chair vs gaming chair-

We will compare both types of chairs according to their features:

Comfort and Ergonomics:

A person who plans to sit in a chair for a long period should consider its comfort when purchasing one. Gaming chairs are as comfortable as office chairs, with features such as adjustable height and back recliners, but gaming chairs go just that little bit further in terms of comfort.

With an office chair, the backrest can only recline to a certain degree, whereas most gaming chairs will allow you to recline more, so if you lean back a lot, it could be a deciding factor.

Moreover, the seats of gaming chairs and office chairs differ in design. Gaming chairs have a bucket seat, while office chairs have waterfall seats. Unlike bucket seats, which serve primarily as comfortable furniture, waterfall seats support the spine, taking pressure off the lumbar region.

As bucket seats have a racing car influence, gaming chairs may feature bucket seats purely for aesthetic purposes to enhance the gamer’s experience.

Gaming chairs typically have added head cushions for comfort, which are ideal for leaning back in a reclined position. Office chairs have fixed headrests, although gaming chairs almost always have extra cushions.

If you sit while using a computer for a lengthy period of time, a pillow will also help support your neck. If you’re looking for maximum support, a gaming chair with an additional pillow may be the best choice. Some office chairs have an adjustable headrest that can be raised or lowered.

As for armrests, both types of chairs usually feature adjustable armrests and will have casters and swivels, which make operating them as simple as possible. The only caveat is that a gaming chair will undoubtedly be heavier than a typical office chair.

Lumbar support:

If you suffer from back pain, then you might want to invest in a chair with good back support. Sitting at your desk all day isn’t good for our posture, and sitting all day at your desk can lead to reduced activity levels.

Office chairs, except for some classic leather ones, generally tend to have lumbar support built into the backrest, which is usually curved for improved posture.

In contrast, a gaming chair usually comes with a lumbar cushion to provide additional support. Often the lumbar support is removable and can be moved higher or lower according to how much support is needed, while other times the support is fixed in place and often curved at the bottom to conform to the shape of the spine.

Additional features:

While comfort should be your main consideration when choosing a chair, you may want to also take into account other benefits. A gaming chair, on the other hand, offers several extras that make your seat from ordinary to luxurious.

Office chairs pretty much do what they say on the tin, but if you want to get the most out of your gaming experience, choose one of these.

In addition to the added comfort of extra cushions, other great features of gaming chairs include Bluetooth speakers built into the headrest, which are useful if you intend to use the chair for its primary purpose – gaming, but you could also use them for listening to music while you work.

There are even gaming chairs with massage functions so that you can combine luxury and gaming. Some chairs even have vibrations for a more immersive gaming experience.

Upholstery & Design:

Leather and mesh office chairs are the two most common office chair types. One of their main differences is their breathability. If you’re in a hot office, mesh chairs make it easier for you to breathe and stay cool.

Chairs made of leather look great and are extremely comfortable, but you need to keep in mind that they can wear out quickly and lose their cushioning if they are used frequently.

These chairs are made of faux leather, which is not only visually pleasing but also more durable than real leather, as it doesn’t wrinkle easily. In addition to their bright colors, gaming chairs are also available in a variety of vibrant, striking designs, perfect for your home office.

But they are a lot bigger and heavier than office chairs, so make sure that you consider your size and weight of yours as well as any features you desire.

Pricing:

With all the extra features that gaming chairs have, it’s not surprising they are generally more expensive for the same amount of space they occupy. The price of a gaming chair can vary much depending on the specifications from £150 / $200 to £400 / $500. Office chairs, by comparison, are available for between £50 and £200.

Therefore, the difference in comfort between a £150 / $180 office chair and a £50/$70 one is clearly evident when you consider the price. Therefore, you need to take into account how much time you will be spending on it, as well as what you will be doing.

A high-end office chair or gaming chair will serve you well if you work frequently and play games frequently, while a cheaper office chair will suffice if you work occasionally for short periods of time.

Conclusion:

When it comes to office chairs compared to gaming chairs, there are quite a few differences, and even though it depends completely on what you find comfortable, it is clear that gaming chairs offer a greater variety of ergonomic options than office chairs.

Gaming chairs, however, are typically criticized for not being as functional as regular chairs, being overpriced that way, and failing to include warranties when compared to other regular chairs. Many of the knocks against gaming chairs are true, but the reality is that gaming chairs bring benefits that standard office chairs simply cannot.

What matters is the look and feel of your chair in regards to your setup and how it makes you feel when you sit down and play your game. Taking a look at standard office chairs, you’ll realize they do not have multi-toned colors, custom logos, or other custom features.

When choosing a chair, gaming chairs are a good choice if you want to look stylish over being functional. Choosing a standard office chair with maximum support, comfort and adjustability would be a good place to start.

Therefore, the key to selecting an ergonomic and affordable chair for your desk relies mostly on your personal preferences. Because they are about the same in terms of comfort and features, there is no clear winner.

Gaming chairs equipped with speakers or Bluetooth capabilities might be the best choice for gamers, particularly those who plan to stream music or use built-in audio features. You might not want to make a business-appropriate choice of gaming chair if you participate in video calls or host clients from home. Choose the most important features in your chair search based on whether you work or play hard.