Gaming Chair Vs Office Chair — Which Is Better?

Don Stewart — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 05:02:34 +0000

If you are in the working world in a job that requires you to sit for hours at a time, or if you spend a lot of time around your computer at home for whatever reason, then you have to take the necessary precautions to prevent back, hip, and shoulder pains that can be caused from those long hours of sitting. The easiest and best way to prevent this from happening is to find the right chair that will support your posture. Gaming chairs are specifically designed for long sitting but you may prefer the simple design and affordability of an office chair. So what would be better for those long hours of sitting — gaming chair or office chair? After all, in this day and age, and with a pandemic forcing us to work or entertain ourselves from home, we just cannot get away from extended screen time!

Here we will take a look at both the gaming chair and the office chair to give you a better idea of which of the two would serve you and your need best.

Gaming Chairs

You can easily and quickly tell the difference between a gaming chair and an office chair based on the design and oftentimes the striking combination of colors. A gaming chair has the design of a racing car seat with well-defined contours, reclining high backs, and of course the thickly padded seats. They often come with an additional footrest, lumbar support, and extra neck support. These are usually adjustable to meet the sitters’ height and overall body structure. They usually have adjustable armrests that provide extra reinforcement for the weight of the arms.

gaming chairs are ergonomically designed to support the full body for hours of sitting. It promotes comfort and relaxation while paying attention to proper posture. Gaming chairs hit the market in 2006 when pro gaming became a hit sport. Today they have become a thriving business for not only gamers but for anyone looking for comfort in their office or homes. In fact, many gaming chairs have been doubled in use for both work and entertainment making them quite versatile. The reclining option allows for resting after hours of gaming or working which is a welcome bonus for users!

There are a number of high-end gaming chairs on the market with unique features that set them apart from others and certainly sets them apart from office chairs. The Secretlab Titan, Raynor Gaming, AKRacing, Vertagear, Maxnomic, and Noblechairs are among the top brands. For the most part, they are designed with a forward tilt feature to accommodate gamers who consciously or subconsciously leans forward in the middle of a heated match to get that edge over their opponents. So even while you lean forward your back still remains supported.

However, there are thousands of gaming chairs to choose from. And while the high-end ones may be more comfortable and more expensive, manufacturers have started to produce chairs that are ergonomically designed but at a much cheaper cost. Gaming chairs are not a ‘one size fits all’ sort of thing, they are designed based on the users’ weight and height, and as a result, buyers have to ensure they choose one specific to their body type.

Office Chairs

Office chairs are basic and typically bland. They do not command your attention when you walk into a room. And if you work in a large office you more than likely would have inherited a chair from your predecessor — just another empty chair to be filled by the next employee, in this case, you. So it doesn’t matter if you are tall or short, fat or skinny, that’s the chair that was there before you and chances are that’s the chair that will be there after you, nothing special. In fact, office chairs are many times bought to cut down on cost, thus as cheap as they may come. At the end of the day, you can be so sore from sitting that it is nothing but discomfort. Office chairs are usually purchased with the one size fits all silent rule in play.

These chairs are usually built with mid-back, less padded seats and do not adjust to reclining or tilting positions, neither do they come with extra lumbar or neck support. They have a fixed backrest and though you may find some that you can adjust the armrest, for the most part, this is pretty basic. The height is usually adjustable but usually, you have to conform to the chair’s design rather than the other way around. Some office chairs will have the rocking feature but this is not a popular feature so you would have to check before purchasing.

Of a fact, this lack of ergonomic design has resulted in many on-the-job discomforts for employees. A study conducted in 2009 on 114 teleservice representatives showed how poor ergonomic conditions led to the neck, shoulder, elbow, and back musculoskeletal disorders. Despite this, however, thousands of employees continue to suffer muscular aches and pains after hours of sitting down, namely because companies continue to invest in cheap bulk office chairs rather than the more expensive ergonomic designs.

Gaming Chair Vs Office Chair

Prior to 2006, people had no choice but to rely on office chairs to get them through their workdays and pro gaming. But with the introduction and rise in demand of a whole new market of gaming chairs, thousands have seen the importance of turning to these exquisitely designed posture-saving chairs to spend their hours of sitting and relaxing. No longer is the office chair the only way to get the job done!

In comparing the two we see that:

Gaming Chair —

Attractive design — Has a very attractive design
Ergonomically design — Designed with the user in mind by taking into consideration an individual’s body type and shape.
Lasting comfort — The gaming chair’s comfort increases efficiency and productivity and reduces discomfort.
Colorful look — The minute you walk to a room you can tell a gaming chair is present by its colorful race car bucket design.
Thick padding — they are made of think padded to give that extra comfort and support.
Adjustable components — Adjustable armrest, back support, and lumbar pillow helps users to adjust the chair to fit their body.
Reclining backrest — The reclining feature reduces lumbar disc pressure, neck tension, shoulder pains, and muscle activities.
Posture support — Supports the neck, back, and spine.

The office chair —

Ordinary design — Is basic, discrete, and does not grab the attention
One size fits all — Standard design that forces users to adjust to it, instead of adjusting to users.
Less adjustable components — Does not adjust to the user’s body type or height.
Cheap but durable — Office chairs are usually manufactured and bought y companies in bulk as they are very affordable. They are quite durable despite constant use.
Comfortable seat paddings — While the seats of some office chairs may not be as heavily padded as gaming chairs they are still usually quite comfortable.
Does not support individual posture — not designed with posture preservation in mind.
No reclining feature —While some office chairs will rock, they do not have the reclining feature.

Difference In Design and Aesthetics

You can easily tell the difference between both chairs based on their designs and beauty. This is pretty obvious the moment you see the two side by side. The gaming chair has a high back, is thickly padded throughout, and is usually quite fetching with two or more color combinations.

The office chair is usually one color, black or grey. The office chair back is mid-height with no headrest or lumbar support pillows. They are usually made from leather, nylon, or mesh. And of course, if you put the two chairs together there is no doubt which would walk away with the best prize for design and aesthetics.

The gaming chair would undoubtedly grab attention with its contoured ergonomic style. The point of a gaming chair is to make you feel as if you are sitting in the driver’s seat of a race car and so it was deliberately designed to both look and feel that way. While some gaming chairs are really extravagant in style and color some are more subtle to fit perfectly into your office.

Difference in Comfort

As mentioned before, if you are sitting for long hours you definitely need a chair that is comfortable. Therefore, when choosing a chair comfort should be of the utmost importance. In fact, this should be the most important feature to look out for. Of course, everyone’s level of comfort is different and what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you.

Office Chair Comfort Level

Office chairs can be comfortable, but usually only if you are sitting for short periods of time. In fact, if you inherit a chair from your predecessor at work and have no choice in the matter it is recommended that you get up as often as possible to walk around to get your blood flowing properly and to relax your back, shoulder, and neck muscles. If you sit in them for hours then it can cause poor posture over time, resulting in back, shoulder, and hip pains.

If you find that after sitting in an office chair for hours you began to slum and start shifting position in order to get comfortable then it’s time to go for a walk. Because an office chair forces you to conform to its shape — rather than adjusting to your body, then your body will become accustomed to sitting improperly which then leads to poor posture and strain on your muscles. This is sure to affect your work performance or your gaming efficiency. Proper posture allows your blood to flow efficiently. Incorrect slouching prevents this from happening which then leads to insufficient blood flow to the brain. This then results in the inability to think and function efficiently which in turn leads to fatigue.

There are some office chairs, however, that are now ergonomically designed and will support your posture as much as a gaming chair. You should do your research before investing in one.

Gaming Chair Comfort Level

Being productive requires a good comfortable chair that promotes proper posture, thus proper blood flow to the brain. Gaming chairs are designed for long hours of sitting with proper support. This is also the reason gaming chairs are not designed as one size fits all, but rather for the small, average, and bigger body users. It was designed to eliminate all the tension that scientists have discovered to be as a result of long sitting in the wrong positions. The thickness of the seat was especially thought of to not only accommodate your weight but also to support your legs. In fact, many manufactures have gone a step further in adding the retractable footrest just so you can put your feet up when you want to get even more relaxed and comfortable. Your spine is also well supported by the uniquely designed back, adjustable neck support, and lumbar pillow that you can adjust to cradle your lower back in the position just right for you.

While it may be difficult to have your employer invest in a gaming chair for you at work, this is actually the better option if you sit at your desk for eight hours or more per day if you want to promote healthy posture. And even though you may begin to get restless after a few hours the gaming chair allows you to adjust the seat into a more comfortable position as you see fit. Switching your position will allow your muscles to move in different positions from time to time.

What to do if you are uncomfortable initially?

If you are used to sitting in office chairs and have not sat in a gaming chair, you may find the gaming chair very uncomfortable initially. This is because you would have developed poor posture over the years and your body would now need to readjust. Sitting in a regular office chair overtime would have caused your muscles to be tight, your shoulders to be unnoticeably slumped and your spine bent.

You will find that when you do sit in the gaming chair you are sort of sitting on one butt cheek rather than straight in an effort to maintain your ‘deformed’ posture. Therefore, your body would need time to adjust to the right position and regain that straight healthy posture. This may take a few days so don’t go bashing your new gaming chair just yet! Once your body adjusts then you can be sure that you will not only regain a good posture but comfort like you have never known before from a sitting position.

Ensure that when you sit in a gaming chair for the first time that you allow the backrest to support your upper body while you keep your body straight. Also, ensure that you adjust the seat to your height with feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90° angle. The neck rest should be cushioned against the back of your neck. You will find that after a few days your body begins to adjust to the new — and proper sitting position, your body becomes aligned to the screen and you won’t have to tilt your head up or down to view it properly. For sure your productivity will increase.

You can know when you have reached your comfort level from a chair when you have forgotten that you are sitting and is more focused on the task at hand. Of course, this can only improve your work or make you so much more focused on the game that you are sure to come out ahead! You will then begin to understand why there is such heightened interest surrounding gaming chairs and why it is the top choice for pro gamers.

If you order a chair online ensure that it comes with 30 days (or more) return policy. This way you can use it until you are satisfied that it is /not the chair for you. Remember to choose base on your weight capacity.

Which is more comfortable — gaming or office chair?

For short-term users, office chairs can prove to be more comfortable than a gaming chair but only because it does not take any getting used to and maybe something that you are already quite familiar with.

If you are switching to a gaming chair you will find it very uncomfortable at first until your posture has adjusted to it. After all, it does take time to sit upright consistently. This is especially true if you have been using an office chair over the years and your body has become used to that.

However, once your body has adjusted to the change you will wonder how is it you never invested in a gaming chair before! Soon you will find sitting in an office chair quite uncomfortable when compared! The back support and the improvement to your health will be well worth it.

Summary

Gaming chairs and office chairs differ from each other based on design and ergonomics. One is made for gamers and anyone who will be spending long hours sitting, while the other is for those not sitting for long hours at a time. Sitting in a regular office chair for long hours, as against an ergonomically designed chair can be damaging to your muscular health. While the office chairs make your office space feels and looks professional, a gaming chair adds color and class to any room.

Therefore, which chair — gaming chair or office chair, and which one is the better? This is dependent on your style and taste, along with how you plan to use the chair, and for what length of time. So before you invest, think about these areas.

If you are a pro gamer then a gaming chair is the ultimate choice. Comfort and relaxation are needed to keep you focused on the game instead of points of discomfort while you sit.

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