How Much Should You Spend on a Gaming Chair: A Complete Guide

If you’re just building your gaming setup, you may not be sure yet what gaming chair to get.

You might even be asking how much should you spend on a gaming chair.

After all, with the abundance of gaming chairs in the market, it’s difficult to know what price range is insanely high and which one is too cheap to actually last you a long time.

So, let’s talk about what causes the difference in price for gaming chairs and how you can find the best deal for you.

How Much Should You Spend on a Gaming Chair?

If you think we can simply give you an answer to this question, you’re in for a treat.

Unfortunately, knowing how much to spend on a gaming chair goes deeper than you think.

That actually depends on what features you prioritize and which ones you’re willing to forego.

If you’re looking for high-quality materials, a premium build, and adjustability, you might have to stretch your budget a bit.

But, if you’re okay with cheaper fabric and less customizability, going for a budget gaming chair can be an option for you.

In general, below are different tiers and price ranges for buying gaming chairs:

• Budget Gaming Chairs: Less than $200
• Mid-Range Gaming Chairs: $200 to $500
• Premium Gaming Chairs: $500 and up

Differences Among Budget, Mid-Range, and Premium Gaming Chairs

Let’s find out how the different types of gaming chairs differ and what inclusions each price range has to offer.

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1. Material and Build

The first point of difference among gaming chairs of different price points is the quality of the materials used in making them.

It also translates to the product's longevity and how well it can withstand wear and tear.

• Seat Cover

Normally, there are five different kinds of material used in covering a gaming chair.

More expensive gaming chairs tend to use genuine leather, which is normally made from animal rawhide like cowhide through tanning.

High-end gaming chairs tend to use genuine leather, as these are more durable than other kinds of leather.

They’re not prone to cracking or flaking, and they’re also quite breathable.

Compared to other kinds of fabric used in gaming chairs, genuine leather definitely has the best balance of durability and breathability.

Meanwhile, mid-range gaming chairs tend to use PU leather, PVC leather, or a combination of both.

PU leather is made from the material left after genuine leather is stripped away from a rawhide, which is then coated in polyurethane (PU).

That bears the closest resemblance to real leather, although it might not be as durable or breathable as real leather.

PVC leather is also a form of imitation leather made from a base material coated in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other additives.

What’s good about PVC leather is that it’s resistant to water, fire, and stain.

However, it has poor breathability and also looks less luxurious than the first two.

For budget gaming chairs, you can expect regular fabric or mesh to be used.

These two are both more breathable than leather but lack durability.

They are also less resistant to water and staining, making them more difficult to handle than their leather counterparts.

• Framework

Another point of difference between cheaper and more expensive gaming chairs is their framework.

Higher-tier gaming chairs tend to use a steel or alloy framework, making them more durable and stable.

Thanks to this heavy-duty framework, mid-range to premium gaming chairs tend to support a heavier load than their budget counterparts.

Meanwhile, cheaper gaming chairs might use a framework built from hard plastic, which may not be as durable.

• Base

A strong base is essential in a gaming chair since this is also essential in supporting your weight while sitting on the chair.

That is why higher-priced chairs tend to use an aluminum or steel base, which allows the chair to withstand pressure and bear your weight with no issue.

On the contrary, cheaper chairs tend to have bases made from hard plastic or nylon, which simply aren’t built to last as long.

• Wheels

You might think that wheels aren’t worth noting when checking out a new gaming chair, but they’re actually more important than you think.

Wheels are also connected to your gaming chair’s base; therefore, they also tend to bear your pressure and weight each time you use your chair.

As such, low-quality wheels tend to crack or break easily; in fact, they can show the first signs of damage to your gaming chair.

Higher-quality wheels, on the other hand, tend to be sturdier.

They also provide a smoother experience while you move around on your gaming chair.

More expensive gaming chairs use wheels that can glide seamlessly regardless of surface.

• Padding

Another key difference between cheaper and more expensive gaming chairs is the foam they use as padding.

Premium gaming chairs tend to use cold cure foam, which is made from a combination of polyurethane polymers and additives.

This foam is a leading choice in the furniture industry, thanks to its excellent compression resistance.

Cold cure foam is comfortable to sit on and durable.

It pops right back into shape as soon as you stand up, which ensures the padding can withstand hours of usage and be good as new.

That said, cold cure foam can be quite expensive.

Hence, budget gaming chairs cut back on the cost by using a different kind of foam or cold foam blends.

That results in less dense padding, which tends to sink and be more uncomfortable over time.

2. Design and Comfort

More expensive gaming chair options also tend to have more features to keep your gaming experience comfortable.

These normally mean more customizability and adjustability, which will definitely improve your quality of life as a gamer.

3. Adjustable Armrests

With gaming chairs, armrests can be a hit or miss.

Depending on your size, armrests can be too far apart or too constricting for you.

That’s why more expensive brands allow their armrests to be adjusted.

Normally, high-tier brands offer four-directional adjustments for you to move your armrests to a position and angle that feels most comfortable for your arms.

Mid-tier brands also offer armrest adjustments, but normally only in one, up and down, or two directions, up and down, left and right.

But, with budget gaming chairs, adjustable armrests may not be available at all.

Hence, if the armrests’ positioning isn’t quite comfortable for you, you have no choice but to adjust yourself.

4. Reclining Seat With Lock

Another thing that adds to your overall satisfaction and comfort while playing is the choice to tilt your seat far back as you play.

By default, gaming chairs tend to sit quite upright at a 90-degree angle, which may be uncomfortable to some in the long run.

But, mid-range and premium gaming chairs remedy this problem through reclining chairs.

These gaming chairs tend to tilt back up to 180 degrees, allowing you to take a quick nap on your chair if you want to.

High-end gaming chairs also tend to feature a locking feature as well, so you can keep your seat reclined to an angle that works best for you.

However, such a feature may not be available with cheaper models.

Budget models tend to recline only at a limited angle.

Additionally, most budget gaming chairs lack the option to lock the seat, so you can’t stay in a position that’s comfortable for you.

5. Added Accessories

With more expensive gaming chairs, you’re also paying for extra accessories they come with that can make gaming a comfortable, even more enjoyable experience for you.

• Headrest and Lumbar Cushion

Mid-range and premium gaming chairs tend to feature a headrest and lumbar cushion to help prevent pain in your back, hips, pelvis, and neck regions.

Aside from giving you a more comfortable gaming experience, these cushions also help prevent posture issues and other body problems resulting from constant sitting and gaming.

What’s also important to note is that most high-end gaming chairs allow these cushions to be adjusted or removed.

While these pillows are important, they may not be comfortable for other people, especially those whose body types don’t fit well with certain gaming chairs.

As a result, the option to remove or adjust these pillows allows each individual to decide which setup works best for them.

For budget gaming chairs, a comfortable headrest and lumbar cushion are not very common.

They also don’t offer much adjustability.

• Footrest

Another key trait in most premium gaming chairs is the addition of a footrest.

Footrests allow you to rest your knees and legs, which we often forget while we’re sitting down.

Having a built-in footrest is also great when used in conjunction with a reclining chair.

This way, you can relax your whole body with no worries.

Meanwhile, not all mid-range gaming chairs have footrests, while you typically won’t find an added footrest with budget gaming chairs.

• Built-In Speakers

High-end gaming chairs have yet another impressive feature: built-in audio tech.

It is something you may not expect, especially when you’re used to budget and mid-range gaming chairs, but they’re absolutely real.

For a more immersive experience, premium gaming chairs can pair with your PC or console to transmit the sound through the chair’s built-in speakers instead.

You also have the option to use a built-in headphone jack on your chair rather than going through the hassle of connecting to your PC’s audio jack.

That adds convenience as you play since you’re free to move around without worrying about your headphones’ connection to your PC.

It also gives you everything you need in one space, allowing you to maximize your gaming experience.

How To Choose a Gaming Chair To Spend On

As you can see, multiple features spell out the difference between budget, mid-range, and premium gaming chairs.

These are also the reason for their price difference.

The answer to the question, “How much should you spend on a gaming chair?” really depends on what features you want and which ones you can live without.

Premium gaming chairs certainly improve your gaming experience.

That said, if you find that some of these additions are more of a luxury to you, for instance, a full-leather seat cover or built-in audio tech, then you can look at mid-range gaming chair options instead.

What’s important is that you find one that fits your budget and is also comfortable for you.

As much as possible, your gaming chair should at least allow you to recline the chair and also remove or adjust the headrest and lumbar pillow.

Getting one with adjustable armrests, even only 2D, is a great deal as well.

If you can stretch your budget a bit, you can check out the best gaming chairs under $300 for options that will certainly be a bang for your buck.

However, if your budget is a bit thin, there are also decent budget options if you know where to look.

For instance, you can also try the best gaming chairs under $150 for cheaper yet quality picks.

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Conclusion

You might think that getting a decent gaming chair means spending shelling out a lot of money, but that’s really not the case.

To know how much to shell out for your gaming chair, what’s important is to look for one with the features you want and need.

From here, you’ll be able to determine your budget and get a great gaming chair.