Whether gaming chairs are suitable for office use or not is a significant concern for many people looking for chairs that can serve multiple purposes.
Also, most folks working from home, probably due to the coronavirus pandemic or other reasons, have thought about this.
Are gaming chairs suitable for office use? It’s a question we want to focus on intensely in this article.
Gaming chairs would be suitable for office use only when you choose looks over functionality. I would choose a gaming chair for my home office setup that has fancy stitching, a wide variety of colors, racing style design, fully reclined back, custom logo but will ignore ergonomics, adjustability, support, warranty coverage, and more.
Can you use gaming chairs for office work? Other queries regarding quality, design, and whether these gaming chairs are suitable for office use.
We hope that you’ll find the answers you’re looking for to decide whether gaming chairs can fit your office work:
Before we jump into a direct answer let’s analyze the key differences between and gaming chair and an office chair and based on these we will decide whether gaming chairs are suitable for office use or not.
Here are 8 points that can determine whether a gaming chair can be a replacement for your office chair or not.
1. Functionality:
If we look at the build of an office chair and gaming chair the major difference you will notice is their functionality.
Office chairs are made to be more comfortable, give better support, adjustable, durable whether gaming chairs are made to look good, pretty and fancy design, racing style, custom looks.
So if you are looking for comfort while working for 7-8 hours in the office you must choose an office chair over a gaming chair.
2. Budget:
A standard budget of 400$ will fetch you a high-end gaming chair will all fancy looks and custom racing style design but you can buy a mid-range ergonomic office chair within this budget.
So if you have a stricter budget and want a fancy-looking office setup you can go for a gaming chair.
3. Seats:
Most gaming chairs have bucket-style seats which make you feel like the chair is holding you. It has side bolsters for fitting into the chair.
The downside of this design is that you cannot have freedom of movement. But office chairs are flat and they allow you more freedom of movement.
Gaming chairs with bucket seats do not allow people of all sizes, they are not very wide. Bulky persons require much larger space which is not available in gaming chairs whereas office chairs allow a wider range of people.
If you are slimmer or smaller you should go for a gaming chair otherwise an office chair is always a better option.
So you can decide based on how you want to feel while seating in the chair?
4. Looks:
If you compare the looks of a gaming chair then it will be at the office chair every time. They are designed to look good, fancy styles, custom logos, a variety of colors, fancy stitching, and more.
A major portion of the cost of making a gaming chair has been spent on creating this fancy look.
But while making a standard office chair most of the design and cost is used on building the functionality like back support, seats, headrest, armrests, adjustability, and looks are ignored. So if looks are your priority a gaming chair wins the race.
5. Reclining Function:
A gaming chair can be reclined back to relax or watch a movie. A standard office chair can be reclined but not the extent of a gaming chair.
An office chair is built for an official purpose and a full recline is not appropriate for that setup whereas a gaming chair is more used for a casual setup. So based on the style of your setup you can choose between a gaming chair and an office chair.
6. Warranty:
If we compare gaming chairs and office chairs within a budget of around 400$ then the warranty coverage varies.
The warranty coverage for a gaming chair is usually 2-3 years whereas 5 or more years for office chairs.
Office chairs are built to last longer than gaming chairs. So if you are looking for a durable chair then go for an office chair.
7. Ergonomics:
Office chairs are known to provide extra comfort while seating for long hours because they are designed ergonomically.
They provide adjustability features like, seat height, back adjustment, armrest positioning, headrest adjustment, and more. You get less back pain or neck pain and better mobility while working.
Gaming chairs are not ergonomically designed though they provide you bucket seats, armrests, these settings do not prove ideal for an office setup.
The office chair has back support that is weight-sensitive while the gaming chair’s back support is very poor.
So a gaming chair cannot replace an office chair if you are thinking of ergonomics.
8. Lumbar or Back Support:
Lumbar support is one of the key elements in a proper seating posture. A standard office chair provides a perfect curve and mesh design and some high-end chairs provide flexible lumbar support.
Gaming chairs mostly have flat backs and some have poor lumbar support or supports that do not work.
While it may not be okay to use gaming chairs for your long-term daily office routine, your current situation and the gaming chair in question are critical.
Gaming chairs come in different designs, styles, and levels of comfort. That’s why you cannot find a straight-up answer to whether gaming chairs are suitable for office use.
Note that, as a general rule of thumb, gaming chairs don’t come with sound ergonomics. But they’re designed to provide extreme comfort that enables you to, for instance, enjoy gaming for a long time without fatigue.
Depending on the nature and dynamics of your office work, gaming chairs may or may not be suitable for office work.
Also, models feature lumbar support designed to support your back when you’re gaming. While designers must have thought about this aspect and had a good reason for doing so, the support is over-the-top.
Assuming that you were using it for your daily office work, it may hurt your back. Instead, a straight backrest would be great for your back.
Gaming chairs are also available in stylish and affordable designs. This may not be a top consideration for anyone looking for a comfortable chair for office work.
You probably need a chair you can sit in throughout the day while working. Besides height adjustments, it’s not possible to adjust the gaming chair’s ergonomics.
Any exceptions to the Gaming Chair’s rule of thumb?
The long answer may come here: gaming chairs with excellent ergonomic designs may serve as high-quality office chairs.
There are expensive gaming chairs with high-end ergonomic designs. You can sit in them while working all day. So you have to pay much thought to get a gaming chair that’s good for office use.
From a general standpoint, such top designs can be a great choice. Remember that even a mid-range gaming chair may fit part-time working.
But if it’s all-day office work, then an average gaming chair will not be an excellent choice.
Conclusion
Gaming chairs often match up perfectly well with office chairs when it comes to style, beauty, and overall excellent look.
Most gaming chairs offer extreme comfort for, say, gaming. However, they lack essential adjustments such as adequate padding, which is necessary for office work.
Fortunately, there are top-quality gaming chairs with high-end ergonomic designs that can adapt perfectly to office work.
