Should I Get A Gaming Chair Or An Office Chair?

By Robert David Orr / Last updated: Nov 30, 2022

Are you all set to start working from home?

Laptop? Check.

Earbuds or headphones? Check.

Everything’s there.

But there’s still something keeping you away from a functional, well-equipped workspace.

Gaming chairs and office chairs both provide excellent support for long working hours and are great in terms of ergonomics and comfort. If you prefer a flashy style racing seat with embroidered symbols, a gaming chair is your best bet. On the contrary, if comfort is on the top of your list, a sleek office chair would do just great.

After all, that chair from your kitchen table gets really uncomfortable, and really fast, and it’s not any kind of solution for the best home office setup!

So you’re probably like me and when you realized you needed something new for this crucial piece of home office furniture, you ran over to Google, and you quickly found two options for the best office chairs: an office chair and a gaming chair.

So you start thinking, should I get a gaming chair or office chair?

There’s a misconception that gaming chairs are only meant for gamers, and they lack the needed comfort for long working hours.

That’s not true.

There is no clear-cut winner when it comes down to ergonomics and adjustable features. Both gaming chairs and office chairs come with swiveling bases, armrests, padding, and other adjustable components.

But here’s the deal:

You probably don’t want to join a corporate board meeting on a chair with racing stripes and a wolf logo, right?

But if you are a YouTuber, or Twitch streamer, these design features can create an aesthetically pleasing look that’ll help you grow your channel and maybe even get you some extra subscribers because they love your look!

Can you get an office chair for gaming?

Yep. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Can you get a gaming chair for your home office without being a gamer?

Absolutely!

But here’s the crucial question:

Which one is better for you? A gaming chair or an office chair?

Let’s dive in.

Real quick, before we get too far into it here, if you want to get more great ideas for your gaming room or home office and want to connect with other home office hackers to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Battle Station Setup here.

Which One is Better For You: a Gaming Chair or an Office Chair?

Everyone is different. The needs you have for your home office and the kind of comfort you require to be able to be your best are going to vary from person to person.

So what works for you might not be a good fit for someone else.

The best office chairs are specifically designed and created for people to sit for long hours and have several adjustments for different body shapes, address back pain and discomfort, and height levels. They are primarily built to provide comfort during long working hours.

And even if you are a gamer, you don’t need to break the bank just to get an expensive gaming chair. An office chair would do just fine.

Gaming chairs come in bright, vibrant colors and can really give your home office a great look.

They’re designed to look amazing, in addition to being incredibly comfortable, compared to an office chair which is mostly sleek black and offers fewer gamer-centric options.

There are gaming chairs that come with speakers, headphone outputs, and even steering wheel mounts.

But do you need a steering wheel mount if you just use your chair for office work? My guess is probably not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a gaming chair for your home office.

Which Chair Style Has the Better Design?

Working for long hours can be tedious and also create health implications for professionals. Ergonomic office chairs are designed to support the body and maintain the user’s posture.

They offer customized settings and multi-adjustments as compared to gaming chairs which are less ergonomic and fancier.

Ergonomic office chairs provide adjustable seat height, seat depth and width, lumbar support, swivel, and armrest.

Gaming chairs come with a bucket seat design, raised front lip, and a fixed headrest. Bucket seat design and raised front look are used in race cars to limit side movement and elevate legs to give easy access to the pedals.

But sometimes they can be considered to be counterproductive in an office setting as these kinds of chairs restrict free movement.

Gaming Chair vs. Office Chair Definitions

What Is A Gaming Chair?

A gaming chair designed is specifically for gamers. They resemble a sports car seat and come with bright accent colors and stripes. They enhance the overall gaming experience and include features like Bluetooth connectivity, integrated speakers, and steering wheel mounts.

They are tailor-made to provide a great experience to the gamers during short and long gaming hours. They are now popular for all types of desk activities with adjustable seat height, armrests, lumbar support, reclining backrest, and rocking function. You get detachable lumbar and head pillows with a winged backrest and a fixed headrest.

The best part? Some gaming chairs support a 180 degrees backrest recline. Sitting straight is bad for your back. According to Scottish and Canadian researchers, 135 degrees backrest recline is the best position for extended work sessions.

What is a Traditional Office Chair?

Traditional office chairs are designed for professionals working for long hours, providing them with increased comfort. Most traditional office chairs come with adjustable seat height, armrests, lumbar support, and reclining backrest.

All in all, traditional office chairs are built to accommodate different body types, back pains, and heights. Comfort is always the top priority.

Gaming Chairs Vs. Office Chairs Compared

Feature	Office Chair	Gaming Chair
Headrest	☑ Adjustable	☑ Fixed
Seat Edge	☑ Raised	☑ Waterfall shaped
Adjustable Lumbar	☑	☑
Adjustable Armrests	☑	☑
Reclining Backrest	☑	☑
Max Recline	130°	180°
Synchro-Tilt	☑	ⓧ
Armrests	3D or higher	2D (up down) and higher
Mesh Backrest	☑	ⓧ

Note: Both gaming chairs and office chairs vary depending on the manufacturer and specific model. Some office chairs will come with a fixed headrest and some with fully adjustable one. So, always compare specific products to see which one is better for you.

Design and Aesthetics

Gaming chairs stand out when it comes to design and aesthetics. In contrast, office chairs have discrete designs and simple features. They are mostly in subdued shades of black and gray. A gaming chair offers bold styles inspired by racing cars.

Comfort

The definition of comfort varies from person to person. Some feel comfortable on a standard office chair, while some get comfort only while working on a gaming chair.

Gaming chairs provide many adjustable features that address unhealthy sitting habits and thus provide a solution to that.

But the majority of the gaming chairs do not come with adjustable headrests. Instead, they opt for a high back with a fixed headrest to support the user’s head.

However, you can get detachable lumbar and head pillows in many cases.

Sitting for a prolonged time in awkward positions can create stress in your whole body, and the level of fatigue accelerates. A thick padded seat provides a comfortable base for the legs and adjustable lumbar support for the spine.

But there are some problems with the sporty design—bucket-shaped seat, raised front lip, and winged backrests. They affect the overall ergonomics as the raised sides restrict your seating space, and raised front lip elevates your legs for no obvious reason.

This is where office chairs come in.

Office chairs provide an unmatched comfort level. You get adjustable armrests, seat height, headrest, and all the other necessary features. Waterfall edge design helps reduce pressure build up in the back of the thighs, hence improving the ergonomics tenfold compared to a gaming chair.

Chair Comfortability Can Vary From Person to Person

You bought an expensive ergonomic office chair that your friend suggested, and you still feel it’s not that comfortable?

Having several adjustment options can be overwhelming. You have to properly adjust the height, armrests, etc., to benefit from the extra features.

According to a survey published in the scholarly journal Ergonomics in Design, work-from-home users had the wrong height with about 2% too high, and about 41% too low, 18% of the armrests were improperly adjusted, and 32% of workers do not even use them.

See, the chair is not the problem; it’s how you use it.

And also, chair comfortability can vary from person to person. It depends on your body shape, height, weight, back problems (if any), and other few factors. Always see which configuration works for your body and stick to it.

Pricing

You can get an office chair cheap, but the old saying, “you get what you pay for” is true.

A cheap office chair lacks the ergonomic design and comfort that we are looking for.

You have to spend over $1000 for a high-end office chair like Herman Miller Aeron to enjoy premium quality and multi-adjustments. Alera Elusion is the best budget option if you a looking for a value-for-money product.

On the contrary, a good gaming chair with a 2-5 year warranty will cost you about $300-$550. But unlike cheap office chairs, even the least expensive gaming chair will have the basic ergonomic gaming chair design with multi-adjustment options irrespective of the price.

Popular Office Chairs

Office Star ProGrid Breathable Mesh High Back Manager’s Office Chair with Adjustable Seat Height, Multi-Function Tilt Control and Seat Slider, Coal FreeFlex Fabric

Breathable ProGrid Back with Built-in Lumbar Support
Adjustable arms provide extra comfort

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Walmart

Buy on Office

Is it better to get an office chair or a gaming chair?

Are you a YouTuber who streams content? Or do you just want a sporty look in your room?

A gaming chair is the best option. You get the looks, comfort, and adjustments all in one product.

Both office and gaming chairs provide a good level of comfort and features, but a true gamer always goes with a gaming chair.

If you are just adjusting to working from your home, you can go with an office chair and give your work corner an office-friendly vibe.

I won’t say ergonomic office chairs don’t look good. Sometimes the sleek graphite look is what’s needed to match a professional setup.

Gamers Nexus – a gaming YouTube channel – suggests that gaming chairs often are not worth your money. He goes on to explain how office chairs are much more ergonomically sound, supportive of the body, and maximum comfort.

Why is a gaming chair better?

Here’s why a gaming chair is a better option:

Inspired by popular video games and racing cars
Numerous features and adjustment options
A variety of great aesthetics and and appealing looks
Variety of colors
Tall backrest
4D adjustable armrests
Sporty design
High back with fixed headrest

Why is an Office Chair Better?

Not a fan of flashy colors? Here’s why you should get an office chair:

Provides office-style appearance
Designed for increased productivity
Long-term comfort
Ergonomic Design
Designed for maximum comfort during long working hours
Multiple adjustment and configuration options
Waterfall edge for leg support
Exceptional lumbar support

Best Gaming Chair and Office Chair

Best Gaming Chair: Vertagear Gaming Chair

The Vertagear Gaming Chair comes in many design options. It is worth the money as it offers a robust steel frame, headrest pillow, lumbar support cushion, with plenty of padding to ensure comfort for long hours.

Best Office Chair: Herman Miller Aeron Chair

The Herman Miller Aeron Chair is considered one of the best office chairs. It is highly comfortable, well-built, and offers a wide range of adjustment features. Performs exceptionally well for both gaming and office work. It is available in graphite color and metal material.