What is the difference between an office chair and a gaming chair?

Many gamers, amateurs and professionals, wonder how a gaming chair and an office chair are different. Is there really a difference? To play a video game in the best conditions, it is important to equip yourself with a quality chair. Hence the idea of ​​the designers to offer a seat specially dedicated to gamers: the gaming chair.

The gaming chair has features that the classic office chair does not have, and vice versa. Indeed, this seat has several features to optimize the comfort of the player during his moments of play. Moreover, just by its design, we can already differentiate it from an office chair.

To better understand the points that distinguish these two types of seat, let's go around the subject by discovering some essential points. It will also help you know which chair is better and which model is right for you.

Gaming chair and office chair: what you need to know

In appearance, the gaming chair and the office chair are quite similar, except for a few details. Before really seeing the distinctive points of each type of seat, let's review their main characteristics.

The specificities of the gaming chair

First, as its name suggests, the gaming chair is intended for a gamer or a lover of innovative technologies. As a general rule, its price can vary from 100 euros for simple models, to 1000 euros for the most sophisticated versions, classified as high-end. If we have to talk about its structure, the gaming chair has wheels, a backrest and a seat.

Able to embed various mechanisms, such as tilting mode, all gaming chairs are in principle ergonomic. Thanks to its ergonomic design, the gaming chair consists of armrests, a footrest, a headrest and a lumbar support. It includes various settings to improve the comfort of its user.

The materials used for the upholstery of the gamer seat are usually leather, imitation leather or even fabric. Sporting a design almost identical to the seats found in racing cars, the gaming chair is more than comfortable to afford hours and hours of play, without getting tired or experiencing any pain whatsoever. It has a playful look, with bright and contrasting colors.

The office chair and its characteristics

For its part, the office chair is dedicated to people wishing to have a comfortable seat in front of a desk. This, in order to work several hours without getting up, whether to receive phone calls or to write documents. It exists even before the video game was invented.

Just like the gaming chair, the office chair has wheels, a padded seat and a backrest designed to provide a comfortable sitting position. Even with the wheels, you can place it on a floor mat , without affecting your comfort. On the contrary, it will promote your comfort, but also the decor of your office area.

On the price side, that of the office chair does not differ from that of the gaming chair. Indeed, the office chair can cost 130 euros for a classic model. Its price can nevertheless go up to 1000 euros for high-end chairs.

As ergonomic as the gaming chair, even sometimes more, the office model can be equipped with a footrest, a headrest, armrests and lumbar support. In terms of upholstery materials, we find mesh, fabric, leather and imitation leather. With its design focused on the world of office automation, the office chair brings a decorative touch to an office, whether you have it at home or at your workplace.

Comparison of office chair and gaming chair based on certain criteria

Now let's take a closer look at how the gaming chair and the office chair differ. For this, we will base ourselves on a few fundamental criteria, such as price, ergonomics, design, materials and mechanism. After analyzing each parameter, we will then see which model is better, and above all which type of seat is able to best meet your needs. Let's go !

The price: the main criterion to consider

As you have seen above, the price difference for the two chair models is quite wide. From 100 euros, the cost can reach 1000 euros or even more. Of course, this price is relative to a certain quality of the seat.

For ergonomic office chair models, the price is in most cases higher than that of gaming chairs. This depends on certain parameters, such as the material used, the mechanism that the seat incorporates or the manufacturing process.

This is particularly the case when the seat has a synchronous mechanism or is made of mesh. Basically, we can say that overall, the price of the ergonomic office chair is often higher than that of a gaming chair.

The ergonomics of the two seats

In terms of ergonomics, it seems that both types of chairs are appreciable. They both have a headrest, a footrest, a lumbar support and armrests. They all comply with high ergonomic requirements. However, we will notice some small imperfections on certain models of gaming chair, in particular at the level of the headrest.

Anyway, for one or the other, there are models in different formats and templates, to suit all sizes of users. You will therefore find office chairs with an adjustable headrest. In conclusion, if we consider ergonomics, the office chair is better than the gaming chair. This, in part thanks to the fact that it is possible to adjust the headrest. This allows it to be adapted to the morphology of its user.

The design of the gaming chair vs the design of the office chair

The biggest difference between the gaming chair and the office chair is undoubtedly in their design. In reality, the first model is focused on a style of bucket seat like in racing cars, while the second is more conventional, with several styles.

If you have to make a choice, the design is above all a matter of personal taste. On the one hand, you have the gaming chair which is structured in a "racing" spirit. Indeed, whatever its brand and its options, its configuration will most often have the features of these racing vehicle seats. If you have a preference for this type of design, you will be better off opting for the gaming chair.

On the other hand, the office chair can dress any kind of design. You are free to choose whichever suits you. In terms of design, we can say that we have equality between the two models of chairs. Here, it's up to you to see which style best suits your inclinations.

The mechanism: synchronous, tilting, permanent contact…

Here again, we can observe some differences, but slight. The main mechanisms with which both types of chairs are provided range from the synchronous system to the tilting mode, passing through the permanent contact. If you have to sit in your seat for more than 8 hours, it would be best to bet on the most appropriate mechanism. The experts in the field will confirm it to you, the ideal remains the synchronous system, knowing that it can support such a use.

Unlike the synchronous mechanism, the other systems lend themselves to less intensive use. In short, the choice of mechanism depends on the length of time you will have to sit. Since the gaming chair has been specially designed to provide optimal comfort to the gamer, it is probably better to choose it if you have to sit for more than 8 hours in a row.

Chair design materials

With the gaming chair or the office chair, the materials used are practically similar. You have the choice between genuine leather, synthetic leather and fabric, materials that manufacturers use for the seats of racing vehicles. But the advantage with the office chair is that some models are designed in mesh, a material that perfectly meets the requirements of a gamer in search of maximum comfort during his hours of play.

The fishnet is a flexible material, which can perfectly match the shape of the body. This is a major asset, given that the fishnet ensures ventilation of the body, a technical point that faux leather, fabric and leather do not have. Without this ventilation, you will be subject to more sweating. Also, your skin will stick to the chair and it could get dirty quickly. Not to mention the pains the player might feel in such a situation.

In the end, if we only have to compare the gaming chair and the office chair to their design materials, and in particular to the coating, the office chair takes over. Mesh is an innovative material that guarantees optimal comfort for the player.

Gaming chair vs office chair: which is better?

At the end of this comparison, the objective of which is to find out if there is a real difference between the video game player seat and the office chair, here is the ultimate verdict: there are no obvious dissimilarities. between the two seats. In reality, the differences between the two models are, so to speak, less.

From a performance and quality point of view, each model has its advantages and disadvantages. In the end, if you must get a seat, you will choose it in the first place according to your budget, your uses and your tastes. Basically, the game is a draw. However, to help you select the ideal seat for you, here is some information that you may find useful.

A chair for leisure and video games?

Are you an amateur or professional gamer? Is the digital universe one of your passions? Are you a tech savvy? And you are looking for a seat specially designed to allow you to play in the best conditions? There is no photo, the gaming chair is the type of seat made for you. In addition to allowing you to play for several hours without getting tired, this chair will fit into the decor of your special gamer room. If you have a gaming desk , it will fit in brilliantly.

Which chair for its practical side?

Are you looking for functionality, do you want a chair with maximum ergonomics, even if it means putting the aesthetic aspect on hold? It is recommended that you purchase an ergonomic office chair. This product will meet all your requests. Nevertheless, the gaming chair can be particularly practical. It is therefore up to you to choose at your convenience.

Versatility: gaming chair or office chair?

Do you intend to use your chair for a variety of purposes? Do you need the chair to play on your console or computer from time to time? But do you also need it to work from home, and perform recurring tasks on your PC? The best for you would be to acquire an office chair. It will not only allow you to better decorate your room, but also and above all to sit comfortably in front of your desk.

The final verdict to conclude

By referring to the analysis and comparison previously carried out, you will be able to get an idea of ​​the real difference between the gaming chair and the office chair. However, here are a few things to keep in mind.

First, ergonomically, it can be counterproductive to have a gaming chair equipped with a winged backrest and a bucket seat. To avoid this problem, especially if you are tall, consider getting a larger chair.

Also, taking into account the price, it should be noted that the office chair seems less ergonomic than a gaming chair, when the price is lower. On the other hand, if you put more money into it, the purchase of an office chair will be more judicious, because it will be more ergonomic and more comfortable.