You've probably heard that ergonomic chairs were created to solve the problems of modern office workplaces, but the idea goes further back than that. An ergonomic chair has been a necessity since the rise of desk work in the Industrial Age. That is when the need for improved seating became apparent. Chairs have evolved ever since, and most offices now, having understood the importance of workspace ergonomics and correlation of posture and productivity, are equipped with chairs with modern ergonomic features.
It is worth noting that everyone’s back is different, and different people choose different chairs depending on how comfortable they feel when sitting on the chair. Specialists in ergonomics have determined that the best chair for any one person is a special chair built just for that one person. However, something like this would drive production costs up leading to sky-high price points thanks to the manufacturing customisations required in every model. As such, the second best solution is to improve on the chair design, add cushions, moveable lumbar support and other customisable components to a standard office chair, so that users can actually customise the chair based on their own comfort and needs.
Why Gaming Chairs?
So we have covered the A to Zs of ergonomic chairs. Now, you might be wondering — What is the difference between an ergonomic chair and a gaming chair? Very simply put, gaming chairs provide all the benefits of an ergonomic chair, but with more versatile all-day sitting support. Some features include long-lasting synthetic leather to reduce wear and tear as well as foam padding for better blood circulation to the thighs and legs. There are very good reasons for these improvements and enhancements.
The gaming industry is constantly expanding along with the demand for better graphics and processors for hyper-realistic gaming experiences. With remote working and independent streaming gaining massive popularity, there is a vast demand for products that aid the overall performance and aesthetics of a physical workstation or gaming rig. It is no surprise that the biggest professional streamers in the world are also gamers thanks to the profitability of streaming for over long periods of time.
Over time, streaming or gaming as a full time job can cause physical discomfort or strain as compared to regular office employees who can just stand up and take a quick break by stretching or walking if they feel physically strained. A comfortable gaming chair solves that issue for most people. In addition, design elements in a chair can add aesthetic value to the gamer or streamer such that there is a bigger visual appeal to both the gamer and the stream audience. This massive demand allowed many chair companies to enter the gaming chair industry and have a plethora of features that appeal to a variety of audiences, even to the average consumer who simply wants an attractive looking chair with good ergonomics.
As you already know, the gaming chair industry is highly competitive with many brands for you to choose from. So now the next question would be — Which chair should you choose? The best advice would be to physically try out the chairs and get the one that makes you feel the most comfortable and matches your decor. But for the people who do not have all the time in the world and simply want to narrow down the list to choose from, we have curated a list of the top gaming chair brands.
Here is our list of the five best Gaming Chair brands in Singapore:
#5: Royale Ergonomics
The fifth in our list, but no less, is none other than Royale Ergonomics. The founder of the company has extensive knowledge on the automotive industry and luxury car seats, hence understanding the necessity of good ergonomics.
The good thing about Royale is the fact that their chairs use full Napa leather instead of PU leather, which makes the material more wear-resistant and gives a soft and supple feel. Another advantage of buying from Royale is that you are able to customise the design of your upholstery the way you like.
The cost of their chair is relatively modest, with the Midknight Poseidon chair retailing at S$649.
#4: Razer
Razer is already incredibly well established with their top-of-the-line performance laptops and gaming accessories. While already having a strong presence in the gaming industry, the multinational giant is now trying their hand at the Gaming Chair market.
Their signature Razer Iskur portrays the very recognisable dark neon-green edged finish that goes hand in hand with workstation aesthetics, brand identity and a focus towards ergonomic comfort. It is perfect for individuals who need a good quality ergonomic chair and want to add on another Razer product to their Razer Ecosystem.
The Razer Iskur retails at a slightly higher S$749, which is suitable for gamers who don’t mind paying the extra for the premium quality and brand assurance.
#3: Herman Miller
Herman Miller is a furniture company founded by a dutch immigrant in 1923. The company became famous and popular because of the innovative furniture designs that helped shape the modern interior design landscape. So why is Herman Miller on this list?
Most of the Gaming Chairs in the market feature leather/leatherette or fabric upholstery, but a collaboration with Logitech brings a whole new experience to the premium consumer who doesn't mind shelling out large amounts of cash. The Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody Gaming Chair boasts a sleek and modern look that gives the sitting experience a more premium feel. They most definitely did not cheap out on the materials when constructing and designing the chair either.
Herman Miller Embody Gaming Chair retails at a hefty S$2,719. At this price point, Herman Miller makes it obvious that they are serious about their premium quality products.
#2: APOL
APOL stands for “A Piece Of Lifestyle” and was founded with one objective in mind — to prioritise comfort over anything else. The founders at APOL believe that physical wellbeing and comfort is everyone’s right. Having gone through the hardships and strains of having to sit for long periods of time, but unable to afford an ergonomic chair because of the high price points, the founder decided to take matters into his own hands and decided to design a gaming chair that is not only easy on the back, but also on the wallet.
With a low price point, the chair does not shy away from all the premium features that can be seen in other products. In fact, thanks to APOL’s Cloud Tech™ foam technology, the seat padding of the APOL Chairs are considered to be one of the softest in the Gaming Chair industry. This can be especially attractive for people who need a soft seat base for better blood circulation to the legs. Apart from that, the Multi-functional Tilt Mechanism, 4D Adjustable Armrests and Breathable PU Leather makes an APOL Chair the perfect purchase for anyone who is looking to get a premium gaming chair with a great bang for the buck.
Based on the preference of consumers, APOL chairs have three size variations: Sphinx (small), Kraken (medium) and Behemoth (large). APOL stayed true to their intention of making Gaming Chairs available to the consumers without having to break the bank, which is why the price point across all chair sizes is placed at S$428.
#1: Secretlab
Being the current market leaders of the Gaming Chair industry, it is of no surprise that Secretlab would end up top in our list. Tired of looking for a suitable chair for gaming, two former professional esports players decided to take matters into their own hands and founded this company. Since they were one of the first few companies that focused on the production of quality Gaming Chairs with good ergonomics, the company quickly took over the market by storm.
Today Secretlab has become multinational with resellers and consumers all around the world. They have partnered with many different brands to produce innovative collaborative designs such as “Attack on Titan”, “The Witcher”, “Game of Thrones”, “DC Comics” etc. Their signature chair, the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 features a NEO hybrid leatherette and magnetic head foam pillow which gets rid of the traditional pillow strap around the headrest.
With a big focus on visual aesthetics and without compromising on the premium quality, the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 is competitively priced at S$649 for the base model.