Best PC gaming chair 2018: the best gaming chairs to play in comfort

Are you tired of walking away from a PC gaming session looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame after hunching over your desk while gaming? Well, there’s a solution: you can kick back and get comfy in one of the best PC gaming chairs you can buy in 2018. Because if you’re ruling the leaderboards, shouldn’t you be comfortable in one of these gaming thrones? But, look, we get it, it’s easy to grow complacent with your old clunker of a seat rather than take the time to shop for one of the best PC gaming chairs.

And, that’s why we made this list of the best gaming chairs for you – in classic TechRadar style. To be clear, there are a ton of gaming chairs out there. Some look like traditional office chairs, featuring all-black, ‘real-leather’ designs, like our number one choice, the noblechairs Epic Real Leather. Others fully embrace the gamer aesthetic, and intend to make you look like a futuristic race car driver, which is awesome – even if you are just playing DOTA 2.

Whatever your personal style and fashion taste, you can trust our opinions on the six best PC gaming chairs around. We don’t mean to brag, but we’ve done our fair share of sitting, and we’ve done so in all of the following gaming PC chairs at that. After hours of deep contemplation, you will find our top picks below. From the biggest names in video game-centric seatware, including Nitro and Vertagear, you won’t find anything out of place. 

It’s no exaggeration to call the Noblechairs Epic Real Leather the best gaming chair. From the cross-thatched embroidery to the real leather of its namesake, if you’re looking for a no-compromises gaming throne, this is it. Plus, it’s surprisingly quick and easy to set up. And, once the set-up is complete, the Epic Real Leather is a dream to sit on – and you can customise your position however you want. Just do us a favor, and read the instructions while you’re setting it up.

Corsair is known for making popular and high-end PC components and gaming peripherals. It’s only fitting, then, that they dip their toes into the gaming chair game – and they may have made one of the best gaming chairs yet. Covered top to bottom in breathable PU leather with neck and lumbar pillows wrapped in microfiber, you’ll be able to game both in comfort and style. And with its rollerblade-style wheels, you’ll be able to move it around on any surface without having to worry about scratching up your floor. 

• This product is only available in the US and Australia at the time of this writing. UK readers: check out a fine alternative in the noblechairs Epic Real Leather 

It’s testament to Noblechairs’ pedigree that two of its products earn the highest rankings on this list – and the Noblechairs Icon gaming chair demonstrates why. While it’s more affordable than the flagship Epic Real Leather, it’s still one of the best gaming chairs you can buy, and one of the most comfortable seats you’ll sit in. This is thanks to the nice lumbar pillow included with the chair, and even if you find that pillow tedious, you can easily remove it. 

The Vertagear Racing Series S-Line SL4000 Gaming Chair is certainly one of the most striking chairs we’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting in. Not only is this chair supremely comfortable and sturdy, but you’ll get comments from anyone who walks through your office. Just be prepared to clean it regularly – as its white leather is a magnet for dirt.

Another day, another Noblechairs gaming seat – and the Noblechairs Epic is the best gaming chair for the classier gamer. It features a faux-leather covering inspired by car seats, combining both comfort and a high-end design to make it one of the best gaming chairs you can buy today. And, if you’re the type that shies away from the ‘gamer aesthetic,’ the Epic’s subtle black design is far more elegant than some of the more brightly-colored seats on this list.

For the gamer looking for some extra room in their seat, the Vertagear Racing Series PL6000 is a must-have. Specially designed to provide both added width and height, this is the best gaming chair for anyone with a larger frame – no matter how tall you are, the adjustable headrest means you’ll never experience discomfort. However, this is a complicated chair to assemble, so use the buddy system to build this masterpiece.

The Nitro Concepts C80 is a beautiful, comfy gaming chair that could easily double as an office chair – it looks more expensive than it is. Nitro Concepts was able to keep the price down by making a few compromises that don’t affect the quality of the chair – like using polyurethane instead of leather. And, no compromises were made in the build quality, as this is an impressively sturdy gaming chair. Just make sure you get a friend to help you assemble it – putting it together had us tearing our hair out.

• This product is only available in the UK at the time of this writing. US and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the noblechairs Icon 

It can be hard to find a gaming chair that always matches the ... uh, decor of your room. Racing stripes and loud color palettes might be perfect for some tastes, but sometimes a more subtle look may be the route to go. If your gaming area is the same location that you do your business work when you're at home, Respawn's Respawn-115 Racing Style Gaming Chair is the happy compromise. It has the basic sculpt of traditional gaming chairs including lumbar support padding, reclining back and adjustable arms, but has an exterior visage that works for offices, too.  The only small gripe we have with the chair is that the lumbar support isn't connected to the chair in any way which means you'll need to re-adjust it every time you leave your seat. Small problems aside, though, this is a fantastic-looking gaming chair for the more mature gaming audience.

• This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the noblechairs Icon