How Much Does a Gaming Chair Cost?

Are you in the market for a gaming chair, but don’t know where to start?

Well, you’re in the right place!

With the hundreds of options out there to choose from, it can be difficult to know how much you should be spending on a gaming chair to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

When you started browsing around for a gaming chair online, here’s the first thing you probably asked yourself.

How much does a gaming chair cost?

Gaming Chairs can cost between $150 and $500 depending on the design, features, and size. On average, budget gaming chairs cost between $150 and $300. Gaming chairs from top brands cost between $300 and $500. High-end ergonomic office chairs, which are gaining popularity among gamers, can cost over $1,000.

In this guide, we’ll be discussing in detail how much gaming chairs cost. We’ll do a complete breakdown of gaming chairs at different price ranges to help you understand what you should expect from a gaming chair based on how much you spend.

After reading this guide, you’ll have a much better idea of how much you want to spend on your next gaming chair. 

Let’s get started!

How Much Do Gaming Chairs Cost on Average?

When you’re searching for a gaming chair, it’s important to understand that not all of them are created equally in terms of quality and performance. 

It can be difficult to differentiate the quality chairs from the garbage gaming chairs since most of them will look fairly similar and have the same basic design elements; even the really cheap chairs. 

To help make it easier to understand, here is a breakdown of what you should expect from a gaming chair based on its price range. 

Cheap Gaming Chairs Under $100

The first type of chair we’ll discuss is the cheap gaming chairs that cost under $100. These are chairs that you’ll typically find on Amazon.

Most of these gaming chairs will be the standard racing style design, but you might also find some inexpensive sofa recliners or floor rockers. 

While gaming chairs under $100 may look good from an aesthetic standpoint, that’s about all they have. 

From a quality and durability standpoint, they’re usually bad because of the entire cost of manufacturing the chair dedicated to making it look pretty to entice people to buy. 

On the inside, you’ll likely have a lot of plywood and plastic for the frame instead of aluminum or stainless steel, which means they’re a lot less durable. These chairs are also less supportive, meaning you’ll likely feel some creaking while you’re moving around in the chair, especially if you’re a larger individual.

In terms of features and adjustment options, you’ll be limited to basic 2D armrests, recline, and height adjustment. 

In general, if you only have $100 to spend, I would not recommend buying a gaming chair because you’ll sacrifice essential functionality, comfort, and durability just to have a pretty looking chair. I wouldn’t expect most cheap gaming chairs to last more than 2-3 years. 

Instead, I’d probably look for a $100 traditional office chair. While these chairs won’t offer vibrant colors and racing style design, for this price you can get a decently comfortable chair that will last a while. 

Budget Gaming Chairs Under $200

When looking at gaming chairs in the $150-$200 price range, you’ll start having a lot more options available to you in terms of features and design options. 

In terms of overall quality, you’ll notice a significant improvement over the $100 gaming chairs, but you shouldn’t expect anything amazing, as these are still considered budget gaming chairs. 

The gaming chair brands that you’ll be looking at here are not the top tier brands, but rather the “knock-off” brands that essentially copy the design elements of the higher tier brands, but reduce the price. Not necessarily a bad thing for you as the buyer, but something to keep in mind. 

Some brands that come to mind that produce solid gaming chairs in the price range are GTRacing and Homall. 

In terms of features, you’ll start seeing fancier chairs with all of the bells and whistles.

Some of these features could include:

• 3D Adjustable Armrests
• Footrests
• Bluetooth Speakers
• Massage Vibration Motor

In addition, you’ll start seeing gaming chair designs that extend past the standard PU-Leather upholstered racing-style chairs.

Some examples of other design elements include:

• Fabric Upholstery
• Mesh Ergonomic Chairs
• Recliner Gaming Chairs
• Single Sofa Gaming Chairs
• Floor Rockers

The best part about choosing chairs in this price range is that you’ll have more options available to you depending on your specific needs and use cases. If you’re a PS5 Gamer who plans to play casually in your living room, then your gaming chair needs will differ from a hardcore PC gamer. 

Again, while the quality of gaming chairs at this price point might not be outstanding, you can still find some excellent value chairs if you know where to look. 

Gaming Chairs Under $300

Gaming chairs around the $300 price point are usually the sweet spot for many people. 

While you’re still not in the price range of the top-tier gaming chair brands, the step-up in quality from the previous price tier is pretty significant. 

In terms of features, design options, you’re looking at much of the same when compared to gaming chairs in the $200 range, only the quality of the actual materials used is generally superior. 

You’ll start seeing gaming chairs will heavy-duty aluminum or stainless steel frames, which make them significantly more durable and are more likely to last for years. 

Regarding comfort, you’ll typically have higher quality foam padding in the seat and pillows in the headrest, and lumbar support. 

In general, I would consider gaming chairs around this price point to be the better value, striking a good balance between price and performance. You’re getting a whole lot of chairs for the money without paying any premiums that the top-tier brands can charge just because they’re more popular. 

Gaming Chairs That Cost Between $300-$500

When you start looking at chairs in the $300- $500 price range, this is where you’ll find all of the premium gaming chair brands that you’ve probably heard of.

Some of these top-tier gaming chair brands include Secretlab, DXRacer, Maxnomic, and Vertagear. 

In terms of build quality, features, and comfort, these chairs have it all.

If you’re someone who spends a lot of time in your chair every day, then you might want to consider getting a chair from one of these more reputable brands because they are built to last. 

In addition, since these brands are more well known and have a better track record, they usually provide a better online buying experience, have a better warranty and return policy, and better customer support, which is something that many people overlook. 

Also, in this price range, you’ll have more options for larger individuals. If you’re a big and tall person or are on the heavier side then you’ll have more options available to you with gaming chairs in this price range. Bigger chairs with higher weight capacities typically cost more since they require more materials, so be prepared to spend a little more if you’re a big guy. 

In general, this is the price point that most people will be spending on a gaming chair since all of the popular and reputable brands charges at this price point. While these prices are pretty expensive for what they are, you’re also paying a premium just because of the brand itself.

If you spend any time watching professional gamers on Twitch or Youtube, then you’ll most likely see gaming chairs from these brands floating around. 

Big and Tall Gaming Chairs Over $500

I’d consider any gaming chair that costs over $500 to be a premium gaming chair. 

If you’re talking about standard racing style gaming chairs, most of them won’t ever reach this price tag with just a couple of exceptions. 

First, if you’re a very large individual and you a plus-sized gaming chair with a weight capacity of over 400lbs, then you might find some chairs that cost over $500. This is simply because a bigger chair requires more materials to produce, which obviously increases the price. 

Second, some chair manufacturers offer upgrade options for premium upholstery or special edition designs, which increases the price of the chair.

For example, Secretlab has upgrade options for SoftWeave Fabric or NAPPA leather, which ramp up the price significantly. In addition, they also feature special edition designs based on their partnerships with popular games and eSports organizations. 

Ergonomic Gaming Chairs Over $1,000

Now, let’s move away from the standard racing style gaming chairs and talk about some premium Ergonomic Office Chairs.

These would include some established brands such as Herman Miller and Steelcase. Their chairs can cost upwards of $1,000 – $2,000.

While these chairs aren’t technically branded as “gaming chairs,” they have gained a lot of popularity among professional gamers lately due to their comfort, adjustability, build quality, and ergonomics. 

If you’re someone who spends the majority of your time in your office chair, then these premium ergonomic chairs will offer much more support and comfort than any racing style gaming chair on the market. 

They’re definitely pricey, but worth the investment for hardcore gamers who spend more than 8 hours per day playing. 

Factors That Determine Gaming Chair Price

Now that we’ve discussed how much gaming chairs cost on average, let’s talk about the actual factors that ultimately determine the gaming chair price. This can help us understand what you’re actually paying for when buying a gaming chair compare to any ordinary, run of the mill office chair

Branding

It’s no surprise that the gaming industry has been booming in recent years. And with this, some brands have taken advantage of this opportunity and cemented themselves as dominant brands in the space. 

Companies like Secretlab and DXRacer have done a ton of marketing to partner with top eSports organizations and content creators to elevate brands to the top of the industry. 

And like with all things, bigger brands can charge a premium on their products. Whether it’s an iPhone or a gaming chair, the brand name products cost more. 

So, just keep in mind that when you’re buying a gaming chair, you’re paying a premium for the brand.

Materials & Build Quality

As I mentioned earlier, not all gaming chairs are created equal, despite the fact that many of them look the same. 

It’s easy for a cheap gaming chair to replicate the look of a premium gaming chair on the outside. However, the actual construction and quality of the materials being used can vary significantly based on the price of the chair. 

Higher-end gaming chairs have a much more sturdy and durable build construction, offer more support, and will last longer.

It’s as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.”

Size

Another factor that determines the price of a gaming chair is the size. Typically, the larger the gaming chair, the higher the price. 

Since larger gaming chairs require more materials to accommodate big and tall people and offer higher weight capacity, they will typically cost more all other factors being equal. 

If you’re a heavier person or a big and tall person, then expect to spend a bit more on a gaming chair. 

Features

Finally, the price of a gaming chair will vary based on the features you opt for. Certain gaming chairs will offer additional features such as built-in Bluetooth speakers, footrests, massage motors, and more. 

In addition, some gaming chairs offer upgrades to the upholstery material, such as high-quality fabric or authentic leather instead of the standard PU leather found on most gaming chairs. 

How Much Should You Spend on a Gaming Chair?

How much you spend on a gaming chair will ultimately depend on your budget. 

I would avoid buying a gaming chair for under $100 because the quality is usually pretty lackluster. 

If you’re spending between $150-$300 on a gaming chair, you’ll see a significant boost in the overall quality and number of options available to you. You’ll just need to be careful and do your research on the specific chair models because you’ll be dealing with the lesser-known brands. 

For most people, spending between $300 and $500 on a gaming chair will be the sweet spot since you’ll be able to buy from the top-tier gaming chair brands that provide better quality and options for larger individuals. 

FAQs

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