Spending hours playing video games can take a serious toll on your health and especially your back, which is why investing in a good gaming chair is so important. Here are our top four gaming chairs to suit every type of gamer.

For pro gamers: Secretlab Titan Evo 2022

The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is widely recognised as the top gaming chair on the market, and for good reason. It comes with built-in, four-way lumbar support, which can be tweaked with a precise adjustment dial to fit the curvature of your spine. The 4D armrests are similarly ergonomic, allowing for adjustments in all directions. The seat is padded with cold-cure foam, making it firm but still comfortable for hours on end.

One of the chair’s more unique features is the magnetic head cushion, which is filled with cooling gel for extra comfort and can be easily adjusted to the perfect position thanks to some powerful magnets. Other components of the chair are similarly magnetic and make for quick and easy adjustments.

Our top tip when buying this gaming chair? Upgrade to Secretlab’s SoftWeave fabric, which is more cooling than the hot and sticky leather texture.

For gamers with large frames: Noblechairs Hero

A lot of gaming chairs are crafted with a fairly narrow frame, something that just doesn’t suit every gamer. If you’re on the larger side and find that a lot of gaming chairs don’t fit you, consider the Noblechairs Hero, which has a wider build and comes with serious back support as well. Plus, it looks downright sleek and classy, beating most other gaming chairs when it comes to looks.

However, do consider that this is definitely not a soft chair—it’s sturdy and very firm, meaning that it will keep your posture intact and won’t break down on you, but it doesn’t have the kind of cloud-like comfort many people like. If you tend to prefer super soft pillows and mattresses, this chair may be too firm for you. If you like to sleep in firmer bedding, you will love this chair.

One final consideration: while the Hero’s PU leather material is of fairly high quality, it can still get somewhat hot and sweaty, so we recommend using this gaming chair in an air-conditioned room. Alternatively, opt for the fabric version of the chair.

For gamers who wanna keep cool: DXRacer AIR

The DXRacer AIR is the first gaming chair to be made entirely of mesh, with a metal and plastic frame for a sturdy build. This makes it incredibly breathable, with no PU leather or even fabric to trap heat.

The chair is all-around adjustable, from the track-mounted headrest to the 4D armrests, tilting backrest and lumbar support. Most of the adjustable components can be locked in as well, making it easy to keep the chair in your ideal position. In terms of comfort, the armrests are wide and thoroughly padded, which makes them easy to lean on during long gaming sessions. The chair also reclines for those much-needed moments of rest, although only up to 135 degrees, which is less than most gaming chairs are capable of.

While the material of this chair is its strongest point, it’s also its greatest downside. The plastic wings, for instance, are pretty large and can be easily knocked into, making it awkward to position your elbows at times. The lumbar support can also feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable due to the plastic material. The mesh itself, while breathable, can be quite rough against bare skin, especially if you use the chair for long periods of time.

The futuristic look of the DXRacer AIR may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely eye-catching and will make for a true centrepiece in a modern gaming room.

For gamers with stiff shoulders: OSIM uThrone

You may occasionally wish your gaming chair could be more than just a chair—and that’s where the OSIM uThrone comes in. This one is an innovative massage gaming chair, meaning that you can lean back 145 degrees in between gaming sessions and enjoy a pro-level massage.

Since OSIM is well-known for its massage chairs, you can rest assured that the uThrone won’t let you down in that department. It’s fitted out with V-Grip Massage technology and various massagers that can be adjusted to fit your personal shoulder width and frame. Like any good gaming chair, it also comes with built-in back and lumbar support. Plus, the headrest has something pretty unique to offer: a Bluetooth speaker for completely immersive sound.

This gaming chair only really has one downside: its power cable, which needs to be constantly plugged in for the chair to work how it’s supposed to. As the power cable is fairly short, this means that you need to be stationed near a power source at all times and can’t roll around the room as you could with most gaming chairs. Do also consider that the uThrone is pretty bulky and takes up a significant amount of space. Having said that, the massage quality alone would make it worth the purchase for many stiff and tired gamers.