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The Best Gaming Chairs for 2026

Office chairs are great for work, but they aren't designed for long video game sessions. The best gaming chairs I've tested deliver the comfort you need to save kingdoms, slay monsters, and solve puzzles.

 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Whether you play PC games on a monitor or console games on a TV, you should invest in a dedicated gaming chair for optimal seating. They're comfortable, sturdy, and designed with gamers in mind. I've assembled and sat in dozens of gaming chairs since 2013, and I thoroughly test each one for firsthand insight into construction and comfort. Currently, the Secretlab Titan Evo is my favorite high-end chair, while the AndaSeat Novis is the best budget-friendly alternative. Those aren't the only gaming chairs worth sitting in, so read on for all of the best models I've tested.

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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • Secretlab Titan Evo
    Best Customizable Gaming Chair

    Secretlab Titan Evo

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Excellent build quality
      • Comfortable
      • Several clever design elements
      • Easy assembly
      • Magnetic head pillow can be nudged off
      • Faux leather is vulnerable to cats

    Why We Picked It

    Even at four years old, Secretlab's 2022 Titan Evo stands as one of the best all-around gaming chairs. It's simply excellent, with rock-solid build quality, dense yet giving foam, and a variety of sizes and materials, including high-quality leatherette and sturdy fabric. Most notable is a two-knob internal lumbar support that lets you adjust the chair's height and firmness to hit your lower back just right.

    Who It's For

    Most gamers: The Titan Evo is a bit pricey, but you get one of the nicest conventional gaming chairs for the price. It's also available in three sizes and in faux leather, fabric, or microsuede (or a version from this year with an even sturdier leatherette called NanoGen, featuring a few design upgrades the other options don't). Plus, there are many different styles, including ones for esports teams, DC superheroes, and League of Legends characters.

    Get It Now
  • AndaSeat Novis Gaming Chair
    Best Affordable Gaming Chair

    AndaSeat Novis Gaming Chair

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Sturdy, comfortable design
      • Above-average warranty
      • Inexpensive
      • Lacks a tilt mechanism

    Why We Picked It

    Most low-cost gaming chairs feel cheap, which is why the AndaSeat Novis stands out from the budget-friendly pack. It's a well-made chair with dense foam padding and either leatherette or fabric material options for less than $300. It also offers a better-than-average three-year warranty, which you can extend to five years by simply sharing a photo of your chair on social media.

    Who It's For

    Gamers on a budget: If you prioritize price over features, the AndaSeat Novis is a workhorse gaming chair. Do note that it lacks a tilt function; the back reclines with a lever pull, but you can't rock like you can with more expensive seats.

  • Herman Miller X Logitech G Vantum
    Credit: Will Greenwald
    Most Affordable Herman Miller Chair

    Herman Miller X Logitech G Vantum

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Fantastic lumbar and upper-back support
      • Strong build with high weight tolerance
      • Clever reclining adjustment
      • 12-year warranty
      • Expensive

    Why We Picked It

    The Herman Miller X Logitech G Vantum is pricey compared with most gaming chairs, but it's downright cheap for a Herman Miller product. The premium seat incorporates adaptive plates that shift to support your lumbar and upper-back areas, and it feels supremely comfortable because of it. Add a 12-year warranty, and this is a four-digit gaming chair that's worth your time.

    Who It's For

    People who need top-notch ergonomics: This is for gamers who spend most of their time at their desks and can afford the best possible support. The Vantum is expensive, but its engineering and overall feel justify the price.

  • Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody
    Best Premium Gaming Chair

    Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Arrives fully assembled
      • Very comfortable
      • Many adjustable elements to personalize the feel
      • Lengthy 12-year warranty
      • Extremely expensive
      • Fairly low-key look for such a pricey chair

    Why We Picked It

    Herman Miller has its own gaming chair, which is the second-most-expensive on the list. The Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody, a collaboration with Logitech, costs a hefty $2,000.

    So, what do you get for dropping that kind of cash? An incredibly ergonomic chair with multiple adjustments that go beyond the usual height and tilt tweaks. The chair back conforms to the shape of your spine, going significantly further than the knobs, cushions, and bumpy, springy sections on other chairs in fitting your back.

    Who It's For

    Gamers with big bucks: This is for people with deep pockets who don't mind spending big dough for top-notch comfort.

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  • Fractal Design Refine
    Best Herman Miller Alternative

    Fractal Design Refine

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Relatively affordable
      • Comfortable
      • Loaded with clever design elements
      • Eye-catching hubless casters
      • Mesh feels plasticky
      • Somewhat low weight limit

    Why We Picked It

    The Fractal Design Refine is a minimalist gaming chair that punches well above its price range. It features incredibly clever design elements and is very comfortable, partly thanks to an adjustable lumbar support. It lacks the extensive and obsessive ergonomic engineering of Herman Miller's chairs, but it costs half as much.

    Who It's For

    Gamers who want ergonomics without paying Herman Miller prices: This is one of the best chairs for a Herman Miller-like design without the hefty price. However, the mesh version's upholstery feels a bit plasticky.

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  • SecretLab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition
    Best Leatherette Chair for Cat Owners

    SecretLab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Same excellent design and build quality as the standard version
      • NanoGen faux leather is resistant to stains and pet claws
      • Improved seat and armrests
      • Five-year warranty (with social media sharing)
      • Expensive

    Why We Picked It

    The Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition is a slightly upgraded version of the Titan Evo, but with a much higher price. It has a softer seat, nicer armrests, and smoother and more resilient NanoGen faux leather upholstery. Still, those benefits don't necessarily justify spending an extra $250 over the Titan Evo—unless you have a cat! The chair withstood my Russian Blue's attention while suffering two almost unnoticeable welts (other leatherette chairs would have been completely shredded).

    Who It's For

    Cat owners who really want leatherette: If you own a pet and want a supple faux-leather chair, the Titan Evo NanoGen Edition is the only one I've tested that has withstood claws. It is expensive, though, and the more affordable Titan Evo versions are still top-tier gaming chairs. If you don't need leatherette, consider the SoftWeave fabric upholstery model.

  • Anthros Chair
    Credit: Will Greenwald
    Best for Back Pain

    Anthros Chair

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Reduces back pain from sitting
      • Comfortable and supportive
      • Free video consultation before you buy
      • 60-day return policy and 12-year warranty
      • Expensive
      • Unique back support requires an adjustment period

    Why We Picked It

    The Anthros is one of the most expensive chairs on this list, for ergonomics-obsessed reasons. It's designed to reduce back pain by focusing on improving your posture. It uses pelvic support instead of lumbar support to keep your hips stationary and your upper back properly positioned above them. It's unique, surprisingly comfortable, and can potentially have positive long-term effects.

    Who It's For

    Anyone who wants better posture: If you already have good posture, the Anthros Chair might feel stifling compared with Herman Miller's choices. If you suffer from back pain, though, the Anthros might help alleviate it.

The Best Gaming Chairs for 2026

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Our Pick
Rating
4.5 Outstanding
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
Best For
Best Customizable Gaming Chair
Best Affordable Gaming Chair
Most Affordable Herman Miller Chair
Best Premium Gaming Chair
Best Herman Miller Alternative
Best Leatherette Chair for Cat Owners
Best for Back Pain
Best Customizable Gaming Chair
Best Affordable Gaming Chair
Most Affordable Herman Miller Chair

Buying Guide: The Best Gaming Chairs for 2026


Gaming Chairs vs. Office Chairs

At first glance, gaming chairs don't look all that different from office chairs. They're typically pretty large, with backrests that extend high enough to support your head and generous armrests. There are also less conventional gaming chairs that trade standard foam-and-upholstery construction for more ergonomically complex designs; they typically cost a bit more money.

Whereas most office chairs focus on dark colors and earth tones, and have more traditional seat designs, gaming chairs typically come in a variety of colors. Even if the chair is mostly black, it will likely have many eye-catching accents. Some gaming chairs are branded with superheroes, esports teams, movies, or shows. Their seats resemble racing chairs used in simulators, so you'll see many more bucket seats than frumpy armchair designs.

Additionally, the best gaming chairs are more adjustable than office chairs. The models we've tested have the standard options, such as height and tilt, similar to those found in office chairs. However, many models go a step further, offering adjustable armrests that can be pivoted, slid, and raised or lowered. Sadly, we've yet to find any with cupholders.

Although office chairs generally offer full-chair tilt, gaming chairs let you lean back while keeping the seat flat with a lever pull. Most gaming chairs we've tested have reclining functions that let you sit back comfortably and stare at your TV as easily as lean forward to watch your computer monitor.

These features add up to a sturdier, more comfortable chair you can easily use for various situations. It also adds up to a hefty price tag: Gaming chairs typically run between $300 and $600 (with good ones starting at around $400 and some extreme picks reaching nearly $2,000). They are typically much more expensive than a basic desk chair at an office supply store. Of course, if you spend a lot of time in it, you probably want to invest in a good one. They're like beds that way.

Several gaming chairs avoid the aforementioned design elements and opt for a sleeker look. Herman Miller pioneered this idea in office chairs and offers its spin on gaming chairs.


Does Gaming Chair Size Matter?

Size is the most important thing to consider when shopping for a gaming chair. Most manufacturers design chairs with different body types in mind.

Standard gaming chairs usually support a maximum weight between 240 and 300 pounds, depending on the model. Larger, more heavy-duty chairs support maximum weights of 350, 400, and even 450 pounds. The difference in seat dimensions varies by several inches in width and depth, leading to an uncomfortable chair if you buy one that's too big or too small.

Fortunately, most manufacturers offer detailed measurements for every aspect of their chairs. Seat depth and width, backrest height and width, armrest height range, and other measurements affect how a chair feels. If you're unsure about a given model, compare its measurements with those of your current chair.


What Is the Best Gaming Chair for the Price?

It's best to try furniture before you buy, but that isn't always possible with gaming chairs. You can sometimes find a limited selection at your nearby Best Buy, Micro Center, or Staples. Besides that, your best bet is to attend video game conventions, such as Evo or PAX, where gaming chair companies often set up booths to try out chairs and offer convention-exclusive discounts. Otherwise, thoroughly research the chair you want to buy because it's a significant investment.

For more, check out our favorite desktop and laptop PCs for gaming. While you're at it, consider accessories that will help improve your game, including headsetskeyboards, and mice.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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