Can Gaming Chairs be Used as Office Chairs [ANSWERED]

Can Gaming Chairs be Used as Office Chairs

So can gaming chairs be used as office chairs? Yes, gaming chairs can be used as an office chair. Both gaming chairs and office chairs share the same function. Providing the user with a comfortable sitting experience. 

The main difference is aesthetics. Gaming chairs typically have a race car design to them. And office chairs outshine gaming chairs slightly when it comes to ergonomics.

Performance

For me, the most important thing is my health. More specifically my spine health so it’s critical for me to choose a good chair to sit in.

Trying both types of chairs, I’ve come to one great conclusion… you get what you pay for. 

If you go for a cheap gaming chair, you’re going to end up hurting your back. And the same goes for an office chair. If you go cheap, your back will pay the price. 

Trust me I know, I’m still going to the chiropractor.

Features

You get a lot more features out of a gaming chair. This includes adjustability and even getting a built-in massager.

With an office chair, the features are minimal. 

If you pay the same price for a gaming chair as you did for your office chair, most likely the gaming chair will come with more accessories. 

This includes a built in lumbar support which is typically an adjustable cushion. These adjustable cushions are a hit or miss. 

Some lumbar supports are thick which is incredibly annoying and almost makes it unusable. 

And you get some lumbar support that are fairly thin which I think is better than the thick ones.

Another feature is the headrest. Gaming chairs typically come with one even at a cheap price point and office chairs usually don’t have one. 

Some people enjoy the headrest and some people find it annoying.

A gaming chair is typically a lot more padded than an office chair. Sure, this is a great feature, however, a well padded chair doesn’t reflect its overall comfortability. 

For example, I’ve got an office chair that’s well padded but its support for the spine is beyond terrible.

One aspect where the office chair outshines the gaming chair is when it comes to mesh support. 

What’s that? 

Mesh is a type of material, it helps your body breathe. 

So if you get sweaty when at your desk, a mesh chair is something you want to consider. 

There aren’t many gaming chairs that are made from mesh.

Build quality

This can come down to price a lot of the time. You get what you paid for. 

These days, both gaming and office chairs are made from metal and spray coated. The coat helps prevent rust and corrosion. 

Preserving the life span of the chair. With a solid metal build, this can also help the lifespan of a chair. 

The metal build will also contribute to your spine health, it will make it harder for you to slouch on the chair. 

When it comes to build quality, gaming and office chairs are pretty much the same.

For larger people

From my research, I’ve found that large people sometimes have an issue with gaming chairs.

WHY?

Because it sometimes feels caved in. A good office chair has a waterfall style seat, this relieves pressure from the thighs. 

Whereas a gaming chair might have a seat design that tries to cradle you.

The same goes for the sides. A gaming chair sometimes caves inwards which might be uncomfortable for larger people. 

Whereas an office chair typically has a more free design.

Mobility

So both gaming and office chairs are the exact same when it comes to mobility. 

They both have wheels and you can go from point A to point B fairly smoothly. 

However, if you’ve got a wooden floor and you don’t want it to scratch, you’re going to want wheels with a rubber coating. 

You can find these alternatives for both types of chairs.

Aesthetics

Arguably the biggest difference is aesthetics. Gaming chairs for some reason have a racing car style to them. 

I have no idea why, they just do. Whereas office chairs have a more minimal and subtle look to them. 

Gaming chairs were designed to stand out from the rest. That’s one of the reasons they became so popular. 

Different pro gamers and streamers started using them. And before long, the entire gaming community wanted a gaming chair. 

A gaming chair won’t exactly have a direct link between your gaming performance or office productivity. 

They’re very similar to office chairs in terms of performance and functionality. What separates both are looks.

Which style looks better? Well that all comes down to personal preference.

Price

After trying both types of chairs, I’ve found that you get more for your money with a gaming chair. 

They come with more features, customization, and a better build in comparison to office chairs. 

I’ve found some people say office chairs are better when it comes to supporting spine health. 

I’m not sure if this is entirely true as I’ve seen people with incredibly expensive office chairs have an uncomfortable sitting experience.

If I had all the money in the world, I’d probably get the best office chair out there because office chairs focus on functionality first and then looks. 

Of course, we don’t have all the money in the world, so a good gaming chair should do the trick.

Summary

So gaming chairs can be used as office chairs. 

However, if you plan on using it at work, it might look a little weird. 

That may be something to consider if you care about what others think.

Both types of chairs fulfill the same role. In my experience, office chairs are designed with functionality in mind first. 

However, with that said, it doesn’t mean you’ll always get a comfortable chair. 

Personally, I’ve had office chairs that have completely ruined my back and it wasn’t fun.

If you want the most for your money, we’d recommend going with a good gaming chair. Something that’s not cheap but won’t break the bank.

Related:

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