What Gaming Chairs Do Pros Use?

Professional gamers get their name by sitting down for long periods and playing games for everyone to log on and watch.

Or, they join leagues and competitions to win prize money. Sounds simple enough, right?

Well, in reality, this could not be farther from the truth. Becoming a pro gamer is anything but simple.

Why? To get your name and face out there, you need to put in some serious hours on the most popular games. You cannot simply play an indie game for one hour a week and expect your follower count to increase.

Instead, you need to keep up to date with the newest releases and spend hours at a time streaming to get any kind of recognition. You also need to be skilled at social media so you can promote your streams. It’s an around the clock job!

Many amateur gamers tend to fail at getting any traction behind their streams, as they use poor quality chairs that effectively kill their back and good posture. It’s almost impossible to complete a 10-hour live stream without a high-quality gaming chair, which is why we’re going to enlighten you today.

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Likewise, people trying to succeed in high-pressure gaming tournaments can sometimes be distracted by the pain in their backs thanks to a low-quality gaming chair.

If you want to know what chairs the professional gamers are using, stay tuned. We’ll be taking a look at the chairs that the top gamers use, such as Ninja, PewDiePie, and Shroud, as well as a couple of chairs that tournaments often use. We must know their secrets!

In a hurry?

Any gaming chair used by a pro gamer is sure to be of a high-quality to enhance your performance, but we’ve found one in particular that caught our attention the most.

AKRacing gaming chairs are partnered with the LLE Championships this year, so we think that the Core Series EX-Wide Gaming Chair is the best option on the market right now, and here’s why:

  • The ergonomic design will keep you comfortable throughout your gaming session.
  • AKRacing chairs have been used for a number of different competitions and tournaments, so they must be doing something right!
  • The cold cure foam offers you the best possible comfort and support that a gaming chair could.

So, What Gaming Chairs Do Pros Use?

OUR TOP PICK

AKRacing Core Series EX-Wide Gaming Chair

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The AKRacing gaming chairs are the official chairs of the League of Legends European Championships 2020, meaning all of the competitors would be using these chairs. AKRacing has also been involved with other esports tournaments such as the Tokyo Game Show.

This chair is made of a breathable and soft covering, with high-density cold cured foam as the cushioning. This is one of the best cushioning options for a gaming chair, so we’d highly recommend looking out for this.

You can recline the chair to four positions and the armrests are adjustable for your individual comfort. The backrest is contoured in all the right places to keep your spine aligned with your neck. It also comes with a head and lumbar support pillow.

Pros:

  • Used for lots of different gaming competitions.
  • Cold cured foam for ultimate comfort and support.
  • Ergonomic design.

Cons:

  • A few customers had issues with shipping.
  • The hardware isn’t the best quality.

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EDITOR’S CHOICE

Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Chair

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Next up is the well-known gamer Shroud’s go-to gaming chair from Herman Miller. Shroud has surpassed 5.78 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, winning all sorts of awards such as The Game Award for Content Creator of the Year.

Shroud seems to prefer an office chair rather than a traditional gaming chair, as his chair is often used for work rather than pleasure. Don’t be discouraged by this change, though, as the Herman Miller chair is known for its high-quality comfort and great back support.

There’s the option for lumbar support and adjustable pads to suit the chair best to your body. Plus, the mesh back is very cooling and comfortable, so you’ll be able to game for hours. Choose between three sizes of this ergonomic chair.

Pros:

  • Very high-quality.
  • Optional lumbar support and ergonomic shape.
  • Three sizes to choose from.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t recline backwards.

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BEST VALUE

VERTAGEAR S-Line 2000 Gaming Chair

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VERTAGEAR is the official sponsor of the Capcom Cup event, which focuses on the Street Fighter game series. Each of the 32 competitors receive their own personalized VERTAGEAR gaming chair, and the grand prize is a title as well as $250,000.

The S-Line 2000 is incredibly easy to assemble at home and is incredibly durable thanks to the high-density foam and steel frame. You’ll also receive a memory foam head and lumbar support pillow for additional comfort.

The backrest adjusts to a number of reclining positions up to 140-degrees, and you can easily lock the tilting system should you need to remain still. The manufacturer also offers a 10-year limited warranty.

Pros:

  • Easy installation process.
  • Memory foam accessories.
  • 10 year warranty.

Cons:

  • Not the best customer service.
  • A couple of customers have had issues with the armrests.

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MAXNOMIC Dominator Premium Gaming & Esports Chair

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Ninja, one of the most popular streaming gamers with 22 million subscribers on YouTube alone, chooses a MAXNOMIC gaming chair to include within his $20,000 setup. The Dominator works to keep your posture aligned without compromising its ultimate comfort.

Cold cured foam and PU leather has been used to create the Dominator, making it very high-quality and resilient. You can adjust the 4D armrests and the backrest into reclining positions to find the right balance for you.

A two-year warranty protects your investment should anything go wrong with your chair, which is a nice touch. MAXNOMIC has been the official chair for many esports competitors, such as Team Liquid, DREAMHACK, and ESL.

Pros:

  • Ergonomic backrest keeps your posture on top form.
  • High-quality materials used to create the whole chair.
  • Two year warranty.

Cons:

  • One reviewer found the assembly a little difficult.
  • The stitched detailing may not be the highest quality.

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CLUTCH CHAIRZ Throttle Series Premium Gaming Chair

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When thinking about who is the most popular gamer on Youtube, you may automatically think of PewDiePie. You wouldn’t be incorrect, as his 100 million subscribers makes him the most subscribed to youtuber on the platform.

PewDiePie uses a CLUTCH CHAIRZ gaming chair, such as the Throttle Series. This chair offers a wider seat, which some gamers will find much more comfortable than other options on the market.

The 4D armrests are also extra wide, making them more comfortable for any gamer who uses it. You’ll get a head and lumbar support cushion to use if you’d like, ensuring an ergonomic position during every gaming session.

Pros:

  • Reclinable gaming chair.
  • Extra wide seat and armrests.
  • Bigger lumbar support cushion than the market average.

Cons:

  • One customer had an issue with breakage during shipping.
  • More expensive than other alternatives.

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What Gaming Chairs Do Pros Use? Buying Guide

Now we’ve had a look at what the gaming pros use for their long gaming sessions, let’s discuss what you should remember when comparing different chairs for your gaming adventure.

Keeping these factors in the back of your mind will enable you to choose a better gaming chair for your personal preferences and needs.

Ergonomic Design

Ergonomic design is among the most important feature to look for when choosing your gaming chair, as this could determine whether you can sit on a chair for multiple hours at a time. Your gaming chair must keep you in good posture with your spine aligned and stacked properly.

A high backrest with a headrest will enable you to prevent back pain, and lumbar cushioning could also influence you to remain sat up straight. High-quality gaming chairs are often designed to adapt to the shape of your body, which will also add to helping keep you comfortable and stabilized.

If you’re wanting to spend hours at a time in your gaming chair, you need it to adopt an ergonomic design.

Cushioning

Similarly, the cushioning needs to be high-quality and just right in terms of thickness and softness. Cold cure foam is often considered the best option for gaming chairs, as it’s firm enough so that you’re not sinking into the uncomfortable plastic, durable, and long-lasting.

Softer foams often lose their shape within a couple of months of regular use, so cold cure foam is generally what you want to look out for.

Reclining Capabilities

You may not think about it, but an upright chair is not recommended for long-term gamers. In fact, gamers are advised to sit anywhere from 90-degrees to 120-degrees. This will keep the pressure off of your lower back to avoid straining your muscles.

Using a reclined chair will also remove as much pressure off of your hips and thighs, allowing you to remain comfortable throughout the gaming session. You cannot be expected to kill a bad guy with leg cramps, right?

Gaming chairs can often also rock back and forth which allows your chair to move along with your body, making you more comfortable overall. This can be very handy, but you might want to also check if you can lock this or not. Some occasions need you to be still and stable, which you might not be able to achieve if your chair is moving.

Comfort

Always remember that comfort is one of the most important things to think about when purchasing a gaming chair. You could get a nice looking chair, but if it causes searing pain in your back, you won’t be able to use it for longer than half an hour.

Comfort comes in several different ways, such as armrests, headrests, lumbar support, and footrests. Determine what you will find most beneficial from these components and remember to keep an eye out for them. Extra features may drive the price up slightly, but comfort is not the feature to cut back on.

Breathability

You’ll be sitting on your chair for a long time, in front of a machine that is likely to be radiating heat onto you. If you cannot open a window or put a fan on because you’re worried about the sound ruining your audio, you’ll need your gaming chair to be breathable to keep you from overheating.

Breathability equates to comfort, so choose a material that’s breathable and allows a flow of air to circulate around your body. Mesh is a good option, however, if you cannot find a chair with mesh, try to find a cooling material like faux leather.

Price

Gaming chairs can be expensive, so make sure you set a budget for yourself and stick to it. You may not be able to invest in a professional gamer’s chair right away, so don’t stretch yourself thin trying to do so.

For example, Ninja has a gaming studio worth $20,000. This is due to his success being a pro gamer. Likely, he didn’t start with his current chair, so don’t worry about buying the most expensive chair straight away. Instead, work your way up to it.

That being said, it’s also important not to opt for the cheapest alternative either. Inexpensive gaming chairs will compromise on some of the most important features, such as ergonomic design and the reclining ability.

Find a happy medium between the price and the features offered. You need to be comfortable enough to use the chair for many hours while remaining under your budget.

Adjustability

Everyone’s body is different, so you need a gaming chair that is going to allow for your body type. Unless you have the means to order a custom gaming chair, adjustable features is going to save you here.

Adjustable armrests, headrests, height, and reclining position will be very helpful for you when you choose a new gaming chair. You’ll be able to tweak these features to suit your preferences and keep you as comfortable as possible.

Adjustable features are something to look out for when choosing your new gaming chair. The majority of pro gamers will have adjustable chairs, as there are so many benefits to being able to tweak your chair.

Warranty

As we’ve already mentioned, gaming chairs are not inexpensive. A warranty is a great benefit for you to help protect your money should something falter with your chair. Moreover, any manufacturer that offers a warranty with their product will likely think highly of what they’re offering you.

For this reason, we’d consider the chair to be of a higher quality than a chair without an additional warranty.

Durability

Of course, you want your chair to be durable enough to last you for a long time. This concerns the cover of the chair, the wheels, and the base. Is the base made from metal or plastic? Metal is slightly more durable than plastic, as long as it’s high-quality and thick enough to withstand your body weight.

If you require a wheeling chair, make sure that the wheels are of a high quality so that they don’t squeak, catch every time you attempt to move or fall off without any warning. Some manufacturers test their wheels beforehand, which could be a beneficial feature to look out for.

Aesthetic

If you’re going to be on camera while you’re streaming, you might want to consider the aesthetics of your chair. Consider the color and design, and whether it will fit with your current backdrop.

While this isn’t as important as the comfort and design of your chair, it’s still something to think about if you want to make a lasting impression with your gaming streams.

What Gaming Chairs Do Pros Use? FAQ’s

How do you sit in a gaming chair?

Firstly, adjust the height of the seat, the position of the backrest, and the lumbar support. An ergonomic chair should have a backrest that follows the natural shape of a well-postured spine. Due to this, you should sit with your back as flush to the backrest as possible.

Sit at the back of the seat so your lower back is supported by the lumbar pillow, and attempt to keep as much of your back touching the backrest.

Who is the number one gamer in the world?

According to Esports Earnings, Johan Sundestein is the highest-paid gamer in the world. The Danish gamer has earned just shy of $7 million in winnings, 99.83% of which has been won by playing the game Dota 2.

Jesse Vainikka, Anathan Pham, and Sébastien Debs have taken the second, third, and fourth spots.

How do you become a pro gamer?

This depends on your definition of pro gamer – do you want to participate and win competitions, or do you want to stream and gain a large following on social media?

For the former option, you need to choose one well-known game and get good at said game. Once you’ve done this, join a team and make sure everyone on the team is as good as you. Join leagues and competitions, work your way up the ranks until you land yourself a sponsorship.

For the latter, you’ll need to choose a couple of your favorite games and stream them on social media platforms continuously. Twitch and Youtube are popular options. Remain streaming and promoting yourself until you get a good enough following to begin attracting partnerships and ad revenue.

 

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