If you’re looking for a high quality gaming chair, you may have noticed there’s  actually not too many on market.

For some reason, cheap gaming chairs are much more popular.

If you’re interested in a high end gaming chair, I’d recommend looking at the AkRacing brand.

In this review, I’ll take a look at their most popular gaming chairs and also mention some other quality competitors.

About The Company

AKRacing was originally devoted to the automotive sports business but decided to expand to office furniture and gaming.

They’ve been in business since 2001 and own a manufacturing factory in Yangzhou, China. They’re also personally responsible for the design, development, and testing of their products.

If you have any issues regarding their chairs you’ll need to reach them through their customer service request line or call (805)383-7005.

Most Popular Chair

AKRacing Core Series Ex Gaming Chair

The Core Series Ex gaming chair was designed to be both durable and comfortable. Its frame is made from hand-welded steel and will hold gamers up to 250 lbs in weight.

The description on Amazon says 330 lbs, but according to the manufacturer, this chair should be used by people up to 250 lbs because it might be too narrow for people over that weight.

The outside of the frame is sprayed with an anti-corrosive coating that should ensure top performance. Add the cold cured foam padding and you have a chair that will last you a long time.

Cold cured foam is a bit stiffer than high-density foam, so this chair is definitely on the firm side when it comes to comfort.

Design

The upholstery on the Core Series Ex chair was made from a breathable polyester fabric that is also used for racing car seats.

This is a good feature if you live in warmer climates, or have a tendency to perspire a lot while gaming. It allows your skin to breathe, so you’ll feel much better after long hours of sitting.

I would recommend keeping a lint roller nearby if you have pets because hair tends to get stuck in the fabric of the upholstery.

The backrest of the chair is 32.75’’ long and will fit people from 5’3’’ to 6’ tall. It was designed with a curvature that follows your spine, plus comes with a lumbar and headrest pillow.

If you’re over 6’ you’d be better off with the Masters Series chair that’s also on our list.

Adjustability

The arms on this chair are adjustable and move in the 3D space. They move forward and back, up or down, and also pivot to the sides.

Judging by customer experiences, the arms tend to get a bit wobbly. However, you can remove them if you need to, as they are held by 4 screws on each side just below the seat.

The seat is also adjustable for height, and you can lift it from 16’’ to 20’’ off the floor.

What We Like

• Budget friendly price
• Fabric upholstery keeps you cool
• Extra pillows for comfort

What We Don’t Like

• Wobbly arms

Best Quality Chair

AKRacing Office Series Obsidian Chair

If you need a tall & wide chair that’s comfortable enough for long gaming sessions, I’d recommend looking into the Obsidian chair from AKRacing.

Its backrest is 36.6’’ tall and the seat is 21’’ wide, making it a good choice for people up to 330 lbs.

The upholstery on this model was made from PU leather that feels soft and comes with a 5-year warranty from the manufacturer.

Adjustability

What I really liked is the 170º recline that allows you to rest in this chair perfectly. Just like the previous AKRacing model, this one also has adjustable arms that move in four directions.

You can lift them up, push them down, widen them, push them forward, and swivel them. But the lack of armlock can get frustrating because they swivel on their own and make it hard to stand up.

This still doesn’t deter people from buying it though, because they feel they wouldn’t be able to get adjustable arms in this price range.

Comfort

The overall comfort of the chair is solid, and the seat is wide enough for larger people.

The cushion on the seat is 4.3’’ thick and was made from the same cold cured foam used on all AKRacing chairs. It is a bit firmer compared to other types of foam, but it does last longer.

What We Like

• Tall & wide for bigger people
• PU leather feels soft on the skin
• Comfortable for long hours of gaming

What We Don’t Like

• Armrest swivel doesn’t lock

Master Series Chair

AKRacing Masters Series Premium Gaming Chair

The AKRacing Masters Series is similar to the Core Series Ex in size, and both should be used by people up to 250 lbs because they might be tight for others.

You can disregard what the description says on Amazon because this info comes straight from the mouth of the manufacturer.

So how are the Core Series Ex and the Masters Series different?

Differences

While Ex comes with fabric upholstery, the Masters Series is upholstered with PU Leather. The leather might look better, but it’s not as breathable as fabric and might keep you warm.

Also, the Ex chair features arms that move in the 3D space, while the Masters Series also allows you to control the width of the arms, so it is superior in that regard.

Another thing that differentiates these two is the base of the chair. While the Ex chair comes with a steel base, the Masters Series base features a high-tensile aluminum that is stronger than steel.

There’s also a difference in the adjustable rocking feature. While both chairs were built to offer a rocking movement, with the Masters you can lock the tilt angle, something the Ex doesn’t have.

Comfort

With regards to comfort, both chairs are padded with cold cured foam, but the Masters Series chair offers 32% more padding.

On both chairs, you get a 5-year warranty on the materials and 10 years on the frame. This model will be comfortable for people up to 6’3’’ tall.

What We Like

• 32% more padding
• Tilt angle locks
• Strong aluminum base

What We Don’t Like

• PU leather keeps you warm

Best Leather Chair

AKRacing Onyx Deluxe Real Leather Chair

If you want a real leather chair but don’t want to spend over a thousand dollars on one, AKRacing has come up with a hybrid solution.

They upholstered their Onyx Deluxe chair with real leather in the front and PU leather at the back.

This way you get real leather in the places that count, and a price that’s far below what you’d expect for a real leather chair.

The quality of the leather is top-grain, it’s easy to clean but it should be regularly maintained with leather lotion or wax.

Design

With regards to sizing, this chair is the exact same sizing as the Masters Series chair. You get a 36.6’’ backrest and a 21’’ wide seat. The maximum weight capacity is set to 330 lbs.

Another thing similar to the Masters Series is the strong aluminum base that is 10 times stronger than steel. This way you can truly lean into the chair without worrying it would break.

Comfort

Just like all other AKRacing models, this one also features 2 support pillows, one for the lumbar region, and one for the headrest.

The headrest pillow worked great for everyone that bought the chair, but the lumbar pillow is rarely used since gamers can’t get used to the prominent curve hitting their lower back.

The ones that do use it recommend suffering through the first week, after that, you’ll notice the actual benefit to your back. The pillow does its job right but you’ll need to adjust to it.

What We Like

• Tall backrest & wide seat
• Strong aluminum base
• 170º recline
• Tilt-angle lock

What We Don’t Like

• Lumbar pillow too prominent for some players

Best AKRacing Alternatives

Dowinx PC Gaming Chair

The Dowinx PC gaming chair seems like a worthy competitor to the AKRacing chairs especially due to its massage lumbar pillow and the retractable footrest.

The pricing is also similar to the Series Ex gaming chair, and it reclines to 170º plus offers a 15º rocking motion.

Design

On the upside, this chair comes with a cool vintage look and the diamond style stitching found on some racing car seats. The lumbar pillow is USB powered to offer a slight vibrating sensation.

The arms are padded with the same high-density rubber foam found on the seat. Rubber foam is not as durable as the cold cured foam from AKRacing, but it is truly comfortable.

The upholstery is made of PU leather that doesn’t make you slide down while you’re gaming. I have to mention the retractable footrest that is strong and does its job like it’s supposed to.

On the downside, if you’re taller than 6’ you might find the footrest a bit short. Also, this model comes with 1 year of warranty which is inferior to the 5 year warranty from AKRacing.

Musso High-Back Racing Gaming Chair

The Musso chair was designed with Big & Tall people in mind. The backrest is 36.5’’ long and will comfortably fit people up to 6’ tall.

The descriptions on Amazon might confuse you because they’re described differently in 3 separate places. So, to figure it out, I decided to use the experience of actual people who bought this chair.

Design

The seat is 21.6’’ wide and feels comfortable enough for people up to 400 lbs, but the cushion is definitely on the thin side. The frame is all metal and seems durable enough.

You can recline in this chair down to 160º and also rock slightly. The arms, made from plastic and carbon fiber can move up and down.

This product comes with a 1 year warranty for the parts. And, if you get it and don’t like it, you’ll be able to return it for a full refund.

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The Respawn 110 gaming chair features a faux leather upholstery that feels soft under your skin and comes with a 2 year warranty. The chair reclines to 155º and can be locked in any position.

It features a footrest extension just like the Dowinx model but it’s not as strong. Also, if you’re over 6’ tall you won’t be able to use the footrest since it will get under your knees.

The arms on this model are padded but can’t be adjusted in any way. They also can’t be omitted during assembly because they hold the seat and the backrest together.

You’ll need to retighten the arms from time to time because they tend to get loose. Overall, people that got this chair are happy with the comfort but say the upholstery flakes out after 1 year of use.

KLIM Esports Gaming Chair

Out of all the AKRacing worthy competitors we mentioned, the KLIM Esports chair seems to be the most popular among gamers.

The Esports gaming chair comes with impressive construction and quality materials. It feels sturdy when you sit and should hold up to daily use for a long time.

Design

Unlike most gaming chairs that come in bright contrasting colors, the Esports chair seems to have been made for a more mature audience.

In my opinion, this model can be used in the office without any issues. What I really liked is the thick padding on the seat that will support long hours of play (or work).

On the downside, the arms can’t be adjusted in any way, and the support pillows that are included tend to feel over-padded to most people.

Also, the wings on the sides of the backrest are fine for slimmer people, but if you’re bigger they may force your shoulders forward which isn’t ergonomic and could cause you pain.

The Verdict

Pros

The gaming chairs manufactured by AKRacing are incredibly durable and made with high-quality materials

Their foam padding is also pretty sweet because it undergoes a cold curing process that ensures further durability.

As I was informed, these are not just promises, the company actually offers 10 years of warranty on the frame and 5 years on the rest of the chair, including the upholstery.

It’s a bit difficult to get their customer service to respond, but once they do, they really go all out for their customers.

Cons

The biggest point of dissatisfaction for people that buy AKRacing chairs is the plastic arms that seem a bit flimsy. They also don’t like that the maximum weight capacity has 2 explanations.

First, the manufacturer offers a 330 pound weight capacity, but their honest opinion is that the chair would be tight for anyone that’s over 250 pounds.

This should be stated clearly in their description to avoid any frustration. Other than that they have some sweet chairs that most people seem to love.