We also recommend reading the article "5 tips on how to protect your eyesight when working at a computer".

Conceptual differences

The simplest computer chairs are made of metal, plywood and plastic, over which a fabric covering is stretched. They can be installed both on the wheelbase and on fixed legs. And the number of height and angle controls for such chairs is usually minimal. But they will not be discussed in this article.

The concept of gaming chairs is based on a racing car seat installed in the cockpit. It is not for nothing that the word "Racer" appears in the name of many manufacturers of such chairs. A deep padded seat with side support and a high backrest that repeats the natural curves of the spine in the shape of the Latin letter "S". The only difference is that for professional racers, the backrest is made from a cast, and for gamers, the bends of the backrest for the neck and lower back are additionally regulated by pillows on the straps. However, in the top segment of computer chairs, custom manufacturing is also possible.

The coating material of gaming chairs is most often eco-leather, which slightly soars in the heat (solved by a cloth cover). And in top models — tactile pleasant alcantara fabric; harsh, but heavy-duty carbon fibre; or, in rare cases, real leather. Many of the gaming chairs are able to be laid out in a horizontal position, so that if you don't sleep on them, then at least lie down for half an hour. At the same time, the wide wheelbase and the large weight of the structure (20-30 kg) reduce the risk of overturning to zero.

In turn, premium office chairs, they are also often called executive or orthopedic, have a more classic design, so they fit well into the strict interior of the office. The latest fashion has become chairs with a mesh covering, which is best ventilated.

Instead of pillows for the lower back and neck, adjustable stops are used in orthopedic chairs. And in general, such chairs have the greatest number of degrees of freedom: you can adjust the depth and angle of inclination of the seat; asynchronous tilt of the backrest in relation to the seat; armrests in three or four planes; height and angle of inclination of the headrest and much more.

We will tell you more about the design differences between gaming and orthopedic chairs using the example of GT Racer brand models.

Gaming Chair

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GT Racer X-8010 
 
Futuristic design, suitable for tall and dense users, easy to clean, MultiBlock mechanism, 4D armrests, pillows, three colour options.
 
 
The backrest unfolds only up to 155 degrees (not 180).
 

GT Racer X-8010 is a de jure gaming, but de facto universal chair for comfortable work and leisure at the PC. The sturdy steel frame is able to withstand a rider weighing up to 180 kg. The maximum permissible height of a person is not specified, but taking into account the height of the back of the chair 88 cm, it can be assumed that it will be comfortable to sit even with a height of 190 cm. But even taller people should choose a chair with a backrest without a neck rest.

The main coating material of GT Racer X-8010 is easy-to-clean eco-leather, which can have three colour options: completely black, black-red and black-yellow. The latter option, we are sure, will appeal most to fans of the world-famous Natus Vincere esports team. The backrest, as well as the seat, have a pronounced lateral support, which, as if, wraps the user. A pair of pillows — the upper one is small with an elastic band, the lower one is large without fixing — are attached.

The seat of the GT Racer X-8010 has a depth of as much as 53 cm, thanks to which it also supports the upper part of the legs, thereby reducing the load on the cruciate ligaments of the knees. The filler of the backrest and seat is high—density foam with a memory effect, which will last much longer than the usual cheap foam rubber. Additional cushioning is provided by elastic straps under the seat and on the back.

The seat height of the GT Racer X-8010 is adjustable from 45 to 55 cm, that is, it allows people with different heights to sit alternately (except for small children). The armrests are made with 4D-adjustment in all possible directions. The rocking mechanism of the chair is called MultiBlock. And the lever can fix the angle of inclination of the backrest from 90 to 155 degrees, that is, it will not work to expand the chair into a completely horizontal position. If you need a chair with a "sleep" mode, then take a closer look at the GT Racer X-2540 model.

Orthopedic chair

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GT Racer X-782 
 
Classic design, ventilated coating, adjustable headrest and lumbar support, Synchro mechanism, three colour options.
 
 
Armrests with three, not four degrees of freedom.
 
Price from 13 965 up to 16 749 ₴
GTracer.com.ua15 999 ₴To Store
Touch14 899 ₴To Store
Palladium.ua14 999 ₴To Store
TopOne.com.ua13 965 ₴To Store
Mobitek.com.ua14 700 ₴To Store
Compare prices 10→

GT Racer X-782 is an orthopedic chair for those who, unfortunately, already have chronic spinal diseases, or prudently tries to avoid their occurrence in the future due to frequent and prolonged work at the PC. The back of the chair is divided into three components: a height-adjustable headrest; a fixed support for the ribs and shoulder blades; and an automatically adjustable lumbar support. The latter should preserve the natural curve of the human lower back — lordosis (not to be confused with abnormal hyperlordosis).

The coating material of GT Racer X-782 is a mesh fabric with increased ventilation and three colours: black, red and blue. On the back of the chair, the mesh is stretched over a metal-plastic frame, and on the seat — over high-density foam with a memory effect. The end of the seat is strongly bent down so that the muscles and blood vessels of the legs are not squeezed.

The seat angle of the GT Racer X-782 changes along with the backrest — this mechanism is called Synchro. Actually, the backrest can be fixed at an angle of 90, 105 and 120 degrees. The seat height is adjustable from 50 to 58 cm, so that the chair can be customized for users of different heights. The Eurostandard gas lift of the 4th class can withstand a rider weighing up to 150 kg. A chrome-plated metal wheel crosspiece adds visual gloss.

The armrests of the GT Racer X-782 have three degrees of freedom: height, forward– backward and horizontal tilt angle. In addition, they are made soft to the touch so as not to rub the elbows. The wheels of the chair are also rubberized, so as not to damage the laminate flooring and not to create unnecessary noise when rolling. There are cheaper orthopedic chairs in the GT Racer range, for example, with a nylon crosspiece and fewer regulators.

Model X-D20

Conclusions

So which chair is better — gaming or orthopedic? In fact, they differ only in design (futuristic or classic, which one likes better) and coating material (leatherette or mesh fabric). But according to their purpose, gaming and orthopedic chairs are quite similar: neck and lower back support, a lot of height and angle controls. Unless you can only sleep in a gaming chair, and even then not in all models. The main thing is to optimally choose a chair for your height. Moreover, it is worth considering not only the overall height from head to toe, but also the length of the trunk and the length of the legs separately, since the proportions may differ significantly from different people.

Popular seats GT Racer