Gaming chairs under $100 are the overlooked cherry on top of a great gaming rig. After all, it’s a hobby that is usually enjoyed sitting down, whether you game on PC or consoles. Many “gaming chairs” run upwards of a couple thousand dollars, but there are a handful of inexpensive models well within any budget. These chairs come with features you want, and a few you didn’t even know you wanted. Here’s a selection of the best gaming chairs under $100.
— Best Overall: Homall Gaming Chair
— Best Office: SMUG Gaming Chair
— Best for Console Gaming: X Rocker Galaxy 2.0 Floor Rocker Gaming Chair
— Best Budget: Furmax Gaming Chair
— Best Floor Chair: FeinSport Swivel Gaming Chair
How We Picked the Best Gaming Chairs Under $100
Here are the factors we considered when compiling our list of the best gaming chairs under $100.
Comfort: This is perhaps the most important thing to consider when picking out the right gaming chair. Is it a chair that you actually want to sit in? The best gaming chairs under $100 are the ones that put comfort above all else. This goes double for a chair you’re going to sit in for hours on end. If a chair is a strain on your arms, back, or seat, it’s not worth buying, no matter how inexpensive.
Durability: An easy way to shave down manufacturing costs is to cheap out on materials. If the discount is good enough, this could be a fair trade. After all, even if a gaming chair in the under $100 price range says it’s “leather,” you know that it’s likely a synthetic material and not the stuff high-end recliners are made of. This doesn’t mean you want a chair to start peeling around the seat, back, or armrest. Even worse is a reclining mechanism breaking, or legs giving out way under weight limit capacity.
Aesthetics: What’s the difference between a gaming chair and a regular old office chair? In many ways, it’s purely aesthetics. Not always, and in fact, some chairs only really work in gaming situations, but for the most part, you can expect to get double duty out of your gaming chair. You can use most gaming chairs as office chairs, making them great for play as well as work.
Best Gaming Chairs Under $100: Reviews and Recommendations
Best Overall: Homall Gaming Chair
Why it Made The Cut: Great looks, great ergonomics, and even a footrest make this gaming chair the best in its price range.
Specs:
— Dimensions: 33.5 inches L x 20.6 inches W x 44.8 inches H
— Weight: 40 pounds
— Available Colors: Black, Blue, Purple, Green, Gray, Red
— Max Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
Pros:
— Attractive build quality
— Includes waist and headrest
— Easy access footrest
Cons:
— May bend depending on the weight of user
Chairs that look just like the Homall gaming chair typically run at least $150, and usually much more. This chair packs many of the same great features as the pricier offerings.
The seat is lined with synthetic carbon fiber leather and a high-density sponge provides some serious comfort. A waitress makes longer gaming sessions easy on your lower back, while the headrest helps regulate posture and relaxes your neck. There’s even an easy-access footrest to keep your feet elevated if you want to take a quick nap between “Fortnite” rounds. It even reclines back at three different angles. Chairs at this price point often look cheap and will wear down after mere months of use. The Homall Gaming Chair is an outlier, and just about every part of this chair looks as good as it feels. While the chair claims to have a max capacity of 300 pounds, users have experienced mobility issues and chair deterioration when as little as 180 pounds are applied. Heavier gamers may want to invest in a sturdier model. And while it is technically a budget chair, it’s only just barely under $100. There are six colors to choose from though, and each of them looks great.
Best Office: SMUG Gaming Chair
Why it Made The Cut: The SMUG gaming chair doubles as a solid seat for a home office.
Specs:
— Dimensions: 18.5 inches L x 19.88 inches W x 45.87 inches H
— Weight: 33 pounds
— Available Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Gray, White
— Max Weight Capacity: 278 pounds
Pros:
— Gorgeous shiny finish
— Assembles in as little as 15 minutes
— Breathable
Cons:
— Your mileage may vary
The SMUG Gaming Chair splits the difference between an office and a gaming chair, with the body of the first and the overall aesthetics of the latter.
Expect a high level of comfort with soft foam padding on the wide seat which allows for a little more freedom of movement. Speaking of movement, the smooth-rolling casters will allow you to whiz around the gaming room or office without marking up floors. The synthetic leather cover is built with breathability in mind, whether you’re working or playing for hours on end. It reclines back easily and has a good bit of give so you don’t have to constantly re-adjust your position. Its armrests are padded to provide extra comfort, and they’ll even slide away if you want to get a little more freedom of movement. Plus, it’s just an attractive-looking seat. Users reported a surprising level of quality across the SMUG Gaming Chair’s finish. A few users, however, got diminishing returns with it after a few months and experienced both chair lift problems and occasional peeling on the back of the chair. Durability issues aside, careful use could easily stretch the lifetime of this impressive and affordable gaming chair under $100.
Best for Console Gaming: X Rocker Galaxy 2.0 Floor Rocker Gaming Chair
Why it Made The Cut: An incredibly unique, but super impressive chair for gaming that even packs some solid immersion tech.
Specs:
— Dimensions: 33.46 inches L x 25.59 inches W x 16.14 inches H
— Weight: 22.1 pounds
— Available Colors: AGalaxy
— Max Weight Capacity: N/A
Pros:
— Powerful built-in Bluetooth speakers
— Foldable design
— Rocks and reclines
Cons:
— Strictly for smaller gamers
Everything about the X Rocker Galaxy 2.0 Floor Rocker Gaming Chair oozes ‘90s form and function and is way too interesting to overlook.
The “rocker” moniker is apt in more ways than one. First and foremost, the X Rocker is a rocking chair that sits close to the floor and reclines as it rocks to provide the best in comfort for gamepad-based gaming on an Xbox Series, PS5, or Nintendo Switch. Secondly, its built-in Bluetooth speakers sync up to your favorite console via Bluetooth, and pumps the sound near your ears, for an immersive experience that splits the difference between noise-canceling headphones and a dedicated soundbar. Plus, when you’re done gaming, it folds into itself, and can easily be tucked away under a desk, bed, or in a closet. And would you look at that gorgeous retro design? It looks like the wall of a mall arcade circa 1993. You can practically taste the greasy pizza and hear the token machine clanging in the background. Sadly, the chair is better at accommodating smaller gamers. Tall folks may find this chair a little too cumbersome to be any fun.
Best Budget: Furmax Gaming Chair
Why it Made The Cut: The Furmax gaming chair is well within any budget, and a great entry-point seat.
Specs:
— Dimensions: 23 inches L x 13 inches W x 33 inches H
— Weight: 28.7 pounds
— Available Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Gray, White
— Max Weight Capacity: 280 pounds
Pros:
— Comfortable and breathable
— Smooth swivel with floor-friendly wheels
— Affordable
Cons:
— Annoying assembly
Gaming chairs don’t come any more inexpensive than the Furmax Gaming Chair. Inexpensive as it is, expect a surprising level of quality here.
This swivel office chair has a five-star wheelbase for the best in comfort and control. Zip around the game room or office knowing that the Furmax Gaming Chair won’t scuff up your floors. Not only does it have an adjustable height, but it reclines. No, it doesn’t recline too far back, but it does have a little give if for relaxing on the fly. The seat material isn’t just comfortable, it’s breathable, so your body won’t heat up when you’re sitting in it for long periods of time. Plus, it’s just plain attractive, and available in five gorgeous colors no less. If you’re looking for hidden surprises or frills here, look elsewhere. It’s just a chair and a simple one at that. However, the price point is unbeatable. The one downside is that building this chair is a bit of a chore. While you can assemble many chairs in as little as 20 minutes, expect building the Furmax Gaming Chair to take a little more time, elbow grease, and frustration. It’s a small price to pay for a chair this affordable.
Best Floor Chair: FeinSport Swivel Gaming Chair
Why it Made The Cut: FeinSport’s gaming chair keeps you cozy when you’re gaming, and is great for all manner of recreation.
Specs:
— Dimensions: 12 inches L x 21 inches W x 29 inches H
— Weight: 28.7 pounds
— Available Colors: Gray, Beige, Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red
— Max Weight Capacity: 300 pounds
Pros:
— High-density sponge seating
— Five reclining positions
— Includes cup holder
Cons:
— Lacks polish
Don’t try to use the FeinSport Swivel Gaming Chair for any sort of serious business. This is a leisure chair, through and through.
This floor-chair style is perfect for gaming, reading, streaming, and yes, even napping, with its high-density sponge seating and five reclining positions. Despite it being built for all manner of couch potato activity, the FeinSport Swivel Gaming Chair offers a fair amount of mobility. The solid steel frame base has plenty of giving to it so you can turn it on a dime. The high-density mesh fabric resists wear and is incredibly breathable too. A mesh coating provides some of the best comforts for a chair that’s built to sit comfortably in for hours on end. And with a built-in cup holder, zoning out in the FeinSport Swivel Gaming Chair will be easy as hell. It even collapses for storage. And while it’s available in tons of great colors, it’s not as great a value as other best gaming chairs under $100 offerings considering it’s far too low to the ground to use as a desk chair. It also lacks the polish of many other chairs in its class and is strictly a gaming chair.
Things To Consider Before Buying a Gaming Chair Under $100
For a Few Dollars More
Can you buy a gaming chair for less than $100? Yes. Should you? It truly depends on your needs and your budget. There is a certain allure to getting a deal on something that usually costs lots of money. You truly cannot beat a bargain. It’s why Black Friday and Prime Day are beloved by deal seekers everywhere. However, like many affordable offerings, you truly get what you pay for. In this bargain bin price range, these chairs are truly gaming chairs in name only, except for maybe the X Rocker Galaxy 2.0 Floor Rocker Gaming Chair. You may be able to get a cheaply made office chair with “gaming” aesthetics, but it simply won’t hold a candle to the popular gaming chairs on the market.
Do we suggest you ignore the selections in this compilation completely and go drop upwards of $500 on a top-of-the-line Secret Lab Titan Evo gaming chair? Not necessarily. But consider how important a chair is. Your fancy computer may be powerful enough to run “Crysis 3” and “Doom: Eternal” at the same time, but what good is a gaming rig if the chair you’re sitting in is about as cozy as a rock? Good ergonomics can’t be undersold, and neither can comfort. This goes double if you’re working remotely, or if your game station is the same as your work station. Here are a few recommendations that may be worth the extra investment.
Dowinx Gaming Chair
If you squint, the padding on this gaming chair looks like it was made for a sports car. Gorgeous embroidery aside, the extra thick foam provides the best comfort in its class, with rests for your head and waist. If the high-quality build doesn’t sell you, the lumbar support will.
Hbada Ergonomic Office Chair
There’s nothing worse than gaming in the summer. PC and laptop fans work overtime to keep consoles cool, and wearing even comfortable headsets becomes a chore, especially if you tend to sweat as the temperature rises. While many gaming chairs tout “breathability” no chair does it better than the Hbada Ergonomic Office Chair. The back is covered in a high-density mesh for the best airflow possible. This way, even if the action or the temperature heats up, you won’t.
RESPAWN RSP-900 Racing-Style Chair
Is it a gaming chair or is it a recliner? Yes. While it takes up a little more space than a typical gaming chair, this is easily one of the most comfortable offerings on the market. It feels like a seat from a high-end movie theater. It even has a pouch for controllers and accessories and even a cup holder.
Accessories To Improve Your Inexpensive Gaming Chair
So maybe your budget can’t take a couple of hundred dollar investment in a gaming chair. This is totally understandable. The one great thing about buying one of the best gaming chairs under $100 right now, is that you can always improve its quality by investing in accessories down the line. Here are a few accessories that we recommend to boost the quality of your gaming chair.
ComfiLife Gel Enhanced Seat Cushion
Is your seat not providing enough comfort to your backside? The ComfiLife seat cushion slides into just about any office or gaming chair to provide not only comfort, but back, leg, and even hip support. It will even improve your posture. It even has a convenient handle so you can take it to the office every day, and bring it home to your gaming rig every night.
Folding Storage Ottoman Cube
An attached footrest is good, but what if you could get a footrest that did more than simply elevate your feet? This folding storage cube not only works as a handy ottoman footrest, but it stores anything you want inside it, like say, gaming controllers, headsets, and other gaming accessories.
Razer Head Cushion
The best way to get your head in the game is to give your chair a headrest that actually supports your back and neck. This head cushion works to ensure the most natural posture possible, with thick memory-foam padding and an attractive and comfortable plush black velvet outer layer.
Gaming Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor
Whizzing around an office or game room using your gaming chair can scuff up floors quicker than Sonic the Hedgehog on a chili dog run. Lining the floor under your chair with this mat ensures your floors stay scuff-free while adding a smack of color and personality to your rig. This is strictly for hard floor surfaces, it won’t work well with carpets.
Couch Console Cup Holder and Tray
Higher-end gaming chairs come complete with cup holders. But do they come with snack trays and phone chargers? This small cube blends gaming function with modular form, providing not just a spill-free cup holder but an armrest, and even a device charger. It’s built for use on a couch, but would be equally at home anywhere you park your gaming chair.
FAQs
Q: Can a gaming chair be used as an office chair?
Absolutely. Depending on the aesthetics, there’s a good chance you can even use your gaming chair in a professional office setting. The SMUG Gaming Chair works great in both game rooms and in the workplace.
Q: Do I really need a gaming chair?
If you game in front of a computer or desk a lot, getting a gaming chair may be a prudent option. However, you can also game from any comfortable office chair.
Q: Do gaming chairs make you better?
Gaming chairs may not make you play better, but they do keep you upright and straighten your posture, which may make you more alert, attentive, and comfortable when gaming for long periods of time. Whether that ends up improving your skills is a whole other question entirely.
Q: Why do gaming chairs have holes?
Gaming chairs have holes to provide better airflow, thus, improving breathability. This way, your body won’t heat up even after sitting in it for long periods of time.
Q: Do gaming chairs get sweaty?
If a gaming chair doesn’t provide enough airflow, there’s a good chance that a chair will cause whoever is sitting in it to become sweaty. This rarely happens alone, and even the best gaming chairs under $100 are built with breathability in mind.
Q: Do gaming chairs last long?
Gaming chairs can last for years, but PU leather chairs degrade faster than synthetic fabric does.
Q: How often should you get a new gaming chair?
A gaming chair can last anywhere from two to five years. With proper use and upkeep, you shouldn’t have to replace a gaming chair for at least five years.
Final Thoughts on Gaming Chairs Under $100
You truly do not have to break the bank if you’re in the market for a good quality gaming chair. There are plenty of gaming chairs under $100 that come close to more expensive seats. Our best overall pick, the Homall Gaming Chair, doesn’t look like a bargain bin chair and comes with all the accouterments a great gaming chair has, such as good ergonomics and an easy access footrest. For console gaming, the X Rocker Galaxy 2.0 Floor Rocker Gaming Chair is not only cozy but packs some serious immersion possibilities with its built-in speakers. For an absolute bargain, the Furmax Gaming Chair is incredibly inexpensive, as long as you don’t mind its cumbersome assembly.
This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.