The Best Gaming Chairs Under $200

While you can play from any seat, an ergonomic gaming chair can help you achieve your esports dreams by giving you unparalleled comfort while you devote yourself to fragging the opposition. You can enjoy longer sessions with the right chair because of less fatigue in your back and arms.
Proper padding can also help reduce the risk of repetitive motion injuries. That’s especially important if you’re in training to take your gaming prowess to the next level. The best PC gaming chairs shouldn’t have to be expensive, so we hunted down affordable options under $200.

What to Look for When Buying a PC Gaming Chair

Ergonomic Geometry: Most traditional office seats are designed with basic ergonomics in mind. They’re often uncomfortable for gamers because they’re not made for any kind of intense activity. Chairs targeted specifically to the esports and high-end gaming market are carefully shaped to provide the right kind of support for playing long matches. Several vendors have opted to model their equipment after seats used in race cars and high-altitude aircraft for this reason.

Leather Coatings: While leather is a durable material, chemical coatings help it to hold up to even more abuse. Polyurethane (PU) leather seat covers have a characteristic glossy finish that won’t go dull over time. They can also resist damage caused by sweat or spilled liquids.

Multifunction Adjustments: Height adjustments are common on most office chairs, but the best PC gaming seats offer multifunction adjustment levers that allow you to raise and lower it with a higher degree of precision than you’d get from a regular chair. They also give you the freedom to control the exact angle at which the chair reclines so you can line yourself up with the placement of your keyboard and mouse.

Lumbar Cushioning: Back strain is a common problem among online gamers. The addition of a lumbar cushion helps to alleviate stress on the lower back. Quality chairs usually offer a padded headrest that’s slightly behind the lumbar pad to encourage good posture.

Topsky C4C-6 Gaming Chair

Pros:
• Retractable padded footrest for extra comfort
• Extra supports on the armrests reduce strain
• Electroplate feet should hold up to many hours of use

Cons:
• Can’t hold more than around 225 lbs. in spite of being rated to hold at least 75 lbs. more than that
• Difficult to remove the base once it’s attached
• May need a rubber mallet to assemble

With armrests nearly 32 inches long and a chair that’s over 51 inches tall, the C4C-6 should cover the needs of even taller gamers. It’s a hefty chair that’s nearly 45 pounds, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the build quality. Extra support for the head, neck, and lumbar region isn’t only cushioned but is also covered in the same high-quality PU leather that the rest of the C4C-6 features.
Topsky’s engineers have a flair for the dramatic, but the C4C-6’s unusual appearance serves a serious purpose as well. It’s designed to recline up to 175° while still offering enough airflow to make longer sessions comfortable just like the seats used by race drivers. While it costs a bit more than some competing models, it’s durable enough that it could pay for itself by outlasting other pieces of furniture.

HEALGEN Big & Tall Gaming Chair

Pros:
• Reclines between 90-135° to offer a full range of motion
• Features high-density sponge covered by PVC leather
• The fade resistant coating keeps the chair looking new

Cons:
• Won’t comfortably support those over around 240 lbs.
• Weighs over 50 lbs.
• Armrests rotate but feature an unusual shape

HEALGEN’s newest ergonomic PC gaming chair is a large and heavy beast that’s designed to take a beating. The special leather coatings should be able to hold up to the kind of abuse that comes with staying up all night hammering away at an FPS title. As the name suggests, this is a taller unit that comes with a chair back that stretches to around 33 inches. It’s designed with taller lanky gamers in mind, but it’s adjustable enough to work well with short desks.
An integrated metal frame also adds a ton of durability, but some people might balk at the fact that the frame adds plenty of weight as well. Rolling color PU caster wheels can move in any direction without scratching hard floors. Some gamers have found that they can remove them for easier use on carpet, but this chair really shines on harder surfaces where it can silently glide. The headrest pillow can be taken off if desired, but it’s surprisingly cool as well as comfortable. Since you shouldn’t notice any hot or sticky sensations because of the high-quality leather upholstery, you might find that you’re more likely to use the accessories HEALGEN’s chair comes with.

Merax Racing Gaming Chair

Pros:
• Among the least expensive chairs in its class
• Head and lumbar supports are laid out in a curved pattern for maximum comfort
• Offers a gentle rocking motion and a footrest to reduce stress

Cons:
• The seat is less than 20 inches wide and not much longer
• Armrests are difficult to remove and must be bolted in place
• Some gamers say there’s a problem with the casters

With a weight capacity of 330 lbs. and a sitting height of almost 22 inches, the Merax gaming chair is large enough to support most gamers. It’s also light enough to move around easily on its casters without sacrificing too much in the way of durability. Pneumatic 5-stage SGS gas lift cylinders provide plenty in the way of linear motion, so you won’t have to worry about not being able to pick an intermediate height that works well with your gaming rig.
Even though the armrests don’t come off easily, you should be able to take the pillows and other accessories off to adjust them. Like with many higher-end gaming chairs, Merax’s offering gets more comfortable after being broken in. It’s more affordable than many of the other top gaming chairs, so it should prove attractive to those who want to spend more cash on DLC than their seat. In spite of the price, though, Merax made sure to include genuine PU leather coverings on all exposed areas.

Cyrola PC Gaming Chair

Pros:
• High weight capacity of around 350 lbs.
• 52 ½ inch maximum height is more than enough for even taller gamers
• Full-sized 22-inch seat stays comfortable during longer sessions

Cons:
• Some screw holes don’t match up completely flush
• Gas cylinders can sometimes make noise
• Armrests could use more padding

This is the latest Cyrola chair, and most of the bugs have been worked out of earlier models. While some users have found that a few screw holes are a bit difficult to get together when assembling it, they seldom have any problems afterward. On top of that, the chair is relatively affordable as far as genuine PU leather models go. It can recline 180° backward and even comes with a footrest that’s large enough to rival the ones in some proper recliners.
Designers emphasized freedom of motion when they put together this redesigned model. If you’re someone who plays longer marathon sessions that last several hours, then you’ll probably get the most out of this kind of chair. The lumbar and head cushions are comfortably padded, but they shouldn’t cause you to feel hot or sticky. Some gamers do prefer to add a bit of extra cushioning to the armrests, but the stock design allows you to position them however you’d like anyway.

Killbee Ergonomic Gaming Chair

Pros:
• PVC and high-density foam construction won’t sink down over time
• Sturdy starbase and gas-spring lift keep the chair from moving unnecessarily
• PU-coated universal racing casters let you freely roll

Cons:
• Doesn’t recline very far
• Weighs nearly 53 lbs.
• Seat depth measures only 18.1 inches

As the name suggests, the Killbee Large Gaming chair is quite big. Its maximum height is nearly 50 ½ inches and the seat is nearly 22 inches wide. Unfortunately, the seat depth isn’t as big as these other dimensions. Nevertheless, it’s large enough for most gamers to comfortably sit in it for large periods of time without suffering too much fatigue.
Killbee emphasized comfort to a point where you might actually end up using the chair for your home theater room as well as for longer gaming sessions. The ergonomics are ideal for those who want to sit up straight and play. If you find yourself suffering from poor posture and want a chair that forces you to sit properly without sacrificing comfort, then Killbee’s offering might be the best choice. A number of esports athletes use it for RTS training because of this reason.

Homall High-Back Racing Chair

Pros:
• Large working recliner pad provides comfort
• Continuous 360° swivel feature won’t stick
• Less expensive than many competitors

Cons:
• Features rather stiff armrests
• Chair sometimes squeaks when raising and lowering it
• Must use the knob to rock the chair back and forth

In a world of style over substance, the Homall High-Back gaming chair tries to go for both. The 23.3×33.2 seat and approximately 22-inch maximum adjustable height were chosen scientifically based on feedback from users of Homall’s older chairs. It features a bucket seat that looks even more futuristic than most racing-style chairs while covering it with dramatic PU leather upholstery.
One of the biggest improvements comes in the form of increased neck support. Previous Homall gaming chairs didn’t offer nearly as much padding as this model does. The strong PU leather covering should prove quite durable too.

Our Verdict

All of these models made the list of the best gaming chairs under 200 dollars, so they’re all suitable for at least some use case. Gamers on a strict budget might want to look at the Homall chair, but those who don’t mind spending a bit more will find that Cyrola’s emphasis on comfort lets them crush noobs for longer than they ever thought possible. The adjustments on it make it easy to work with more exotic types of gaming equipment. You won’t have to struggle to find a comfortable position to use a mechanical keyboard within this chair.
Since it comes with a larger seat and a high-quality working recliner mechanism, the Cyrola chair is especially attractive to those who play online FPS games and find they need to limit their range of motion. If you’re especially tall, then you might want to look at the Topsky C4C-6 for a little extra comfort. Overall, though, Cyrola’s engineers picked dimensions that should suit most body sizes.