Gaming chair or office chair - what are the differences?

According to studies, Germans sit for around 8.5 hours a day - on workdays. Sedentary work is becoming more and more prevalent in the working world. Unfortunately, our bodies are not designed to remain in a chair for hours on end. Although an upright position puts an even strain on the muscles, the constant stance ensures that the muscles tire quickly. In contrast, relaxing sitting postures often affect the intervertebral discs and spine and can cause painful long-term consequences. 

While the majority of the working population is unwilling to change jobs, there are simple ways to make sedentary work more comfortable. With the help of an ergonomic chair, the muscular supporting apparatus is supported and overused, forced postures and overuse are avoided. 

How does a gaming chair differ from an office chair?

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the home office established itself as the standard for many companies. With remote work, employees have the opportunity to complete professional tasks from home. However, without the right desk chair, countless employees lack the ability to sit. 

It turns out that both the conventional office chair and a gaming chair are suitable for working. But what is the difference between the two? 

• Structure: Gaming chairs are often racer-style, have a winged back, pronounced padding, and raised seat edges. Armrests, lumbar and headrests make gaming more comfortable. The office chair features a minimalist design: flat cushion, wingless backrest, fixed lumbar support and the armrests can only be moved up and down. A tilt lock prevents tilt adjustment. 
• Settings: Our RECARO Exo and RECARO Nxt is characterized by four seating positions: Attack, Core Focus, Core Relax, and Recharge. The RECARO Aer offers Core Focus, Core Relax and Recharge. All RECARO Seats have a synchronous mechanism that lets you choose from the predefined seating positions – or you can enjoy the dynamic sequence of movements. This causes a sequence of backrest and seat in a ratio of 2:1 that follows the movement of the body. This automatically promotes dynamic, ergonomic and healthy sitting.
• Size:The wide range of body shapes is covered by the gaming chair. Namely, this type of chairs are characterized by a pronounced size and width. Office chairs usually come only in the standard size. 
• Comfort:both types of chairs are designed for long sitting. 
• Purpose:Gaming chairs focus on comfort and office chairs focus on productivity.  
• Equipment: Office chairs are reduced to the minimum – this is all about comfortable sitting. Gaming chairs turn sitting into an experience. The iconic design, the multifunctional armrest with the soft touch pads and the eye-catching headrest evoke memories of motorsport.   
• Design:The gaming chair wants to stand out and convinces with extravagant colors and unusual patterns. The models are more expansively designed and take up more space. The office chair, on the other hand, blends in perfectly with its surroundings thanks to neutral colors. 

Can I use an ergonomic office chair as a gaming chair?

You should adapt the choice of chair to your preferences and habits. Whether an office chair or a gaming chair is suitable for you cannot be answered in general. If you mainly use the home office to work from home, then we will provide you with the RECARO Aer to the heart. The synchronous mechanism and the 5D multifunctional armrests promote comfort.  On the comfortable seat, you can get through an entire working day without any problems.  

If you're craving an unusual design and that classic gaming feel, you can turn to the RECARO Exo. The seat is inspired by motorsports and has an exceptionally comfortable bucket seat. Thanks to the four seating positions, the chair can be individually adjusted and ensures variety while gaming. 

In general, both office chairs and gaming chairs are designed to help your back health. With an ergonomic chair, you can perform at your best at work and break new records while gaming.  

Which is better - gaming chair vs office chair 

There is no winner in the comparison. Both types are distinguished by positive characteristics and individual features. Besides the already mentioned differences between gaming chair and office chair, it turns out that the two seats agree on one point: ergonomics. 

The chairs focus on good posture, which excludes one-sided loads, muscle weaknesses and aching bones. Thus, the neck cushion nestles perfectly in the transition between the head and back, while the lumbar support of the chairs supports the lower back. Luxurious padding promotes the seat flesh and prevents pressure points on the buttocks. 

What should I look for when buying? 

The market for gaming chairs and office chairs is wide-ranging - when looking for the right seat, consumers often don't know what criteria use. Here are some features that separate the wheat from the chaff: 

• Settings:The chair should be designed so that both short and tall people can assume a comfortable and ergonomic sitting position. The upholstery, lumbar support, backrest and armrests must be aligned in such a way that the natural sitting posture is promoted and the back muscles are protected. 
• Mechanics:Flexible coupling of the seat and backrest allows the components to move in fixed relation to each other. The synchronous mechanism provides support for the back and keeps the bone and muscle apparatus in motion.  
• Assembly:The components must assemble smoothly and quickly. 
• Care:materials should be easy to clean. 
• Quality:High-quality processing of materials and individual components guarantees the stability and durability of the chair. 

Conclusion: gaming chair or office chair?

Both the office chair and the gaming chair are suitable for long sitting sessions. If the seat was built with ergonomics in mind, it promotes back health and contributes to the well-being of the muscular and bone apparatus.

RECARO has a wide range of office chairs and gaming chairs. Thanks to decades of experience, we know exactly which aspects can support the sitting posture. Come by our webshop and convince yourself of our high-quality products and trendy designs!