Expert Consulted: Adrian Gardiner. With 30+ years in the IT industry, I still get frequent requests to repair all things IT-related where possible. I’ve also gone through a fair few gaming chairs. This experience has given me useful knowledge which I can share to answer questions like: ‘How long do gaming chairs last?’
Probably the most important and often overlooked bit of equipment when gaming has to be what you sit in! We’ll be spending so much time in a gaming chair it’s very important that we choose the right model and one that’s going to last.
This brings me to the question of how long do gaming chairs last.
The lifespan of a gaming chair can vary based on its build quality, usage, and maintenance. High-quality chairs can last anywhere from 2 to 5 years or even considerably longer. Regular cleaning, maintenance, and avoiding excessive weight can help extend a chair’s lifespan.
In this article I’m going to dig into what makes a good gaming chair and crucially one that will last a decent amount of time, hopefully helping you to choose the best option for your own gaming setup.
Related Article: The Best Gaming Chair Under $300
How Long Do Gaming Chairs Last? A Complete Overview
There’s more to a good gaming chair than you might realize, and the next few sections aim to cover the ins and outs of good gaming chairs in detail.
What is a Gaming Chair?
So, a Gaming Chair is specially designed for us gamers, coming in all shapes, sizes, and funky designs. The main goal of course, is to keep us as comfortable as possible when sitting in the same chair for extended periods of time.
Having sat in some pretty awful chairs over the years, I can definitely say that there is a huge difference from one chair to another, and some will leave you in a lot of discomfort, especially once the chair starts to wear out and the supporting cushions start to lose their comforting soft feel.
Factors That Affect the Lifespan of a Gaming Chair
There are a number of key areas that can affect the lifespan of a gaming chair:
| Quality: | Humidity, temperature, and cleanliness (i.e., is it dusty like a workshop) of the local environment will all help with the chair’s longevity. |
| How the chair is used: | Humidity, temperature, and cleanliness (i.e., is it dusty like a workshop) of the local environment will all help with the chairs longevity. |
| Care and Maintenance: | Look after the chair and it’ll look after you. Regular maintenance and cleaning will make quite a difference in how it lasts. |
| Environmental Factors: | Humidity, temperature, and cleanliness (i.e., is it dusty like a workshop) of the local environment will all help with the chair’s longevity. |
Average Lifespan of a Gaming Chair
Putting a figure on the average lifespan of a gaming chair is tricky because there are so many variables at play that can affect it – like the quality of materials and construction in particular and how long it gets sat in.
However, for most low to medium-quality chairs, I would expect an average lifespan of around 3 – 5 years. If you spend more on a high-end chair, you can expect it to last in excess of 8 or more years.
My own current chair is a fabulous Herman Miller Aeron, which I bought refurbished for $450 – they retail for over $1000 new.
It’s not the most sexy-looking chair, but it is the single most comfortable chair I’ve ever sat in for use in front of a computer.
Interestingly, you’ll often see rows of these chairs in use at major international gaming events – I’m guessing due to the large number of seat adjustments you can make.
As a testament to their quality, Herman Miller chairs come with a 12-year warranty!
Signs Your Gaming Chair Needs Replacement
Knowing when to replace your chair can be tricky, especially if there are no obvious visible signs. Sometimes, the foam cushioning in your seat and bolsters either goes hard or changes shape to go uncomfortably lumpy.
Here are a few signs you might need to think about a chair upgrade:
- There are physical signs that all is not well: if it’s really looking past its best, then it’s time to replace it. See the picture on the right of my son’s last gaming chair!
- Comfort: If it’s no longer giving you the comfort that it once did, the materials in the chair that give you support are probably wearing out. You may also have to contend with uncomfortable rips in the fabric
- Safety: Sometimes, various bits and bobs can start to move more than they should, and no amount of tightening will fix it. I’ve seen mounting screw holes move around over time which is a potential failure point. On some chairs, the gas strut starts to misbehave and won’t stay in one position or it just randomly fails.
Tips on How to Extend the Life of Your Gaming Chair
If you’d like to know how to make your chair last as long as possible, here are a few tips:
| Tip | ||
| 1. | Usage and care: | Treat your chair sensibly and try not to be rough with it Regularly clean the chair to prevent cracking and staining Try to avoid sitting in the same position for too long to minimize the chance of the foam compressing and becoming harder |
| 2. | Maintenance and cleaning: | Check and tighten screws every now and then to prevent any loose movement that could cause further damage over time |
| 3. | Using the right settings: | Adjust the chair correctly to ensure that you’re sitting correctly. This can help reduce wear and tear. |
| 4. | Replace parts where possible: | If possible, replace any parts promptly to keep the chair functioning as you’d expect it to |
| 5. | Keep within the weight limit: | It’s important that the chair is used within its maximum weight limit to avoid damage to the suspension strut and frame |
| 6. | Sunlight: | Try to keep the chair out of direct sunlight to avoid fading |
| 7. | Pets: | Try to avoid your cat if you have one from using the chair as a scratch post or your dog chewing any part of the chair within range. Best to keep pets away from your chair! |
The Impact of a Good Gaming Chair on Gaming Performance
A good chair can make a huge difference when gaming, especially if it’s a long and tiring session.
Having a chair that’s ergonomically adjusted to suit you will help you stay comfortable, and it’s one less thing to worry about when you’re deeply involved in a computer game.
It will of course, also help prevent any future health issues associated with sitting for long periods – although I’d still recommend getting up and walking around every 20 minutes or so if you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the regularly asked questions I get, with answers for you:
Q1 Can I use a gaming chair for work or study?
Most definitely. A chair that’s designed to be comfortable over long periods will be perfect for work or study use as well as for gaming.
Q2 How often should I clean my gaming chair?
As often as you can, but every few weeks sounds reasonable, even more so if you are guilty of eating at your computer like I do sometimes. Just make sure you move the keyboard out of the way when you eat 🙂
Q3 What’s the best gaming chair brand for longevity?
I haven’t tested all of these brands, but the following are known for their quality and longevity:
- Noblechairs
- Secretlab
- Herman Miller (I can vouch for this brand personally as I have one)
- Vertagear
- DXRacer.
Of course, always do your due diligence, checking reviews and researching thoroughly before buying.
Conclusion
Your gaming chair can last up to and over 5 years if you take good care of it, and even longer if you purchase one of the premium brands out there, which are built for long, useable life.
A good gaming chair from a reputable brand can make quite a difference to the gaming experience, so it’s worth taking a bit of time to ensure you get the best one you can for your particular requirements.