Best Merax Gaming Chair 2023
Today it's the turn of Merax to go under WePC's all-seeing gaming chair microscope
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Merax is yet another company you may come across while on your search for the Holy Grail – a gaming chair that offers the comfort levels you want, but that doesn’t break the bank.
Like all gaming chair manufacturers stock levels have taken a hit during the pandemic, with more and more people looking for comfortable furniture to spend their days in, so it may be that you have to look a bit harder to find what you want in stock.
To help out, we have taken a look at the best offering from Merax to help make your buying decision that bit easier.
Our Top Picks
Things to consider
It’s important to realize here that you are going to be buying a piece of furniture that will hopefully last you many years, and, more importantly, provide you with a level of comfort while you are sat at your PC, that you might not have previously had. Therefore, before you click Buy, spare a thought for the following.
Price
The cost of gaming chairs can vary quite dramatically. the big-name companies are all going to be charging considerably more for their wares but there is a reason for that. generally, the materials used are of much higher quality, this is how the cheaper manufacturers can trim down their price so much. With this trimming down also comes a reduction in comfort. Extra support cushions aren’t included, the foam used in the seat and back sections won’t be as high quality and may lose its shape quicker than you would like. The seat itself might not recline or even feel as sturdy.
What we are saying, and we certainly don’t always suggest you go for the higher ticket items, but when it comes to gaming chairs you generally get what you pay for. It all depends on how happy you are to compromise.
Style
The last couple of years have definitely seen a move away from the huge gamification of gaming chairs. No longer are we only different bright green chairs with orange lightning bolts emblazoned across them but you can now get high-quality gaming chairs that do not look out of place in any corner of your home. You need to decide whether you want one that’s more akin to a big padded ‘bosses’ office chair or stick with the racing-style so popular in years gone by. It’s also worth considering you may redecorate before your chair reaches the end of its life so that bright yellow racing chair may not fit in so well in the future.
Selection Criteria
Weight Limit
The weight limit on most of these gaming chairs is less of a concern than on a traditional office or computer chair. That’s because these chairs are already based on the floor, and therefore aren’t likely to collapse if they have a sturdy frame.
The only real exceptions to these rules are the Intex Inflatable Chair and the X Rocker Pedestal Chair. The Inflatable Chair is much more strict about its weight limit since it risks popping if you go over it, while the Pedestal in the other chair may give away if you stress it too much for too long.
Besides those chairs, though, you’re probably just fine being 350+ lbs and using these chairs on the floor. They should be reasonably comfortable, too, but you can also check the measurements on them if you’re particularly wide.
Get A Chair That Matches Your Size
Gaming chairs have a height and weight capacity like any other chair.
Most of them can only support up to 250 lbs while some can handle weights of up to 400 lbs. Similarly, some chairs are smaller and can only accommodate heights up to 5’5” while some have high backrests that can support over 6’ in height.
Choose a gaming chair that can at least support 20 lbs more than your current weight. And since it’s unlikely you’ll shoot up another foot anytime soon, just go with a chair that’s close to your height or a little slightly above.
Determine Your Desk Height And Width
One thing many people forget when buying a chair is that it needs to be small enough to fit close to their desk. This means you should have a good idea of just how tall and wide your chair is.
Features
Features are another big thing, but the main one at play here is audio.
For whatever reason, most people expect gaming chairs to have built-in speakers for an immersive gaming audio experience. If this interests you and you don’t mind a few extra steps of setup, you should probably opt into it.
If this doesn’t interest you, though, don’t waste your money. Focus on buying a comfortable chair instead.
The Best Merax Gaming Chair
In-depth Review
- Good price
- Comfortable
- Includes footrest option
- Not the sturdiest
- Design won't be for everybody
The world is not short of racing-style gaming chairs and while this offering from Meerax doesn’t set that world alight, it certainly doesn’t let it down either. Coming complete with head and lumbar support pillows, along with an extendable footrest that looks flimsier than it actually is, what you get here is actually a pretty good deal.
Like many of these budget-end chairs the materials used is where the manufacturer claws back some cost in order to make the chair affordable, but as long as you are okay with knowing that you aren’t getting the best of the best, then this will probably be an upgrade on what you are currently sat on reading this.
A choice of colors will help fit the chair into a lot of different settings, and while the racing seat is still pretty “gamer-dude” that obviously doesn’t put off some people, hence the genre being so popular.
A good seat at a reasonable price, when compared to a lot of other offerings on the market today.
- Reclines to 135 degrees
- Support pillows included
- Footrest, cup holders, side pockets
- Maybe a little cheaply made for the actual price
- Cumbersome to move
- Won't suit many room configurations
Most people will write this one off as impractical, and rightly so. it’s not really the kind of gaming chair you can just plonk in front of a desk and get comfortable with. For starters, it’s on a pedestal rather than castors, so there’s no easy way of changing its positioning without getting up and physically hoiking it to where you want it.
If your set-up is a little more flexible however this could be ideal. Its mancave-esque Lazyboy feel, with cup-holders and side pockets elevate this away from so many of the other chairs we have looked at recently. If I was looking to buy something like this for myself I’d be thinking about playing sim games in it. I did something similar with an X Rocker back in the day to use as a sim seat for long Elite Dangerous sessions. Just kick back with your VR headset on and you are in a spaceship far away. The wife was well impressed.
A seat like this requires a unique need, but if you have that need then this is a great option at a price considerably less than premium gaming chairs on the market. You’re welcome.
You have to expect a severe trimming down of the quality of manufacture and materials when you are shopping in the budget end of the gaming chair market, but that’s cool. There is no doubting the prices of premium models will seem excessive to the vast majority of people who just want a gaming chair they can rely on without paying it off for the rest of their lives. Merax has undoubtedly looked at this area of the market and filled it with cheap and cheerful offerings that can’t compete in terms of quality, but in terms of what they offer for the money, it almost doesn’t matter if you end up replacing it within a year or two, rather than it lasting a lifetime.
This seat comes with support pillows and a choice of colors, but one thing to consider is that the armrests aren’t adjustable, which could well be a deal-breaker for some people. With my setup, it actually would be for me.
If you absolutely have to buy a gaming chair at the low end of the price spectrum, however, you could do a lot worse than take a look at this one.
Final Word
It’s always tough for a reviewer like myself who is spoilt for choice by getting to test out the best of the best without often having to spend my own money. How do I then, in all good consciousness suggest you go and buy something much cheaper that won’t last a fraction of the time?
There are though a lot of people out there who just want a new gaming chair without the associated financial heartbreak of a premium model and that seems to be the demographic that Merax has successfully targeted with their seats. They aren’t the sturdiest, they don’t feel the nicest, but I am comparing them to a $500 chair. In reality, these are perfectly good seats for the price, as was the $40 office chair I used for years from IKEA. If this is the range of your budget you will be pleased when your Merax arrives.
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