Best budget gaming chair 2024: Our favourite options under £200
We’ve spent hours researching and analysing the best budget gaming chairs so you don’t have to. Here are our top picks
Once prohibitively expensive, you can now pick up a gaming chair without needing to fork out a small fortune. But with lots of competing brands releasing comparable options at similar prices, it can be hard to work out which are worth buying and which should be avoided at all costs.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you with that. We’ve carefully considered alternatives from a range of manufacturers to bring you a definitive list of what we deem the best budget gaming chairs on the market. Below that list, you’ll find a buying guide outlining the various things you should consider before purchasing a gaming chair.
Best budget gaming chairs: At a glance
| Best budget gaming chair | ADX Firebase Core 21 | £100 | Check price at Currys |
| Best ultra cheap gaming chair | Play haha. | £50 | Check price at Amazon |
| Best budget gaming chair for racing fans | ADX Firebase Advanced 21 | £179 | Check price at Currys |
How we test budget gaming chairs
Each gaming chair featured in this roundup has undergone the same testing process, which is divided into two main parts. First, we assemble the chair, noting the time it takes, the clarity of the assembly instructions, and whether we need an additional person to help. We then put the chair to daily use for a minimum of one week.
Whenever possible, we invite colleagues/family to try the chair to gather insights from individuals with different heights and weights. During the testing, we thoroughly explore the full range of adjustability options to evaluate the chair’s ergonomic qualities, taking note of how easily it can be adjusted, swivelled and rolled while using it.
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The best budget gaming chairs you can buy in 2024
1. ADX Firebase Core 21: Best budget gaming chair
Price when reviewed: £100 | Check price at Currys
- Great for… easy assembly, height and angle adjustment
- Not so great for… breathability, lumbar support
The Firebase Core 21, formerly the AChair19, is one of the cheapest gaming chairs you can buy and comes from ADX, Currys’ in-house brand. Quick and relatively easy to assemble, the Core 21 features a PVC, black and grey colour scheme with eye-catching neon orange piping – and it comes with fixed armrests too.
It’s big on value but still offers decent performance, and while there’s no lumbar support, the Firebase is both height and angle adjustable. The ADX comes with a one-year warranty and because it’s from Currys, you have the option to visit a physical store should anything go wrong.
2. Play haha.: Best ultra cheap gaming chair
Price when reviewed: £50 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… freedom of movement, breathability
- Not so great for… adjustability
Replace copy in mini-review with: The interestingly named Play haha is one of the best-selling gaming chairs on Amazon for good reason; it’s supremely cheap but does enough to make it a solid first step into the world of gaming chairs.
Available in a variety of colours, the Play haha understandably doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of more expensive chairs – but it does have a handful of useful features. Its frame is sturdy yet only weighs 14.5kg, making it one of the lightest chairs on this list and very easy to move around on its five wheels. Meanwhile, fixed armrests and an integrated headrest offer some comfort when typing or gaming.
There’s no tilt lock and you don’t get adjustable lumbar support but the Play does offer 10cm of height adjustability via a gas lift cylinder in the base. If you’re willing to make a few sacrifices to keep costs down, the Play haha is an easy recommendation.
3. ADX Firebase Advanced 21: Best budget gaming chair for racing fans
Price when reviewed: £179 | Check price at Currys
- Great for… long-lasting comfort, lumbar and neck support
- Not so great for… pushing around
Curry’s ADX brand also produces the Advanced 21 and it packs in some serious features for the money. It has a funky-looking racing-style seat and pairs this with a snazzy grey, black and neon orange colour scheme in synthetic PU leather.
However, most useful are the Advanced 21’s adjustable armrests and lumbar support, which both add an extra layer of comfort. Pair those with height and angle adjustability, and the ADX Firebase Advanced 21 should provide comfortable gaming for hours on end.
Most report that the Advanced 21 is fairly easy to assemble, at 22kg, however, it will be a little heavier to push around than other chairs on this list. Still, that’s the price you pay for impressive build quality and extra comfort.
4. GTPLAYER: Best budget gaming chair for style
Price when reviewed: £116 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… tall people, eye-catching design
- Not so great for… speedy assembly
The GTPLAYER may be an eminently affordable gaming chair but its looks don’t betray its bargain price. It’s available in a range of bright colours – from red to slime green – but all offer the same mix of features.
Two extra pillows support the base of your back and the top of your neck, while armrests along with height and tilt controls ensure you’re able to customise the GTPLAYER to your requirements.
Putting the GTPLAYER together can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, and all components are labelled to speed the process along. The GTPLAYER is one of the sturdier options around thanks to its metal base and comfortably seats those over 6ft.
How to choose the best budget gaming chair for you
Before diving into our list of the best budget gaming chairs, it’s worth knowing a bit more about what you’re buying. What makes a chair a ‘gaming’ chair? What features will you miss out on compared to more expensive chairs? How do you know what chair is right for your body type?
What makes a chair gaming-specific?
Gaming chairs have a few key differences to regular office chairs. First of all, from a quick glance you will see they all have striking designs that will perfectly match that brand-new RGB rug you just bought.
Gaming chairs tend to have dedicated cushions for lumbar and neck support. Thirdly, they’re usually fairly adjustable, with armrests that rotate and can be raised or lowered to best suit your play sessions. Most notably, they’re also sturdier and by virtue, heavier than office chairs. Oftentimes, gaming chairs can take some getting used to seeing as this sturdy build quality makes them a bit firmer. Rest assured though, that’s the case for a reason; sturdier chairs are loads better for your posture, especially if you spend a lot of your time in one.
What makes these chairs ‘budget’?
As we’re sure you’ve discovered by now, gaming chairs can be very expensive. What with gaming becoming a pricier hobby these days, getting a chair that’s right for you while staying on budget is super important. You may be worried that these chairs being ‘budget’ might mean they’re missing a lot, but don’t worry.
The main difference with these chairs compared to the ones found in our list of the best gaming chairs, is that they’re generally made of cheaper materials. Where more expensive ones will have metal feet, these may have plastic ones, for example. Additionally, chairs on this list might not boast the big brand names that you might have heard of. Regardless, these chairs are not to be sniffed at. All of them would serve as a great ‘first’ gaming chair, as they’re all a nice half-way house between office chairs and gaming chairs.
How will I know what chair is right for me?
Some things to consider before punching that “buy now” button are the shape of the chair and the shape of your body. How do you usually sit? Will the chair you like accommodate that position? Some gaming chairs have more rounded shoulder positions, and others have straighter backs.
What height is the desk you sit at? Will the chair fit in whatever room you’re planning to play in? For clear measurements and dimensions, keep an eye on the key details at the bottom of each product listing.