Vertagear SL4000 gaming chair review

While office chairs used to be a gamer staple in the past, gaming chairs have been gaining popularity recently. They have a number of advantages that allow players to go on long gaming sessions without having to worry about experiencing discomfort. We’re going to discuss them, using the Vertagear SL4000 chair as our example.

Unboxing and assembly

The Vertagear gaming chair is shipped in a large box. The packaged product weighs about 30 kg. All parts are packed compactly inside the box and secured in place to prevent damage during transportation. Metal and plastic parts are packed in separate boxes or wrapped in foam envelopes, while the seat, backrest and cushions come in their own separate wrappers.

The package has everything that’s needed for DIY assembly of the chair, including a clear manual with color illustrations. The manufacturer includes a wrench for tightening screw joints. Armrests attach to the seat with screws. In a disassembled chair, these are tightened into the frame. They need to be unscrewed before attaching the armrests and securing them in place. The backrest is also attached with screws, which are included in the same box as the wrench. The gas lift attaches to the base with the wheels. It’s wider on the threaded end that goes into the seat, and narrower on the lower end. As soon as the chair is placed on the floor, the gas lift will sink into the base to the necessary depth, and won’t ever pop out from there. Assembling the chair takes no more than fifteen minutes.

Ergonomics and design

Most gaming chair manufacturers, including Vertagear, chose not to use office chairs as their starting point. Instead, they based their designs on racing car seats. This is an understandable decision considering that a gaming session requires an intricate balance between a collected sitting position and comfort. Indeed, eSports players are more like sports car drivers than office workers in the way they sit, leaning against the backrest with their arms stretched forward.

Vertagear SL4000 is upholstered with artificial leather. The chair’s steel frame comes with a lifetime guarantee from the manufacturer. The five-pointed base is made of aluminum. The gas lift is used to adjust the chair’s height. The adjustable plastic armrests can be raised or lowered and moved forward or back as well as left or right.

The angle of the backrest can be adjusted between 80 and 180 degrees. The backrest design is the part most reminiscent of racing cars. Its rounded edges provide support for the shoulders as well as lateral fixation. There are holes on shoulder blade level, but instead of seatbelts, they’re for affixing the lower back cushion. A neck cushion is also included. It’s smaller in size and softer than the lower back one.

The seat also has lateral support. It necessitates a collected sitting position without causing any discomfort. The width between the side pieces is not adjustable, which not everyone may find comfortable. The leather covering the seat is perforated, resulting in excellent ventilation and no heating during extended sessions. The seat’s hardness was chosen with maximum precision to avoid both sinking into the chair and sitting on it as on a wooden bench.

The racing design is also notable in the wheels, which are reminiscent of the discs on sports cars. The rims are painted the same colors as the chair. The wheels are so designed as to prevent damage when rolling over small objects. They make virtually no noise while moving  across any surface.

In use

The chair stands well on any surface, be it laminated floor or a carpet. Wheel steering is very finely adjusted, so it doesn’t move of its own accord. The chair’s inclination, being adjustable regardless of sitting position, provides support for the back. The lower back cushion will only be needed if the player doesn’t lean with their lower back against the backrest, but slides towards the edge of the seat. With an ordinary chair, it takes half an hour for lower back pain to set in, while the cushion on the SL4000 removes strain from it. If the filling feels too firm, it can be replaced; there’s a special opening on the back of the cushion for that purpose.

A mechanism allowing rocking is built into the base of the chair. When leaning heavily against the backrest, the entire chair slants backwards, taking pressure off the thighs during pauses in the game. You can even lie down in it. In order to do that, the backrest must be pushed back 180 degrees. Even when the backrest is tipped sharply backwards, the risk of falling over is virtually zero. The mechanism can be blocked by pushing the height adjustment handle towards the center. 

No evident defects have been found after a month of using the chair. The artificial leather on the seat hasn’t stretched or worn down; no looseness has appeared in the backrest and armrest adjusters. The wheels have not come loose, and are holding the chair firmly in place even while rocking in it. The lower back and neck cushions show no deformations. Even the embroidered Vertagear logos show no visible defects due to constant friction from the head and lower back.

Gaming chairs, including the Vertagear SL4000, cost more than office ones. However, they meet all the specific demands of an active gamer. They offer precision in adjusting the backrest, support for the head and lower back, as well as the possibility to lean all the way back and have a bit of a nap during a short pause. A comfortable and collected sitting position help eSports players achieve their full in-game potential. And Vertagear gaming chairs are an ideal tool for that purpose.

CS2