The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro is our favorite office chair, and it’s also my favorite gaming chair. As it turns, out a comfortable and reliable design is ideal regardless of the use case. The real “gaming” piece boils down to aesthetics. And now, this chair is available in three different Sega-branded styles, all of which are super comfortable and adjustable. Assembly wasn’t too difficult, and the chair isn’t too fiddly to get dialed in, though there definitely is a learning curve when it comes to all the different knobs.

Each of the designs is both fun and attractive, and that the chair offers incredible value for the price. The Sonic version has a mesh back, while the Sega Genesis and Sega Dreamcast versions have leather backs. I didn’t find the leather-backed version that I tested to be too sweaty. All the little details of the designs pop, and it’s hard to find a better gaming chair for the money. I like that I can always lean back and “have a think” when I’m staring at a blank text field or waiting for my Discord friends to get back to the mic. As a 5’1″ woman, I do wish this chair got just a little bit lower to the ground, which is a bit ironic considering that Branch sells an optional Tall Cylinder for people above 6 feet tall. I also found the headrest pretty much useless. But again, for the price, and for your health, good luck getting more value. If you’re locking in for hours and hours, this chair can help you do it more safely.

The Razer Iskur V2 Newgen is comfortable and stylish. It definitely feels like a “gaming” chair more than an office chair, with thick foam padding and an aesthetic that serves more “Twitch streamer” than “white-collar employee.” It isn’t as breathable as I want it to be, and while the phase-change material keeps me relatively cool, it does get a little warm during long gaming sessions, especially if my house is already hot. This sentiment was echoed by my fellow chair tester Julian Chokkattu. It’s not a dealbreaker for me, but if you run hot, it may not be ideal.

What I really love about this chair is its adaptive lumbar support, which can be dialed in using a know on the side, and its back tilt and wide seat. I can sit cross-legged or put up one foot with no issues. I wish the seat were a little deeper, though, and the pillow-like headrest is admittedly silly. I’ll also flag that my cat is seemingly obsessed with trying to scratch the backrest. But the full reclining action is so good that I wanted to keep this chair around for long-term testing, so now I just pop a blanket over the back.