Joseph Kaminski Senior Associate Technology Editor / Reviews
When not juggling the dual demands of parenthood and playing basketball, Joseph is a life-long Manhattanite who can be found testing the latest tech in the CNET Labs and developing new benchmarks and testing methodologies.
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ErgoCentric tCentric Hybrid ergonomic chair
Investing in a high-quality PC gaming chair with an ergonomic design is one of the best ways to improve your gaming experience. Whether you’re working or unwinding, gaming chairs offer serious comfort for long hours locked in front of a screen. It gives you a throne for gaming and makes for a great study seat or office chair, and there are often options that range from subtle to bold in terms of color choices, so you can customize your space the way you want.
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Gaming chairs are nice and all, but what if you want something that doesn’t make you feel like you’re sitting in a cocoon? The AirCentric 2 Multi-Tilt is an office chair-like design — no RGB lighting or weird, cuplike seats — that is also great for gaming in.
The chair is currently available in three main colors — black, dark gray and royal blue — and with a choice of light gray or black hardware. The “air” part of the name refers to the breathable backrest, which has an attractive riblike pattern on the back.
As a moderately tall human, I’ve found some designs don’t fit my long legs or support my butt well enough. The baseline AirCentric 2 can support people between 5-feet 4-inches and 6-feet 1-inch and up to 240 pounds. The seat’s height adjustment enables me to stretch my legs comfortably and I don’t get a numb posterior sitting in it for 8 hours. I found that with my usual chair, the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro, I get neck pain from using it at my desk — and I think this is because I can’t get it to raise high enough. This is not a problem I’ve had in using the AirCentric 2 over the course of several weeks.
Of all the numerous controls on the AirCentric 2, I believe the seat depth bar is the most important as it enables you to forgo the need for a separate lumbar control. It lets you move the seat to and fro so that the chair’s back is able to properly support yours — I found it quick and easy to dial it in correctly.
The version of the chair I received included both the optional headrest and the 360-degree swivel arms. Of these, only the headrest could be considered essential as it is highly adjustable and stays put when you lean your head against it. As for the other feature, I personally prefer a chair without arms, so the ability to spin the armrests around was lost on me. Buying the chair without the specialized arms will save you an additional $200.
I have been a gamer for many years, but I eschew the “technicolor gamer aesthetic. If, like me, you want something easy to set up, very comfortable to sit in and doesn’t look like dog vomit, the AirCentric is worth the extra expense. Prices start at $831 (with armrests), while the headrest is around $200 extra. — Ty Pendlebury
