When I was a teenager playing Call of Duty on the Xbox 360, I got my first gaming chair. It was an armless, “ergonomic” rocker with a speaker near where your head should be and some nobs and ports on the side. As a piece of tech, it was utterly useless and never worth figuring out. It quickly became the last option, an extra seat for guests that was used only when absolutely necessary. Gaming chairs have come a long way since then. In fact, I guess we are just calling desk chairs gaming chairs now and charging accordingly. When Herman Miller does it, though, you don’t hear us complaining.
Pros
- Forward-leaning design helps with postuire
- Easy to recline and adjust armrests while remaining seated
- Provides support with soft cushioning
- Even the brighter colors look classy
- Assembles in minutes
Cons
- Never felt like the headrest was just right
- Costs a lot more than the competition
For its Vantum Gaming Chair, the company known for its iconic office chairs teamed up with gaming hardware specialists Logitech to deliver something ergonomic and performance based. The result is a heavenly marriage of form and ergonomic design that isn’t any more complicated than needed. Accented by a pop of color that runs up the chair’s spine (I chose the striking orange hue dubbed Helio), the Vantum stands out in a room while not screaming “my owner is a gamer.” It’s a comfortable, beautiful chair that’s perfect for those of us who play as hard as we work.
Setup and assembly: Easy as ...
When my chair arrived for review, I took one look at the box and anticipated an entire morning’s worth of assembly woes. As it turns out, I put the whole thing together in less than 15 minutes.
The Vantum Gaming Chair does not come pre-built. Instead, it comes in a few pieces. You assemble the base, connecting cylinder, and headrest yourself. It’s a simple process that frankly makes Ikea look like a Ph.D. thesis project. Within minutes, I was on to the fun part.
The design is intended for gaming, and I tried some games while sitting in it. But the real purpose I found for the Vantum was as an office chair. It turns out that when you’ve never sat in a chair like this before, you want to make the most out of it. Weeks later, I can safely call this chair all-purpose and mean it. No matter what I’m doing at my computer, be it gaming or writing, I want to do it sitting in my Herman Miller chair.
Day-to-day impressions: A perfect sit
From the moment I sat my ass down in the Vantum I knew it was a good chair. The padding is comfortable, while the forward-leaning design keeps my posture intact without needing to constantly remind myself I’m slouching. Six weeks later, I can’t say my impressions have changed much at all.
The thing I love most about the Logitech G Vantum is adjusting it. Once seated, below you on either side are two knobs you can turn. One is for adjusting recline angle, and the other is for recline tension, allowing you to customize how far back you can go and the amount of pressure it takes. On the right knob, an equally easy-to-access flap lets you adjust the chair’s height. For headrest-height modification, simply reach back and pull up or down. Likewise, changing the height of the armrests is just as intuitive and natural.
It’s not a revolutionary build, but once you begin to figure out the purpose of each of the mechanisms, it will all click into place. After sitting in it every day for a week, you’ll feel like you were born in this chair.
The only barrier to entry here is the price. If you’re coming at it from a gamer’s perspective, $900 is a lot to spend on an accessory, even if it’s one that’s protecting your body. Inferior as they may be, competing products in this category go for hundreds less on average.
But when you consider that this is a motherfucking Herman Miller chair for under a grand, the price feels less like an investment, more like a steal. To give some context, the Aeron Chair—Herman Miller’s most famous office-chair design—starts at $1,300 and goes up for every extra feature you want. To the company’s credit, it really did try to make this a sensible entry point for the ergonomically interested, but not fully bought-in, crowd. For less than half what the average Aeron costs, the Vantum is a luxury chair at non-luxury prices.
Verdict: The king of computer chairs
Pros
- Forward-leaning design helps with postuire
- Easy to recline and adjust armrests while remaining seated
- Provides support with soft cushioning
- Even the brighter colors look classy
- Assembles in minutes
Cons
- Never felt like the headrest was just right
- Costs a lot more than the competition
The Herman Miller Logitech G Vantum Gaming Chair isn’t just for gaming. It’s an amazing all-purpose desk chair you can sit comfortably in for hours. The subtle forward lean will help you keep your eyes on the monitor and minimize slouching, regardless of whether you’re lining up headshots or poring over spreadsheets. I’ve been using it as my main office chair during the workdays and have yet to run into any issues. Even better, I know I’m the most comfortable person in the office, and my back will age the best.
If the $900 price tag isn’t an issue, I can’t find a single good reason not to recommend this chair to you. Do you have back problems? Are you a Twitch streamer developing back problems? Do you sit in an uncomfortable office chair and worry about potential future back problems? Do you dislike the look of most other office chairs? All reasons to get an ergonomic chair for your desk. All reasons to choose Herman Miller.
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At Esquire, we’ve been testing and reviewing the latest and greatest products for decades now. When it comes to tech, hands-on testing with every gadget and piece of gear we review is our number one priority. From headphones to smartwatches, we know which brands are the best of the best ... as well as which to avoid.
I spent nearly two months testing this Herman Miller gaming chair. Before writing this review, I had already used it for dozens (if not hundreds) of hours.
