Extreme Rocker Gaming Chair Review

Written by Craig Will (puffkix) Thursday, 01 December 2011 12:00

I've wanted a gaming chair for quite some time now. Nothing too fancy, just comfortable, compact, and preferably with speakers built in. Most importantly I wanted something inexpensive, after all I have a couch and a floor I could just as well sit on. Black Friday brought me that chair.

First, I purchased the normally $40 Cohesion XP Gaming Chair for $30, not a stellar BF deal (and they lack speakers) but it was enough to tip the affordability scales. I ended up returning the chair, not because there was anything wrong with it or because it wasn't comfortable (it was), but because it wasn't quite big enough for me. Because of my size, I'm 6'5" and 260 lbs, the chair dug into my legs with it's very sturdy hardwood frame. Perhaps this particular chair just didn't have the amount of padding it should, or maybe the chair wasn't meant for tall people to sit in. Either way, the chair went back and I picked up the Extreme Rocker at Target.

This chair is normally $60 but was on sale for $32 (available for $43 at Amazon) AND it had the built-in speakers that I was looking for. I'd actually looked at this chair before and liked it though I felt that an actual game would be better spent money, but the $30 range is perfect for this chair. It's extremely comfortable and doesn't dig in like the XP did, the sound from the speakers is top notch and really brings an added level of immersion, and it feels very durable.

Generally when I play games I change position every 10-15 minutes, from sitting on the couch to laying on the floor to standing to sitting in a chair, and am just generally uncomfortable. The Extreme Rocker alleviates this by its very nature of being a rocker, leaning back is comfortable, sitting forward is comfortable, and the seat part is large enough to allow adjustment in posture. Overall, the Extreme Rocker is a very comfortable chair that suits my setup just fine.

But will it fit your setup? Things to keep in mind if you're looking for a gaming chair and are contemplating this one: the speakers require both power and audio input. This means that the chair is plugged in twice – once to the wall and once to your soundbar/stereo/TV. The power cord isn't very long but I think it's better than batteries... The audio cables also aren't very long, though they can be extended by other 3.5mm audio connector cables. The most comfortable reclining position isn't feasible without a wall or couch behind the chair, bracing it in that position. This chair sits directly on the floor, no legs, and therefore may not be suitable if you suffer from weak joints, injuries, or anything else that makes crouching or standing from sitting on the floor uncomfortable.

Again, this chair is great for my setup – I hate using batteries, my sound system is in a convenient place to hook up audio cables, I have the chair propped against my couch, and I'm already use to sitting and standing often when I game – but there are some things to consider before dropping cash on this, especially if you can't find it for less than the $60 MSRP.

7.5/10