Gaming chairs are a dime a dozen, however each on occasion one comes alongside that breaks the mildew. The Herman Miller x Logitech G Vantum is precisely such a chair. Designed to maintain you in an lively, ahead posture, it affords a singular mix of ergonomic options and gamer aesthetics to maintain you comfy, alert, and sitting fairly for hours on finish. And whereas it makes use of far an excessive amount of plastic for its $795 price ticket, it succeeds in delivering a cushty sitting expertise that promotes quick response occasions the place they matter most.

Herman Miller x Logitech G Vantum – Design and Options

The Vantum is the second chair to come back out of the current collaboration between Herman Miller and Logitech G. The primary, the Herman Miller x Logitech G Embody Gaming Chair, was nicely acquired however was basically an replace to the corporate’s already-popular Embody chair. At $1,795, it was additionally firmly out of attain of many avid gamers.

The Vantum is the primary fully authentic creation to come back out of that partnership. At $795 it’s costly for a gaming chair, however one of many most cost-effective chairs in Herman Miller’s line-up. For the uninitiated, Herman Miller is among the largest, most well-respected manufacturers on this planet with regards to workplace chairs, and the majority of its seats frequently promote for $1,000 or extra. They’re additionally well-known to final for ages with correct care and to truly put ergonomics first, which many gaming chairs don’t.

That’s actually the case with the Vantum. At first look, it appears like a wierd hybrid between an workplace chair and a racing seat. I say unusual in essentially the most endearing method doable, as a result of it’s genuinely one of the vital distinctive and funky wanting chairs I’ve reviewed since I started writing about tech again in 2015. It’s open and uncovered in a method that’s eye-catching, however not ostentatious in the best way many gaming chairs are typically. Although should you want one thing extra overstated, it’s out there in brilliant crimson in addition to black and white.

At a look you’ll be able to see that it’s designed with ergonomics in thoughts. It makes use of a mesh again and cloth seat for breathability and luxury, however the body is nearly skeletal with giant cutouts round its backbone. Between the body and mesh are equally skeletal-looking lumbar and thoracic (higher again) helps. Look a bit nearer and also you’ll discover a pair of knobs on the underside lumbar to regulate its plates out and in. There’s no top adjustment, although, which was stunning and disappointing for a chair of this caliber.

The ergonomics carry by to different components of the Vantum too. A deal with on the facet of the seat permits it to maneuver out and in and alter the depth of the seat base. It’s a helpful function to essentially dial within the angle your again meets the lumbar assist and is totally absent on nearly all of gaming chairs.

The seat cushion is product of polyurethane foam that’s mushy out of the field. It appears and feels just like less expensive process chairs, which I initially discovered dismaying for the excessive value of the chair. However after spending a while with it, it’s undeniably comfortable and didn’t want weeks of break-in time like many gaming chairs I’ve tried. The seat tapers off to a waterfall edge, which is extra comfy and promotes higher leg circulation.

Although the chair is clearly designed to advertise the most effective posture, it has a large, 20-inch seat base that accommodates completely different seating types. Over lengthy stretches at my pc, I usually tuck one leg below me and even totally cross my legs, and I had no hassle doing that with this chair. Herman Miller says it helps avid gamers as much as 350 kilos, which is spectacular for the light-weight development of the chair.

The seat can also be integral to the “ahead posture” that lends it its edge for gaming. At 17.5 inches, its seat is noticeably shallower than the competitors, which causes you to take a seat upright and in opposition to the lumbar. It’s practically two inches shallower than the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 and greater than three inches lower than the Razer Enki Professional. This compelled uprightness may be alleviated by reducing the recline pressure, but it surely received’t be for everybody. I admit, it was unusual at first, however after two weeks of each day use, I can say it labored to maintain me extra alert and responsive, particularly throughout late night time gaming classes.

The Vantum can also be the one chair on Herman Miller’s web site to supply a headrest. Just like the seat, it makes use of a polyurethane cushion and is trimmed in polyester. The implementation is okay as soon as it’s in place but it surely’s a ache to get it there. Adjusting top is way too stiff (tilt is simple), which regularly prompted me to slam it up or down from the quantity of pressure required to get it to maneuver in any respect.

Recline features in another way than a standard gaming chair. The backrest tilts backward however doesn’t fall again right into a full lay like a racing chair. As a substitute of a single lever to manage its place, two knobs below both sides of the seat management its motion. The left knob is a tilt limiter and controls how far the backrest will transfer. Its lowest place locks it upright. The fitting knob adjusts the extent of resistance you are feeling when pushing again. A dial above every knob measures the adjustment throughout six steps so you’ll be able to rapidly readjust it when wanted.

The left knob additionally has a top adjustment lever which might elevate or decrease the chair 4 inches. That locations the peak of the seat between 18 and 22 inches, which is ideal for many desks. At its highest setting, I even discovered it obtained me a bit greater than my Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. At its lowest, it may simply slide beneath my standing desk and its cumbersome aftermarket drawer.

The armrests are pretty normal fare for gaming chairs. They’re product of agency, however barely versatile, polyurethane foam that isn’t nice on the elbows. They alter up and down, left and proper, and ahead and again. The sides taper off to advertise comfy console play, however they’re not straightforward on the elbows for exhausting leaning.

Taken as an entire, I actually just like the chair however I can’t get previous simply how light-weight and plastic it’s. At $800, it’s low cost for a Herman Miller but it surely’s costly for a gaming chair, and it doesn’t evaluate nicely to development of a lot smaller manufacturers. The Cougar Gaming’s Argo is way extra strong and makes good use of steel for $300 much less. Just about each a part of the Vantum is plastic, together with the wheelbase which is a typical failure level.

Fortunately, Herman Miller affords among the best warranties within the enterprise. The Vantum is roofed for 12 years, so ought to something fail, it’s best to have the ability to obtain assist.

Herman Miller x Logitech G Vantum – Meeting

Herman Miller chairs normally don’t require meeting, and although the Vantum does, it may be accomplished by a single particular person in lower than a minute. It is available in an enormous field, however that’s as a result of whereas it’s not fully assembled, it’s a lot of the method there. The backrest and seat are one unit, and the wheelbase already has the wheels and fuel piston in place. The one factor left to do is put the chair on the piston and slide the headrest into its slot. Even taking the time to snap an image of the headrest, I used to be accomplished in lower than a minute, fully toolless.

Herman Miller x Logitech G Vantum – Efficiency

I’ve spent years listening to about how nice Herman Miller chairs are and was excited to strive one for myself. And although I initially took the corporate’s advertising claims about selling alertness with a grain of salt, I’ve to confess that they’re onto one thing with this design. It took some getting used to, however as soon as I did, the Vantum fully changed my common process chair, the costlier Vertagear Set off 350 SE for each gaming and work.

Throughout the day, I spend hours at my PC. After my day job, I’m writing opinions like this one. After my children are down, I settle in for some late night time gaming. Sitting for therefore lengthy, particularly on the finish of a protracted day, the physique will unconsciously loosen up and start to slouch. That posture could make you are feeling sluggish and torpid, slowing response time and typing velocity.

The Vantum compelled me right into a prepared posture, which sounds inflexible and uncomfortable, however isn’t. The higher and decrease helps within the backrest offered simply sufficient assist to make sitting that method really feel pure — after I obtained used to it a minimum of. At first, it felt like I couldn’t get far sufficient again within the seat. That light after an hour or so and sitting extra upright started to really feel extra regular than not.

When you’re like me, chances are you’ll be pondering that any gaming chair can sit upright, and that’s true. None of them pressure you to slouch, in spite of everything, and most can lock in an upright place to maintain you that method. With a standard chair, even an ergonomic process chair, you need to actively bear in mind to take a seat as upright because the Vantum positions you usually. It takes effort. Racing seats additionally are likely to lack the mandatory assist within the higher again, or are too contoured, which might trigger you to lean ahead, selling again and neck ache.

The higher and decrease again helps did a great job, even when they do appear a bit too plasticky for the price of the chair. The decrease lumbar assist would profit from being top adjustable to make it good however was huge sufficient to work nicely for me. I’m 5’8”, although, so taller customers might have a unique expertise. The higher thoracic assist appeared gimmicky at first, however got here in clutch offering that additional little bit of higher again assist for its upright posture.

Simply as claimed, the results of this design is certainly sooner response occasions and extra alertness. I felt the enhancements in late night time rounds of Battlefield 2042 however was capable of measure them in an unlikely place: typing velocity exams. Throughout the nights I used my regular chair, I averaged a typing velocity of 108 WPM in MonkeyType. On nights with the Vantum, I averaged 121 WPM. Posture makes a distinction and, a minimum of for me, it was measurable.

Nobody needs to be on process on a regular basis, and that’s the place the Vantum falls behind the competitors considerably. Decreasing the recline pressure lets you chill and put your elbows up with a controller, however you’ll be able to’t add inches to the seat and a deep recline simply isn’t doable. I used to be capable of get comfy, however should you’re the sort of one who likes to nap of their gaming chair, it’s in all probability finest to look elsewhere.