Professional’s Score
Execs
- All-day consolation
- Glorious, premium supplies
- Fashionable, understated design
- Excessive-quality lumbar assist
Cons
- Lumbar assist not adjustable
- Low cost-feeling adjustment controls
- Costly, with RGB lighting offered individually
Our Verdict
The PL4800 presents nearly the whole lot most individuals are searching for in a gaming chair – offered you’re between 5ft 9in and 6ft 6in tall. You’ll discover higher worth for cash elsewhere, although.
Value When Reviewed
$579.99
Finest Costs At this time: Vertagear PL4800
If you happen to’re trying to improve your gaming expertise with a devoted chair, there’s extra alternative than ever earlier than in 2023. That’s additionally true of Dutch agency Vertagear, with 4 choices obtainable in its 800 Collection from 2022.
The PL4800 I’ve been testing is the costliest, and it’s particularly designed with taller avid gamers in thoughts. If you happen to’re underneath 5ft 9in (1.75m), the SL3800 and SL5800 are higher choices. Taller than 6ft 6in (1.98m)? Go for the PL6800 as an alternative.
So, does the PL4800 justify the excessive asking value? I spent just a few weeks testing it to search out out.
Design & construct
- Spectacular, high-quality construct
- Nice ‘HygennX’ cloth
- Plastic adjustment controls
As with most gaming chairs, there’s some meeting concerned as soon as the PL4800 arrives. Vertagear describes this as “easy” although, and it definitely wasn’t lengthy earlier than the chair was prepared to make use of.
With the armrests already hooked up, all you could do is connect the bottom and wheels to the underside of the seat, then slide the backrest into place. If my expertise is something to go by, this could take round quarter-hour, and it’s very a lot potential for a single individual.
From first impressions, there’s one phrase I’d use to explain the PL4800: unremarkable. Vertagear hasn’t deviated removed from the normal gaming chair design, so it doesn’t precisely stand out from the group.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Nevertheless, that’s not essentially a nasty factor. This design presents way more assist than your common workplace chair, making it a good selection for prolonged gaming periods.
The PL4800 additionally has a powerful, premium construct that helps justify that prime price ticket. Choosing a metal body makes it really feel extra sturdy than the aluminium typically discovered on cheaper fashions – Vertagear presents a 10-year guarantee on it.
Adjustment depends on a normal fuel cylinder which may technically get replaced, however a two-year guarantee on the remainder of the chair means you’re higher off sending it again to Vertagear.
The PL4800 options 4 normal caster wheels, which provide a powerful vary of actions. A rubber coating means they’re higher suited to onerous flooring than carpet, however I used it on the latter with no points.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Then there’s the chair itself, which mixes 4 totally different supplies: PU (synthetic) leather-based, UPHR foam, reminiscence foam and what Vertagear is looking ‘HygennX’.
Deciding in opposition to actual leather-based already reduces any odours from the PL4800, however HygennX takes it to the subsequent stage. Made utilizing espresso grounds, it supposedly neutralises micro organism progress and improves breathability, serving to stop the build-up of warmth and powerful smells.
If my expertise is something to go by, it actually works. After 7 hours of utilization every weekday for nearly three months, it nonetheless appears to be like nearly model new. Even should you are inclined to sweat loads, the again of the chair is dry inside a couple of minutes.
HygennX covers a lot of the chair, together with the elasticated headrest you’ll discover within the field.
The PU leather-based accents are the one place you may add a splash of color, with the Midnight Blue model I examined joined by choices for Midnight Inexperienced, Midnight Purple, Carbon Black, Burgundy Purple and Black/White.
Most function eye-catching orange stitching, however it feels prime quality and constructed to final.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
The one exceptions to that assertion are the plastic adjustment controls and casing round the place the RGB mild equipment could be (extra on these later). Each really feel low-cost and misplaced on such a premium chair, however they’re removed from dealbreakers.
It’s additionally value reiterating that this chair is designed for individuals between 5ft 9in (1.75m) and 6ft 6in (1.98m). Vertagear additionally specifies a most weight of 25.6 stone 9lbs (163kg) – options can be found should you’re shorter or heavier.
At 6ft 3in, I really feel the PL4800 was designed with somebody like me in thoughts. Besides, I wouldn’t need the highest of the chair to be any decrease. If you happen to’re nearer to 6ft 6in, I’d go for the taller PL6800 as an alternative.
Options & adjustment
- Adaptive lumbar, however not adjustable
- Loads of top and tilt changes
- RGB mild equipment offered individually
The HygennX materials is a function in itself, however there are few extra to pay attention to.
It wouldn’t be a gaming chair with out lumbar assist, which mixes HygennX with layers of reminiscence foam and UPHR foam. Vertagear is looking this ‘ContourMax’ lumbar, and claims it might adapt to the form of your physique to allow a wholesome posture.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
This supported my decrease again nicely, however that gained’t be the case for everybody – even should you’re inside the top vary. In case you have an extended again, for instance, the lumbar assist will likely be within the flawed place.
With that in thoughts, adjustable lumbar is a notable omission. Many different gaming chairs embrace this function, which ensures a greater match for everybody.
Speaking of changes, there’s loads of scope for it on the Vertagear PL4800. The usual top management presents vary of motion, though the lean perform on the opposite facet doesn’t provide a lot flexibility.
However whereas the chair is designed to advertise good posture, it presents intensive recline choices. You possibly can return till you’re nearly mendacity down, though at that time it turns into very unsteady.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
There are additionally 4D armrests, which means you may go up/down, facet to facet, in/out, or angled. Having this flexibility is sweet, however I largely stored them in the identical place.
Nevertheless, it’s value noting that another gaming chairs present extra adjustment controls. The Mavix M7, for instance, additionally enables you to management seat depth, recline stress and the peak of the backrest itself. None of these are requirements, although.
As you may anticipate from a gaming chair, it’s additionally potential so as to add RGB lights. There are devoted slots for 2 slightly below the headrest, however $299.99/€299.90 additional (at full value) makes it onerous to justify. I haven’t been in a position to take a look at these, though they do look very slick.
Consolation
- Snug and supportive
- Encourages good posture
- May have a lumbar cushion
If you happen to’re going to purchase a devoted gaming chair, it must be comfy. From utilizing the Vertagear PL4800 for round seven hours every weekday for nearly three days as my most important workplace chair, I can confidently say that’s the case.
The supplies talked about above imply it strikes steadiness between consolation and selling good posture. I are inclined to hunch over whereas working, however the PL4800 helped keep away from that for essentially the most half.
It’s helped by a waterfall-style seat design, which relieves stress in your knees and encourages you to place your ft flat on the ground – offered it’s on the proper top.
In comparison with the seat and backrest, the armrests are a lot more durable with much less padding. This was initially a slight concern, however I by no means discovered them uncomfortable throughout my testing.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Nevertheless, it’s not all excellent news. The mounted place of the lumbar assist means it gained’t be proper for everybody, even when it might adapt to the contours of your again.
Until I used to be sitting nearly fully upright, including a cushion was the one approach to make sure the suitable stage of assist. Some gaming chairs embrace lumbar cushions within the field – it could’ve been good to see that with the PL4800.
Value & availability
As I alluded to earlier, the Vertagear PL4800 is on the costly facet, coming in at $579.99/€579.90 (approx. £510) when paying full value.
So as to add the RGB mild equipment, you’ll must pay an additional $299.99/€299.90 (approx. £263) at RRP.
The PL4800 is simply obtainable direct from Vertagear on the time of writing, however the firm does provide a 10-year guarantee on the body and a two-year guarantee on the whole lot else.
Nonetheless, you’ll nonetheless be paying considerably greater than most entries in our gaming chair chart. Options fluctuate between fashions, however higher worth for cash could be discovered elsewhere.
Verdict
Vertagear’s PL4800 is a gaming chair constructed for individuals 5ft 9in (1.75m) and over, for whom it’s an incredible possibility.
Undoubtedly its most spectacular function is the customized HygennX cloth, which does an incredible job of stopping build-up of warmth, moisture or sturdy smells. It combines with PU leather-based, UPHR foam and reminiscence foam for a cushty, supportive expertise.
The adaptive lumbar assist is one other key function, however it gained’t be proper for everybody. If you happen to’d slightly modify its place manually, the PL4800 isn’t for you.
Mixed with costly RGB mild add-ons and an already excessive price ticket, this gaming chair will solely be proper for a selected sort of individual. If that’s you, this will likely be onerous to beat.
