Best Budget Gaming Chairs Under £100 UK 2026

1. Vfalcon XTREME Gaming Chair, Ergonomic Reclining Chair with Footrest, 360° Swivel, Height Adjustable (Grey)

The feature that decides this chair is the linkage armrest system. On most sub-£100 chairs, the armrests stay put while the backrest tilts back, so your elbows end up hanging in mid-air the moment you recline. Vfalcon's armrests move in sync with the recline, keeping your arms supported through the 90° to 135° range. That's genuinely unusual at this price, and it's the single biggest reason this one sits at the top rather than the TRIUMPHKEY, which also uses linkage armrests; our review scores the TRIUMPHKEY 6.5 against the Vfalcon's 7.5.

The structural side holds up too. A Class 3 gas lift handles height adjustment across a 41 to 53 cm seat range, and although it is sold with a 150 kg weight capacity, our review records 132 kg, so treat 132 kg as the safe figure. That is still above the Racingreat's 120 kg but below the 150 kg SONGMICS and TRIUMPHKEY. Vfalcon says the padding is cold-moulded, high-density foam. There's an extendable footrest for gaming, naps or films.

Now the honest part. Our review is clear that this is a chair for lighter users during shorter sessions, roughly two to three hours, not a full workday. The seat width is narrow, the lumbar support is pillow-based rather than a moulded structure, and the PU leather runs warm in summer, which is a running theme across all four of these. So if you're broad across the hips or you sit for eight hours straight, this won't be the chair that fixes your back. Vfalcon sizes it for people from 5'2" to 6'5", and it swivels a full 360° on nylon casters.

Against the SONGMICS, the Vfalcon gives you moving armrests and a footrest the SONGMICS lacks, for a similar bracket. Against the Racingreat, it adds the linkage system and a footrest. It's the best all-rounder here for anyone who values recline comfort. Our review scores it 7.5 out of 10. For the full breakdown, see our full Vfalcon XTREME review.

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2. SONGMICS Office Chair, Ergonomic Gaming Chair, Adjustable Headrest, Tilt Function, Foldable Armrests, Swivel Castors, Adjustable Height, E-sports Chair, Ink Black OBG65BKUK

The foldable armrests are the standout trick. They fold flat so the whole chair slides right under a desk when you're done, which is handy in a small room or a shared study space. Neither the Vfalcon nor the Racingreat has documented fold-flat armrests. The specifications list a 150 kg weight capacity, matching the TRIUMPHKEY, sat on a solid five-castor star base with an auto-return gas lift cylinder. Our review notes the assembly instructions come with numbered parts, so a solo build is manageable, which is where a lot of cheap furniture falls apart.

Here's the catch though. Those foldable armrests are foldable and nothing more. Our review flags that there's no confirmed height or width adjustment, so you can't dial in proper wrist and elbow positioning the way you can on the TRIUMPHKEY's 3D armrests. There's no footrest either, unlike the Vfalcon and TRIUMPHKEY. The PU cover is low on breathability, so warm rooms and longer sessions get sticky, and our review is blunt that this is not the chair for a full-time remote worker with an existing back problem. The racing-style side bolsters can press on your hips over a long sit as well.

So who's it for? Someone who wants a tidy chair that disappears under the desk between sessions and is used for shorter stretches. Our review scores it 7 out of 10. We covered the detail in our SONGMICS OBG65BKUK review.

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3. TRIUMPHKEY Gaming Chair with Massage Lumbar Support

Skip this one if you run hot and sit for hours, because the compromise here is breathability. But if you want the most recorded adjustment features in this comparison, look at the TRIUMPHKEY. It pairs 3D armrests, which move on more axes than the SONGMICS foldable pair or the Racingreat's height-only set, with a built-in electric massage lumbar cushion. That cushion runs off USB and vibrates at two points across your lower back. Because it's integrated rather than a loose pillow, it stays put instead of sliding around, which our review counts as a real advantage over pillow-based rivals.

The specifications list a 150 kg weight capacity, a 45 to 53 cm seat height range and a backrest that reclines and locks to 145°, with a retractable footrest thrown in. A Class 3 gas lift and metal frame handle the load. Our review notes the solo build takes under 30 minutes.

The reasons it sits behind the Vfalcon come down to the basics. Our review notes the PU leather warms up quickly on longer sessions, the headrest pillow shifts when you recline hard, and there's no established long-term durability record to lean on yet. Our review scores it 6.5 out of 10. Read our TRIUMPHKEY review for more.

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4. Racingreat Ergonomic Gaming Chair with Adjustable Height, Reclining Feature, Headrest, and Lumbar Support for Adults (Basics, Red)

This is the chair that replaces a kitchen chair. If you're a student or casual gamer sitting on something with no back support at all, the Racingreat is a sensible first step up. Our review praises a steel frame that feels genuinely sturdy for the money, a smooth tilt-tension mechanism with a reliable lock, and a lumbar cushion that holds its shape better than expected. Racingreat says its steel-plate backrest withstands more than 200 lb of impact and uses triangular fixing screws for stability. Assembly runs around 25 minutes solo, per our review.

Where it gives ground to the other three is the details. The specifications list a 120 kg weight limit, 30 kg lower than the SONGMICS and TRIUMPHKEY, so heavier users should look elsewhere. The armrests are height-only (1D), which our review flags as no good if you need proper wrist support, and there's no footrest. The seat bolsters are too narrow for hips over 40 cm, the PU leather warms up fast, and the foam will compress noticeably within 12 to 18 months of heavy daily use. It reclines to 155°, the deepest recline in this comparison recorded in this comparison, and comes with a one-year parts warranty.

Our review scores it 6.5 out of 10. See our Racingreat review for the full picture.

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