SONGMICS Racing Gaming Chair, Adjustable Office Chair with Footrest, Ergonomic Design, Headrest, Lumbar Support, 150 kg Weight Capacity, Ink Black and Dove Grey OBG073BH08

Look, your spine genuinely does not care how many RGB zones your chair has. What it cares about is whether you're sitting in something that actually supports it properly after hour three, four, five of a session. I've been reviewing gaming chairs for six years now, and the number of people I've spoken to who've bought a chair based on how it looks in a YouTube thumbnail, only to end up with lower back pain three months later, is genuinely depressing. So when I spent two weeks with the SONGMICS OBG073BH08, I wasn't looking at the colour scheme. I was looking at whether it could hold its own as a daily driver for someone who actually spends serious time in their chair.

The budget gaming chair market in the UK is absolutely packed right now. You've got chairs from brands you've never heard of sitting alongside established names, all promising ergonomic bliss for under a hundred quid. The SONGMICS gaming chair under £100 UK bracket is one of the most competitive price points in the entire category, which means buyers have real choices, but also real risks. SONGMICS has been around long enough to have built a reputation in the budget furniture space, and this particular model has racked up over three thousand reviews on Amazon with a 4.2-star average, which is a decent signal that it's not a complete disaster. But averages can hide a lot, so I wanted to find out what it's actually like to live with day to day.

I tested this chair across two weeks of daily use, mixing long work-from-home sessions with evening gaming. I'm 5'10", around 80kg, and I've got a history of mild lower back issues that make me particularly sensitive to poor lumbar support. That context matters, because ergonomics is personal, and I'll flag throughout this review where my experience might differ from yours depending on your build. Here's everything I found.

The recline range is one of the headline features here, going from an upright working position all the way to 135 degrees, which is enough to have a proper lean-back without tipping into full nap territory. There's also a footrest that extends from beneath the seat, which is a feature you don't always see at this price point and one that genuinely changes how you use the chair during longer, more relaxed sessions. The chair ships with a detachable headrest pillow and a lumbar support cushion, both attached via elastic straps rather than being built into the frame, which is an important distinction I'll come back to in the ergonomics section.

The base is a five-point nylon star base with twin-wheel castors, and the gas lift is a standard Class 3 unit. The armrests are fixed in height on this model, which is a notable limitation compared to some rivals, and the seat padding uses high-density foam that SONGMICS claims maintains its shape over time. Whether that claim holds up is something I'll address in the comfort section, but on paper the spec sheet is reasonably competitive for the price bracket. Here's the full breakdown:

The lumbar support is a strap-attached cushion rather than an integrated lumbar mechanism, and this is probably the most important ergonomic caveat to understand before buying. A proper built-in lumbar system, like you'd find on a mid-range office chair, allows you to adjust the depth and height of the support independently of everything else. With a cushion, you're relying on the elastic strap to hold it in roughly the right position, and it can shift during use. Over my two weeks of testing, I found myself repositioning the lumbar cushion every day or two as it crept upward slightly. That said, when it is in the right spot, it does provide a noticeable amount of support to the lower back, and for the price, it's better than nothing. The NHS guidance on back health consistently emphasises the importance of lumbar support during prolonged sitting, so having something there, even if imperfect, is genuinely better than a flat seatback.

The headrest pillow sits at the top of the seatback and is also strap-attached. For me at 5'10", it sat roughly at the base of my skull, which is about right for neck support during reclined gaming. If you're significantly taller or shorter, you may find it lands in an awkward spot, and because the strap only gives you a few centimetres of adjustment, your options for repositioning are limited. The seat depth felt adequate for my leg length, with my knees sitting just at the edge of the seat pan without pressure behind the thighs, but I'd estimate the sweet spot for this chair is somewhere between 5'6" and 6'1" for seat depth to feel genuinely comfortable rather than just acceptable.

The seat width measures approximately 54cm across, which is generous enough for most body types without feeling like you're rattling around in it. The internal width between the bolsters is narrower than the overall seat width, and I'd estimate users with hip widths above around 45cm may find the bolsters start to feel restrictive. This is a common issue with racing-style bucket seats and isn't unique to SONGMICS, but it's worth knowing before you buy. The seat-to-floor height range of roughly 43cm to 53cm covers a wide range of desk heights, and I had no trouble finding a comfortable position relative to my desk at the standard 75cm height.

The chair's overall footprint is worth considering if you're working in a smaller space. The base diameter is around 68cm, and with the chair fully reclined and the footrest extended, you're going to need a decent amount of clear floor space behind and in front of the chair. In my testing setup, which is a reasonably sized home office, this wasn't an issue, but in a compact bedroom gaming setup, you'd want to measure carefully. The castors roll smoothly on both hard floors and carpet, and I didn't notice any tendency to drift or roll unexpectedly when sitting still, which is a small but genuinely appreciated detail.

The padding on the armrests is a thin layer of foam covered in a hard plastic shell with a small padded top surface. It's functional for resting your arms during gaming, but it's not the kind of plush, wide armrest padding you'd find on a more expensive chair. After a few hours, the padding does become noticeable in a not-entirely-pleasant way, particularly if you're the type who leans heavily on your armrests while gaming. The armrests also don't pivot, swing inward, or adjust for width, so if you're used to a chair with 4D armrests, this will feel like a significant step down.

That said, I want to be fair about the context here. At this price point, fixed 1D armrests are entirely normal, and the majority of chairs in the SONGMICS gaming chair under £100 UK bracket offer similar or worse armrest adjustability. The armrests aren't uncomfortable in an active sense, they just don't give you the flexibility to dial in a truly ergonomic position. If armrest adjustability is a priority for you, you'd need to step up to a mid-range chair in the £150 to £250 range to get meaningful 3D or 4D options. For casual gaming sessions where you're not spending eight hours a day at the desk, the fixed armrests are a liveable compromise.

From around the three to four hour mark, things start to become more nuanced. The seat foam, while initially supportive, begins to compress noticeably under sustained weight, and I started to feel a slight increase in pressure at the base of my tailbone. This is a common issue with budget chair foam, and it's not unique to SONGMICS, but it's worth flagging because it does affect comfort during longer sessions. I found that taking a short break every 90 minutes or so, which is good practice regardless of your chair, helped manage this significantly. The lumbar cushion also tends to need repositioning at around the three to four hour mark as it shifts slightly with movement.

The footrest is a genuinely useful addition for extended sessions, particularly when you want to recline and take a break from an upright working position. It extends smoothly and locks into place, and it's sturdy enough to actually rest your legs on without feeling like it might snap off. I used it regularly during evening gaming sessions when I'd recline to around 120 degrees, and it made a real difference to how relaxed I felt during those periods. One pressure point I did notice was at the back of the knees during fully upright sitting, where the front edge of the seat pan is fairly firm. Taller users with longer legs may find this more pronounced than I did.

The breathability story is less positive, as it always is with PU leather. During my testing in late April, the ambient temperature in my office was mild, around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, and even in those conditions I noticed the chair becoming noticeably warm after a couple of hours. The PU leather doesn't allow any airflow through the seat or seatback, so heat builds up between your body and the chair surface. In summer, or in a warmer room, this is going to be a more significant issue. I'd estimate that anyone gaming in a room above 22 degrees for extended periods is going to find the heat buildup genuinely uncomfortable. This is the fundamental trade-off with PU leather versus mesh, and it's one that budget chairs rarely address well.

In terms of durability, PU leather at this price point has a known limitation: it tends to crack and peel after 18 to 36 months of regular use, particularly at stress points like the seat edges and the areas where the seatback meets the seat. I can't assess long-term durability from two weeks of testing, but based on my experience with similar materials on comparable chairs, I'd expect the surface to show wear within two years of daily use. The stitching on the test unit looked clean and even, and the seams felt secure, but I'd recommend keeping it out of direct sunlight to slow down the degradation process. The SONGMICS official website offers some care guidance for their PU leather products that's worth reading if you want to extend the lifespan of the cover.

The tilt tension is adjustable via a knob beneath the seat, which lets you control how much resistance you feel when reclining. I found the range of adjustment adequate, though the lightest setting is still fairly firm, meaning very lightweight users might find it difficult to recline without significant effort. For most adults, the tension range will be workable. There's also a tilt lock function that fixes the chair in an upright position, which is useful if you're doing focused work and don't want any rocking movement. The rocking function itself, when unlocked, has a gentle, controlled feel rather than the aggressive bounce you get from some budget chairs.

The 135-degree maximum recline is worth discussing in context. It's enough for a comfortable lean-back gaming or film-watching position, and combined with the extended footrest, it creates a genuinely relaxing semi-reclined posture. It's not a full flat position, so you won't be sleeping in this chair, but that's probably fine for most buyers. What I'd flag is that at full recline, the lumbar cushion tends to lose contact with your lower back as the geometry changes, which means the lumbar support is most effective in the more upright positions between 90 and 110 degrees. If you spend most of your time reclined past 120 degrees, the lumbar cushion becomes largely decorative.

The gas lift is a Class 3 unit, which is the standard for chairs in this category and is rated for the weight capacity claimed. Class 3 gas lifts are generally reliable for several years of normal use, and I had no issues with the height adjustment drifting or the lift failing to hold position during my testing. The nylon five-point base is standard for budget gaming chairs and is adequate for normal use, though notably, that nylon bases are more susceptible to cracking under heavy use or impact than aluminium alternatives. For a 150kg weight capacity chair, I'd have preferred to see an aluminium base, but nylon is the norm at this price.

The castors are twin-wheel units that roll smoothly on both hard floors and carpet. They don't have a locking mechanism, which is fairly standard, and they didn't leave any marks on my laminate flooring during testing. The overall build quality impression is of a chair that's been put together carefully enough to avoid obvious weak points, without the premium feel of a more expensive product. The tolerances on the assembled chair were good, with no wobble in the seat or seatback, and the overall structure felt stable even when I leaned into the side bolsters or shifted weight around. For a budget chair, the build quality is genuinely respectable.

The process involves attaching the base to the gas lift, connecting the seat mechanism to the seat, attaching the seatback to the seat, and then fitting the armrests and accessories. The most physically demanding step is connecting the seatback to the seat, which requires holding the seatback in position while tightening bolts, and this is genuinely easier with two people. I managed it alone, but it required some awkward positioning and a bit of patience. If you're assembling this on your own, I'd suggest doing the seatback connection on a carpeted surface so the components don't slide around.

The tools provided in the box are adequate for the job, including an Allen key that fits all the required bolts. I didn't need to supplement with my own tools, which is a nice touch. The lumbar cushion and headrest pillow attach via elastic straps and take about 30 seconds each to fit. Overall, the assembly experience is one of the more positive aspects of this chair, and I'd say it's comfortably achievable for anyone with basic DIY confidence. The instructions are clear enough that you're unlikely to make any assembly errors that require backtracking, which is more than I can say for some competitors I've reviewed.

The Homall Gaming Chair is probably the most direct competitor, sitting at a similar price point and offering a very similar racing-style design. Where the Homall edges ahead is in its slightly wider seat, which makes it a better fit for broader builds. However, the Homall's recline mechanism has been less reliable in my experience, with more reports of the lock slipping over time, and its foam quality feels marginally softer out of the box, which can mean faster compression. The SONGMICS feels more structurally consistent and the recline lock is noticeably more dependable.

The Dowinx Gaming Chair brings a massage function built into the lumbar support, which sounds appealing but in practice delivers a fairly weak vibration that most users stop using within a week. What the Dowinx does better is offer slightly more adjustable armrests on some models, and the fabric version breathes considerably better than the PU leather SONGMICS. However, the Dowinx typically sits at a slightly higher price point for the better-specified versions, and the build quality on the base model is comparable to the SONGMICS rather than superior. For pure value at the budget end, the SONGMICS holds its own.

The limitations are real and worth being honest about. The fixed armrests are an ergonomic compromise that will frustrate anyone who's used to adjustable options. The PU leather breathability is poor, and anyone gaming in a warm room for extended periods is going to notice the heat buildup. The strap-attached lumbar cushion shifts during use and requires periodic repositioning, and the seat foam compression becomes noticeable after three to four hours of continuous sitting. These aren't dealbreakers at this price point, but they're genuine trade-offs you need to go in knowing about.

For someone who's upgrading from a standard dining chair or a basic office chair for occasional gaming sessions, this represents solid value and a meaningful improvement in comfort. For someone who's going to be sitting in it for eight hours a day, five days a week, I'd strongly encourage looking at mid-range options with built-in lumbar mechanisms and adjustable armrests, even if it means spending more. The SONGMICS gaming chair under £100 UK market is competitive, and this chair is one of the better options in it, but "better than most at this price" and "good enough for heavy daily use" are two different things. My editorial score is 7.0 out of 10, reflecting a chair that punches its weight in the budget category without pretending to be something it isn't.