RESPAWN Gaming Recliner RSP-900 Review – Finally a Terrific PC Gaming Chair for Console Owners

RESPAWN Gaming Recliner RSP-900 Review

A “gaming chair” is one of those accessories I’ve always wanted, but for one reason or another, I’ve never made the plunge. Whether it be the cost or my lovely wife not being particularly thrilled with the idea of a red racing style chair sitting in the living room, I’ve always kept my finger off the checkout button. When the opportunity came along to check out RESPAWN’s latest gaming chair designed specifically for console gamers, I just had to pounce on the opportunity.

Fortunately, the RESPAWN Gaming Recliner RSP-900 has six colours to choose from (black, grey, white, blue, back and red). So my wife wouldn’t be stuck with a giant eyesore. I played it safe and went with the black with grey trim model. And hot damn, it truly does look slick and matches all the consoles, stands, shelves and TV in the room. There is no question it has a super cool design and only added to my gaming room.   Setting up the recliner, on the other hand, was a little trickier than I expected. Thankfully, Respawn has a video that helps you set up the chair as the instructions don’t quite cut it. So, if you are planning on picking one up, toss the instructions out and just watch the video below. After about 45-minutes or so, I was ready to kick back in my new gaming recliner and play a little Far Cry New Dawn.

When I first sat in the chair, it felt a little stiff. I didn’t sink in like I do when I plop my arse on my home theater chairs. I’ll be honest, I initially wondered how this chair could possibly be comfortable after an extended gaming session. Yet after a few hours of gaming, I was impressed with how comfortable it was. Even my trusty theater chairs get uncomfortable after awhile. The RSP-900, on the other hand, is surprisingly fantastic in the comfort department. It’s clear it was designed for lasting sessions in front of your TV, as this middle-aged and husky fella walked away without a sore bum or aching back.

Built for Comfort

The chair itself has segmented padding and a headrest pillow with the RESPAWN branding logo plastered at the top of the chair and headrest. Many gaming chairs have those cheap plastic armrests with simple padding on top. The RSP-900; however, has comfy plush armrests which make all the difference in the world and certainly helps maintain that snug and comfortable feeling when playing. The built-in cup holder on the left arm is a nice touch as well. It is just the perfect size. Obviously, it won’t fit a coffee cup but any sized can, glass or Slurpee will fit just fine.

In addition to the cup holder, the chair also has a handy dandy side pouch for remotes, controllers, Snickers bars, Cheetos or your weed. I was able to slide my universal remote and Xbox One controller into the pouch with ease. The pouch is tucked away nicely, so it isn’t an eyesore or unsightly to look at. Granted a little storage compartment would have been more ideal but the pouch is certainly better than nothing. If the pouch bothers you, it is removable.

The real selling point is the recliner feature. I mean, who doesn’t love kicking back while they are gaming? Now, the RESPAWN RSP-900 isn’t the only gaming chair that reclines. Many have footrests but most of them leave that shitty gap between the chair and the footrest. The RSP-900 has no such black hole and provides full support for your legs and feet. It’s quite heavenly to be perfectly honest.

The leaver bar that controls the recliner does take some getting used to. Pulling the recliner up and down isn’t the smoothest experience. I found I had to lift my legs in order to put the recliner down. I am by no means an expert on reclining chairs but I feel like the recliner function could have been a little smoother. The level itself felt a little cheap too. I did; however, like how the back recline and footrest operate independently from each other. I don’t always want to recline my chair but I always like putting my feet up. It was nice to have options.

Another minor annoyance is the fact you cannot prevent the chair from swiveling. Being able to swivel the chair is nice but every time I moved on the chair, I would start to swivel to one side. Not a deal breaker but more of a small annoyance. I feel like there should be a ‘lock the chair from swiveling’ feature.

At an MSRP of $299.99, the RESPAWN Gaming Recliner RSP-900 isn’t exactly cheap. That said, this is clearly a gaming chair that can be viewed as more of an investment. The design, level of comfort and recliner function all lend itself to a gaming chair you should be happy with for years to come. The cup holder and controller pouch are merely icing on the cake.

***The Gaming Recliner Was Provided by RESPAWN For The Purpose of This Review***