Razer is the latest big gaming hardware brand to get into the lucrative gaming chair market. For the most part, the new Razer Iskur is a run-of-the-mill gaming chair. What sets it apart is a revolutionary lumbar support system. From our perspective, it’s the most exciting gaming chair innovation since the advent of 4D armrests.
In America, the Razer Iskur launches for public sale on October 29. Priced at USD $499, you can (for the moment) pre-order the Iskur from the Razer website. Other buying options are planned, but not yet revealed.
Razer Iskur overview
The new Razer Iskur gaming chair sells for $499 on Razer.com. The chair has a unique design and decent features. It comes upholstered in black synthetic leather with carbon trim and neon green stitching.
At a glance, the backrest has a more pronounced curve than other chairs. The seat also has more pronounced side wings. The general impression is of an extra-curvy racing-style seat.
Razer Iskur features
The standout feature of this chair is a built-in adjustable lumbar curve. Using a lever on the side of the seat, you can adjust the curve to extend or flatten.
Beyond the lumbar support, features are decent. One thing lacking that other pro chairs have is a multifunction tilt-lock. That lets you tilt and lock the seat at angles, independent of the backrest. Instead of a multifunction tilt, the Iskur chair comes with a cheaper standard version. That only lets you rock the chair, or lock at a flat angle.
- Functionality: 4D armrests; depth-adjustable lumbar; seat height adjustment; rocking function.
- Upholstery: black faux leather with carbon trim and green stitching.
- Size rating: 5’6″ to 6’2″ (170-190 cm); up to 299 pounds (136 kg).
- Warranty: 3-year warranty from Razer.
Mini-review: most Razer products charge a premium price, and the Iskur chair is no exception. It has decent features and a solid warranty, but no multifunction tilt-lock. That means less functionality than pro chairs. On the plus side, the Iskur chair’s lumbar support system is the most advanced on the market.
Evolution of gaming chair lumbar support
In our summary of ergonomic sitting guidelines, effective lumbar support is essential. When the body moves into a seated position, the anatomy changes. Without effective back support, the pelvis rotates backward, flattening the lumbar curve. For example, notice how a child’s spine curves when sitting in a console gaming chair.
In contrast, good back support encourages the pelvis to rotate forward. That helps the spine to maintain lumbar lordosis (the curve at the small of one’s back). When sitting, mild lordosis aligns the spine to efficiently support the upper body.
Below, we summarize the evolution of gaming chair lumbar support techniques. The evolution to date starts with traditional pillows, and ends with the Razer Iskur.
Traditional lumbar pillow
Most gaming chairs use a traditional lumbar support cushion. Usually, these attach to straps that attach to the backrest. These are height-adjustable. Slide the pillow up or down until it fits into the small of your back.
The straps keep the pillow in place at your preferred height. To support upright computing, set the backrest recline to between 100-110 degrees. Then lean into the backrest. The lumbar pillow will encourage mild lordosis, while the neck pillow will keep the head in balance atop the shoulders.
Depth-adjustable internal lumbar
The most popular chair with an internal lumbar support system is the Secretlab Titan. Compared to the $499 Razer Iskur, Titan chairs cost between $399 and $489. Feature-wise, the Titan beats the Razer with a multifunction tilt-lock and a longer 5-year warranty.
The Titan was one of the first gaming chairs to deploy internal lumbar support. It works by turning a dial on the side of the backrest to increase or decrease depth. Other chairs that use internal lumbar systems include the Noblechairs Hero, Autofull T1 Hero, Maxnomic Office Comfort, and Maxnomic Executive Editions.
All work using the same principles. Here is how the internals work on the Autofull T1 Hero:
As you turn the dial on the side of the chair, a flexible steel plate bends outwards, increasing the depth of support. Over the plate sits a thick layer of resilient foam padding and cover material. The result is that the lumbar curve expands or retracts from within the backrest itself. It’s a clever solution that works well.
In case the lumbar support doesn’t go deep enough, you also have the option of adding a lumbar pillow. For example, the Autofull T1 Hero chair includes both an internal lumbar support and a pillow. The two are meant to work in tandem. The internal support extends by 7 inches. The pillow over the top adds another 7 inches of depth.
Height and depth-adjustable external lumbar
In June 2020, Cougar released the Argo chair. That model combined gaming and task chair features into a unique hybrid.
Priced the same as the Razer Iskur, the Argo offers superior ergonomic features:
- Backrest: rock, recline, or lock at angles between 105° and 130°.
- Headrest: adjust the angle; adjust up or down; slide out of the way.
- Depth adjustable seat: the 20″ seat can adjust forward or back with a range of 2.4″
- Armrests: 3D adjustable (up/down, forward/back, angled left or right)
- Warranty: 2-year warranty on the aluminum frame and base.
The standout feature is the height and depth-adjustable lumbar support. Secretlab-style lumbar support is only depth-adjustable.
The Argo chair improved on that with an upgraded lumbar with height and depth adjustment functions. Having the extra adjustability allows for a more customized fit
Razer Iskur lumbar
Like the Cougar Argo, the Razer Iskur provides a refined lumbar support system. Razer touts its version as the most advanced on the market.
Its lumbar plate is a piece of reinforced plywood topped with foam and leather. A single control on the side of the seat lets you raise or lower the lumbar plate to your liking. Aesthetically, this provides a cleaner look than the Argo chair’s lumbar. It also provides deeper support with a greater range than internal gaming chair lumbar supports.
Conclusion
For gaming chair nerds, the new Razer Iskur chair is an exciting new development. Its innovative lumbar support system provides a level of customization we’ve never seen before. In the cutthroat gaming chair market, brands constantly strive to evolve. As a result, look for more top brands to roll out upgraded lumbar support designs in the future.
That said, traditional lumbar support pillows work well. If you’re satisfied with your traditional lumbar support pillow, stick with it. No matter what type of lumbar support you use, make sure to use it correctly. Place the support in the small of your back to support a neutral sitting posture.
Definition of a neutral sitting posture:
- Feet planted on the floor.
- Knees bent at around 90° with thighs parallel to the floor.
- Back straight.
- Elbows bent at 90° with forearms parallel to the floor.
In conclusion, the Razer Iskur is a solid new gaming chair with innovative lumbar support. It joins a growing list of brands putting more R&D into helping consumers to feel better, sit longer, and boost computing productivity.
