The ChairsFX comparison of the Titan Evo gaming chair and the Herman Miller Aeron office chair ended in a draw. We found that both chairs provided similar objective support, with mainly subjective differences. A UC Berkeley study(1) supports our findings, with an interesting twist. It focused on the Aeron’s mesh vs. the Titan’s foam seat. Most study participants preferred the Aeron’s mesh. However, performance for computer-based tasks was improved when using the Titan’s foam seat.
The UC Berkeley study compared the impact of mesh versus foam material on comfort, preference, and subjective performance over three-hour sitting periods on two different days.
- Similar functions: both chairs had adjustments for seat height, lumbar support height and depth, armrest height and width, backrest recline and tilt tension.
- Similar support: the analysis showed no significant difference in pain, comfort, discomfort, or fatigue between the chairs.
- Similar breathability: the foam chair was rated slightly warmer than the mesh chair, but the difference was not statistically significant.
- Similar results: the study found no substantial difference in user experience between foam and mesh chairs during prolonged sitting.
Head-to-head, more participants preferred mesh for its cool breathability. However, the foam chair was preferred overall: “More participants reported improved performance (a rating of 4 or 5) with the foam chair than with mesh for PC work (67%) and for gaming (80%).”
Movement Counteracts Pain
The study found that the Aeron and Titan Evo both performed similarly — but with the exact same drawback. In both chairs, discomfort increased over time:
- Foam chair: mean discomfort increased from 0.4 (standard deviation 0.6) at 80 minutes to 1.2 (SD 1.5) at 180 minutes.
- Mesh chair: discomfort increased from 0.9 (SD 1.3) at 80 minutes to 1.7 (SD 2.4) at 180 minutes.
These results indicate that prolonged seated computer-based work leads to increased pain after sitting continuously for approximately 1.33 hours, no matter the seat material of the chair.
Soft Seating Isn’t As Supportive
Another common misconception associated with comfort is the preference for softer seats. However, for better support, the ideal seat base should actually be firmer. According to Dr. Stuart McGill (Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo and a leading expert in the mechanisms of back pain), soft seats “lack sufficient support to allow the stress migrations and distributions critical to achieving comfort and injury resilience.”(2)
Dr. McGill’s work draws from over 30 years of experience investigating the mechanisms of stress migration. It highlights how weight typically pools at the heaviest point of cushier seats. This leads to uneven pressure distribution, which forces lower back and thigh muscles to work even harder to support a healthy seated posture. This quickly results in fatigue and pain.
Relevant Study/ ChairsFX Findings
The UC Berkeley study findings support ChairsFX tests comparing gaming chairs vs ergonomic office chairs.
Key points:
- Gaming vs office chairs: both chairs qualify as ‘ergonomic’ with adjustable lumbar support, adjustable arms, and a reclining backrest. The point of these components is to support neutral postures.
- Neutral postures are just a baseline: neutral postures align the spine into that of a healthy standing posture. However, sitting in any fixed position — even neutral ones — will overload muscles and lead to fatigue. Thus, users should maintain neutral postures as a baseline, while moving frequently. Every so often, revert back to a clean neutral position to reinforce good posture in one’s muscle memory.
- Physical vs psychological comfort: beyond physical support, comfort also includes a psychological factor. When a chair is perceived as being more comfortable, a user will find it more physically comfortable as well. This explains why, in the UC Berkeley study, users preferred cool mesh seats — yet found better support in foam seats.
Healthy Sitting 101
ChairsFX summary (based on our Titan vs Aeron and gaming vs ergonomic office chair articles):
- Gaming vs office: choose the type (with adjustable arms, adjustable lumbar support, and a reclining backrest) that appeals to your psyche. Whichever type you choose, focus on achieving clean neutral postures
- Strong back muscles: doing pullups in the gym will strengthen your back muscles, making it easier to hold neutral postures for longer periods.
- Take frequent breaks: don’t sit in any fixed position for longer than 5 minutes. Every 15 minutes or so, take a walking break to refresh your muscles. Even better, integrate a standing desk to cut your sitting times in half.
Bottom line: the gaming chair versus office chair debate is largely fueled by office chair peddlers hawking $1500 chairs. Don’t fall for the vague, unsubstantiated hype. Educate yourself with institutional ergonomic fundamentals, master neutral postures, take breaks, and hit the gym.
Buy: Titan Evo from Secretlab $549+ | Aeron from Herman Miller $1750+
Footnotes
- Melissa Afterman, et al. ‘Impact of Seat Material on Comfort, Preference and Performance During Computer-Based Tasks over a Prolonged Bout of Sitting’. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting Volume 66, Issue 1, September 2022. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/1071181322661483, (accessed 14 June, 2024).
- Secretlab Blog. ‘Ergonomic Experts: Your Mesh Office Chair May Not Be Better Than A Foam Gaming Chair’. Secretlab.co., March 18, 2024. https://blog.secretlab.co/stories/your-mesh-office-chair-is-not-better-than-a-foam-gaming-chair/, (accessed 14 June, 2024).
