With teenagers becoming increasingly engrossed in gaming (and building impressive setups in their rooms), and people working and learning from home over the past year and a half, ergonomic chairs have been a big deal around here lately. Since early 2020, I’ve assembled a growing collection of gaming chairs and office chairs. A few weeks ago, the latest arrival was sent by Vertagear for evaluation, the $489.99 Vertagear PL6000.
Assembly
I’ve learned that the process of assembling a gaming chair can range from being infuriating to being almost laughably easy. Two factors contribute to which end of the gamut a gaming chair ends up occupying: design and instructions.
The Vertagear PL6000’s instructions weren’t the world’s best. In particular, the lumbar support pillow was a mystery. It’s equipped with two straps, but there are no corresponding slots in the backrest where these straps would typically be threaded. The instructions were frustratingly vague:
“Install and adjust headrest and lumbar support cushions for your comfort.”
I eventually turned to YouTube to figure out the cushion attachment.
In this case, sometimes iffy instructions were ultimately not a problem, because the assembly was largely self-explanatory and there are few pieces involved. Arms were pre-mounted. Vertagear is particularly proud of the patented “slide-in” back hardware. Ironically, this part was the only part of the actual chair assembly that took a few tries. Because the hardware is hidden within the chair padding, inserting the bolts that hold everything in place took a few attempts before I was able to get them to align properly for tightening.
However, overall I would rate this chair highly for ease of assembly. It took me maybe 20 minutes. If I wasn’t stopping to snap photos, it would have been less. The required tool is included in the box, so you won’t need anything else to put the chair together. It’s also easily a single-person job.
Ergonomic, Comfortable, and Adjustable
Once assembled, the Vertagear PL6000 is a very comfortable chair. I find many gaming chairs a little small and restricting, with stiff padding. In contrast, this one is large, wide, and accommodating. With a steel frame, aluminum alloy base, and Industrial grade class-4 gas lift, it is rated for users from 5′ 9″ up to 6′ 8″ and weights of up to 350 pounds. The chair itself weighs over 58 pounds, so it’s quite solid. I’m nowhere near the maximum dimensions, but in this chair, I felt as though I had plenty of room instead of feeling confined. One of my sons was using it at his gaming rig. He’s about 5′ 11″ and tips the scales well below half of the maximum recommended weight level (I’m not allowed to give out actual numbers), but he did not feel that it seemed oversized.
The PL6000 is nicely padded with UPHR foam, plus the detachable foam-filled lumbar and neck pillows. It’s upholstered in a PUC low-maintenance faux leather material. My review unit was black with white trim, but there are other color combinations available. Polyurethane-coated casters roll smoothly and silently.
There are a wide range of adjustments available to customize your sitting position, including chair height and back recline up to 140 degrees (with lock and tilt resistance setting). Armrests feature adjustability in four different directions including height and distance out from the side of the chair.
Could the Vertagear PL6000 Double as an Office Chair?
Many people discovered the joy and pain of working from home last year. A big part of the pain was the realization that using a re-purposed dining room chair made for a terrible experience. It’s pretty much a guarantee of a sore back.
So, could you use the Vertagear PL6000 for working from home? Cover gaming and remote work/learning all in one shot? Absolutely you could. It’s a very comfortable, ergonomic chair. Between the chair height and arm height adjustments, it can be optimized for pretty much any height of a table or desk, as well as for keyboard use. You can lock it in an upright position so you’re not tempted to lean back and take a nap.
That being said, after playing around with it, I decided it wasn’t for me. I work from home permanently and often spend long hours at the computer. Because of that, I prefer an office chair with a breathable mesh fabric. I also found the PL6000 was just a little bulky for my home office setup. It would be perfectly fine on both counts for occasional use, but as a permanent office chair, it wouldn’t be my first choice. You may not have the same concerns…
If You Want to Light Up the Room
It’s not an option for this particular chair, but Vertagear has a unique option for gamers who want to make a visual statement beyond the color of their chair’s upholstery. Several chairs, including the PL4500, have the option of installing a wireless RGB LED lighting kit. This gives your Vertagear gaming chair interactive effects, animation effects, and fully customizable lighting. The retail price of the kits is $299.99 (including rechargeable batteries), and you can learn more about them here if interested.
Vertagear PL6000 Gaming Chair Recommendation
Not all gaming chairs are equal, and the Vertagear PL6000 is one of those that’s in the upper tier of options, especially for users who are taller or heavier. It’s easy to assemble, very adjustable, comfortably padded, and appears to be built to last.
At $489.99, it’s not cheap, but considering you shouldn’t have to replace it after a year or two of use (unlike my experience with some entry-level gaming chairs), I don’t think that’s at all unreasonable. And it’s still half the price of my current office chair—something to think about if you need an adjustable, ergonomic chair for working from home.
Disclosure: Vertagear provided a chair for evaluation but had no input into this review. As an Amazon Associate, I earn affiliate fees from qualifying purchases.
