Keyboards & Mice
Anda Seat T-Pro 2 review
Mar
Two-minute review
The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is the latest addition to the Anda Seat lineup of high-quality gaming chairs and a good choice for anyone needing a professional-looking piece of furniture that can be used for both work and play.
A long shot from the popular colorful PVC examples we see dominating the market, the T-Pro 2 comes in a choice of three options: Solid black, black and navy blue, or black and gray. The more neutral color selection paired with a hard-wearing linen fabric results in a chair that can complement rooms that would usually make such a chunky piece of computing furniture look out of place.
The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is available via the Anda Seat website or Amazon for $499.99 / £399.99 / AU$599.99, which is likely more money than most would spend on buying an office chair, but does place it around the ‘mid-range’ pricepoint for gaming chairs.
A similar aesthetic can be found in the Titan gaming chair by Secret Labs if you opt for the ‘soft-weave’ fabric customization. The Titan will set you back $399 /£349/ AU$649 in the shade ‘Cookies & Cream’.
Despite the price, we wouldn’t want you to immediately dismiss the T-Pro 2 for working from home. The dense foam padding in the design is a homage to Anda Seat’s time spent designing car seats for brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and results in a very comfortable fit for lengthy seated durations.
The design choice does have some caveats – with the lack of holes built into the backrest, the provided headrest pillow has to wrap around the highest part of the chair. This means that anyone under a certain height cant reap the benefits of using said headrest at all.
In fact, the additional lumbar support pillow also provided issues, with the sheer size of it resulting in a significant reduction of sitting space left on the seat pad. Anyone actually using either of these additional accessories may feel that you’re being pushed off the chair.
Take those away however, and you have a suitably plush and comfortable chair that can be flexibly used in a variety of environments. For anyone who’s working from home and wants an ergonomic chair that can be switched between looking professional on conference calls for work and comfortable enough to game in, this is a fantastic option.
Design
Specs
Max rec. height: 6ft 8in
Max rec. weight: 440lbs (200 kilos)
Recline: 90°-160°
Armrests: 4D
Colors: Gray/Black | Navy/Black | Black
Material: Linen fabric
The design for the T-Pro 2 range is an interesting blend between the usual office and gaming chairs that we see currently on the market, resulting in a perfect hybrid piece of furniture that can be used in either environment. Our review sample was the gray/black version, but you can also get the chair in solid black or a similar navy/black combination.
The main seat and backrest are constructed from high-density foam that is firm and springy to the touch, resulting in a plush ‘scoop’ shaped chair that still manages to provide ample support. Care has been taken to include various sitting positions into the design, and we found that the bucket-shaped seat pad was ergonomic regardless of sitting crossed leg or straight.
The material coating the chair mostly a hard-wearing linen with a pronounced weave pattern that break up the overall color of the chair into something stylish, as a solid gray could have resulted in a flatter, lifeless appearance. Being fabric though, this won’t wipe down like leather or PVC covers so make sure you won’t be liable to spill anything as getting out any stains could prove troublesome.
Black suede-like fabric makes up the darker accents of the chair, and the change in texture is nice to the touch. This material is also what covered the additional headrest and lumbar support pillows provided by Anda Seat and embossed with the brand logo.
The overall build quality is fantastic, with a solid aluminum base and steel framework within the foam that can support up to 440lbs in user weight. The T-Pro 2 is marketed as a ‘king-sized’ chair, and that certainly comes across in the design. So much so that anyone under a certain height might find that the shape and size of the T-Pro 2 won’t suit them.
Comfort
Anda Seat often claim its gaming chairs are inspired by previous experience making car seats, and you definitely feel the homage to those designs when seated. The padding within the seat is made from a single large piece of shaped high-density foam and it finds a great balance for support. We didn’t find the padding to be too hard or too soft, and you could remain seated for numerous hours without feeling uncomfortable.
The armrests are 4D, meaning that you can customize their height, position, and rotation. The system is very adaptable, though we did find that the arms would swing out when pressure was applied during motions such as standing up (and putting weight against the arms), so it may have been better to include a locking system that prevents this from happening.
You can also recline the T-Pro 2 between 90°-160° safely with the knowledge that your weight will be supported, which is fantastic for anyone who likes to nap in their chairs. We can see this becoming a great piece of kit for anyone likely to attend overnight LAN parties or tournaments.
The headrest pillow sits too high on the backrest for anyone with a shorter stature to use, and you’d likely find the seat more comfortable if you simply do without. This could be partially down to the lack of holes on this chair that are present in some other Anda Seat products, that allow you to connect the head pillow through the gap for a snug, lower fit.
And when we say shorter, we don’t mean child size. Our reviewer measures in at 5″6′ (167cm) and find that the headrest pillow is completely unusable, so we would estimate anyone under six feet in height won’t get the full benefit. It’s worth noting that this is marketed as a ‘king size’ chair, and as such is intended for larger individuals, and despite not using the pillow accessories, this was still extremely comfortable.
The feel of the linen is also a nice change from the usual PVC offerings, and we find that it provides a lot more grip and support. The material also caused less static build-up in hair, if you typically recline your head onto the backrest frequently.
The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is a fantastic gaming chair that would work well in an environment that doesn’t demand a loud, ‘gamer’ aesthetic. If you’ve been hunting for gaming furniture that can live happily in an office or sitting room then this is a solid choice, and a comfortable one to boot.
Buy it if…
You don’t want a ‘gamer’ chair
This looks a damn sight more professional than a neon yellow PVC beast, so if avoiding a traditionally garish gamer aesthetic is required then look no further.
You’re over 6-foot in height
This chair has an impressive height and weight limit, so if you’ve struggled to find a comfortable fit, the T-Pro 2 will likely be a great fit for you.
You need to recline comfortably
The T-Pro 2 allows you to comfortably lay down in the chair if required, making this a solid choice for anyone who needs to recline into a sleeping position (for some reason).
Don’t buy it if…
You’re short or buying for a child
The chair is perfectly usable for anyone under 5ft 8-inches, but it was designed for adult men. Anyone below that height may find a smaller chair is a more comfortable fit.
You need lumbar support
The provided head and lumbar pillow actually detract from how comfortable this chair is to use, so we would suggest looking elsewhere if you actually require the additional support.
You’re on a budget
At $500 / £400 / AU$600 this isn’t a cheap gaming chair. Avoid if you’re on a budget as there are less expensive options available.
Original by Techradar – Click here to read full post
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