Now, this is an absolute bang for the buck!
What’s in the box:
- Cooler Master Caliber R1 Gaming Chair
- Base with Wheels
- Headrest and Lumbar Pillow
- User Guide
Features:
- Breathable Material: Premium quality and design sets you apart from the competition. The breathable PU provides maximum comfort for all body types and keeps you feeling cool and energized at all times.
- Ergonomic Design: Adjust the angle with the reclining backrest and put you in place. Movable armrests and height-adjustable gas lift minimize fatigue and maximize the comfort of your gaming sessions.
- Head & Lumbar Pillows: The headrest and lumbar pillow will provide you with the best level of comfort to reduce back pain and alleviate neck strain.
- Moveable Armrest
- Adjustable Pillow Design
Specifications:
- Total Height (with base): 136cm
- Backrest Length: 83cm
- Backrest Width: 57cm
- Outer Backrest Width (widest point): 57cm
- Armrest to Armrest: 72cm
- Seat Width (including sides): 57cm
- Seat Depth: 52cm
- Armrest Adjustability: 23-30cm
- Diameter of Base: 72cm
- Floor to base: 35-43cm
- Height Adjustability: 8cm
- Recline: 90-180 degree
- Weight Limit: 150 kg
- Colour: Red/Black
Aesthetics:
Once assembled it stands there looking quite fancy and appealing. Went with the red and black variation. It’s available in quite a few other colours, such as black and grey for example. There are also a few special options available such as the purple camouflage highlights, or the white with pink highlights. The finish on the leatherette blends well together.
The red and black just work together. With the neck rest and lumbar pillow in place, the entire chair looks really great. A nice thing about these two is that they are built decently and sit well in place and not skew or at an angle.
Comfort:
The entire chair was built with comfort in mind. It is an extremely comfortable chair to sit on. The breathable leather on the seat is another neat addition that helps with heat, this feature will come in handy for users in warmer areas. Nothing is worse than sitting in a chair for hours and being glued to it from the sweat. So this is definitely a plus.
The leatherette is soft and the padding is comfortably soft without that flimsy feeling. The foam in the back rest is also thicker. It doesn’t feel as dense as higher-end chairs due to the foam suspension everywhere except for the centre of the seat.
Don’t get me wrong, the foam being suspended across the steel frame is not a bad thing, given the price category, it’s just that there is better out there, albeit at much higher prices. The backrest does recline up to 180 degrees giving you a full range of adjustments. It also comes with a headrest pillow and lumbar support pillow. These will help with any back pain or neck strains.
The lumbar pillow is quite dense and firm providing you that extra support whilst the neck pillow is softer adding that extra comfort. A letdown was the lack of any tilt function in the armrests.
They can be raised or lowered but that is it. The foam padding is nice, however, after spending a prolonged period in the chair you can feel that it’s not thick enough and that a little bit extra would have made it more comfortable.
It has a weight limit of up to 150kg, with the backrest width sitting at 57 centimeters. From armrest to armrest we have 72 centimetres. This does allow for movement and repositioning on the chair during use.
Durability:
More than just durable. It’s easy to see that good durable materials went into the design of this one. Even the areas where you have to fix the pieces to one another was reinforced to avoid the screws from wearing or breaking out. The foam-wrapped steel frame is an essential part that makes this a good quality and durable product.
Albeit the foam not being denser it’s still soft and doesn’t have that thin or flimsy feeling and that right there adds to the overall durability of the chair. The chair also spins without any issues. Even with a plastic base, it’s still thick enough and sturdy. The wheels also freely spin without issues on tiles or carpets.
User Friendly & Functionality:
Assembling the chair is rather simple. After unpacking it you start by bolting the pieces together. Starting by bolting the backrest to the seat. Then bolt the armrests and mounting plate to the bottom of the seat.
Then it’s on to attaching the wheels to the foot piece and lastly adding the gas cylinder to the base and then attaching the chair to the cylinder. An instruction booklet comes included offering a visual guide to the assembly of the chair.
The only hiccup here is usually when bolting the backrest to the seat. The holes are usually hidden in the upholstery which tends to make this rather tricky.
Especially since the backrest is quite a large piece to work with. Adjusting the chair in use is rather simple. The armrests can be lifted as required. Raising the chair itself or lowering it is easily doable by making use of the pedal that connects to the gas cylinder.
Tilting the backrest is another easy-to-apply adjustment using the leaver that sits easily accessible on the chair. All of the adjustments can easily be made without having to reposition yourself. Making use of the pedals, switches, and levers is very easy. They are not tight nor do they stick.
MGR Gaming’s Conclusions:
The R1 falls in the budget range of gaming chairs so it does lack a few features that we will find in high-end chairs. However, comparing the R1 to others in its price category it is very decently built and worth the purchase. If you are on a budget then this one is certainly for you.
There are others much worse than this one out there and even some offering what this one does at slightly heavier prices.
