A shockingly good gaming chair

You may not have come across the ThunderX3 brand before, but it has been around for a while and is an offshoot of the popular PC case and cooling manufacturer Aerocool. Historically, the brand has mainly focused on affordable PC peripherals, and honestly, it’s not a brand that comes to mind when I’m thinking about luxury gaming chairs.

With the launch of the ThunderX3 Core, that all changes. This is undoubtedly one of the most unique and innovative gaming chairs that I’ve ever sat on, and it’s pretty great value, too. Here’s everything you need to know.

Price, specs and availability

The ThunderX3 Core launched in October 2023 and is available from Overclockers in the UK at a price of £340. It comes bundled with a 3-in-1 footrest accessory in the UK, though this is sold separately in other regions.

The chair is not currently sold in the US, and at the time of writing, I don’t have any information as to whether it will launch Stateside – if and when it does, the MSRP is $399.

Build process

The ThunderX3 Core comes in a very large and heavy box, so first things first, I’d very much recommend getting a helping hand to shift it about, particularly if you need to take it upstairs.

Thankfully, once it has arrived at the desired spot, the rest of the build process is nice and simple. Some easy-to-follow instructions are in the box, along with all the tools you need.

The castors, baseplate and gas lift are all assembled in the usual way, and there are few surprises compared to putting together any other office chair. What’s more unusual, though, is the way that the backrest attaches to the seat.

This is because the backrest and seat can be adjusted individually with what ThunderX3 calls SYNC6 six-way adjustment, but we’ll get into that later. What you need to know is that locating the backrest is a little fiddly, but it’s not rocket science and can be achieved in a few minutes with a helper on hand. The fiddlyness of this step is offset by the fact that the armrests come pre-attached to the seat, saving some time overall.

Design

I opted for the Loft Grey variant of the Core gaming chair, which is finished in a light grey fabric. However, it’s also available in black fabric or various faux leather colour options to suit your tastes; the availability of these colourways will differ from region to region.

The material feels plush and soft, and the design has suede-effect panels. It feels great throughout, though it’s worth mentioning that my cat is obsessed with climbing on it, and that hasn’t been the case with other gaming chairs that I’ve tried. So, if you’re harbouring felines, you may want to consider a faux leather option instead.

The chair is on the large side. I’m around 6 foot 2, with a wide build, and it’s still highly spacious to me. This could be a great choice if you’re taller or heavier, as it’ll support up to 150 kg.

That said, I got my 5-foot-tall partner to try out the Core, and she found that it was perfectly comfortable when using the included footrest, though she couldn’t quite reach the floor properly without it.

This footrest is a brilliant piece of design. It’s height adjustable, with a removable zippered section, and can be used either as a domed cushion for your feet or flipped over to give some rocking action. It’s also designed to be used as a wristpad when gaming with a controller, and that’s my personal favourite use case. I tend to rest my arms on the desk when playing PC games with a controller, and this feels way better on your wrists.

Performance

I found the chair to be immediately comfortable, which isn’t always the case, as some gaming chairs need a few weeks to break in. At the same time, the foam used is confidence-inspiring, and there’s enough firmness that I don’t feel like the seat is going to go flat anytime soon.

This immediate comfort is almost certainly linked to the sheer amount of adjustability offered here. It goes far beyond your average gaming chair, and they’re already highly adaptable compared to a standard office chair.

Of course, you get the standard stuff: a hydraulic gas lift, “3D” armrests that move in almost every direction, a removable head pillow, and the ability to recline. But the Thunder X3 Core goes far beyond that.

You can slide the seat out further from the backrest, which is something I’ve never come across on a gaming chair, and as a person with long legs, it gives some much-appreciated support to my thighs. You can also tilt the seat forward while the backrest remains in situ. This takes the pressure off of your legs when leaning forward, like when you’re typing, for example. The difference is immediately noticeable, and supposedly it improves blood circulation, too.

Another cool feature is the lumbar support, which ThunderX3 calls CORE.RDY 360 Tech. Funky name aside, it essentially places the lumbar padding on a hinge that can swivel and tilt and all directions. This means that the back support moves with you no matter whether you’re reclining, leaning forward or leaning to one side. As far as I’m aware, it’s a brilliant idea unique to this particular model.

Even the standard stuff gets a bit of an upgrade with the Core. The armrests have plush padding rather than the usual firm, rubbery stuff, and the head cushion is ergonomically sculpted to support the sides of your head. There’s even a little pocket on the back of the chair so that you can stash your laptop in there or your A-Z street atlas if you’re old enough to remember those.

The tilt mechanism is different with this chair, too. ThunderX3 calls it synchronous tilt, and rather than tilting the whole chair back at a fixed angle, the backrest and seat move independently, with the aim of ensuring that your legs don’t scrunch up and restrict blood flow.

This mechanism works well, and it’s very comfortable, but there are a couple of downsides compared to a standard rocking mechanism. The first is that you can’t lock the chair in the tilted position, nor can you lay back completely flat. Neither are things that I tend to do with my chairs, but I’m aware that some people do, and they might not be fans of this.

The other thing is that the armrests are tied to the motion of the seat and not the backrest. So, while you’re reclining, the armrests effectively get further away from you, and they can end up in a pretty unnatural location. Again, it’s not a huge deal, but something that’s worth being aware of.

ThunderX3/ Pocket-lint

Verdict

Gaming chairs have followed the same formula for well over a decade at this point, and usually, the only thing that properly differentiates them is the materials and construction. That is not the case with the ThunderX3 Core. It strikes out on its own to offer some truly unique and innovative features, all centred around comfort and ergonomics.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best gaming chairs on the market today, and the fact that it costs about half as much as some of the premium options from brands like Noblechairs and SecretLab just sweetens the deal further. If you’re in need of a seating upgrade, this is a model that shouldn’t be overlooked.