Our Verdict
The Boulies Master 2024 is a premium quality chair for gaming and office use. It provides excellent comfort, support, and adjustability. It’s nearly flawless, but how you intend to use it will decide if it justifies the price.
- Comfortable foam padding
- Built-in lumbar support
- Classy for a gaming chair
- Not easy to assemble solo
The days of office chairs being purely functional are well and truly behind us. Given that our offices are now also where we eat, play, and study, they have to provide excellent comfort, adjustability, and ergonomics for longer periods than ever. The best gaming chairs have to do the same, while also looking swish. The Boulies Master Series provides all of these and is an excellent hybrid chair. It’s not so intense in design that it’d look unprofessional in a business call, but it avoids the dull design of the traditional office pew too.
Underneath the basic-looking facade are various features including in-built adjustable lumbar support, the usual armrest and rock titling functionality, and a few touches to provide additional comfort. However, these features come at a cost but how you intend to use the chair most of the time might sway how palatable that is. I’ll come onto this later.
During my time with the Master 2024, I used it as my office chair while working from home and also subjected it to some gaming sessions that had me on the edge of my seat. Regardless of the position, I have done it all in comfort.
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Specifications
The Boulies Master 2024 is available in three different fabrics; Ultrafelx PU, Nappa leather, and a water-repellent fabric, which I have been testing. The Ultraflex and the water-repellent options have four colors to choose from. The Nappa leather only comes in black.
| Max load | 110kg (243lbs) |
| Materials | Boulies Water Repellent fabric + microfiber, Cold-cure foam, steel frame, aluminum base |
| Height range | 155-180cm |
| Warranty | 2 Years (3 with Boulies warranty plus) |
| Colors | Ash grey, charcoal grey, como (green), slate blue |
Price & Availability
The Boulies Master Series is available in both the UK and the US. The Master 2024 upholstered in water-repellent fabric and the Slate Blue colorway retails for around $459.99 (£310) on the Boulies website. Understandably, the PU fabric is cheaper, while the Nappa Leather is more expensive.
I have been reviewing the Master 2024 chair. It has all the same features as the Master Max 2024 but in a slightly smaller package. Opting for the Master over the Max does save you $40 but in the UK you only save £30.
If you compare this price to the best office chairs, this is at the premium end of the scale. Weigh this against gaming chairs with similar spec lists (Secretlab’s TITAN Evo), though, and the price becomes more palatable. The Flexispot C8 office chair similarly focuses on ergonomics like the Master Series but comes in £110 cheaper here in the UK. If you’re looking at gaming chairs there are plenty of alternatives at this price point. The Noblechairs Legend series has the same focus on lumbar support and costs the same price as the Boulies Master Series.
Given how premium the materials feel and the attention to detail in features like the armrests, I certainly don’t feel short-changed by the price of the Master Series. If you’re looking to use this for work in the day and gaming at night then it’s certainly value for money.
Assembly
The Master 2024 requires home assembly, and while you can do it on your own, I found that having an extra pair of hands helped with the final steps. The instructions were easy to follow but when attaching the backrest I couldn’t hold it in position while tightening the screws.
This part of the assembly is my biggest knock on the chair. The screw holes are covered by the fabric making them difficult to tighten and align correctly. It’s mildly frustrating rather than a big issue, though, and it took about 45 minutes to assemble the chair overall.
Design
I hope you assemble the chair where you plan to use it because it is heavy. I did not do this and had to carry the 30kg chair up a narrow staircase. This weight translates to the look of the Master 2024, as it looks imposing and sturdy – a look I personally like.
Compared to the more common black leather options on the market, I love the splash of color from the slate blue. It dilutes the size of the chair which helps in a smaller room. In terms of build quality, the Master 2024 feels so well made and constructed. All the moveable parts feel strong and like they will withstand the nudges, bumps, and adjustments that tally up over years of use.
Comfort
Every time I sit in the Boulies Master 2024 it feels like it has molded to my body. The seat is comfortable and padded, but firm, which is what I look for in a chair. If you’re after something with softer cushioning this might not be for you.
The adjustable Lumbar support is one of the main selling points of the Master 2024 and I find myself slouching less when sitting in it. There are dials on either side of the chair to micro-adjust this to your needs but I couldn’t feel a significant difference after messing with these settings. I felt the backrest moving but it didn’t substantially alter my position. Your experience might vary and like I said, I found it very comfortable out of the box.
I’ll admit this is niche but I want to draw attention to the armrests. The rounded but wide front edges suit my arm position when typing or holding a controller in a way I haven’t found in other chairs. I also have pointy elbows and the padding is subtle but supportive. Regardless of how I shift about in the chair, I’m comfortable. Whether that is relaxing while typing or perching on the edge of my seat as the circle closes on another Warzone defeat, I can’t give it higher praise than that.
Should You Buy The Boulies Master 2024?
Yes: If you’re looking for a comfortable but firm chair that can do double duty for working from home and gaming. There’s plenty of adjustment and it has a premium look and feel.
No: If you’re short on space this chair will dominate the room. While there are some customization options at this price point there are chairs out there with greater customization.
Alternatives
If you are after a daily-use office chair then the FlexiSpot C8. It comes in cheaper than the Boulies Master Series, has a similar level of adjustability, and is built to be ergonomic. Despite being mesh, it is equally well-made and sturdy.