Our Verdict
The Razer Enki Pro gaming chair is a champion of ergonomics, comfort, and style, and it more than justifies its premium price point.
The Razer Enki Pro gaming chair is undeniably a premium perch, but after using it as my daily driver, my spine says it’s worth splashing out on. Admittedly, I’m usually the kind of misguided soul that’d repurpose a random box for my gaming PC setup. However, thanks to Razer’s swish seat successor, it’s now abundantly clear that sitting on something that respects your posture makes a difference.
Naturally, if you’re used to sitting on the best gaming chairs, you’ll know what the Razer Enki Pro is aiming for. Succeeding the company’s original model, the chair is designed to caress your caboose and provide ergonomic support for gaming desk dwellers. Sure, you could say this is what regular old office seats also set out to achieve, but the difference here is that the Enki Pro makes true on its promise.
If you’re used to cheap and cheerful chairs, upgrading to the Razer Enki Pro might feel like a luxurious life choice. On the other hand, gaming furniture enthusiasts are going to be well versed with this particular throne’s agenda. That said, I reckon Razer’s latest take on comfort, ergonomics, and build quality has the potential to win over even the fussiest of seat savants, and a few tweaks might help it reach perfection.
Before covering what the Razer Enki Pro has to offer, let’s put on our unboxing hats. If you’re into products with a premium vibe, you won’t be disappointed with the chair’s packaging and presentation. After cracking open Razer’s package, you’ll be greeted with a comically large thank you note accompanied by a pair of black gloves.
That’s right, this chair comes with a pair of assembly gloves, which makes the experience feel like you’re handing fine art. I’ll admit that including a pair of mitts feels like a gimmick, but I decided to put together the chair wearing them anyway. Did popping on Razer’s gauntlets improve my experience? Not really. Did it make the mundane act of tightening bolts feel like an event? Absolutely.
The Enki Pro is split up into three main sections, with additional bits and bobs residing within a separate box. This makes for a refreshing change compared to some office chairs, which feature a million different parts in the name of flat packing. Flipping the previously mentioned thank you note reveals a large step by step guide on how to assemble the Enki Pro, and the instructions are pretty accommodating and easy to follow. The setup does assume you’ll have floor space to work within, so keep that in mind if your gaming space is sparse.
While putting together the Enki Pro, the process almost went without a hitch, but a last-minute design quirk stifled my stride. The back of the chair slides onto the base, with a plastic rail on one end that aligns bolt holes. Annoyingly, this actually made it awkward to get one of the bolts in, as its thread naturally sat out of alignment.
Thankfully, I was able to get the troublesome bolt screwed in after some careful positioning, but I can’t help but feel disappointed. The chair’s ‘fall into place’ design was apparent, but one little snag sort of spoiled the whole process. This whole rigmarole could be perhaps completed avoided by adding in a rail guide at both sides and some extra care at the factory when it comes to embedding bolt threads. Nevertheless, it’s an irritating moment in what was a largely pleasing assembly experience.
I don’t hold onto a grudge, and the Razer Enki Pro managed to win me over again post assembly. Small finishing touches like its car interior style bolt fascias hammer home a sense of quality, not to mention the completed build feels like a tank. Its towering presence is matched with a hefty weight, something that doesn’t prevent its wheels from smoothly gliding across laminate flooring. The chair also feels remarkably rigid, especially compared to my rickety old cheapie seat that rattles when you look at it.
Gaming chairs quite often feature a race car aesthetic, but the Enki Pro actually feels like a seat from a vehicle. Just like borrowing a friend’s wheels, you’ll need to adjust the height and recline to suit your own stature, but the chair’s automotive controls make this a breeze. The Enki Pro’s bucket shape also actually makes my Volkswagen Polo feel uncomfy, so I guess I’ve got Razer to thank for setting my standards ever higher.
Comfort is the name of the game, and the Enki Pro’s materials and structure place it in a winning position. While I’ve used ergonomic chairs that almost feel like they’re bulling my posture, Razer’s built-in lumbar arch seemingly convinces my spine to play nice. This is especially evident at the end of a working day, as ascending from the throne comes with fewer groans and significantly reduced back pain.
Just like the original Razer Enki, the Pro also comes with an optional magnetic memory foam head cushion. The extra neck padding won’t be for everyone, but I found that using it enhanced the chair’s already stellar comfort capabilities. The pillow’s magnets are surprisingly strong, and it feels like a natural part of the setup.
The padding on every chair I’ve ever owned seems to quickly deflate, with that new feel sometimes only lasting a week. Only time will tell whether the Enki Pro succumbs to the same fate, but its high-density foam cushioning feels convincingly robust. It’s already survived bearing my chonky posterior for longer than most, so I feel reassured that it’d be willing to fulfil the role long-term.
I am slightly nervous about the Enki Pro’s soft rubber armrests, as it feels like the material could easily mark. There are already some faint lines on the right-hand side, which I can only assume happened at a stage in the factory or packing process. This might be a complete non-issue, especially if you’re not regularly chucking around tools around your workspace like me. Though, I still think gaming chairs should avoid using delicate materials as a golden rule.
As previously mentioned, the Enki Pro isn’t clad in racing stripes or other stereotypical gamer markings. A blend of Alcantara leather and quilted fabric compliment the chair’s subtle aesthetic, with green stitching chiming in with a reminder that this is a Razer product. If you’ve read our Corsair HS65 headset review, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of understated design, and the Enki Pro checks all the boxes when it comes to style.
All in all, the Enki Pro is a testament to how far the company’s gaming chair manufacturing skills have come. While it had big shoes to fill in succeeding the Razer Iskur and original Enki, the new seat on the block has what it takes to knock its competition down a notch. In a way, the peripheral giant has set itself a lofty bar to achieve, as its upcoming Enki Pro Hypersense model will have to match this prelude’s magnificence. Balancing ergonomics and gaming comfort is one thing, but I’m eager to see what happens once haptics are thrown into the mix.