Our Verdict
Its unique lumbar support is a big step up from the bog standard cushion you get with other gaming chairs, but there's still plenty of room for improvement with some discomfort.
Sure it's surprising that it's taken Razer so long to release a gaming chair, but it's even more surprising that it could probably sneak its way into an office setting without triggering any alarms. It's certainly on the high-end given its $499 / £499 price tag, but outstanding build quality, actually comfortable back support, and a sleek aesthetic make the Iskur a serious contender when it comes to the best gaming chairs.
I don't think I expected the first Razer gaming chair to look quite as handsome as the Iskur. It's stately in size, but surprisingly subtle when it comes to branding – just the one Razer logo, some luminous green stitching, and a 'For Gamers, by Gamers' motto on the seat. No RGB and, when you're sat in it, very little to give away that it's a gaming chair.
It's a whopper, too: broad, tall, and very heavy at nearly 30kgs. It wraps around you, contouring your legs and hugging you all the way up to your shoulders, which for a synthetic leather chair makes it quite cosy. That's a positive in winter, although I can't see this being particularly pleasant in summer with so little space for ventilation.
Fortunately, all that heft represents impeccable build quality. Everything about the Iskur feels solid, from the wheels and 4D armrests, to the memory foam seat cushion and adjustment levers.
It’s easy to assemble with roughly eight steps from start to finish, and even the assembly tools feel a cut above the disposable hex keys you tend to get with self-assembly products. You feel all of that quality sitting in it. The armrests have a soft, slightly squishy finish, which is great if you tend to get sore elbows after long sessions. The seat cushion feels deep and spongy, while the back is just firm enough to keep your posture in check. Even wheeling it away from my desk I’m impressed by how it glides over my floor rather than rattling like some gaming chairs do.
The key feature is the adjustable lumbar support. Razer hopes this can be seen as an ergonomic chair as well as a gaming chair, and has equipped the Iskur with a back panel that can be shifted forward and back using a piston. The panel moves from the bottom, so I can’t ever imagine a reason for someone to extend it fully, as that would leave them sitting on the edge of their seat with a chasm separating their upper back and shoulders from the rest of the chair.
Using this adjustable lumbar mechanism sparingly, I was very quickly able to find a comfortable sitting position, and after two weeks working and gaming with the Iskur I’m delighted to say it feels great. Years of sitting on cheap office chairs has gradually chipped away at my posture, and while it did take a little discomfort initially, I’m not slouching or experiencing backache after a long day.
However, I am experiencing discomfort in other areas. While the Iskur seems to be designed to hold you and offer plenty of support to your back and shoulders, the edges of the seat are very narrow and force my legs uncomfortably close together, which wouldn’t be too problematic if the edges weren’t also so firm. Within a couple of days I had sore marks on the outside of each thigh from the stitching. This has softened a little bit over time, but the seat still feels too narrow for my 34in waist.
Fortunately, pretty much every other part of the Iskur can be adjusted to suit your preferred sitting position and doing so is never tricky. The armrests are 4D, which sadly doesn’t mean they spray you with water or rumble like you’re at a themepark, instead it just means you can tweak their height, shift them forward and back, or rotate them.
You can lean back a little without having to adjust anything, recline the back with a level, or you can tilt the chair forward or back and lock it in place. And yes, you can adjust the height. Roll that together with the lumbar support mechanism and you get a chair that can suit plenty of sitting positions and switch between them without much fuss.
The Razer Iskur certainly feels worthy of its premium price tag. Every part of this gaming chair feels sturdy and luxurious and my back and rump have never felt comfier after a full day of work and a ranked session of Rainbow Six Siege. It’s not been a perfect experience, as the edges of the seat have led to plenty of discomfort, but the lumbar support has been a huge benefit – it’s night and day compared to my office chair and previous racing-style gaming chairs I’ve used.
You can head over to the Razer Store to find out more, or grab an Iskur for yourself. And check out our list of the best gaming keyboards and our picks for the best gaming mouse if you need more help completing your setup.
Razer Iskur Gaming Chair Razer Iskur Gaming Chair $499.00 View Network N earns affiliate commission from qualifying sales.