Comfortable office chairs have been in hot demand since we’ve found ourselves at home more often. The same goes for those iconic racing seats turned gaming chairs, as many more people have turned to video games for safe entertainment. Yet sitting in a cheap, worn chair can be uncomfortable and even unsafe from an ergonomic perspective. You might just be ready to kick your current chair to the curb in favor of something plush, sleek, and with more features. If you’re currently browsing different products, buying guides, and reviews like this one to decide which gaming chair to purchase, you might consider the Anda Seat T-Pro 2.
If you haven’t realized by now, there are countless brands out there that are all competing in the gaming chair market. With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by what to pick. You can try and go with something cheap that looks like a gaming chair, but you’ll almost certainly be disappointed by what you get, and more importantly, how it holds up. I’ve tried everything from the cheap models to the premium brands, and it has to be said that there is a massive difference between them when it comes to materials and build quality.
Anda Seat wants to be on the high end of the spectrum, and it has done a good job overall with the T-Pro 2. The company started out by making racing chairs for the automotive enthusiast scene and has since transitioned to making gaming/office chairs. And I mention office chairs, because unlike most of those brightly-colored PVC leather gaming chairs, this one seems capable of blending into more environments like offices.
The T-Pro 2 also feels like a chair with actual ergonomic support that’s comfortable to use over long periods of time, which comes as a huge surprise to me. I’ve long held the belief that gaming chairs are nothing more than pricey gimmicks, but there’s something to be said about the well-made models. They have dense foam cushioning that’s supportive and durable. In fact, the overall build quality of the T-Pro 2 is quite impressive, from the frame to the fabric and stitching. If you’re looking for something that will keep you comfortable while maintaining good posture for hours on end, this chair will provide.
With that said, the massive $550 USD MSRP of the T-Pro 2 is a hard sell to someone like myself that’s partial to mesh office chairs. As someone with a lean frame, ergonomic office chairs feel genuinely comfortable to me and can also come in at a fraction of the price since they don’t need expensive padding. Gaming chairs are for a different crowd though, and the Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is particularly made for taller gamers who need more chair to feel comfortable. So, let’s move on to what this model offers and how it stacks up to the competition.
Overview and design
The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 shares a very similar shape to most of the other gaming chairs out there, but its large size is the first thing you’ll notice about it. The T-Pro 2 is Anda Seat’s biggest chair, which is what makes it more costly than other models. The company provides detailed measurements for the T-Pro 2 on its website, which I encourage you to look at. Everything’s in centimeters though, so I’ve included a few basic measurements in inches for the sake of convenience.
Starting with the width of the cushion, it’s about 17 inches wide. You could probably still fit comfortably in the chair if you need an extra inch, though it will be a snug fit with the wings that rise up on the sides. From back to front, there’s about 21 inches of length to the cushion. The backrest measures up 35 inches from the cushion, making this chair very tall.
(Image credit: Anda Seat).
As I already mentioned, the design is pretty standard fare compared to other gaming chairs on the market. The Anda Seat chairs have all of the same features as the other brands like incline adjustment, a 160 degree recline, the hydraulic piston that controls the chair’s height, four-directional armrests (that can also be raised or lowered), lumbar cushions, plus a few other things I’ll talk about later that contribute to an overall impressive build quality.
As far as the chair’s cover, the T-Pro 2 only comes with a fabric material. No PVC leather options here! You can choose between grey, blue, or all-black color schemes, plus the uniform black accents. All of the colors look attractive to Anda Seat’s credit. Aside from the logos, this is a fairly subtle gaming chair that can easily fit into a home office environment if you want to use the T-Pro 2 for things like online business meetings without making it too obvious that you’re a gamer.
Overall, the T-Pro 2 features a good frame with the important features, smart material choices and colors, tasteful branding, and a luxurious, yet sporty look to it.
Build quality
Anda Seat isn’t the most well known gaming chair brand out there, but you shouldn’t let that hold you back from feeling confident about getting one. Do enough looking around and you’ll quickly discover that most of these gaming chairs look about identical. I suspect there is one major supplier in Guangzhou, China that has managed to corner the gaming chair market, but the quality is good at least. As such, the frame of the T-Pro 2 looks about the same as Secret Lab’s chairs, with the variations largely appearing to be cosmetic.
There’s plenty of metal on this chair which makes it feel generally solid aside from the plastic armrests. I find this refreshing, as so many things are made of flimsy plastic these days, and the widespread use of metal parts really helps justify the cost. As a result, the T-Pro 2 is able to support up to 440 lbs in its upright position. Whether someone that big can actually fit in this chair is a separate matter.
I’d also like to point out that the powder coating on the metal is of a high quality. I dragged a screwdriver across the surface to test the durability and couldn’t manage to break the paint or even scratch it. The plastic armrests do have some wobble to them, but this is pretty common in most office chairs. It’s definitely something to improve upon given the price of the product, but the Anda Seat T-Pro 2 has way less play in the armrests than the ones on my own office chair (which also tend to creak).
As for the seat, cushion, and upholstery, I only have good things to say. Everything feels solid when you sit in it and recline. The chair frame is also encased in a high-density foam that I inspected by peeling back part of the cover. It’s really good stuff, and it’s plenty thick and supported by the frame where it needs to be. The same goes for the foam material in the pillows. Likewise, all of the upholstery fabrics feel sturdy, yet soft and comfortable, and the stitching is perfect. Seriously, I couldn’t find any defects, minor tears, or even loose threads on the entire seat.
The assembly process is easy to follow and is accomplishable by a single person. I like that Anda Seat includes basic tools to put it all together and even labels the screws so you know what’s what. I only have a few pieces of advice for the assembly process. Bring everything to the room where you’ll use the chair before assembling it (it’s 75 lbs), study the diagrams carefully before screwing things together, and be careful not to cross-thread the screws.
There are a few other minor things I’d like to mention about the build quality that you may find worth knowing. The wheels glide way easier across carpet and floors. The recline handle is easy to grab and feels smooth to adjust to specific positions. And despite its large size, it still manages to squeeze through a standard US door frame. That’s good design. What’s not good design, is the small mountain of plastic I have leftover from the packaging. While the T-Pro 2 I received didn’t suffer from any shipping damage, I do feel like the amount of material used to protect the pieces could be reduced, or at least revised to include more recyclable cardboard materials.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out that you get a two year warranty with your Anda Seat purchase. You can get that extended for free up to six years though if you give the company a shoutout on social media. This is a nice perk, similar to what Secret Lab does. It also shows that the company has confidence in the longevity of its product. Just follow these instructions to obtain the extended warranty. Based on the research I’ve done, Anda Seat honors its warranties too.
Sizing and comfort
As the review title implies, the Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is a bona fide gaming throne for the taller individuals among us. Anyone that’s six feet or taller will certainly appreciate the comfort provided by this design. The same cannot definitively be said for those who are both tall and big, however. While I don’t experience any issues with the wings that flank the cushion, those with exceptionally large thighs may deal with some discomfort when their legs are pressed up against them. While the cushion is plush and supportive, there is far less padding on the wings, which can result in contact with the metal frame. Some bigger customers have indicated issues with this, while some have said otherwise. You’ll want to check those measurements I included above to be sure.
Provided the T-Pro 2 offers the fit you need, you should have few to no complaints. The cushioning is firm and supportive, yet just soft enough to make you feel at home and relaxed. Even as someone at 5’6″, I found it far more comfortable than my office chair for longer play sessions. This was when I was leaned back and using a controller though. I found the office chair preferable for mouse and keyboard. If you’re tall enough for this chair, you shouldn’t have any problem with either input selection. I know this, because I brought in someone that is six feet tall to provide their opinion on it.
One of the main selling points of this chair is its adjustability, though. You will want to spend a couple minutes testing different chair heights, cushion and backrest inclines, as well as getting the armrests where you want them. Keep in mind that the armrests can be adjusted in every direction and angled inwards or outwards. I’ve seen complaints that the chair is still too low to the ground at its maximum height and that others would like the armrests to go higher, but I don’t share these sentiments and my “tall tester” didn’t either.
The T-Pro 2’s lumbar cushion is also something you will absolutely want to use, as it feels like a genuine gamechanger for the overall comfort. It fits the groove of the back perfectly from top to bottom, unlike the smaller cushions found on many other chairs. It also doesn’t require any straps to stay in place and generally doesn’t fall over when you get up. You will still have to raise it up to fit into the groove up your back though, and not everyone likes to worry about adjusting a lumbar cushion every time they sit down. It is worth it though. Your future self will thank you.
However, the same praise doesn’t extend to the headrest pillow. Anda Seat really shouldn’t have bothered, as it doesn’t make any sense from an ergonomic perspective. In fact, I recommend never using these when upright, as the pillows are too thick and will only make your neck tilt forward in an unnatural position. This pillow will only be useful if you plan to game while reclined. The curved upper back of the seat also makes the pillow strap hang in an awkward way.
I have a few other thoughts on the comfort of the T-Pro 2 that I think add to its value as well. The fabric never feels too hot and is far easier to be comfortable in compared to leather since it doesn’t get cold in the winter either. If you love some late night gaming, or value the thought of taking a nap at a whim, you can totally recline and fall asleep in this thing too. It’s easy to adjust all the way back to 160 degrees, feels stable, and curved shape keeps you centered. Don’t act like you’re not considering it.
(Image credit: Anda Seat).
Other Options
If the basic design doesn’t work for you, Anda Seat, in collaboration with Marvel, offers Marvel super hero-themed chairs. Available are options like Spider Man, Iron Man, Captain America, and Ant Man. Overall, the chair feels the same and offers the same fuctionality as the T-Pro 2. As an added bonus of it, however, you get a nice custom floor mat depending on the hero you choose. The build quality is nearly flawless with the stitching on the Spider Man chair, specifically, being perfect with the web design.
Again, all of the functionality remains the exact same. The major difference is style and covering. Where as the T-Pro 2 seat offers a fabric covering, the Marvel series is traditional PVC leather. It still holds up well, but may be a deciding factor when it comes to which chair you buy.
Final thoughts
The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 is a great option for taller (and somewhat bigger) people that love the style of gaming chairs yet don’t want to compromise on comfort or quality. As for the product itself, we can definitely recommend it. Anda Seat shows that its gaming chairs rank up there with the best in the business. The frame is solid, the cushioning and upholstery is comfortable and of a high quality, and the lumbar support pillow is useful. The fabric should also hold up better than PVC leather, and if yours suffers from any defects, there’s an extended warranty plan for you to use. Judging by the build quality though, this chair should stand the test of time.
Yet for all the T-Pro 2 does well, that $550 USD price tag is a big figure to pay for a gaming chair. However, compared to something like the $1,000+ USD Herman-Miller chairs, gaming chairs like those offered by Anda Seat offer some value for the premium experience they provide. The Anda Seat T-Pro 2 pricing holds up against the competing Secret Labs Titan XL, which comes in at $500 USD with the fabric option. Only you don’t get an included lumbar cushion from Secret Labs, while Anda Seat also runs semi-frequent sales that bring the prices down below the competition.
The company’s prices appear to be on the rise, but past lower prices have been offered to attract consumers to the brand to increase visibility. Anda Seat is now an esports team sponsor and has a fair amount of exposure, so it may simply be looking to make its brand more profitable now. The overwhelming demand for gaming chairs and computers likely has something to do with rising prices as well.
You can buy the Anda Seat T-Pro 2 from the company’s website or get it through Amazon. If you’re looking to buy something now, you can even get it on sale for $425 USD between August 9 and September 15, which will somewhat help you mitigate the high price tag.
Published: Apr 29, 2021 05:30 pm