Boulies Master Series gaming chair review – Small and comfortable

Boulies is a smaller UK-based chair manufacturer that seeks to design a chair that is the middle road between comfort and support. It utilizes a racer-style frame and microfiber suede to emulate a car interior, meaning this chair definitely presents a high bar to live up to. Only starting international sale in 2019, the company is definitely on the smaller end. When asked to review the Boulies Master Series, we decided it would be a great chance to highlight a well-made gaming chair.

For me personally, I work from home and spend a minimum of 50 hours a week sitting in a chair. Being able to sit comfortably while also maintaining proper posture and getting good back support is one of the most important things in my day-to-day life. Getting up and down frequently, or sitting at the wrong angle may prove frustrating and painful after an eight-hour shift. In this regard, the Boulies Master Series delivers.

Customization and comfort

One of the main draws for the Boulies Master Series is the range of customization. The armrests are adjustable in eight directions. The chair has a multi-stop reclining system, allowing for leaning back at any angle, all the way to a laying position. There is a multi-tilt mechanism that allows for height adjustment, and a rocking feature that is very smooth. The armrests are very sturdy, providing you screw them in to the proper tightness, which should prove easy with the included Allen wrench.

Consumer are able to get the Master Series chair in multiple different colors, and two different fabrics. It comes in black, blue, brown, and red. The fabric choices are between the ultraflex PU waterproofed leather, and the water-repellant fabric. Aside from these features and customization options, there is also a built-in lumbar support adjuster that replaces a lumbar support pillow. So far after using it, I have not missed the lumbar pillow. The knob allows you to adjust the lumbar support to change the amount the chair pushes out into the lower back.

(Image credit: Boulies).

The Boulies Master Series gaming chair comes with a little headrest pillow as well, and this is a hidden gem of the experience. A firm plump pillow pushes out, and provides excellent neck support when leaning back. I have noticed a stark reduction in neck pain over time, as this pillow has been supporting my neck a lot better. My last chair did not have a neck pillow, and after long periods, it caused issues.

The Boulies Master Series definitely brings it when it comes to neck and lumbar support. One drawback that can come with this setup however, as that it is definitely meant for shorter people. I’m 6’2″, and my head goes above the back of the chair. I have to slightly slouch to fit in the chair snugly, otherwise, the chair feels slightly too small for me to feel comfortable.

Putting it all together

The Boulies Master Series is not a difficult chair to put together, in most regards. The wheels simply snap into the base, and there are less than 15 screws to handle throughout the entire assembly. That said, the chair can be a bit awkward at times to handle, because the bottom of the backrest for the chair seemed a bit overstuffed, causing some pushing of the fabric against the screw holes for the hinge cover. This made putting on the covers for the hinges almost impossible, as I spent almost twenty minutes attempting to excruciatingly push the covers onto the chair. The screws simply weren’t long enough to catch the threads. Thankfully, I was able to get it to seat after much effort and energy.

The location where the cover should go, and the ridge of the fabric pushing against the hinge, highlighting the issue I had getting the cover on.

Build quality and durability

Overall, after using this chair over the course of this week, I have noticed minor durability issues that worry me. The chair is a bit clunky when leaning back — almost jolting down — not creating an entirely smooth experience to lean back. When using this chair it is important to remember to be careful when reclining, as there’s no resistance to stop it from immediately going fully horizontal. Aside from this, the chair is well designed. There are no rips in the fabric, the screw holes are well hidden, and the armrests are able to move in many different ways.

If you were to use this chair for a longer period of time, I think that it would be better for someone of an average build over someone with a great height, as this will definitely put extra wear-and-tear on the chair. While the website states that max height is one 190 cm, or six-foot-three, that is right on the edge of the threshold for comfortability. The chair can also hold a maximum of 135 kg or 300 lbs.

The Boulies Master Series is mostly worth it

Currently listed at a price of $340 USD when not on sale, this chair definitely meets expectations for a mid-range racing chair without breaking any new ground. It puts together many good features in a seamless way that other chairs do slightly better. If you are tall, this may be a brand you do a bit more research on before buying this specific model.

This chair does go on sale quite a bit, and for the rest of the summer there is a $50 USD sale which brings the price down to a very manageable $289 USD. This sale price definitely makes it a valuable chair for the money, and a must-get for those looking for a new chair.

If you plan to do further research on which gaming chair to buy, see our reviews for the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, Anda Seat Kaiser 3, and the Mavix M5.