Game or Work in Comfort With the E

I spend a lot of time sitting and working at a computer or playing video games. In the past, I have gone through several types of office chairs but have found that I prefer a quality gaming chair. In fact, I even replaced my office chair in my classroom with a gaming chair. Not only do I look like a cool teacher, but I also find this type of chair has better support and is designed for using a keyboard and mouse while looking at a screen. I have recently had the opportunity to try out a new gaming chair by E-WIN and want to share my thoughts with you.

When the chair was delivered, I noticed as I brought the box in from the porch that this was not a lightweight chair. My son and I were so excited to try it out, we immediately opened the box and began assembling it. As a result, in my rush, I neglected to take some photos of the unassembled parts. Even though the exterior of the box looked worse for wear, all of the parts were carefully packaged and undamaged. The assembly instructions have a list of all the parts along with images and then 14 steps for assembling the chair. The instructions have images with brief text which flow from left to right, then down, then right to left, then down and left to right, and so forth. While there are arrows showing the progression and the text is numbered, it is easy to think the steps always go from left to right. All of the tools you need to assemble the chair, a couple of hex keys, are included in the box as well as a pair of cloth gloves to protect your hands. One person could assemble the chair, but we found it easier with two when placing the chair on the base since it is somewhat heavy and you are trying to insert the bottom of the seat into the top of the hydraulic system post.

The base of the chair is made of aluminum and shaped like a five-pointed star with five 3-inch casters. It features a gas lift that can move up and down a range of 4 inches. There are two control levers under the seat. The lever on the left while you are sitting locks/unlocks the chair's tilting ability, while the lever on the right is used to adjust the height. A knob on the bottom of the seat lets you increase/decrease the tension of the tilting mechanism. There is also a lever along the right side of the seat that lets you recline from 85° to 155 °. Finally, the armrests can be adjusted up and down, in and out, forward and back, and even rotated toward and away from the chair so you can get them just right. The XL size version of the chair is designed for people 5’7″ to 7′ tall and supports up to 550 pounds of weight.

The seat and back of the chair are made of high-density foam with high resiliency. The foam is covered by stain-resistant polyurethane leather that has a textured feel of real leather and is also durable. The chair comes with a lumbar support cushion that attaches to the chair with a couple of straps. This allows the user to raise and lower the cushion to the correct position. There is also a head support cushion, which also connects through some openings at the top of the chair. However, I found it more comfortable to position it around the top of the chair it is a bit higher. The seat is wide and deep and provides comfortable support. Larger users won't feel crammed into it. The back of the chair provides good support and feels secure despite its ability to recline. I did not feel any wiggle in the back. One of the unique features is the ability to recline the back to a resting position. When I first tried this, I actually felt like I was going to tip over backward. However, because the base is set farther back than traditional gaming or office chairs, it stays directly under your center of gravity and does not tip at all. Whenever I demonstrate reclining the chair or other people try it, they too think the chair will tip over because they do not expect a gaming or office chair to recline so much. This feature is perfect for resting or even taking a nap.

While the E-WIN Flash XL is primarily designed and marketed as a gaming chair, it is also great for use in the office. The high back can help while working at a computer, allowing the user to sit back comfortably and not be hunched over the keyboard. The head support cushion can be positioned either behind the head or neck and offer support to help prevent neck strain. The chair comes in black with a choice of red, blue, or white accents, so you can find one that fits your décor. At home, my gaming console and computer are at the same desk, so I do both computer work and gaming in the same location. Though you may not do any gaming at the office, the Flash XL is still a great choice for working.

I am impressed with the E-WIN Flash XL. However, I wanted to get some additional opinions, so I took it to my high school where I teach a game design class and we have an e-sports program with a national championship team. They really put it through the paces and gave me some honest feedback. They liked the weight of the chair and felt that it helped them feel grounded. They also liked the ability to adjust the lumbar support and head cushion and actually suggested moving it higher. Their only criticism was that the chair seemed a bit loose and the seat seemed to move a bit. I had noticed the same issue. After bringing it up with my contact at E-WIN, we learned about the tension knob on the bottom. As we tightened the tension, the chair became more stable, and that one concern was alleviated. I also had students in my game design class try out the chair while they were working on their final projects for the class to test out the office feel of the chair. They too liked the feel of the chair and even adjusted the armrests so they would fit under the desk so they could sit closer. In fact, it is now the favorite chair in the classroom.

E-WIN has a variety of gaming and gaming/office chairs available from their website. The Flash XL is one of their higher-end models and sells for $469. However, they are currently running a Memorial Day sale where you can save 20% on the Flash XL and other chairs, making this chair only about $375! Plus, you even get free shipping in the contiguous US. If you are looking for a comfortable chair with good support and the ability to recline into a resting position, then I recommend that you consider the E-WIN Flash XL gaming chair.

For more information, visit the E-WIN Racing webpage!

Disclosure: GeekDad received this product for review purposes.