To be honest, the first thing that came to mind when I heard about the Herman Miller x Logitech "G-Embody" was the price: it's a $1,595 (£1,195) gaming chair, which is understandably a tall order for most people. If you're not willing to spend that much of your hard-earned money on a gaming PC, though, there are plenty of cheaper options in our guide to the best gaming chairs.

But Herman Miller is a brand built on the concept that ergonomics is something to be invested in. And that seems to mean more than aesthetics like lumbar pillows and racing chairs. Embody is more understated. Instead, it's betting that people will gladly spend pennies for comfort and good ergonomics. So, in this review, we considered why we'd be willing to spend the cost of a used car on a gaming chair and whether we feel it's worth it.

Admittedly, that was no easy task for someone who would look at a 1,200-pound chair and intuitively think it was too expensive. But times change, and after spending the past year in the chair, the price no longer seems so ludicrous. As someone who works from home and spends all but a small portion of my day sitting, a comfortable chair in which I can trust my spine has become a necessity.

A chair that values perfect support above all else became more interesting to me than ever before. This has nothing to do with the Logitech collaboration, but seems more like branding to entice gamers to consider a luxury throne rather than the bucket seats beloved by streamers.

But until Embody arrived, I didn't know what to expect from Embody. Certainly, I had not imagined such a huge box arriving on my doorstep. My first impressions focused on how to carry this box up the two narrow flights of stairs leading up to my apartment.

The huge box hid perhaps one of Herman Miller's greatest features. After deciding in the hallway that I would have to use a knife to cut a chair out of the box, I found it fully assembled and simply wrapped in a nifty piece of cardboard. No screws or disposable tools, which I hate, are required. (As I collect third-rate Allen wrenches from cheap flat-pack furniture, I can't help but feel there must be a better way.)

Perhaps Herman Miller is on to something with premium packaging that requires no assembly work. The chair is certainly off to a good start in terms of feeling like a luxe chair, but its short-lived success when delivered is hardly what one pays good money for.

In fact, the Embody chair itself is quite compact. The backrest is slim and conforms to the body, and the frame is small, although Herman Miller says ergonomic chairs don't need headrests.

Despite its compact design, the Embody's seat is wide and has no outward projections to hold the body in place. This is important for all-day comfort. The seat consists of two springs that support a mat and foam cushion that Herman Miller calls "think fabric. It is a 100% polyester fabric that Herman Miller rates highly for durability, color retention, and strength. While it may or may not stand the test of time, it shows no signs of damage after more than a decade of use.

The Herman Miller x Logitech G Embody is not, in fact, a complete departure from the previous Embody. A tried, tested, and widely recognized design, the gaming embody is available in new black and blue colors. There is also a small Logitech G-branded toggle on the back, which, as far as I can tell, does nothing to help, and the Logitech G logo on the upper band of the backrest.

Again, I don't think the Logitech collaboration brings much to the party, but the branding is a noticeably lighter touch than the racing-style gaming chairs I'm used to as a PC gamer and feels classy as a result.

The foam layer in the seat is actually one of the few functional differences between the Embody and the Logitech G Embody. This is said to provide a bit more support when sitting upright and to keep the back cool. It is definitely more comfortable for extended periods of time.

The most striking feature of this chair: you can sit all day and not feel any discomfort under your buttocks. Throughout the day, the upper body can change into a variety of non-ergonomic positions, while the lower body tends to remain fixed to the desk. Thankfully, Embody does just that.

Sitting properly in the chair, which Herman Miller shows you how to do in a promotional video (hint: put your feet forward and flat on the floor), the backrest provides excellent support. The backrest is a bit roomy, thanks to the posts that extend to the rear of the chair and a few pivot points that connect the backrest posts.

While some chair designers use ergonomics as an excuse for strange and ridiculous designs, the Embody is relatively modest in design and operation. The lack of headrests is one example, but the lack of significant movement in the armrests also attests to Herman Miller's "we know best" approach.

Fortunately, one does not need to be constantly aware of one's posture in order to get the most out of the Embody. Unless you're straddling the "let's get down with the kids" with bloodshot eyes, you'll probably feel as passively comfortable as I do.

Functionally, the Herman Miller Embody is outstanding. At a whopping $1,595 (£1,195). Is it worth the price? The Herman Miller is the better choice, especially when you factor in the all-too-easy 12-year warranty.

A 12-year warranty on a £1,195 chair works out to just under £100 per year. The warranty is also extensive: it covers 24-hour use (three shifts, or eight hours at a time, in bleak corporate speak), and it covers everything from pneumatics to casters to armrests and everything in between. If there is superficial damage to the fabric, you may not be able to buy a new chair, but it will cover everything else for a decade or more.

That would explain the price. I'm not saying that those who are initially swayed by this four-digit price tag will be turned off by it, but those who are on the fence about purchasing one can have greater confidence that their new gaming chair purchase will outlast them by taking the warranty into account. This warranty is something that few other gaming chair brands can duplicate. When we examined the top gaming chairs in our ranking, only a few came close to a 12-year all-in-one warranty. Those are the Mavix M9 and the Steelcase Gesture. Both follow the task chair approach of gaming thrones.

Both are a bit cheaper than the Herman Miller, but both have their supporters at the top of PC Gamer; often available for less than the Embody, these two are worth checking out before you hit the cash register.

However, neither rests on its back, and I have to judge it on the merits of the Herman Miller and the 12-year warranty that was the deciding factor for this chair. This is by far the most expensive chair I have reviewed, but it is also one that oozes premium comfort and support. Herman Miller has a near monopoly on the premium office chair market, and it's easy to see why, with a 12-year warranty that won't spoil the great experience in the slightest.

Does the Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody need the title of gaming chair for its not-quite-sober origins as an office chair? If anything, however, the chair proves that those of us who prefer to play games on our PCs rather than work on them have little need to replicate Herman Miller's success.