Vertagear has made a commendable effort with its S Series of gaming chairs. Easy to assemble and with excellent ergonomics, it got off to a great start when I picked it up, but after a bit of use, especially after examining the price, it quickly became apparent what was missing.

From the moment we opened the box, the SL5000 took about 40 minutes to assemble. There is also a safety tube around the dangerous parts, in case you accidentally (or intentionally) push the handle like our Alan did.

Anyway, the assembly process was easy and not as heavy as other gaming chairs, so we were able to complete it without hurting our backs.

Speaking of back care, the chair's bucket-style seat encourages proper posture. I found myself forced to sit with my back straight, rather than sitting cross-legged like a technomonk, but I never complained of back pain. Still, it's nice to have the option of being an ergonomically challenged hack on your day off.

The chair's style, like many other gaming chairs, is based on an edgy sports car design. There are several other options, including a plain black one that is a bit cheaper but does not come with Vertagear's claimed HygennX coffee grind cloth (opens in new tab) and does not prevent the odor retention that many inexpensive gaming chairs tend to suffer from.

Also, the less expensive option does not come with a velvety-feeling neck support. While more comfortable than the one on my AndaSeat Na'Vi Edition (opens in new tab) at home, it is nowhere near as comfortable or practical as the headrest on the Secretlab Titan Evo (opens in new tab).

In fact, not using the headrest is not an option here. That's where the RGB LED upgrade kit comes in. Even if you end up spending an extra $300 for RGB lighting in the chair (why not?), you'll still have a head cushion to block your view or rest your head on this chunky insert.

Unfortunately, the awkwardness didn't stop there, as I often had to push the armrests up. The armrests are sturdy enough, but they do not have a locking feature, so they tend to rotate unexpectedly. Given that the armrests are not very wide, one can overlook this somewhat. [The 4D armrests are a big plus, and the chair's overall adjustability is very nice. For example, the built-in lumbar support and the option to use it without a neckrest.

Compared to Vertagear's PL4500 (opens in new tab), the two match up quite well, except for the addition of 4D armrests and the fact that the S-line chair is a few inches smaller. One of Ben's major complaints about the P-line chairs was that his buttocks would get sore after sitting in them for long periods of time. Sadly, I had a very similar experience here, although not as bad as I stated at the beginning of my review that I spent a lot of time thinking about my buttocks.

Vertagear makes a commendable effort with its S line of gaming chairs, but sadly, the fact that they are compatible with the company's $300 RGB kit (opens in new tab) is not enough for me to recommend them, especially if you are already paying the $460 MSRP. not enough to recommend it.

At this price, it is hard to recommend the SL5000 as a premium gaming chair. Despite the armrest fiasco and other minor gripes, I might consider it if it went on sale for close to $350 (or came with a free RGB kit). Still, if something like the Secretlab Omega (opens in new tab) is available for $500, I'd prefer that if I want the full premium experience.