Comfortable, durable chair for long-term work.
After working from home for almost an entire year, I can say with certainty that the most important piece of office equipment I have is a comfortable chair. I learned a long time ago that investing in long-term comfort helps you not only physically, but also mentally as well. You aren’t constantly worrying about how you are positioned if you have a solid chair and if you select the right one, it will last for a long time. I started using gaming chairs several years ago because they are designed for long-term use. Gaming chairs have to be built for comfort, stability, and durability because gamers typically spend many, many hours sitting in them. The Vertagear PL4500 is designed for just this purpose.
DETAILS
The PL4500 Gaming Chair is part of the racing series of chairs by Vertagear. The P-Line is meant to provide unmatched design and comfort for the user. It’s also supposed to have an effortless assembly that can be completed by a single person. There are three chairs in the P-Line – the PL1000, PL4500, and PL6000. The PL4500 is designed with a high backrest and has an industrial-grade metal base. The chair features the HygennX Technology that helps to limit odor and increase breathability. The heavy-duty metal base frame is engineered with industrial-grade metal so that it supports up to 400lbs. The PL4500 is ergonomically designed and recommended for individuals up to 6’6 tall who weigh up to 260lbs. The pieces are designed with ‘slide-in hardware for hassle-free assembly.
The chair is made from Ultra Premium High Resilience Foam (UPHR) which prolongs the lifespan of the chair, Penta RS1 Casters that are coated with polyurethane for a smooth glide, a steel frame for long-term durability, an industrial-grade class-4 gas lift, PU faux—leather, and an aluminum alloy 5-star base. The PL4500 comes with lumbar and neck support pillows and has 3D adjustable armrests. The back will adjust between 80-140º and features a tilt with a locking system. The seat height is also adjustable.
USER EXPERIENCE
The PL4500 arrived in a large cardboard box. This is not the first gaming chair I’ve assembled, so I was expecting to see the pieces wrapped in protective packaging and to come with an instruction booklet. Vertagear does make the assembly process easy with the ‘slide-in parts, but it’s not quite as easy as they make it out to be. In their product information, they state that an individual could assemble the chair within a matter of seconds. While I didn’t have any trouble putting the chair together unassisted, it took me about 20 minutes to complete it – not seconds.
The assembly process is intuitive and if you’ve ever put a gaming chair together, you’ll find it’s pretty much the same as other gaming chairs. The first step is to insert the wheels into the base and then the gas lift into the center of the base. I actually thought the casters were quite impressive. They seem to be reinforced and because of their size, they can roll around on carpet quite easily. After the base section is put together, you will want to set it aside and move onto the seat assembly. The arms come pre-attached to the seat, but you do have to attach the control mechanism to the bottom of the seat. Most instructions will direct you to attach the seatback to the seat before resting it on top of the wheelbase. I found it much easier to put the seat onto the wheelbase before attaching the seat back because the entire seat assembly is very heavy. So, if you do it one section at a time, it’s much more manageable. After the seat was connected to the base, I lifted the seat back onto the seat and made sure the metal arms from the seat lined up with the right spots on the back. At this point, all you have to do is attach the seat back using the provided screws.
The chair is pretty sturdy and the mechanism is easy to operate for tilting the seatback. The only thing I really noticed that was odd was that there was a sizable gap between the seat back and the seat. It doesn’t seem to affect the operation or comfort of the chair, but it is noticeable. The lumbar pillow does cover it. As far as comfort goes, I found the chair to be a solid 7 out of 10. It’s firm, but still soft enough to remain comfortable throughout a long day. The only other part of this chair that I’m not a huge fan of is the flair of the cushion on the sides. It bends up and in a bit so if you have wider hips, the cushion feels somewhat tight.
CONCLUSION
The PL4500 Gaming Chair is a very sturdy seating option that is good for people up to 260 pounds in weight. If you are larger than that, I would suggest selecting the PL6000, which is a big/tall seating option in the P-series chairs. I really like that this chair has a soft feel to it and that it has high-density foam at its core. It seems to hold up well even after prolonged use. It’s reasonably priced in comparison to other gaming chairs.
For more information, vertagear.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
