Page 30 - Sharp Spring 2021
P. 30

GUIDE : TECH
Sitting Pretty
Ultra-comfortable and playfully intimidating, gaming chairs deliver a powerful advantage in edge-of-your-seat showdowns
by ERIC MUTRIE
G AMING CHAIRS ARE TO ESPORTS competitors what basketball
shoes are to NBA players: a crit- ical part of their performance strategy. Tune into the Twitch streams of famous gamers like Ninja and Shroud, and you’ll notice them representing one of several cult chair brands, each with its own impassioned following. Even for the most casual weeknight console play-
ers, the right seat can offer the kind of breathability and ergonomic benefits that make extended gaming sessions easier on the back. (And really, what is a virtual faceoff against your younger cousin if you aren’t putting your back into it?) Best of all, now that long-time office chair expert Herman Miller has entered the arena, high-end gaming chairs have finally levelled up to our sophisticated design standards, meaning if you need one to double as your home office chair by day, you no longer need to worry about giving your boss the wrong impression during your next video conference. Then again, win enough Dota 2 tournaments and you’ll never need to report to your boss again.
  TITAN BY SECRETLAB
As endorsed by: Team Liquid
A partner of many top championships, including Worlds 2020, Secretlab is known for its limited editions, like this high-contrast Cyberpunk 2077– inspired release. $530
AERON BY HERMAN MILLER × LOGITECH G As endorsed by: LazarBeam
This special gaming edition of the orig- inal office status symbol is painted in extra-dark black for a look that’s more top com- mander than top executive. $1,805
MASTERS SERIES PREMIUM BY AKRACING
As endorsed by: Neymar
Styled like a Formula One cockpit — complete with flashy red racing stripes — this seat satisfies our nostalgia for the old-school racing booths in retro arcades. $350 USD
M9 GLACIER BY MAVIX
As endorsed by: Valkyrae
While it skews refresh- ingly understated at first glance, this throne really earns its praise in its details, like the cool-gel memory foam seat and impressive 127 degrees of recline. $1,000 USD
EMBODY BY HERMAN MILLER × LOGITECH G
As endorsed by: Jacksepticeye
A remix of a beloved office chair, this gamer-friendly version of the Embody adds a cooling foam seat and renders the chair’s cyborg-like spine in neon blue. $1,870
      GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS
While Counter-Strike and Overwatch continue to command some of the biggest followings, these three up-and- comers are ready to take the world’s top esports tournaments by storm
 Valorant
A new tacti- cal shooter from the makers of smash-hit League of Legends.
Diabotical
A cartoonish arena shooter for scram- bling up enemies that are part egg, part robot.
FIFA21
How long un- til FIFA’s new virtual World Cup becomes even bigger than the real thing?
30 SHARPMAGAZINE.COM
SPRING 2021
        



































































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