The Thermaltake Argent E700 is eye-catching — each for its engaging design and its premium price ticket. This curvy, shiny chair is a refreshing tackle racing-inspired gaming chairs, and it seems extra like what a car-inspired chair ought to appear to be — in my view — versus trying prefer it was merely plucked from the closest observe.
The Argent E700 is a Thermaltake collaboration with Studio F.A. Porsche, and has a advised retail worth of $1299. That is fairly steep for a gaming chair, but it surely’s not exceptional. The X-Chair X3 ATR Mgmt chair, one of many picks on our checklist of finest gaming chairs, is equally priced, whereas the Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody gaming chair has a beginning worth that’s about $500 increased. (I’m not suggesting you should spend $1000+ on a gaming chair — you don’t — I’m simply mentioning that this worth isn’t as uncommon as chances are you’ll suppose, particularly if you begin taking a look at gaming chairs that lean extra towards high-end activity chairs.)
However even when the worth isn’t uncommon, it’s nonetheless fairly excessive. It’s positively an enormous funding for one thing you’re in all probability planning on sitting in for a strong chunk of your life. I spent over a month sitting on this chair, working, gaming, and zoning out whereas staring dazedly at my 4 screens. And the Argent E700 is gorgeous, sturdy, and well-built, but it surely’s positively not for everybody.
Specs
| Backrest Width (Shoulder Degree) | 20.7 inches / 51 cm |
| Seating Space Width (Level of Contact) | 18.1 inches / 46 cm |
| Seating Space Width (whole) | 24.4 inches / 62 cm |
| Seating Space Depth | 18.9 inches / 48 cm |
| Armrest Width | 4 inches / 10.1 cm |
| Armrest Depth | 9.4 inches / 24 cm |
| Armrest Top | 26.5 – 32.5 inches / 67.3 – 82.6 cm |
| Beneficial Top | 5 ft 6 inches – 6 ft 2 inches / 170 – 190 cm |
| Max Beneficial Weight | 331lbs (150kg) |
| Weight | 68 lbs |
| Guarantee | 2 years |
Assembling the Argent E700
The Argent E700 comes virtually fully-assembled. It ships in 4 elements, not together with the caster wheels: seat base, seat again, gasoline carry piston, and five-star base. It consists of three pre-mounted screws, a hex wrench, and illustrated, easy-to-follow directions.
Placing the chair collectively is pretty easy and takes simply 5 steps. It’s not not possible to place collectively alone, but it surely’s a lot simpler to do with a associate. The seat base and seat again are each giant, heavy, and unwieldy, and each must be held in place whereas they’re screwed collectively. As soon as the seat is assembled it must be lifted onto the gasoline carry piston, which is tough to line up with out an additional set of eyes. With the assistance of my husband, assembling the chair took about quarter-hour.
Design of the Argent E700
Thermaltake’s Argent E700 was designed by Studio F.A. Porsche, which is owned by (however is in any other case unbiased of) luxurious German automaker Porsche AG. I do know that is in all probability a bit complicated, however simply know that Studio F.A. Porsche doesn’t design automobiles — though the studio was initially based by Porsche’s grandson, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who additionally designed the enduring Porsche 911.
Anyway, whereas Studio F.A. Porsche could also be unbiased of its sister automotive firm, the Argent E700 just isn’t unbiased of car-inspired design. That stated, it’s not, fortunately, yet one more clone of the various racing-inspired gaming chairs that saturate the market.
The Argent E700 has a bucket-style seat upholstered in black perforated leather-based with crimson distinction stitching. It’s constructed on an aluminum and steel body, and incorporates a exhausting, shiny ABS shell that’s supplied in a number of colours: glacier white, house grey, storm black, ocean blue, racing inexperienced, saddle brown, sanga yellow, flaming orange, and turquoise. The chair sits on a heavy responsibility five-star aluminum alloy base with giant three-inch plastic caster wheels.
For this overview, I requested the Argent E700 in ocean blue — a vivid, deep turquoise that appears loads like my favourite Porsche (the automotive firm) coloration: the now-discontinued Miami Blue.
I’ll simply say it: The Argent E700 is gorgeous — it positively seems and appears like a luxurious product. The outer shell is extremely saturated, scratch-resistant, and so shiny that I had bother photographing it. The chair’s leather-based upholstery is a bit stiff at first, but it surely seems and feels premium. Even the chair’s base is heavier and extra strong than most, and the large three-inch caster wheels roll over nearly any floor simply. The one seen branding on the chair is a elegant aluminum plate on the entrance that sports activities Thermaltake’s brand.
There are polished aluminum “race automotive facet handles” on both facet of the Argent E700’s seat. The appropriate deal with controls top adjustment, whereas the left deal with controls recline. Lifting the best deal with prompts the chair’s gas-lift piston, which raises and lowers the seat. The lifting mechanism isn’t excellent, and I discovered myself often having to “pull” the chair as much as jump-start the lifting mechanism. On condition that this can be a fairly heavy chair, although, I used to be shocked I didn’t have to do that extra typically.
When the left deal with is within the down (impartial) place, the seat again is unlocked. Lifting the deal with locks the seat again in place. The chair reclines from 107 to 126 levels, however the seat again can solely be locked in 4 positions (107, 113, 119, and 126 levels). I’m not an enormous fan of how the left deal with stays protruding when the seat again is locked. The seat again has lots of give when it’s unlocked — so if you happen to’re resting any weight on the seat again, you’ll need to lock it. This can be a minor grievance, however we’re speaking about design and this positively disrupts the chair’s in any other case attractive curves.
Consolation and Changes of the Argent E700
The Argent E700 doesn’t pack as many options or changes as do lots of its opponents, although this isn’t essentially a nasty factor — I’ve by no means actually seen the necessity for a gaming chair to recline 180 levels. However if you happen to’re on the lookout for a highly-adjustable, ergonomic activity chair, that is in all probability not the chair for you. The Argent E700 notably lacks built-in lumbar help and a tilt mechanism. It does have top adjustment (however what chair doesn’t?), 4D armrests, a height-adjustable headrest, and a restricted (in each vary and variety of positions) capacity to recline.
We reviewed Thermaltake’s X Match Actual Leather-based gaming chair final 12 months, and one in every of our fundamental complaints was the chair’s exhausting, dense foam padding. The Argent E700 is equally outfitted: Each the seat and seat again are padded with high-density molded foam of 143.3 kilos per cubic foot (65kg, per cubic meter), which, in keeping with the product web page, supplies “even weight distribution and agency physique help whereas sustaining a sedentary posture.”
Just like the X Match Actual Leather-based gaming chair, the Argent E700’s seat just isn’t what I’d describe as “plush.” It’s very agency, and it’s designed to stay agency, so if you happen to’re on the lookout for a mushy, cushiony seat, this isn’t for you. I used this chair for a few month in my testing, and whereas it took me a few days to develop accustomed to the chair’s firmness, as soon as I did I discovered it to be fairly snug and supportive.
The Argent E700 doesn’t have built-in adjustable lumbar help just like the X-Chair X3 ATR Mgmt chair, nor does it include a pillow just like the Secretlab Omega 2020 or the AndaSeat Kaiser 3. The decrease a part of the chair does have a slight curve, however it’s slight — you’ll positively want to offer your individual lumbar help, particularly for longer classes. I discover the lumbar pillows supplied with most gaming chairs to be too thick and due to this fact not a significant benefit (however…nonetheless a small benefit) over nothing.
This chair additionally doesn’t include a neck pillow such as you’ll see on many gaming chairs, however I’ve by no means been large on neck pillows except I’m planning on taking a nap. The Argent E700 doesn’t recline anyplace close to flat, so it’s in all probability not the most effective chair for napping. It does have a shoulder go by, which seems to be purely ornamental however may in all probability be rigged to carry a neck pillow.
The Argent E700 appears to be made for somebody who’s bigger than I’m — the chair helps as much as 331 kilos (150kg), however its specs suggest a comparatively slender top vary of between 5’6” and 6’2”. I’m 5’7” and 135 kilos, so I’m positively on the decrease finish of this vary. My husband, nevertheless, is 5’11” and slightly below 200 kilos, and he thought the Argent E700 was very snug instantly – far more snug than he finds my Herman Miller Aeron, which he inexplicably hates.
The Argent E700 helps as much as 331 kilos, however bigger customers will need to double-check seat width. The seat is eighteen inches (46cm) large, however the bucket seat has a slight curve at round 14 inches (35.6cm), and a fairly robust curve at 16 inches (40.6cm). The chair’s exhausting outer shell means there’s not a lot wiggle room relating to seat width.
The Argent E700 has 4D armrests that transfer up and down, facet to facet, ahead and backward, and swivel. The armrests lock in place vertically, however solely vertically — in any other case, they’re continually shifting. This didn’t hassle me a lot ergonomically, as I don’t rely a lot on armrests, however the fixed clicking and shifting round was at the least minorly annoying.
The armrests are additionally pretty excessive, due to the chair’s curved sides — one thing you’ll need to take into account if you happen to like your armrests to suit simply beneath the highest of your desk. The tops of the armrests sit about 26.5 inches (67.3cm) above the bottom, and eight.5 inches (21.6cm) above the seat, on the bottom setting. And so they sit 32.5 inches (82.6cm) above the bottom, and 11 inches (27.9cm) above the seat, on the very best setting.
Backside Line
Thermaltake’s Argent E700 is undeniably attractive, but it surely’s positively extra of an announcement piece than it’s an ergonomically-sound gaming chair that can carry you thru all-night gaming marathons.
That stated, I’d argue that the majority gaming chairs aren’t pinnacles of ergonomic design, particularly people who borrow closely from racing seats. Bucket seats aren’t actually designed for consolation — they’re designed to maintain your physique securely in place if you’re in a car that’s shifting and turning at breakneck speeds. They’re not essentially designed to be uncomfortable (except we’re speaking about precise stock-racing seats, that are as stripped-down as attainable), they’re not designed with lengthy durations of sitting in thoughts. My automotive (a 2015 Mustang convertible) has comparatively plush bucket seats (with adjustable lumbar help), and even these positively aren’t best for lengthy street journeys.
Gaming, working, or…in any other case sitting in entrance of a pc is mainly the alternative situation for which bucket seats are designed. In different phrases, racing-inspired gaming chairs are largely about seems — not optimum ergonomics. Retaining this in thoughts, I can’t ding the Argent E700’s concentrate on aesthetics an excessive amount of, particularly when it’s as engaging as it’s. Even if you happen to don’t discover the Argent E700’s design visually interesting (it’s subjective, I can admit that), it’s a must to admit it’s a well-designed piece, with complimentary curves and features that match along with German precision.
When you’ve acquired the price range for the E700, however are on the lookout for a chair that’s one hundred pc ergonomics and nil % racing, the $1,500 Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody gaming chair may be the right mix for you. And if you happen to can’t afford to spend greater than $1,000 on a gaming chair, take into account the Secret Lab Omega 2020 or AndaSeat Kaiser 3, each of which value round $500.
Nevertheless, if you would like probably the most trendy trying chair round and don’t thoughts spending a hefty premium to get it, the Thermaltake Argent E700 is for you.