Razer Enki X gaming chair review: A worthy challenger

Finding the perfect chair for your gaming or office needs isn’t an easy task. The sizes, styles, and quality are as varied as the people who sit in them. Some of us like the airplane style seats and a head cushion, and others prefer more lumbar support and wider seats. With the Enki X, Razer is attempting to build a chair that can stand up to the demands of all-day gamers. The result is a chair with promise, but it’s not without its drawbacks.

The build

Given that it’s a chair, the Enki X obviously comes in a very large box, but I was impressed with how easy it was to remove each component, as well as the fact Razer included gloves and straightforward instructions for assembly. There’s a link to a video for anyone who needs some extra guidance, but I found the paper instructions included in the box easy to follow. The gloves provide a tiny bit of protection from banging your hands or getting lubricant on them.

Razer advises that you get someone to help you assemble the chair, but I was able to do it alone in about 30 minutes. The only tricky part was fastening the seat to the back rest, but even that was manageable and would be a breeze with two people. The instructions were simple to follow, and everything required to assemble the chair was included in the box. The only hiccup was the seat not being level once the chair was assembled. My chair leaned to the right. This resulted in me having to disassemble it and put it back together. In the end, I’m not entirely sure what caused the issue or fixed it, but it’s something to be mindful of if the Enki or Enki X is on your radar.

Take a seat

The Enki X features black and green as its primary colors. Most of the chair is black, but there is green stitching and the green Razer logo at the top of the seat where you rest your head. The chair is covered in a synthetic leather that is smooth around the edge of the back rest and seat but textured where your body connects with the chair. I was disappointed to see that within two days of sitting in the chair, there was some discoloration on the seat where the backs of my legs rest. I can understand a chair’s color fading over months or years, but not in a weekend. This makes me wonder just how worn the seat will look a year from now.

Instead of a separate cushion for lumbar support, the Enki X has this integrated into the chair. This is something I was skeptical about at first, but as someone who’s suffered a terrible back injury, the lumbar support is indeed there even though it’s integrated. The Enki X doesn't include a proper head cushion, although one is included with the Enki. If that's important to you, get the Enki and not Enki X. 

The seat of the chair is quite comfortable. I’m coming from a chair that was built like an airplane seat, so the edges were raised. This caused discomfort on the outsides of my thighs. The Enki X is mostly flat, and the front of the seat is 21” wide. This comfort generally extends to the back rest. The Enki X is slightly curved at the upper part of the back rest, which I found supported my shoulders well when I sat up straight in the chair.

The Enki X is designed for people between 5’5” and 6’8” with a weight limit of less than 300 lb. I fit comfortably within both the height and weight requirements, and there was more than enough room for my butt on the seat itself and for my back on the back rest. I would have liked Razer to move the armrests out another inch, as they are placed rather close together. This could make for a tight squeeze for some folks who push the limits of the size requirements. The Enki X has 2D armrests that adjust up and down, a well as angled horizontally. The Enki has 4D armrests that add another dimension to what can be adjusted. 2D is perfectly fine with me, but it's worth noting if you're not sure which version of the chair you want to go with. 

What I will give the Enki X credit for is that it’s a comfortable chair to sit in for extended periods. I’m in my chair all day while I work, and in the evenings if I decide to game with friends. Long days could see me sitting for up to 12 hours, if not more, and there were no issues of discomfort sitting in the Enki X.

Not for everyone

The Enki X is a solid chair from Razer that I think could make some gamers very happy. Unfortunately, it’s not a chair that I can see myself enjoying over the coming months and years. There are things that concern me or don’t align with my preferences. The Enki X seat already looks more worn than the chair I’ve been sitting on for almost a year, and the narrow space between armrests is an issue for me that isn't going away. The catch with chairs, though, is that what feels off to me is going to be the preference for someone else. Know what you're looking for in a chair and, if the Enki or Enki X seem appealing to you, they are at least worth your consideration.

This review is based off of a Razer Enki X provided by Razer for coverage purposes. The Enki X has a retail price of $299 USD.

Bill Lavoy

Managing Editor

Bill, who is also known as Rumpo, is a lifelong gamer and Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He made his mark early in his career through guide writing and a deep understanding of editorial SEO. He enjoys putting in the work to create a great content, be it a wild feature or grinding out an in-depth collectible guide. Tweet him @RumpoPlays if you have a question or comment about one of his articles.