AndaSeat Dark Demon review: A gaming chair ready for battle

A good chair can make or break any gaming setup. If you're a gamer looking for a rugged, supportive chair that will never let you down in the heat of battle, then you can't go too far wrong with the AndaSeat Dark Demon.

A gaming chair is a must-have addition to any setup, providing you with comfort and support so you can focus on the enemy at hand, your quests, the track, or anything else. There's a lot to think about when you buy a gaming chair, especially now that plenty (including this one) can set you back a few hundred dollars.

The Dark Demon won't be the perfect choice for everyone, but if you want a battle-ready gaming chair that will last you a lifetime, look no further.

A chair that can take anything you throw at it

AndaSeat Dark Demon: What I like

The Anda Seat comes in just four main parts and requires only eight steps to assemble. Compared to previous gaming chairs I've put together, it was pretty breezy, and I was even able to do it by myself. With two people, it would have been even more straightforward. The hardest step is the first step, where you'll need to attach the chair's backrest to the base using four screws, two on each side. The holes for these screws are embedded directly into the soft leather of the chair, so are a bit fiddly to work with as they move around whilst you're putting the screws in. Once those are in and tightened, it's plain sailing. Simply flip the chair over and screw the mechanism to the base, pop the wheels onto the five-star base and stick it all together. Armrests come pre-installed, and the lumbar cushion and headrest simply clip into place. As I said, the installation process for this chair was really simple, especially compared to other chairs I've used, so the Dark Demon scores big early points for ease of use.

The first thing you'll notice about the chair is just how absolutely rugged and durable this thing is. In my opinion, the best thing about this chair is its uncompromising toughness and build quality. The chair has a sturdy metal frame and is covered in a mixture of carbon fiber and PVC leather. The chair itself has a steel frame embedded in the seat, designed to ergonomically fit the human body for extra durability. In fact, the chair can reportedly take a static load of a whopping 1500kg (3300 lbs), however, the listed maximum load is 350lbs, which I heartily believe.

As with nearly all gaming chairs, the Dark Demon is designed to look like a racing car bucket seat. Compared to other chairs, it has a very wide design making it ideal for anyone of a more substantial build, or for those who want a little more freedom of movement. It has 4D adjustable armrests that move forwards/backward, up/down, left/right, and even pan so that you can angle them to suit your needs. This means that nearly every user will be able to set the armrests in a way that supports their needs for optimum comfort. The chair's backrest can also be tilted back using a lever on the right-hand side, and you can set it between 90 and 160 degrees, the latter of which Anda refers to as "sleeping mode." Other excellent design features include vents in the back of the chair, used to secure the headrest in place that also stop you from overheating. The wheels are covered in PU rubber, not only are they stable, but can also be used on both soft and hard floors. They won't damage a hard floor and don't make a mad racket every time you move the chair.

The chair provides a really high level of support in a couple of different ways. It has high-density foam padding, which AndaSeat says will offer "years" of comfort without losing shape. The base of the chair is firm, supportive, and comfortable, without being too squishy, the same goes for the backrest.

Support is aided by an optional lumbar cushion and a headrest (both included). These clip onto the back of the chair very easily, and the height of the lumbar cushion is easily adjusted (The headrest is not, which I'll get to). You don't have to use the chair with either of these, but the lumbar cushion is highly recommended as a support for your lower back. Using the lumbar cushion without the headrest would certainly feel strange and wouldn't be a great way to sit, so both are recommended. The head cushion is a lot larger than some options I've seen out there, and again provides a good deal of firm comfort.

Hard on your wallet, not softer on you.

AndaSeat Dark Demon: What I don't like

You might have noticed how much I'm referring to the durability, ruggedness, and firmness of the chair. Whilst the Dark Demon is incredibly durable and provides a lot of support, the trade-off for me is premium comfort. I usually sit in a Secretlab Omega, and there's a big difference in terms of how premium and soft the leather feels. The leather of the Dark Demon is not very soft, and gives the feel of an actual racing car, or perhaps a helicopter, as opposed to a Rolls Royce. If you want a chair that can take anything you throw at it, whilst holding you firmly in place for those hardcore gaming sessions, then the Dark Demon is the perfect choice for you. I would also highly recommend this to anyone who needs a chair that is pet-proof or childproof against bumps, scrapes, scratches, and stains. But, if you want something a little more relaxing for long hours at the office or watching movies, you might want to consider a more forgiving option.

My biggest personal gripe with the Dark Demon comes from the fact that I'm over six feet tall. As mentioned, the chair comes with a headrest cushion that you attach to the chair through the vents in the backrest. Because of the way these vents are designed, you can only put the headrest at one height. I found that at 90 degrees, I couldn't sit in the chair properly because the headrest lined up more with my neck/shoulders than the back of my head. The quick fix is to simply push the backrest down one level using the lever, at which point it became much more comfortable. However, I can imagine that someone even a bit taller than me would struggle to sit comfortably in the chair. AndaSeat's recommended height is between 5'2" and 6'2". Whilst it says 6'10" is the maximum load, I would not recommend this chair for anyone pushing the top end of the recommended height of 6'2", especially not if you want to sit at 90 degrees. You can use the Dark Demon without the headrest to alleviate all of this, but this detracts from the experience quite a bit, and for me personally made the chair awkward to sit in.

There are a couple of other design quirks, the adjustment handle for height and tilt of the whole chair is further back than I would like, and was a little hard to reach. The armrests, as mentioned, can be fine-tuned in any number of ways for the best fit, however, the design includes quite a sharp edge that sometimes catches your elbows, reflecting again the more rugged nature of the chair. It also only comes in two colors, black, or black & red, so if you don't like either of those, you might want to look at Anda Seat's other models. As noted, the chair is $400, this might seem like a lot but is actually pretty standard for a lot of gaming chairs nowadays. Personally, I think the chair's build quality and toughness justify the investment, but others might not want to stretch that far.

The competition

As mentioned, I usually sit in a Secretlab Omega, which I and our friends at Windows Central are huge fans of. The two sit at around the same price point, however are quite different. The Secretlab offers a much more premium comfort feel, and I would recommend that one more for long days at the office or if comfort is your top priority. The Anda Seat, by comparison, is less forgiving, but much more durable in my opinion. I would be far less concerned about damage or wear and tear compared to the Secretlab option. One of the Secretlab's other cons is onerous assembly, as noted, this is not the case with the Dark Demon. The Omega is also much narrower, and hugs you more than the Dark Demon's wider base does, something to consider for those of a stockier build, or who want a bit more wiggle room.

Secretlab also offers the Titan XL for taller customers, and like the Omega, boasts similar advantages in terms of comfort and premium feel. This chair is a good bit more expensive, however, pushing the $500 mark, and requires a spacious desk area and the same patience and finesse when it comes to construction. Given the Dark Demon's height constraints, this or the Omega would definitely be preferable if you're very tall (6'2"+).

For those who don't want to spend as much on any of these chairs, there is always the option of something like the Corsair T1 gaming chair, which has a similar all-steel frame, PU leather, 4D armrests, reclining, and more. At $300, this is still an excellent chair at the lower end of the price bracket.

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AndaSeat Dark Demon: Should you buy

You are a gamer who wants maximum support

The Dark Demon is perfect for any gamer who wants a chair that offers uncompromising support.

You have kids or pets, or want durability and a chair that will last forever

If you have children or pets you're worried might damage an expensive chair, the Dark Demon is definitely tough enough to alleviate those fears. And even if you don't, the chair is extremely durable and feels like it could last a lifetime.

You are not more than 6'2", or you want a wider chair

Anyone shorter than 6'2" will fit the Dark Demon Pretty well. Equally, if a chair with a wider design is needed, this chair is considerably more spacious than some of its competitors.

You want plush, premium comfort for a home office

The Dark Demon's rugged nature and firm support make it less forgiving than its competitors, and there are chairs out there that offer softer, more premium comfort. This is also not a great option for people who want an office chair for long days at work. This is a gamer's chair for gamers.

You are very tall

If you're taller than 6'2", you might well struggle to fit yourself into the Dark Demon without removing its headrest. Something like a Secretlab Titan XL might well be more accomodating.

You don't want to spend $400 on a chair

If $400 is too much to spend on a chair, regardless of build quality or features, then this is obviously not for you. There are cheaper options like the aforementioned Corsair T1, and you can save even more money if you look away from big-name brands or at chairs with fewer features.

If you're a gamer who wants maximum support and a chair that will last a lifetime, the Dark Demon is a great option. If you want a chair for your home office or a nice squishy seat for Netflix, then there are other great options available.