Wassim Oueslati / Gaming chair / Published: Thursday, November 22nd, 2018
View Original Review Here
Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium Gaming Chair Review
Anda Seat started as a race car seats manufacturer in 2007, and the experience acquired in the racing industry was later put to good use to satisfy a growing demand of exotic seats for gamers. In 2012, the company began offering OEM solutions to many premium gaming chair brands. Then in 2016 the Anda Seat brand as we know it today was established, which makes perfect sense from a business perspective since the company already owns the manufacturing process and facilities.
Since 2017, Anda Seat has been working to making a name for itself in the North American gaming chair market. With the main mission of "creating the most comfortable gaming chair in the world", Anda Seat offers some of the best product warranties currently available for gaming chairs. Each of Anda Seat's racing-inspired chairs carry a lifetime warranty on the frame, and six years warranty on the parts. These bold warranties are backed by a strong R&D team and a refined manufacturing process. Anda Seat offers a wide selection of gaming chairs, where users can find something for every taste and budget.
Anda Seat was very active in industry trade shows and major gaming events over the past couple years. It also had an especially strong presence in the Canadian gaming scene. After the huge success of its gaming chairs during the CNE AMD Gaming Garage, Anda Seat was among the major manufacturers present at the EGLX Toronto (Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo) held during the last week of October 2018. The gaming chairs in display proved to be a great attraction. I had to wait quite a while to get the shot below where I could actually see the chairs!
Today article will be featuring the Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium Gaming Chair. As the name suggests, this luxury chair is clad in all black armor and has a very distinctive look. Made with premium materials including high density foam, carbon fibre, and leather-like PVC, the Dark Knight is one of the many high end offerings from Anda Seat. This dark beauty is currently up for grabs on the Anda Seat official website for just $349 in the US or $379 in Canada. These amazing prices, especially on the Canadian side, will be available for a limited time only during specific dates of the holiday season. The current sale which started on November 16th, will run through black Friday. If you miss it for whatever reason, I have it from very reliable sources that Anda Seat will be offering more amazing deals through the holidays. Just keep an eye on the Anda Seat official website for the latest sales.
What's in the Box?
The Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium Gaming Chair I'm looking at today arrived in a very large box with the company logo and product name on it. Each part was nicely protected by plastic film or packing foam.
Starting with the backrest, I noticed that it had even more heft to it than the Assassin King gaming chair I reviewed previously. The front shows an embossed Anda Seat logo and the signature racing-style cutouts. The carbon fibre back is also adorned with the company's logo. While handling this first section of the chair for pictures, I could already see and feel the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into this product. The stitching is perfect and the PVC material has a superb leather-like quality in terms of feel and grain. The padding is hands down one of the best in the industry, on par with much more expensive high end gaming chairs
The seat comes with the 4D adjustable armrests pre-installed. The middle section, where the actual seating will happen, is fairly large. The sides start at below seat level towards the back, then flare out and up towards the front. This design gives the chair its aggressive racing look without sacrificing functionality or comfort. The seat is 23” wide, so the sides will not dig into thighs or restrict user movements, even when adopting various seating postures. Anda Seat uses an industry leading high-density, mould-shaping foam to pad these gaming chairs, which has a 65Kg/m3 density. There is also a 1.5 inch thick layer of memory foam for optimal comfort.
What makes the Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium pretty unique is the pillow design. I've never seen anything like it before. And to be honest, I was skeptical on the levels of comfort of these monstrous neck and lumbar pillows. I was totally in the wrong! The square lumbar cushion works way better than the standard small pillows found in standard issue gaming chairs. It provides better support over a larger area and does not feel awkward while leaning back. The neck pillow, which is about the size of an actual pillow, perfectly fits the natural curves of the spine for optimal comfort. I enjoyed it most when watching videos or just relaxing on the chair.
The bevelled five-star aluminum base has a distinctive look that sets it apart from the rounded ones found in standard gaming chairs. It also has machined reinforcements for improved stability and strength. On paper, the base is rated for 1500Kg (3300lbs) static load, and 600Kg (1323lbs) dynamic load.
Anda Seat uses a sturdy Z support multi-functional tilt mechanism coupled with a Class 4 hydraulic piston – complete with plastic cover. We also get a set of five wheels, a couple of Allen keys, and a detailed instructions guide. The "King size" wheels are 65mm in diameter and covered in PU rubber to ensure stability and smooth movements. A couple of plastic covers for the mechanisms on each side of the chair are also included. I already expressed my personal preference for the snap-in style covers without visible screw holes in the Assassin King review. Anda Seat is supposedly working on a revamped design for better looking covers.
Putting the chair together was an easy task, which I did alone in under 15 minutes. I suggest securing an extra pair of arms just to be on the safe side, as some parts are on the heavy side and some lifting is required. Check the next page to see my final thoughts on the Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium.
Final Product & Conclusion
Before jumping into the design and functionality, here’s a diagram showing the dimensions of the Dark Knight Premium fully assembled. Rated for a weight capacity of 441 lbs, approximately 200 Kg, the Dark Knight will handle the most demanding users without breaking a seam. This chair is made with the big and tall in mind. The wide back rest and seat combined with large armrests proved to be extremely comfortable.
The Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium Gaming Chair fits seamlessly with other modern gaming peripherals such as the Arozzi Arena gaming desk. The clean design and carbon fibre trim reinforce the premium look and feel of this imposing chair. Just like it did with the Assassin King, Anda Seat took the bucket seat concept and adapted it for optimal comfort by enlarging the back rest section, flaring the sides at shoulder level, and increasing the width of the seating section. Using the Dark Knight for a few hours straight did not cause any discomfort, and the lumbar support cushion helped a lot in that regard. The neck pillow did not require any break in period and proved to be my favourite feature so far.
The Anda Seat Dark Knight Premium Gaming Chair is a beautiful beast that ticks all the boxes in terms of quality, design, functionality, and comfort. The chair looks stunning with luxurious, all black materials and is further enhanced by the carbon fibre trim. It is definitely worth the investment! And with the current $549.99 CAD available on the official Anda Seat website, it’s a no-brainer for anyone looking to up his game with one of the best gaming chairs currently on the market.