HARDWARE REVIEW

Nitro Concepts S300 EX Gaming Chair Review

by Luke Walsh, May 19th, 2019

PC gaming always has graphics cards and mice at the forefront when you think about what you should buy when looking to up your game. Next, you’ll probably think about your keyboard and your monitors but the last thing a lot of people will forget is the trusty chair you sit on.

Considering most gamers will spend so much time sitting down when playing games, working or watching movies, the chair needs to be something much more considered. The Nirto Concepts S300 EX looks to bring new gamers into the fold with a more affordable chair while still keeping up with quality and comfort. Our review looks to see if the S300 EX is something worth buying and if your behind will thank you for it later.

Constructing the chair takes around as long as the other chairs we’ve built and the components look the same as previous chairs. You’ll get the base of the chair, backrest and other components such as the five-star base all disassembled in the book with a set of screws and Allen keys. Even after constructing about 8 different chairs since this review they’re a breeze to build.

Designwise the chair resembles more traditional gaming chair, with the racing look over anything more office or professional looking. We choose the stealth black to fit into the office without standing out and it’s not a disappointment. The Nitro logo is embossed at the top of the chair in black stitching along with their signature flame down the backrest.

Everything fits in with the stealth name as apart from the overall racing style, it would not sit out of place anywhere. Even in the office, the chair looks stylish but inoffensive and subtle and if you want something that stands out a little more, there are various colours to match different setups.

The various colours you can choose from are stealth black, carbon black, inferno red, radiant white, nebula purple and urban camo. If a colour is not available that you want and you are not specifically looking for a PU Leather chair then the normal S300 does come in more colours such as green or orange and more.

PU Leather is the feature of the EX part of the S300 family, an upgrade which swaps out the fabric for vegan-friendly manufactured ‘fake’ leather. A good choice for gaming chairs as it is sturdy and water resistant while be wipe down friendly. The black stitching around the PU Leather also looks nice and is swapped out for the primary colour of other chairs to add a nice touch.

Under the PU leather is the same cold-cured foam which a lot of other gaming chairs have which keeps the chair maintaining its shape for a lot longer than those which don’t use the same techniques. It’s part of what makes these chairs more expensive than your usual “office” chair but the benefit it even after years of use it should still be firmer and not sink or sag like other cheaper chairs tend to do. While the quality is there for cold cured foam you also get the added firmness which comes with it as the foam is moulded rather than cut.

Two pillows come with the S300 EX and are memory foam wrapped in black fabric no matter what colour you choose. There is one for your head and another which adds lumbar support both attached with stretch clips that go around the back of the chair through the holes in the headrest. Be careful when feeding them through, as they have a tendency to fall in a little slot in the headrest and it a pain to try and feed them out. It’s the one main part of the chair I’d change as it seems unneeded for the slots in the headrest to be there.

Coming from the HERO to the S300 EX it makes the differences standout but not in a bad way. The S300 is a much more “fluffy” chair meaning it feels a lot softer when sitting on the base whereas the base of the HERO is flatter and a little more solid while be soft. They both offer a different type of comfort much like your pillow preference. The S300 EX is for someone who likes to sink in a little more and softer.

After using the chair for a couple of weeks it’s become quite a nice relaxing chair for when I want to lie back and play some games on the PC with a controller or watching a movie. It’s a little shorter on the base than the HERO so the reclining does not feel as long but compared to the ICON which is about the same it’s no different than the standard size for someone who has not sat on a chair designed. Plus the S300 EX has a decent pivot when you lean back which is comfortable.

The armrests on the chair are a little smaller than others I’ve used but are again like the base are softer than competitors on the market. Much like alternatives, the armrests are able to move up and down, back and forwards and swivel at the top giving many choices for the needs of gamers. It’s also a useful tool when trying to move the chair from room to room.

Overall the Nitro Concepts S300 EX is a decent chair looking to make their first signing upgrade away from a normal office chair or worse dining chair. It’s comfortable, soft and easy to build while being a much more attainable price at £239.99 for the PU Leather version. It might still seem like a massive jump up but believe me, your back and backside will thank you for it after you spend 8 hours sitting in it.