HARDWARE REVIEW

RESPAWN RSP-205 Gaming Chair Review

by Jake Stewart, December 19th, 2017

OFM has officially kickstarted their entry in the Gaming Furniture business with their new line of gaming chairs under the name of RESPAWN. RESPAWN is aiming to create a line of products that are accessible from a range of price points, without sacrificing any comfort or features.

Today we’ll be examining the flagship model for the gaming chair lineup, The RSP-205. For some context, I’ve always bought my chairs prebuilt. This was the first time I’ve actually put together a gaming chair, despite using them in the past.

The chair itself comes in a large flat package, filled to the brim with different pieces and parts. While the initial setup seemed somewhat overwhelming, the assembly is very easy once you get started. The only complaint is that the instructions are crammed onto a one-sided sheet of paper, and can be a little hard to distinguish what is actually going on within the illustration. The only time I required an outside help was towards the end, once the backrest and the seat were ready to be combined. This does not need to be a two-person job, but having an extra set of hands definitely makes things easier.

There are four different color options for the RSP-205, Red, Blue, Green and Grey. The review model we received was the Grey one and carries more of a standard office chair aesthetic. If you’re one to match colors at your gaming station, the color options all look fantastic, and the design really gives the chair a stylish vibe. If you’re not looking for anything over-the-top, the grey still has a very nifty yet more formal design. The logo and design remain the same across the different color variations, so the only thing to account for in that decision is what color you like the most. Stylish jagged edges line the rim of the chair, but are far enough out that they simply add to design and not the actual usage of the chair. Towards the upper half of the chair near the edges are holes where the elastic bands of the cushions can be wrapped around, and are colored in the same style as your chair of choice. All of them look fantastic, and four different options to choose from is a nice consideration.

It’s easy to see OFM’s roots in this line, as all of the chairs in the RESPAWN line look and feel like office chairs. In this case, this is certainly not a bad thing. The RSP-205 feels stable, looks professional yet stylish, and has comfort for extended use. By all means, these gaming chairs are just souped-up office chairs, and it really pays off in comfort and design.

The back piece of the RSP-205 is made out of a material called Performance Mesh. The fibers used in the mesh material create a firm and stable backing, but with enough elasticity to be comfortable. The mesh backing also creates a really nice airflow and keeps your back from cooking itself within the chair. The breathing room is a much appreciated addition, and will be a godsend when summertime comes.

The RSP-205 is very similar to the RSP-200 model directly below it, the only notable difference being the inclusion of an adjustable lumbar cushion. The cushions are covered with synthetic leather, and are filled with a memory-foam-like material. Despite not having much difference between the two, I found the lumbar cushion to be one of my favorite inclusions with the chair. The added support on your lower back keeps you from stiffening during extended gaming sessions.

Along with the adjustable lumbar cushion is a matching headrest pillow. The chair does not seem to have the placement of this pillow with taller patrons in mind, as I generally have to slide down in the chair a bit to get it where it needs to be. Once you get the pillow in position though, it is extremely comfortable. This pillow alone has made me fall in love with the chair, even if I’m a tad too tall to use it as easily as I’d like.

The material used in the chair’s seat is synthetic leather, much like the covers on the cushions. The seat itself is rather firm, and has a nice curve across the cushion. The firmness keeps you from sinking into the chair, while the curve creates a nice wave of comfort for your lower half. The RSP-205 is one of the nicest chairs I’ve ever used, and is a far cry from the usual chairs that I’ve been accustomed to. So it may just be a stark difference from what I used to sit in, but I found the chair to be very comfortable.

I’m a fairly big guy overall, and I found myself fitting perfectly within the seat of this chair. While as previously mentioned, taller people may have a somewhat different experience with the chair. As long as you are within the weight range of 275lbs, the chair will fit and support you perfectly no matter the weight. All of RESPAWN’s chairs at the moment seem to cater to this size range, but luckily there’s still others out there if you happen to exceed the weight limit on RESPAWN’s current lineup.

The armrests are one of the lower points of the chair’s quality overall. Each rest has a small button that moves the armrests up and down. These aren’t detachable, but I found that they were easily able to adjust as high or as low as I liked. While they are adjustable, they are somewhat small the padding is much more firm and rigid. While your whole body is comfortable, the armrest doesn’t really add any comfort other than, well… a rest for your arms. They aren’t horrible by any means, but a small layer of padding similar to that found within the lumbar and head pillows would be an upgrade.

On the topic of adjustable parts, almost everything on the chair can be adjusted. The height of the seat and armrests and be adjusted separately, the recline can be adjusted, and even the location of the pillows can be slightly adjusted as well. This allows for a nice level of customization across the chair, to allow for a range of different people to find their own comfort zone.

The chair begins at a 90° angle and can be adjusted to recline back to 130°. While I occasionally wish I could go back just a tad further, the stability of the chair at 130° is phenomenal and doesn’t seem to have any extra strain than when it is set straight forward. RESPAWN boasts that this unit has infinite locking points, and I’d believe it. No matter what variation I recline, I’ve never had to seek out a spot to lock the chair and compromise on the position.

The area that I’m in allows for me to recline all the way back, slide down in the chair, prop my neck on the pillow, and kick my feet up. This exact situation in this chair could only be described as absolute nirvana.

The rubber wheels on the bottom of the chair function well when moving across smooth surfaces, but seem to struggle a tad when there is any sort of obstacle. The wheels have some pretty heavy resistance when being pushed across carpet, and are nearly impossible to roll over a cord if you have any in your sitting area. While the wheels don’t mangle the cords, they simple won’t roll forward if there is something in the way.

The RSP-205 is currently listed on RESPAWN’s site for $225 and it feels like a very fitting price. At the time of writing, RESPAWN’s site has no listings for UK shipping or pricing. The RESPAWN line looks like an office chair but performs like a gaming chair, so a price point right in between the two seems natural. Most other gaming chair manufacturers such as DXRacer or Corsair generally start around $300, so RESPAWN’s range of $179-$229 is for the gamer on a budget but still wants something decent compared to an office chair. This model is currently the priciest one in the series, and at a relatively low cost. RESPAWN definitely seems to have achieved its goal of accessible and affordable Gaming Chairs without sacrificing quality.

Overall, if the RSP-205 is any indicator of the series as a whole, RESPAWN has created a very solid product at a very solid price. The build of the chair feels very sound and sturdy and the cushions are the perfect mixture of firm yet soft. While some obvious quality sacrifices were made in the armrest and the wheels to fit the price, they hardly detract from the overall experience. If you’re looking to get into gaming furniture, and don’t want to spend a ton on your first chair, I’d absolutely recommend a RSP-205.