HARDWARE REVIEW

noblechairs EPIC Series Gaming Chair Review

by Luke Walsh, May 13th, 2018

Having already looked at the ICON series chair, noblechairs asked us to look at their first gaming chair, the EPIC series gaming chair. This one came before the ICON and is designed more like your usual gaming chair, resembling more of a bucket seat style design. Looking retrospectively, we can easily see how noblechairs have designed all chairs to maximise on build and comfort, designed specifically for gamers who will be sat down a lot.

Like the ICON, the EPIC chair is available in a range of different colours that should allow most gamers to match their overall set up. In this review, I opted for the all over black chair, which is more “stealth” looking in your set up as it does not have any bright colours.

Looking at the building process again, exactly as the ICON it came in the same huge box and was separated into the same number of pieces with a small packet that held a few screws and the tools needed to build it. I’m still relatively surprised at how easy it is to build these higher end gaming chairs when you compare them to your standard office chair or knock-off gaming chair that you can buy for £50.

Most of the build is already done for you, hence why the box is so damn big and it weighs a tonne. On the plus side though, it takes about 20 minutes for you to put it together and everything you need to do so is already included. No need to dust off your toolbox and search for the correct Allen keys or screwdrivers. This build set-up is so refined, every gaming chair I’ve looked at has come with the exact steps and fittings.

With the EPIC chair, it has a slightly different combination of materials, the gaming seat has been designed with a combination of PU Leather and fabric on the seat giving off a more part leather feel. You’re still paying for that higher quality though, its still clearly a well designed and built chair.

In terms of design, it sits up there with chairs like DxRacer and similar competitors. Personally, I think these chairs look too “gamer” styled and much prefer the more subtle chairs but noblechairs have done the job with toning it down. Most of the colours fit with a lot of set up styles but without being too over the top, usually, the streaks of colour stay on the sides of the chair and become the stitching. We opted for the all back design and in all honestly, it could sti quite nicely in an office and not stand out too much.

Inside the faux leather sits the cold-cured foam, that once again unlike most cheaper chairs on the market is foamed that is molded to the exact shape of the chair, not cut from a massive block. Longevity is the key with cold-cured foam as it stops the foam from losing its shape when you have been sitting on it for hours and hours over months of use. This use of cold cured foam is one of the reasons you’ll usually pay more for your chair, but believe me it is worth it. Your chair will also be a little more solid than the others at probably sat on too, as the foam is made differently there is more of a hard with a hint of softness feel to it.

Much like the successor to the gaming throne, the EPIC chair also supports a reclining level of up to 180 degrees. It allows you if you want to lay almost completely flat in your chair which is perfect for eSports or LAN events, or if you have just been gaming for too long.

Same again, the armrests are made of hard rubber on the top with that is a little pliable and a hard matte plastic underneath. With the 4D capability, you can move them up, down, forward, backwards, closer and angle them. Pretty much most places you want the armrests to be you can adjust them to suit your needs, this for me was handy when you want to lower them more to fit under your desk.

Much like the ICON series gaming chair from noblechairs you also get two memory foam pillows that attached to the headrest and sit where your lumbar support would be. Unlike the ICON though, the lumbar support pillow actually attaches to the chair using elasticated straps due to it being the pillow for lumbar support. As the ICON has it built in, their pillow for your lumbar is actually an added bonus.

Even without the lumbar pillow and the headrest pillow, the chair was comfortable to use for longer periods. I am personally one that does not really use the lumbar pillow as I tend to lean forward (bad I know). The headrest pillowAllen is always a useful addition when you are looking to relax, watch some movies or play a more chill out game.

In terms of numbers, the EPIC chair can support a weight of up to 120KG, a little bit less than the ICON and can adjust the height between 49cm – 59cm.

You’ll also get a 2-year warranty for the chair so if anything goes wrong with it like the gas lift, cold cured foam etc. you can send it back for a replacement. In two years though, the chair is so well built I’d be surprised if you managed to make any kind of imprint or change the shape at all.

Using the chair after the ICON it is clear that both are really comfortable, they have almost perfected the blend of softness and firmness. Making it nicer to sit on for long gaming sessions, programming stints or just reclining back and watching a movie.

The only additional feature that could make this more versatile is adding in a “pull-out” function for legs when you do recline back. Something a couple chair manufacturers have started to play about with but not many have adopted trying it.

All in all, the noblechairs ICON series gaming chair is another fantastic chair by the team who have put a lot of effort into making a gaming chair that looks nice and feels nice. The biggest difference between the ICON series and EPIC series is the design changes more than anything and the former having all over PU leather and built-in lumbar support. Even without these additions, the EPIC stands up against a lot of competitor chairs as being one of the best in the price range.