Here at MMORPG.com, we have had quite a number of gaming chairs that we have been reviewing as of late - everything from the GT Omega to the AKRacing Overture to the Vertagear Triigger 350. With every chair review, one of the biggest questions that has arisen is price. Is it possible to get a decent quality, racer-style gaming chair on a budget? Respawn would like to think so.
While the name isn’t one widely known as a contender in the gaming chair market, Respawn is bursting onto the scene with a lineup of eight racecar-style chairs. Their parent company, OFM, Inc., has been in the furnishing business for over 20 years, supplying office furniture for Staples, Wayfair, and Overstock. Seeing a gap that needed to be bridged between the standard, run-of-the-mill office chair and something that spoke to the gamer (but still possessed office-tier usability), OFM launched their Respawn brand to answer the call.
In this article, we are going to be reviewing the Respawn RSP-200.
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Construction and Aesthetic: “Shiny.”
The RSP-200 is the one of the higher end chairs released in the Respawn line-up, with the RSP-200 setting itself apart from the pack by featuring a reinforced mesh back along with an adjustable lumbar cushion. This is an important distinction, but we will address that later. Let’s talk materials.
The RSP-200 has a headrest, branded neck pillow, and molded foam seat that are covered by bonded leather and PVC. The seat is molded around a sturdy, supportive steel frame while the back is designed out of plastic. The armrests are padded with adjustments for height and depth. All of this sits on a five-point wheel base which is also made out of a heavy plastic, similar to the back. The casters are plastic as well, matching the chair’s flashy aesthetic.
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The Respawn RSP-200 is available in gray, green, blue, and red.
Function: “It may have a flashy appeal, but does it get the job done?”
The RSP-200 has multiple points of adjustment to assist the gamer with their ergonomic needs. While we have already covered the armrests’ capabilities and the presence of an adjustable lumbar cushion, the RSP-200 can recline from 90 to 130 degrees. This isn’t a drastic adjustment, but I found it to be enough for my needs.
I did find that the Respawn RSP-200 has a fair number of great points of adjustment, but many of them are quite inconvenient to get to while sitting on the seat. The lumbar cushion in buried behind the plastic backing, only accessible through one of the two side vents.
I also found that the height and back adjustment levers to be only slightly less convenient. They are either obstructed by the armrest or far out of reach with the back adjustment being the more drastic of the two. Then, there is the next pillow… but that falls a little more into the realm of personal comfort. More on that in a minute.
The Respawn RSP-200 is rated to support up to 275 lbs.
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Assembly
The Respawn RSP-200 comes in a rather compact box for a chair. I was actually very surprised during the unboxing process just how tightly packed everything was within. As you can see from the picture above, the pieces all fit nice and neat on my kitchen table. The instructions were fairly straight forward with a fist-full of bolts (coded by letters and numbers) and an Allen wrench included.
The entire assembly process took me a solid ten to fifteen minutes for two very specific reasons. Reason #1 is that the Allen wrench included seemed to have two slightly different sized heads on either side and I didn’t think to mark them! Reason #2: I had to recount the bolts part way through assemble… I was missing an armrest bolt.
I did contact Respawn because of this and because I also received a cracked gas lift shroud. I was pleasantly surprised by the quick turn-around on receiving replacement parts. Chalk one up for good customer support!
All in all, the setup process was fairly straight forward. If you’ve ever put together an office chair, you’ll do fine.
Comfort and Other Subjective Comments on the Respawn RSP-200
The Respawn RSP-200 is a fairly comfortable chair to sit in. I did have some issues with it on the first night of testing, but quickly discovered my biggest point of discomfort: the neck support pillow. Part of this is due to my stature - you may not have the same problem.
Here’s the deal: I’m 6’ 3” and some change. When mounted through the plastic accent wings (as instructed), the pillow fell right between the base of my neck and shoulder blades. Not comfortable in the least. I ended up removing the pillow all together and then reintroduced it into use by having it hang off of the top peak of the chair.
My second major issue that I have with the Respawn RSP-200 is the decision to construct the back entirely out of plastic. Not only does this make the colored accent wings uncomfortable, but it presents some concerns for the longevity of the chair and the strength of the mesh back support. I wonder, with time and use, if the back will stay as taut as it is now.
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That being said, one of the standout design choices is the mesh backing. One of the major complaints that I have seen within the gaming chair market is a lack of breathability due to materials and design choices of most chairs. RESPAWN sought to answer that concern by designing the RSP-200 with this feature at the center. If it can hold up, the mesh backing is the true MVP of this chair. But it isn’t without it’s supporting runner up.
That would be the armrests. The standout part isn’t their ability to adjust, it’s how they were made. While they are understated in their design, they are incredibly comfortable. They have a subtle padding on them that lend to comfortable gaming - whether you rock the “board and sword” with a keyboard and mouse or you go “two-hander” with a controller. I found these armrests to strike a good balance of support, comfort, and aesthetic.
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So What Does All of This Cost and Why Should I Buy This Chair?
The retail price of the RSP-200 is $214.99 USD. This positions it squarely between colorful office chairs and the mainstream contenders in the gaming chair market. While we have outlined some of the places where I believe Respawn has cut some material costs, you would be hard pressed to find the features available on the RSP-200 on another chair of its size and style.
And that is Respawn’s goal: to fill the gap between the elite and “Big Box” budget chairs with offerings that give you access to comfort and features that you would typically spend hundreds more for.
So, is the Respawn RSP-200 for you? If you are in the market for a supportive chair with a little extra flair outside of a typical executive-style chair, this chair is a strong contender in the lower $200 USD price bracket.
If you would like to know more about Respawn and their new line-up of gaming chairs, head on over to their website or find their other products on Amazon.
Note: The sample chair in review was provided by TriplePoint PR.
Pros
- Price point fills a budget gap that few gaming chairs exist within.
- Comfortable, understated adjustable armrests.
- Breathable mesh backing with lumbar support
Cons
- Weird neck pillow placement
- Lots of plastic - concern for over-time breakdown
- Inconveniently placed points of adjustment
