A few weeks ago, I received the noblechairs: ICON gaming chair in order to write a review for MMORPG.com. Honestly, I’m not usually the type for hardware or peripheral reviews, but when I saw this one, I knew it was the chair for me.
Specifications
- MSRP: $369.90
- Frame: Steel
- Upholstery: 100% vegan PU faux leather cover, comfortable & breathable cold foam
- Hydraulics: Safety class 4 gas lift
- Casters: 60mm, nylon & polyurethane
- Additional support: 2 pillows included (neck pillow + lumbar pillow without straps)
- Total height (with base): ca. 128 – 138 cm
- Height seatbase (with base): ca. 48 – 58 cm
- Rocking mechanism: max. 14°
- Backrest adjustability (static): 90° – 135°
- Armrests adjustable: Yes (four-dimensional)
- Net weight (chair): ca. 27 kg
- Maximum weight (user): 150 kg
- Manufacturer warranty: 2 years
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Honestly, it is the visual appeal of the ICON that first grabbed my attention. It is at its heart a gaming chair first and foremost. It features a look that’s similar to a bucket seat with its high back but is wider and doesn’t hug you into the seat like a true racing chair. The angles on the sides of the seat are also much more graceful, so if you’re a leg crosser, the ICON won’t cramp your comfort. The ICON lacks all the holes for straps and so forth that you find on other chairs including the noblechairs: EPIC that Chris reviewed last week. Overall, I can’t say that I would have noticed any real drawback to this except for one thing that I’ll go into more detail about later on.
Putting the chair together took me about 20 minutes or so, with all materials and tools included. The instruction card was top notch. With my daughter’s help, it was a snap. What did take a long time, however, was the two of us wrestling it up a very narrow, very steep set of stairs. But that’s not noblechair’s fault!
Going on further with the overall look, the ICON features a classy, yet heavy, diamond stitched black on black faux-leather exterior that is strong and durable. With the number of hours I’ve clocked in this chair already, there is not a single sign of loosened stitching anywhere, and most particularly in any of the typical stress points.
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I’m going to quote Chris’s article here on the base and tilt options as they are the same for both chairs:
Make no mistake, even though the EPIC isn’t part of their highest-end “Real Leather” line, it’s a premium offering nonetheless. It comes in at $339, and that price buys you both quality and customizability not found on lesser budget chairs. The five-star base is a heavy duty aluminum with solid 60mm casters that easily glide on hard floors and carpet. The Class-4 hydraulic lift is fast and stable, capable of holding weights up to 265lbs. It leads to a rocking mechanism that can be locked at different levels of tilt and also adjusted to customize the level of tension behind its rocking motion. The armrests, too, are the popular “4D” style, meaning that they can adjust for angle, height, and width.
I’ll admit that the first couple of days I wasn’t quite sure that the ICON was going to be the chair for me. When sitting fully in the seat with my back snuggled in, my feet could easily touch the floor. However, my knees bent precisely at the edge of the seat cushion itself. I have had knee problems over the years after sports injuries in the past and after an hour or so of sitting, they would begin to ache. Honestly, this made me very sad because I truly loved the chair. Given the number of hours I typically spend working, there was no way I could be in that much discomfort and keep the chair for myself.
THAT SAID….over time, the cold cured foam loosened up, both on the seat and along the back and side panels. The more I sat in the ICON, the better it began to conform to my body, enough so that within a few days, my knees stopped aching all together and I couldn’t be happier.
It makes sense. Chairs like the ICON are made from a high-quality foam that’s made to last for years with long periods of use without losing their shape or support. It’s common for foam to have a short break in period before it levels off. The foam here is firmer than some others we’ve used but has enough give to conform to your body once its hit equilibrium.
The ICON ships with a pair of velour pillows: One for your head with a sturdy elastic band that fastens around the top of the chair and that can be adjusted to your neck; the other a strapless lumbar pillow. If I had a gripe about the ICON at all, it would be here. The lumbar pillow can slip out of the chair as you move around or flop to the seat when you get up. I can tell you that my dogs loved it and keep trying to haul it away for themselves. Eventually, I realized I didn’t really need it anyway and have put it up on my dresser for the time being.
The ICON really is all things for everyone. It’s a great gaming chair. With adjustable armrests (both in and out / up and down) and an extensive recline range plus rocking motion, it does just about everything you could ever possibly want in whatever position you want to be in. In fact, I’ve even found myself dozing off in it from time to time when reclined with my feet up on a stool and Netflix playing Grace & Frankie. That’s high praise for any chair, let me tell you!
The ICON is equally well-suited for an office chair. It looks great and it provides great support for your back as well as comfort all packaged in a stylish look that will fit into any office. It also doesn't look as "gamer" as most others in this type of desk furniture, something that has an immense amount of cross-interest appeal.
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Final Thoughts
There are probably a thousand things that could be said about the ICON, but all of them come down to this: If you’re looking for an exceptional chair with amazing attention to detail, beautiful external craftsmanship and that has been manufactured to the highest standards all at a decent price, the noblechairs: ICON is the chair to get.
Pros
- Absolutely a beautiful, stylish office chair
- Sturdy steel construction to last for years
- Well-suited to any environment at home or work
- Tons of ways to adjust it to suit your individual style
Cons
- “Floating” lumbar pillow with no way to attach it
- Possibly uncomfortable due to initial firmness while the foam breaks in
The product discussed in this article was provided by the manufacturer for the purposes of review.
