I upgraded my 7-year-old office chair to a TX3 Solo 360 gaming chair — and I should have done this sooner

For most of the past seven years, I’ve been sitting on a $50 office chair I bought just a few months after graduating from college. Even as somebody who typically refuses to replace household items until they’ve reached a breaking point, its lifespan had stretched ludicrously far. And trust me, it was really showing its age with a worn-out, torn (fake) leather seat.

So, when I was given the chance to switch to the ThunderX3 Solo 360, I quickly found out it's a lot more than just a gaming chair. Within just a few days of use, my overriding feeling was that I probably should have made this change several years ago.

It would perhaps be an exaggeration to say it’s revolutionized my home setup, but my comfort levels have certainly shot up, and my back in particular has never been happier. The TX3 Solo 360 Gaming Chair is currently on sale for £139 (was £189) at Overclockers (or for U.S. readers, it’s available for $249 at Amazon). Here’s why I believe it’s a smart seating investment.

ThunderX3 Solo 360 Gaming Chair: $249 at Amazon

The TX3 Solo 360 Gaming Chair is a smart-looking and well-designed piece of furniture that focuses on nailing the fundamentals. It offers a strong lumbar support and comfort even after hours of use. It also has "3D x 360" armsets and a "car seat style" headrest. With six degrees of adjustment, you can find the setup that best suits your needs. It's available in three colorways: Light Grey, Dark Grey and Modern Black.

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ThunderX3 Solo 360 Gaming Chair: was £189 now £139 at Overclockers

And in the U.K., you can get £50 off this chair — serious value for money on one of the most underrated upgrades to any setup!

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TX3 Solo 360 is a great chair choice, even for non-gamers

When you hear the term “gaming chair,” you might first think of a rather garish piece of furniture, but the TX3 Solo 360 comes in subtler shades. Available in light or dark grey, or a simple black, it’s a chair that doesn’t scream “manchild,” and that’s perfect for me. The collection of gaming figures and statues lining my office shelves already makes my inherent nerdiness very clear; I don’t need that message further reinforced by my desk chair.

While other gaming chairs I’ve tried in the past offer dedicated lumbar-support cushions and neck pillows, the TX3 Solo 360 dispenses with these. The fabric-upholstery seat, in a standard scoop shape, offers all the support my back has needed with firm foam padding that’s comfy, even after multi-hour sessions. There are six degrees of adjustment, and it takes just seconds to “lock” the chair into position once you’ve found the settings right for you.

One of the most highlighted features of the TX3 Solo 360 is the “3D x 360” armrests. Essentially, the armrests can be rotated a full 360 degrees. This gives you plenty of flexibility in how you wish to position them. Unfortunately, these are also my biggest (and only real noteworthy) pain points with this chair. The arm rests sit extremely high in their default position, and can only be adjusted higher still. They do fit under my desk, fortunately, but I’d have liked the ability to lower them for the times I’d like to rest my arms below my chest.

Another feature is a fabric pocket on the backrest. Retail listings note it “can be used to store your essential peripherals (or snacks!),” but frankly, I’ve found it functionally useless. It sits extremely tight against the chair, so unless you’re cool with your peripherals and/or snacks being squished, I’m not sure you’ll get much use from it. I guess you could store paperwork in the pocket?

Factor in the “car seat style headrest,” which, in layman’s terms, means a headrest connected via two metal stems and adjusted by gripping it firmly and pulling up or down, and that’s pretty much the TX3 Solo 360. It’s a chair that strips away a lot of the accoutrements found in higher-priced models on the market, such as a retractable footrest. However, these extras typically fall into the “nice to have” category, and I’ve not found myself wishing for them.

If you’re looking for an unassuming gaming chair that gets all the basics right, and can neatly fit into almost any office or games room setup, the TX3 Solo 360 is a smart choice. Plus, even after only a few weeks of use, I’m already confident I could spend seven years with this chair without feeling like an upgrade was overdue. It does the important job it sets out to do with ease.

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