5 Best Cockpit Gaming Chairs

If you want to take your gaming to the next level, then there’s nothing better than buying a sim cockpit.

Generally speaking, they tend to come in two flavors:

Racing cockpits and flight cockpits, although you can absolutely find cockpits that can handle both.

So, if you’re lookin’ to upgrade your gear, read on ahead!

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1. OpenWheeler GEN2 Racing Wheel Stand Cockpit – The Most Popular Cockpit Gaming Chair

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If you’ve read some of my previous articles on gaming chairs, you’ll be familiar with the OpneWheeler brand name.

While this one isn’t as fancy as the one mentioned in the other article, it’s still a solid choice.

To begin with, it has a TON of adjustability. The seat glides forward/backward with a reclining back, the wheel mount can also be adjusted up/down and forward and backward, as well as angled up or down.

Finally, the pedal board can be adjusted backward and forward as well.

You’ll also be happy to know that the shifter mounts can be moved over to the left if you prefer that setup.

The chair is nothing fancy and pretty standard in terms of gaming chairs. It’s not ergonomic, but it does have side and leg support in the shape of the winglets.

It also has a couple of vents for some cooling for long gaming sessions.

One of the big selling points here is that the chair is easy to pack up and store, if that’s the kind of solution you’re looking for.

Also, the mounts are compatible with the majority of mainstream racing/flight combat gear, such as Logitech, and Thrustmaster.

Price Range: Over $200

Perfect For: Adults, Big & Tall Guys

Features:

Conclusion:

What can I say, this chair is actually pretty excellent. There’s very few, if any, complaints or issues and the manufacturer is well known and respected.

If this chair fits your needs, you should absolutely get it!

2. Volair Sim Universal Flight/Racing Cockpit with Triple Monitor Mounts

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If you’re looking for something that is both top of the line, and can be used for racing and flight sims, this is the chair for you.

First off, the frame comes fitted with a mount for three screens, so you can get a near 180-degree viewing angle, which is pretty awesome.

Secondly, it has mounts coming out the wazoo: table stand that can mount a joystick and thrusters, yolk or a racing wheel.

It also has a keyboard mount, 3 different mounts for joysticks/thrusters (so you can have a middle-stick setup if you prefer).

Finally, it has detachable armrests, which is a feature you don’t really see often and a great addition.

The seat itself is relatively good, though nothing too fancy. It also has a bit of a recline, which is always nice to have.

The frame is made of steel, so it’s sturdy and you don’t have to worry about putting literally all your gear there.

While all this sounds great, the one downside is that adjusting things isn’t necessarily easy right out the box.

That being said, once you’ve spent the time to set things to where you want them, you won’t have to do much adjustment after that.

Price Range: Over $200

Perfect For: Adults, Kids

Features:

Conclusion:

Ok, so remember how I said there is one downside? Well, there’s actually a second, one, and that’s the price, which is substantial.

Of course, you are getting an amazing chair with great customer support and literally all the specs.

So, if you have the budget to buy this, you absolutely should.

3. Playseat Evolution

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One step down the ladder from the GTR Simulator, the Playseat is a good option if you’re on a tight budget.

With a lower price, you get less overall steel for stability. Doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s worse construction, just that you’re more likely to feel twisting when you’re using your gear heavily.

Of course, you do get the adjustable wheel and pedal mounts, which is nice. Unfortunately, the shifter mounting is extra, which greatly reduces the value of a purchase.

The seat isn’t anything special and probably one of the lesser quality ones on the list. It also doesn’t recline, which is…less than ideal.

Price Range: Over $200

Perfect For: Adults, Kids

Features:

Conclusion:

This chair has some pretty major downsides, but given the major upside (the low cost), they might be worth dealing with.

The whole shifter deal is really annoying though.

4. IWR1 IMPERATORWORKS Gaming Chair

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I mean…just look at this thing. It’s the full Monty. Also, look at that price tag. Damn!

The main attraction of this chair (aside from the awesome looks), is the overhead screen mount and the fact that the whole thing can tilt back 140 degrees!

In terms of screen mount, you have lots of options and a total max load of 35 lb/15.8 kg. You can do a single curved monitor up to 49” and triple monitor with each going up to 28”.

Could even get a custom made bracket that lets you mount dual monitors up to 28”.

The screen arm itself can also be raised up independently of the chair, so you don’t have to be dodging screens every time you get in and out of the chair.

Of course, it has a motor, so you don’t actually have to exert any energy like some lowly pleb.

Next, we have the seat, which is actual leather, something you don’t see often, but not surprising given the product and price tag.

It doesn’t have any fins/wings/vents, but it does have a massage function, so who cares about that other stuff?

In terms of mounts, it only has one big one for a keyboard and mouse, although you could probably get your racing or flight sim gear on there.

Unfortunately, there’s no place for pedals though, which is a bit irritating.

Price Range: Over $200 (way, waaaay over)

Perfect For: Adults, Kids

Features:

Conclusion:

I mean, what can I say about this chair that isn’t said by its very own presentation? It’s a great general chair, beyond just flight and racing sims.

If you can afford it, get it, you won’t be disappointed!

5. Playseat Air Force Flight Seat

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If you’re looking for something that’s more oriented to flight sims, this chair is a really great option.

There’s an adjustable center mount for your flight stick or yolk, which is a pretty typical position for most combat and flight sim games.

You also get two mounts on either side of the chair if you prefer side-mounting your HOTAS. You could technically use the mounts for racing gear, but it’s not really purposed for that.

Also, you, unfortunately, don’t get any kind of pedal mount, so you’ll just have to put it on the floor and hope it doesn’t slip.

In terms of the seat itself, it’s what you’d expect. It’s a steel framework covered in padding and synthetic leather.

It reclines back a fair bit, although that’s as far as adjustments for it go. The whole thing does fold in half, so it’s easy to set-up, or take down and store.

Price Range: Over $200

Perfect For: Adults, Kids

Features:

Conclusion:

The nice thing about this chair is that it’s very focused on flight sims, so you aren’t paying a lot of extra for the race-appropriate mounts/framing.

It also has a center mount that can be adjusted low between the legs, which isn’t very common, and great for those who like combat sims.

Pricing wise it’s a bit on the higher side, but it’s actually not that bad considering what you’re getting.

That being said, there is one main downside, which is the lack of a pedal mount. While it’s not necessarily the end of the world, after all, most gaming gear of this nature aren’t made specifically for cockpit gaming chairs, it would have been nice to have.

On the other hand, the lack of the pedal mount makes it easier for storage, so whether the lack of the pedal mount is an issue is completely up to you.

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There it is folks, a great collection of cockpit gaming chairs catering to all needs.

While I realize it’s important to let people come to their own decisions, here’s my quick picks:

Entry Level: Probably the best entry-level gaming chair is the Playseat Evolution. It doesn’t have a lot of frameworks, and you will have to buy the shifter extra, but it’s a great little product if you want to save some money.

Also, if you’re looking for a flight sim specific chair, the Playseat Air Force Flight Seat is a good option, although a bit on the pricey side and just at the edge of mid-level.

Wow, Playseat has really dominated this category.

Mid Level: The answer is the OpenWheeler GEN2 Racing Wheel Stand Cockpit. It has a great framework, good adjustability.

High Level: Phew, well this category is a doozy.

In terms of realism, I think the Volair Sim Universal Cockpit Chassis wins it hands down. It has mounts for literally everything, bar the kitchen sink. Not only that, it’s an affordable cost being half the price of the next more expensive competitor on this list.

Now if you’re talking in terms of what would be awesome to have, then the choice is easily the IWR1 IMPERATORWORKS Gaming Chair. Look at that thing, it’s awesome. Not to mention that it’s geared towards general PC/gaming use, so it doesn’t have to be exclusively for racing/flight sims.