uThrone Gaming Massage Chair Review: The Royal Upgrade Your ... - MUO - MakeUseOf

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While the uThrone isn’t perfect, it ticks the boxes as a luxury massage chair suitable for gamers, and I highly recommend it. The aesthetics are subtle, though, and it could also work in a home office setup. You probably didn't have the "ability to give massages" on your checklist of features to look out for in new office or gaming chair, but believe me, you should.

Specifications

• Upholstery Material: PVC
• Color(s): Black, pink, purple, orange
• Adjustability: 145-degree recline, chair and armresats height adjustable
• Brand: oSim
• Chair Extras: Massage feature
• Chair Weight Capacity: 110kg (220lbs)

Pros

• Powerful massage technology
• 145-degree recline
• Built-in speakers for music while you get a massage

Cons

• No tilt feature or footrest
• Speakers only work when massage is active
• Cabling is messy

Buy This Product


There are gaming chairs, and then there are gaming thrones—and with the uThrone from oSIM, you’ll certainly feel like royalty with its built-in "v-hand" massage technology.

That’s right—this isn’t just any old gaming throne; it’s a massage machine, too, so you can relax those aching back muscles after an hour of utterly intense ... Civilization 6. Of course, it's not just for gaming, either. If you work from home, you might suddenly become more tolerant of those lengthy Microsoft Teams meetings.


Are you ready to take your battle station to a whole new royal level of luxury? The uThrone is available for around $900 from OSIM.com (or OSIM.co.uk).

Construction​

Arriving in a massive 35kg (77lb) box, the package is quite unwieldy to carry. If you have some stairs to go up, it’s probably best to rope in a friend (perhaps with the promise of a "special" massage later?) It is on the heavy side compared to typical gaming chairs, as you'd expect from something that also does massages.

Construction of the uThrone is relatively simple, with good instructions and all the tools you might need in the box—by which I mean a single hex and cross screwdriver L-shaped thing. The only part I struggled with was aligning the screw for the side covers. Don't forget to connect the small cable from the base to the back part of the chair, either.



As a final step, you should position the chair and plug in the power cable. Although it might feel like it once you've experienced them for the first time, those massages don't run on fairy dust, and does require around 100W of power at peak.



The cable is probably one of the weakest parts of the package for a few reasons. It's quite short, so you need an outlet close by, and if you spin or move around a lot, it's liable to get caught up. I've found it best to trail it up and over one of the armrests, such that it falls further to the front.

uThrone Design​

The uThrone is available in three or four colorways, depending on your location: all black, purple, pink, and (for the US only), orange. However, it’s quite an understated coloring with just a few outer sections highlighted rather than the entire body. There does appear to have been a special Acer Predator orange edition at some point with heavier coloration, but it’s no longer available, despite still being featured in the sales page images.

There’s no choice of materials—it’s made of PVC plastic (or you might prefer to call it "vegan leather"). However, it feels like a good quality pleather that won't peel away after a few years, as some cheap office chairs can.


To allow the massage arms to do their thing, the back of the chair also has two mesh strips running down it, and it is otherwise hollow. Again, the fabric doesn't seem like it would rip easily, but only time will tell.

oSIM are experts in massage chairs—not just the uThrone, but more elaborate models that get much more wear and tear—so it's safe to assume they know what they're doing when it comes to material choices.



A large lumbar pillow and headrest are provided, both black, with the oSIM logo on the headrest. The only other branding is some discreet uThrone text on the left side.



Unlike budget gaming chairs which use a cheap elastic strap to secure the headrest, the uThrone headrest features a flap that falls over the back of the chair and tucks in. It seems secure enough.

The lumbar pillow features what I assume is a carry handle, but with no obvious way to secure it, you can’t slide it up or down.



In terms of comfort, the uThrone is definitely on the firmer side, though the headrest and lumbar pillow are a type of soft memory foam. If you want a chair that you're going to completely sink in to and be enveloped by, this isn’t it.



In terms of adjusting to the user, the chair is height adjustable and can be reclined—up to 145 degrees. The armrests are also height adjustable. Neither of these mechanisms requires much figuring out if you've ever used an office or gaming chair.

However, one ergonomic feature I miss from my previous gaming chair (which wasn’t particularly premium) is the ability to tilt the entire chair. While the uThrone can recline a good amount, the base of the seat remains locked horizontally. With a recommended height of 160-185cm (5.25-6.1 feet) and a maximum load of 110kg (240lbs), I am admittedly at the very top end of both. I can understand how tilting the uThrone might place too much pressure on the massage motors, but still, it's a feature I would have loved.

The uThrone Massage Experience: Energize!​

The top of the right armrest slides back to reveal the control panel, from which you can select a massage program. It's also great for pretending you're the captain of a starship, though honestly, even Picard would be jealous of these massage features.


The uThrone has three different fifteen-minute massage programs built-in, one of which is called "Energize", and designed to invigorate your muscles rather than relax. This is the more vigorous of the three, and it's the one I almost always choose. As a quick note, you needn't remove the lumbar pillow for a massage—the mechanism can still be felt through it.



Having lived in Japan for eight years, I'm no stranger to massage chairs. You can walk into any electrical store on the high street, and there'll be rows of the things just waiting to pummel a salaryman into submission after a hard day's work. We also own a Homedics branded massage pillow that straps onto any chair. Compared to either of those experiences, the uThrone is superior. Clearly, massage is one area of technology that has quietly been innovating over the past decade.

But, be careful. It can be a bit overwhelming if you're not used to massages at all, or have a delicate disposition. The mechanism is strong, and I'd expect at least a few screams of delight/pain for the first few sessions.



The "v-hand technology" is a single set of massage arms that travel up and down your back and shoulders. As well as vertical movement, they appear to roll, and feature impactful knocking or punching mechanics too.



Everything else aside, as a massage chair, it's incredible (albeit, limited to your back). From looking at the full oSIM catalog, I'd expect nothing less. It's obvious that oSIM are experts in massage chairs who have added their technology to a premium gaming chair; rather than being known for gaming chairs and then tacking on a generic massage element.

Take my word for it; it feels amazing.

Stereo Speakers​

One thing that’s not obvious in the marketing of the uThrone is that it includes some built-in stereo speakers on either side of the headrest, which results in an ethereal surround-sound off-ear audio system.

It works over Bluetooth, and while it's certainly not the highest quality of sound you’ll find—it's quite tinny, completely lacking in bass, and not something I would tolerate for extended periods—it's perfect for lying back with some Lo-fi tunes or forest sounds as you relax those aching back muscles.


The fact that the speakers turn off shortly after your 15-minute massage has ended, and only turns on again when you start another massage program, is another sign that this is how the speakers are intended to be used, rather than as a replacement for your gaming headphones.

So while you won't use them for gaming or general use, as something to lie back with and throw some Spotify on from your smartphone, they work well, and as intended. But I can't help feeling they're going to be superfluous for most users who already own a gaming headset or any other type of speakers in their gaming room.

Fit for a King (or Queen)?​

The uThrone gaming chair is incredible; but I feel like it could have done even more to make it the ultimate gaming chair. At this price, I dont think a few hundred dollars extra would make a big difference.

The speakers could have been wired. There’s a wire anyway, and this would have enabled better quality and more powerful, bass-heavy sound. It could then have been useful as a general audio system, rather than just during massages. I would also have loved to see a built-in bass thumper under the seat, which would have doubled up a haptic system for immersive gaming and enhanced the massages.


On the ergonomics side of things, while the uThrone is comfortable in a seated position, it would benefit from a footrest, or the ability to tilt the whole chair. That would have made this my ultimate gaming chair. It's a little difficult to nap on this with your legs dangling down.



So while the uThrone isn’t perfect, it ticks the boxes as a luxury massage chair suitable for gamers, and I highly recommend it. The aesthetics are subtle, though, and it could easily work in a home office setup, too. You probably didn't have the "ability to give massages" on your checklist of features to look out for in new office or gaming chair, but believe me, you should.