INTRODUCTION

   When people talk about a healthy sitting posture, they almost always think about professionals who sit in front of their screens for many hours per day (and yes, that obviously also includes me). The thing is however that many times we tend to forget that gamers all over the world are doing the same exact thing (some sit even longer) and for most of them ergonomic office chairs obviously don't do the trick, at least not in terms of looks/design. Unfortunately, even though gaming chairs have been around for well over a decade now not many current models focus in providing the end user with a healthy sitting posture, even feature-rich ones. ADEPT is one of the newest kids on the block and today with me i have their top of the line gaming chair, the HOLO Alpine Esports Edition model.

   ADEPT is a young startup that manufactures high-quality gaming chairs in Germany. All products are climate neutral and made from recycled materials where possible. In addition to resource conservation and climate protection, ADEPT attaches importance to promoting inclusion and diversity in gaming and esports. And that seems to be catching on: Despite being on the market for only 12 weeks, ADEPT already has a roster of 50+ content creators, partnerships with renowned teams and, above all, a lot more to come.

   The HOLO Alpine Esports Edition Gaming Chair by ADEPT is not just a unique looking model (also available in H.O.R.D.E, Dekarldent, FC ST.PAULI and Gamestar editions/color variants), it's also one of the most feature-rich and durable (supports users up to 125kg in weight and is ANSI BIFMA X5.1 certified) ones to ever reach the lab. So aside using high-quality sustainable materials (like recycled polyester, PET and vegan PU leather) ADEPT has also equipped their HOLO line with a synchronous mechanism for optimal posture/comfort (basically allows the seat and backrest to move in a fixed ratio to each other when the user leans backwards - 2.7:1 ratio for this model), height and length adjustable lumbar support mechanism, seat depth adjustment mechanism (up to 110mm), 4D armrests (height, front/back, forward/backwards and left/right adjustment), front tilt function, backrest inclination mechanism of up to 23 degrees and 65mm silent castor wheels. On paper the HOLO seems like the gaming chair of our dreams but is that really the case? Let's find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

ADEPT is the only company so far to pack their chairs in two boxes (made out of recycled paper as far as i can tell) the first of which just has the company logo on all sides.

The first package clearly contains the backrest which is secured in place with several pieces of cardboard.

At first glance just the design of the backrest stands out but as soon as you look at it from the side you can see just how it supports your upper body.

The second box is also the larger and that too has the company logo on all sides.

Again, the contents of the box are all held in place via several pieces of cardboard.

As expected, first i took out the assembly instructions, setting instructions and a thank you for your purchase note.

Next was the 5-star aluminum base which i have to admit looks great (details like the model edition add to that).

The five 65mm silent castor wheels and the class-4 gaslift were next.

Last piece located at the bottom of the box was the seat with both 4D armrests already attached.

ASSEMBLY

Typically, i like to start by attaching the castor wheels onto the base as seen above.

The 65mm silent caster wheels look somewhat different than most out there (and to me that's a good thing).

After the castor wheels the class-4 gaslift is next in line.

Taking a look at the base of the seat we see that ADEPT has done a great job in terms of design and probably also durability.

Both 4D armrests are held in place not only by a single Allen screw but also the frame of the seat.

Unlike most gaming chairs out there the backrest of the ADEPT HOLO mounts onto the base via a slide-in mechanism.

For optimal results you will need to place the seat onto the base and then mount the backrest onto the seat (worth pointing out is that the 4D armrests can fold backwards as seen above).

FINISHED LOOKS

The ADEPT HOLO is one of the most unique looking gaming chairs I’ve seen to date and that's thanks to no small degree to the 1 meter tall backrest.

At the top of the backrest, we find the ALPINE Esports logo.

ADEPT has used suede-like material for the center part of the chair and PU leather for the surrounding parts both of which are of high quality (suede is obviously a magnet for cat hair).

The seat depth is adjustable forward and backwards (110mm).

Both armrests are height adjustable (roughly 80mm) and the top can be moved front, backwards and diagonally.

Turning the chair around we find not one but three colored plastic plates.

These plates are removable and are used to cover three compartments the lowest of which contains the lumbar support mechanism (height and intensity adjustment).

The middle compartment has an Allen key in it and as for the top well it's empty (so you could use it as a hiding place).

As expected at the top we once again find the ALPINE Esports logo.

Finally, the 23 degrees incline may not look like much but i was never one to sleep on my chair.

SCORE

Many of you recommended (including some manufacturers) that I place a chart pointing to the pros and cons of each gaming chair that finds its way to the lab. Now of course since there's really no way for me to "benchmark" gaming chairs i decided to rate them based on their size, comfort and quality after using each chair for at least one full week. Size and comfort usually go hand to hand (the larger the chair the more comfortable it usually is - that however also depends on the amount of padding and also the type and quality of the cover) while in terms of quality having tested dozens of models over the past years, i think i have a good idea about that as well. Of course, these scores are based on my personal opinion (always based on the samples i get – isolated/early sample issues are always possible) so do take them with a grain of salt.

CONCLUSION

   When I first saw the HOLO Alpine Esports Edition gaming chair on ADEPT’s website I was very intrigued, not just because of its design but also because it seemed to be a very comfortable model. Well, after spending just over a full month with It I can verify that it’s amongst the 3 most comfortable chairs (both gaming and office) to arrive in the lab, at least to date. The design of the backrest accompanied by the lumbar support, seat depth adjustability and the forward tilt do a great job in supporting your body at all times. The ability to fold the 4D armrests backwards may not be something I used a lot but I can see the various uses it could have for some people. The vegan fabric used is of high quality but I can’t say the same about the plastics of the chair, especially those of the backrest. I am not saying that they will fall off or anything but they just don’t feel sturdy enough, not for one such model (I do realize however that ADEPT probably didn’t want to add to the weight of the chair). In regards to size for me the HOLO fit like a glove (I’m 1.81m tall and weigh a total of 90kg) something which will probably apply to most people (as long as they are up to 1.91m in height and 125kg in weight), still it’s clearly not among the largest gaming chairs out there. Finally, the fact that ADEPT has increased the available editions for the HOLO (color combinations) in order to cover most consumers is also something that I consider a plus (as is the availability of several sleeves for the HOLO chairs).

   At the time of my review the HOLO Alpine Esports Edition Gaming Chair by ADEPT retails for 799Euros inside the EU (adept-gaming.com) a price tag which would be quite high for any gaming chair, this one included. Yes, there are many things’ people need to take into account in regards to that from development and material costs to company size and even the licensing fees but the end result is that the HOLO Alpine Esports Edition Gaming Chair is priced a lot higher than what most people would consider affordable. That being said do i believe it’s worth it? The short answer is yes, always for people who can easily afford it. What i can say with certainty however is that right now the HOLO (regardless of edition) is among the best gaming chairs around and for that it clearly deserves the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality (ANSI BIFMA X5.1 Certified)
- Design (Available Editions)
- Very Comfortable (Synchronous Mechanism)
- Features (Built In Lumbar Support / Adjustable Seat Depth / Adjustable Height / 4D Adjustable Armrests With Folding Functionality / Tilt Function / 23 Degrees Incline)
- Vegan Fabric Cover
- 65mm Silent Castor Wheels
- 5 Year Limited Warranty

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Current Availability (USA)