INTRODUCTION

   Gaming keyboards, mice and headsets will always "own" a large percentage of the peripherals market but how many of you knew that currently gaming chairs are actually competing with those product categories in sales? Well there's really no way for us to know which models (price-range) are more popular among consumers/gamers but numbers (both in terms of sales and availability by old and new manufacturers) clearly show that people who spend many hours playing games or even typing are finally taking seriously health issues with their backs. Granted not every single gaming chair out in the market provides good neck and lumbar support and quite honestly some are below average in terms of build quality but racing models like the Nitro by AK Racing which we reviewed in the past do extremely well in those areas. As expected AK Racing doesn't stop the design and manufacture of new models but surprisingly enough they also update old ones and so today we'll be taking a look at the Premium V2 Racing Chair.

   AK Racing is one of the world’s premier gaming chair manufacturers, producing the highest quality products that are available today. With a focus on ergonomics, design and functionality, AK Racing gaming chairs have quickly become the smart choice across the eSport scene. Our close ties with top eSports teams such as Team Dignitas have given us the leading edge in meeting the durability and comfort requirements of gaming professionals everywhere.

   Both the Nitro and the Premium V2 gaming chairs by AK Racing are quite similar both in terms of size and available features but they differ quite a bit in terms of design (the Premium V2 is more "elegant") which is great since that way more consumers may find something to better fit their taste. So once again we see the same metal frame and class-4 gaslift which can support people weighing up to 150Kg, high-density shaping foam padding, excellent quality PU leather (synthetic) cover, height adjustable armrests, backrest adjustment (180 degrees) and the somewhat classic tilt/rocking function (up to 12 degrees) we find with most desk chairs. Also just like the Nitro gaming chair (and most models in the AK Racing product line) the Premium V2 also comes bundled with two thick pillows to provide extra comfort and support for your head/neck and back. Let's take a closer look however and see just what you can expect from the Premium V2 Racing Gaming Chairs by AK Racing.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 Just like with the Nitro the Premium V2 arrived inside a very large cardboard box with the company name at the front and a sticker with the barcode, serial and part numbers.

As you can see the base is covered with fabric to avoid any possible damage during shipping.

Beneath the base we find the seat base, back rest and the two pillows.

Unlike the Nitro gaming chair the Premium V2 features a chrome 5-star foot base with rubber covers on each end and silver painted wheels.

The class-4 gaslift with its plastic cover and the height adjustment mechanism were next.

Next we took out the assembly instructions, a piece of plastic (what this does we'll explain later on), two cloth gloves (you should use them while assembling the chair to avoid fingerprints and such), two Allen keys, three screws, and three side covers.

ASSEMBLY

As usually we start with the base which as mentioned earlier has plastic ends so you don't have to worry about placing your feet on.

To install the wheels just place them in the holes found beneath each end and push them until you hear the locking sound. After that just place the class-4 gaslift in the center and then place the plastic cover over it as seen above.

The seat base is pretty much assembled from the box since the two height adjustable arm rests are already mounted.

Turning the seat base over we see the same quality as the Nitro chair (only 3 screws were included in the box because all the others are in their place already).

Our sample rolled out of the factory in December last year as revealed by this sticker.

Next we mounted the height adjustment mechanism so we just had to remove the 4 Allen screws already in place to do that (the green elastic bands are there to increase support while the copper clips remind us the ones used in regular racing seats).

The back rest is a lot different compared to the one of the Nitro model and although it's also great looking i think it's ment for slightly more "mature" people looking for something more "elegant".

Each side has two Allen screws in place from the factory just like with the seat base.

You will need to mount the back rest on the seat base using those 4 screws and then using the plastic side covers as seen above (for some strange reason the left top cover didn't fit very well).

FINISHED LOOKS

 The AK Racing Premium V2 is one of the best looking gaming chairs i've ever seen, especially the black/brown model which we have here.

AK Racing has stitched their logo on both sides and the top end. Stitching is perfect no matter where you look on the chair and although PU synthetic material is not as durable as real leather overall quality is very good.

Once again both armrests are height adjustable so you can raise them from 27cm up to 34cm.

The back rest drops a full 180 degrees so yes you can even take a nap after long hours of work or gaming (a foot rest would be great however).

Mounting the two pillows is not hard the base one requires routing of two elastic bands behind the back rest while the top one has a single elastic band which goes around the top end of the back rest.

The rear of the Premium V2 gaming chair is also made out of synthetic PU material and features two zippers which you can use to access the interior padding and metal frame.

Oh and before i forget, remember the weird piece of plastic? Well you can use this to mount the neck pillow lower where there's the opening of the back rest at.

CONCLUSION

   Been using the Premium V2 and Nitro gaming chairs next to each other for the past 3 weeks (we've had the Nitro here for almost a year now) and for good or bad they are very much alike both in terms of build quality and comfort. The Premium V2 feels a bit stiffer compared to the Nitro but since it hasn't been used for as long that could be the reason. Overall both chairs share the same features so there's nothing the Premium V2 can do that the Nitro can't so if you like the second more in terms of design you can save some money in the process by choosing it over the first. Still design is a very important factor when choosing a gaming chair so i expect many people (probably more mature audiences) will prefer the "elegant" looks of the Premium V2 model (once again our black and brown version could probably fit nicely in any office). Unfortunately once again the arm rests are not padded enough for my taste. Sure this isn't a serious drawback but i think that more padding would result in a better overall product so i do hope AK Racing listens to this recommendation. Using real leather would probably up the cost quite a bit (for example real leather gaming chairs go for roughly 500Euros today) and it may be overkill for an office/gaming chair but there might actually be a small segment of the market looking for something like that so AK Racing would do well to launch at least one such product to take the competition head-on.

   The current price tag of 319Euros plus shipping attached on the AK Racing Premium V2 Gaming Chair (AK Racing) may not be what we’d call affordable but at the end of the day this is yet another of those things that come down to personal choice. The Premium V2 Gaming Chair is without doubt one of the best gaming chairs in the market today but unless you really prefer its design over others you can save some money by opting for the Nitro model instead which is pretty much identical in everything else. Personally I consider the Premium V2 black and brown model to be the only one of its kind to date which I’d feel comfortable using in any office (not just at home) and I think that speaks volumes about the product itself which is also why we give it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Very Good Build Quality (Synthetic Leather / Steel Frame)
- Design (Racing Car Seat)
- Comfortable
- Features (Adjustable Backrest / Height Adjustable Armrests / 12 Degrees Tilt Function / 180 Degrees Backrest Adjustment)
- Head & Lower-Back Removable Pillows
- Available Color Selection

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Armrests (Could Use More Padding)