INTRODUCTION

   When we first started testing/reviewing gaming chairs just over 3 years ago we never thought they could actually replace office chairs but that's exactly what has happened to a large degree since gaming chairs have found their way not only into people's homes but also their office and work places (judging both from people we know and from what we see published online). Price and looks may have been the two most important factors for this (obviously) but we shouldn't rule out ergonomics/support since there are many gaming chairs out there that offer exactly what many people of all sizes have been looking for a long time. GAMDIAS released their very own line last year and after many requests finally today with us we have their top of the line ACHILLES P1 L Extraordinary RGB Illuminated Gaming Chair.

   GAMDIAS emphasizes on the fundamentals, complemented with creativity and service. GAMDIAS Technology was founded in 2012, successfully creating the gaming brand known as GAMDIAS. Not only do we aim to set the bar for quality and practically, but also to go above and beyond in our designs. Further supplementing our motto: Gaming Art in Motion, we will continue to invest heavily on designs, transcending GAMDIAS products to an artistic pantheon.

   The ACHILLES P1 L (L stands for large - the regular P1 is slightly smaller) may offer RGB illumination (thanks to two LED strips mounted at the rear of the chair - you can customize both the colors and effects via GAMDIAS HERA software) and thus improved looks compared to most other gaming chairs out there (especially for gamers) but that's not its only interesting feature. For starters the ACHILLES P1 L is available in 5 different colors (all black/white black/red black/blue black/yellow black) and features a PVC (Polyvinylchloride) leather cover (vinyl), metal frame for increased durability, good amount of foam padding (specific numbers are not available but judging from other chairs we've had here I’d say around 55-65kg/m3 for the seat and 55-60kg/m3 for the backrest - will update this part if we get any new information), 4D adjustable armrests (height, front/back and rotation), adjustable footrest, premium 60mm caster wheels, class-4 gaslift (supports up to 200kg total including the top body of the chair), height adjustment mechanism (can raise the chair up to 10cm), 5 star aluminum base, removable neck and back/lumbar support cushions, backrest adjustment (up to 150 degrees) and up to 12 degrees tilt function. As for size the ACHILLES P1 L may not be the largest one to ever reach our lab but it does come close since it features a tall (86cm) and wide (55cm) backrest along with a wide (54cm) and deep (47cm) seat.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

GAMDIAS ships the ACHILLES P1 L inside a plain cardboard box that has their logo at both the front and rear and package information on both the left and right.

Typically most of the bundle is placed in plastic bags and between pieces of foam.

The backrest was placed at the top of the box so it was the first thing to come out (notice the USB plug used to power the rear RGB LED strips).

Next out of the box we got the 5 star aluminum base and the two support cushions.

The Z-support mechanism was next along with the class-4 gaslift, five 60mm caster wheels and a USB extension cord.

Finally we got the two 4D armrests out of the box along with the seat, the adjustable footrest and a small plastic package which contained two Allen keys, 4 long Allen screws and the assembly instructions.

ASSEMBLY

 We always start assembling our chairs by mounting the wheels onto the base and this was no exception.

60mm large wheels are usually not as good looking as 75mm ones but these look ok with this particular base.

Next we placed the class-4 gaslift onto the base (since most of the gaslift gets in the base this model doesn't have a plastic cover).

The seat of the ACHILLES P1 L features a single flat metal bar at the center (2 more on each end and 2 passing through all of them) and two plastic mounts for the adjustable footrest.

You will need to mount both 4D armrests by using the 4 Allen screws already mounted on each end of the chair (8 in total).

Another 4 Allen screws are required to secure the Z-support mechanism onto the seat (the plastic levers are already mounted so you don't need to worry about them coming off).

The backrest has two openings on each side but unlike every other we've seen to date this backrest also has two cuts on its base as seen above.

Unlike every other gaming chair to reach our lab to date the seat of the ACHILLES P1 L attaches to the backrest from the inside as seen above.

Since the ACHILLES P1 L has no plastic covers you need only use the 4 bundled screws (2 on each side).

The adjustable/retractable footrest is the last piece of the "puzzle" and to attach it you just need to remove the two small Allen screws found on the two bars, mount it onto the chair and screw them back on as seen above.

The top end of the chair is now assembled so all that’s left is to place it onto the class-4 gaslift.

FINISHED LOOKS

The ACHILLES P1 L is a very nice looking gaming chair not only thanks to its design but also thanks to its PVC faux leather cover.

It may look nice but the PVC cover used with the ACHILLES P1 L is textured and doesn't feel like it can/will last for very long.

GAMDIAS has placed their logo at the top of the chair and i have to admit tjhat it really stands out.

The 4D armrests can extend in height by roughly 8cm.

Both armrests can go also forward, backwards, left, right and rotate diagonally (the rotation mechanism is a bit soft so these turn just a tad easier than what we would have liked).

To use the adjustable footrest you just need to pull it out and turn the cushion over as seen above.

This is what the rear of the ACHILLES P1 L looks like and as you can all see the company name is also placed at the rear.

The backrest drops up to 150 degrees and although some of you would had liked a bit more we don't consider this to be a significant drawback.

Both support pillows also have the company logo on them.

The two RGB LED strips are located at the rear of the chair and although as you can all see they are not very visible in lighted areas at night they do look great (we recommend using a small powerbank to power them).

SCORE

Many of you recommended (including some manufacturers) that we place a chart pointing to the pros and cons of each gaming chair we test. Now of course since there's really no way for us to "benchmark" gaming chairs we 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 - also depends on the amount of padding) while in terms of quality having tested dozens of models over the past years we think we have a good idea about that as well. Of course these scores are based on our personal opinions (including the samples we get – isolated/early sample issues are always possible) so do take them with a grain of salt.

CONCLUSION

   When GAMDIAS announced their gaming chair line we were among the very first to express our interest in checking them out and although as you already know it took a very long time for that to happen the ACHILLES P1 L did arrive in our lab roughly two weeks ago. What matters however is not when the chair got here but just how good it really is and so although the ACHILLES P1 L combines great looks (especially if you’re a gamer) with comfort (due to its large size) and a nice set of features (adjustable footrest, 4D armrests, RGB LED strips) its build quality left us with mixed feelings. I am of course referring to the PVC “vinyl” cover used which really doesn’t feel or look as durable as it should. It goes without saying that “proper” testing would take months but since right out of the factory the chair arrived having some tiny issues with both its PVC cover and its stitching we obviously feel GAMDIAS should pay more attention to this specific aspect of the ACHILLES P1 L (of course this could be an isolated issue with our sample so when and if we get more chairs by GAMDIAS it will be easier to check that out).

   Availability on the ACHILLES P1 L Gaming Chair by GAMDIAS may not be great but you can still find it for around USD399 inside the USA (Wallmart.com – Price depends on the color) and for 299.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). At the end of the day the GAMDIAS ACHILLES P1 L may not be perfect and it certainly has room for improvement (for example we would like to see a retractable mechanism for the adjustable footrest – no other gaming chair has something like that so it’s something we’d like to see introduced in general - along with a more “durable” PVC cover) but thanks to its looks, overall quality, size, set of features and available color combinations it’s still well worth of our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (PVC Leather / Steel Frame)
- Size / Comfort (Large Version)
- Design / Looks
- Z Support Mechanism (Durability / Sturdiness)
- Features (RGB LED Strips / Adjustable Height / 4D Adjustable Armrests / Tilt Function / 150 Degrees Backrest Adjustment / Adjustable Footrest)
- 5 Available Color Combinations
- Head & Lower Back Removable Pillows

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- PVC Faux Leather Durability
- Current Availability