As the end of the year heads into sight, and as my YouTube algorithm seems set on reminding me, gaming chairs are one of the best ways to upgrade your gaming setup. This time around, we’re checking out Boulies’ latest edition of their Master Series, and it’s fair to say that you’re looking for a gaming chair with a great amount of choice, this is an excellent option.
The Master Series lets you make your first choice with the sizing, with the regular Master Series chair recommended for people between 155cm and 180cm, and weighing up to 110kg. Meanwhile, the Master Max is built for the larger-framed gamer, so that’s anyone standing between 180cm and 200cm, with an increased load that’s capable up to 135kg. Our review unit was in the standard Master Series sizing, but beyond the increased load weight and extra sizing, the designs are fundamentally the same.
Once you’ve chosen your frame, you can select from a range of materials: Ultraflex PU, Water Repellent Fabric, or the top-of-the-range Nappa Leather. With the standard Ultraflex PU pricing currently sitting at £290 in the UK, and the Water Repellent option at £295, the Nappa Leather bringing it up to an ultra-premium £580. That’s a huge difference, but if you’re set on the best of the best, then Boulies gives you that option.
While the leather version is only available in black, the two cheaper finishes come in a range of colours. Our review unit came in water repellent Slate Blue, and I really liked the slightly subdued colour tone, which makes it feel very non-gamer chair. There’s a central black strip through the centre of the chair back, while the seat has two flaring black sections on either side. That’s then further carried through by the black neck pillow that attaches to the top of the chair.
Visually, I think it’s a great-looking chair, and one that manages to retain a certain level of maturity and seriousness. That’s not always the case with gaming chairs, and whether you’re settling in for your hundredth hour of Battlefield, or working on a PowerPoint presentation, this is manages to straddle the line between work and play.
The water repellent fabric they’ve used is very soft, and gentle, and, weirdly, I kind of wanted to find it across the elbow rests too, though that would look pretty odd. Boulies do note that the waterproofing will wear out over time, and that the degradation of that system will come down to how much wear the chair comes in for. So far, there’s no sign of it having lost any of its immunity to an accidental splash of tea or water, but then, I wouldn’t expect it to degrade quite so quickly.
Weird personal expectation aside, the armrests are actually made from soft PU foam. They offer 4D movement – that’s up and down, left and right, forward and back, and rotation on the central axis– and they stay resolutely in the same position once you’ve locked them into place. Adjustments are simple though, so if another person is using the chair, or you suddenly don’t find it’s quite the right fit anymore, the buttons to release them are immediately accessible.
There’s more adjustment to be found elsewhere, starting with the personalised lumbar support. Two dials on each side of the backrest let you alter the placement of the lumbar support, moving it up and down, the supportive bump shifting into the small of your back as needed. It works well, though you’ll likely forget exactly which way the support moves each time you’re using it.
Once you’ve got it all setup how you like it, it’s fair to say that the Boulies Master Chair is hugely comfortable. It’s a little firmer than some gaming chairs, but I actually found that really helpful through longer gaming sessions. You can also change the angle of the backrest, so you can sit studiously upright while working, before leaning all the way back for some more lazy gaming at the end of the day.
As with all gaming chairs, the Boulies Master Series arrived in a massive and heavy box and had to be put together. In the scheme of things, this wasn’t a hard build – you’re talking more like grown-up Duplo rather than Lego Technic – but there are one or two fiddlier moments thanks to having to attach everything to the underside of the seat itself with Allan-key equipped screws.
It took me about half an hour, and while I have put a number of gaming chairs together over the years, I think that anyone with a solid understanding of flat-pack furniture, or who has bought literally anything from IKEA will be at home with what the instructions are asking of you. The only point that you might want to consider is having a second pair of hands for when you’re attaching the chair back, as it’s quite heavy and unwieldy, but I managed it myself without too much problem.
