Geek Review: Razer Iskur V2 Gaming Chair (Fabric)

Call them gaming chairs or ergonomic chairs for a younger and discerning audience – there’s no denying the popularity of such furniture to energise your bedroom or home. Even well-known brands outside the home furnishing space have joined the fray, and the Razer Iskur V2 gives its predecessor a much-needed upgrade, with enhanced lumbar support and additional features to convince consumers that a chair can do so much more. These upgrades come at a premium price point though, so the question is if you really need a S$949 throne for your home. 

Priced at S$200 more than its predecessor, the Razer Iskur V2 comes in two options – in black or green with EPU-grade leather around the unit, or in dark grey fabric option. EPU looks like luxury leather, only it’s not and the humidity and higher salt content in our air here will likely make it degrade over time, as it has for countless of other EPU-wrapped chairs from other brands, which is why the recommendation is to go with fabric. Surprisingly, the fabric material is cool to the touch and softer than expected, though it could have gone for an even softer feel, for short term comfort. Such things are user dependent but it’s obvious that such chairs are designed for long hours and extended use. Cushion aside, the chair is sturdy, allowing for movements while seated, even allowing for those with smaller frames to sit cross-legged on it, making it a sturdy work or gaming chair that offers plenty of support. 

While the structural design of the chair for the original and V2 remains the same other than the reduced racing bolsters, there are some visible differences in its ergonomic features. Most notably, the V2 has overhauled the lumbar support from the V1 in an ambitious shift to a fully-adjustable lumbar plate, but swaps out comfort for functionality. Two knobs on both sides of the chair control the height and depth of the lumbar protrusion, which can be customized to fit the user’s needs. Adjusting the depth of the lumbar plate was relatively easy, but at maximum tension, feels a little too firm. The height adjustment function’s differences are more subtle, and you might not notice there was a shift at first. 

Sadly, the chair’s recline mechanism is still as inconvenient and clunky as on the V1, despite it having an increased recline of up to 152 degrees, which means you can easily fall asleep on the chair as if it was a bed. Unlike the V1, which only had a recline of 139 degrees, the 27 degree difference means more room to kick back and relax. 

The chair is advertised to “automatically adjust to any change in sitting position”, which is misleading as you still do have to push down on the lever to adjust the tilt. It still keeps the 4D armrests that can be rotated in any direction with the push of a button or lever, providing stable arm support. 

You’ll want to take note that the chair has a minimum height requirement of 160cm, and fits up to 200cm, with a 136 kg weight limit, and as someone within the recommended height range, the chair was an adequate fit with enough room. For those who like sitting cross-legged on chairs, the V2 now has more space for various sitting positions, boasting a wider width than the V1. The V1 uses a butterfly mechanism, which allows for flexibility to a degree, but the V2’s frog tilt mechanism is more dynamic and reactive, with a greater tilt angle. Sitting cross-legged on a chair comfortably gives the V2 an added advantage, while doing so on the V1 is a tighter squeeze.

We did accidentally spill a drink onto the fabric, but to our surprise, it didn’t seep through into the chair, instead forming a bubble that was easy to clean with a damp cloth. For those who fear making messes, the Razer Iskur V2 is resistant to water, oil, and dirt, which adds greater convenience to cleaning spills.

All things said and done, the V2 is more of a quality-of-life upgrade than it is a new chair entirely, and the most significant change is in its lumbar support. Updates in materials and angle of recline don’t warrant much excitement but despite its quirks, the Razer Iskur V2 still is a sturdy entry for gamers looking to take their rig to the next level, as the company continues to find more innovative ways to shake up the gaming chair market. 

The Razer Iskur V2 is available online and in retail stores.