Tom's Hardware Verdict
With a mid level asking price of $349.99, the Phantom 3 chair ticks all the right boxes without trying too hard to be more than what it is, rather focusing on a straightforward, easy to use and comfortable experience that’s well built for daily use.
Pros
- +
+ Very easy to put together
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+ PVC leather is nice
- +
+ Compact and Comfortable
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+ Great overall support
Cons
- -
More upper leg support would be nice
- -
No additional Lumbar support function
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware
Sometimes you just have to appreciate a company getting the basis right. It's refreshing to come across a gaming chair that focuses on simplicity, ease of use and comfort, rather than pushing extra features that can bloat the price. The Andaseat Phantom 3 Series Premium Office Gaming Chair focuses on getting the basics up to snuff and at $349.99 for the "Elegant Black" model I tested, the price was right.
Design of the Andaseat Phantom 3 Gaming Chair
I reviewed the Phantom 3 in the "Elegant Black" colorway with the premium PVC leather material. There’s also a linen fabric version as well as two other black color options, as well as pink, gray, white and a special Rainbow Six themed option. "Elegant Black" differs from the other black options in that it has gold accent stitching on the Andaseat logos on the front and rear backrest of the chair.
That logo, and all the detailing on this chair, is clean and very understated, which makes this chair feel closer to a high-end office chair than a gaming chair. This will help and blend into more spaces, whether it’s at your home, a gaming LAN party or a more serious office environment. This is even more true if you opt for the "Stormy Black" color, which goes for a complete all black stealthy look even for the logos, neck rest and back support pillow, as well. If buying this chair with my own money, the stormy black would be my personal color of choice.
Color aside, The Phantom 3 is compact in size and the premium PVC leather material has a nice soft textured look and feel, which in turn makes for a more breathable feeling when using it— more on that later.
Overall, I appreciate that the Phantom 3 has a subdued, focused design that looks like an office chair first and a gaming chair second. It’s a balance I appreciate, and I believe many others will too. Like an actual phantom, it blends into its environment well.
Andaseat Phantom 3 Gaming ChairSpecifications
Upholstery | Premium PVC Leather |
Recline | 175 Degrees |
Total Height (with base) | 134 cm |
Backrest Height | 82 cm |
Backrest Width (shoulder level) | 55 cm |
Seating Area Width (total) | 53 cm |
Depth Seating Area (total) | 52 cm |
Armrest Depth | 7 cm |
Recommended Maximum Weight | 90 kg |
Weight | 27.9 kg |
Warranty | 1 year limited |
Pricing | $349.99 |
Assembly of the of the Andaseat Phantom 3 Gaming Chair
As someone who is not a fan of assembly and DIY in general, it definitely feels like Andaseat had people like me in mind. The whole thing was easier than I expected. All the tools you need for the build are provided in the box and the best part is that there are no screws or screwdrivers involved. Just an Allen key and bolts and away you go. In fact, Andaseat provides two extra spare bolts in case you lose any.
I had the chair assembled in fewer than 10 minutes. The assembly guide uses real life images for each of the 14 steps involved in putting the chair together, rather than confusing illustration. This is something I personally appreciate; I’m not a construction worker, and anything to make the assembly process quicker, safer and easier to understand is always a win.
This is the easiest time I've had putting a chair together. Well done, Andaseat.
Comfort and Adjustments on the Andaseat Phantom 3 Gaming Chair
The Phantom 3 is very comfortable with great support all around for your back and upper legs. This is mainly down to the chair's soft foam padding, which molds well to the shape of your body. The PVC leather also feels smooth and premium on your skin, although synthetic leather doesn’t always hold up over time. But I would still have loved a longer seat with more upper leg support. This doesn’t take away from just how nice this chair’s other comfort features are, and ergonomics are overall still great. Just don’t expect this to be the best gaming chair for the big and tall.
Andaseat's chair is all about simplicity, so there's not a ton of customization options. This means fewer moving parts that can degrade over time, which is something you don’t want for gimmicks you might never use. You have a lever on the right side to recline the backrest, which goes all the way flat. The arm rest only goes up and down, which I much prefer as it allows for a more stable hold when resting my arms. You also have a center tilt tension knob to tighten or loosen the rocking tension for the tilt function. Lastly, the height adjustment arm is on the bottom right corner of the base of the chair, and it really allows the chair to get nice and low, which when measured from the base of the chair to the floor works out to be roughly 33 cm at the lowest.
The additional neck and back pillows are always nice to have, but in the end I found myself putting them aside.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, the ease of use and the compact and comfortable design of the Andaseat Phantom 3 really did pleasantly surprise me. I especially appreciated the lack of time needed to assemble the chair and also just how nice, simple and comfortable it was all thanks to soft padding which molds to your body shape well and also the PVC leather material.
There are chairs out there that are cheaper, like the Cooler Master R1S, that we've liked. But that If you want a gaming chair that also works well in an office, this is a great choice.
Benjamin Aboagye is a UK-based freelance writer for Tom's Hardware US. He writes reviews on gaming chairs and gaming peripherals.
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gg83 Why pay a premium for a "gaming chair" a good office chair is all one needs. But nobody makes good office chairs in the $300 range. $450 $550 is the sweet spot. I've have an Autonomous Kinn for the past 3 years and I'm loving it still. No leather or foam padding. Just a rubber type mesh with plastic springs for the seat. Sounds weird but it works great!Reply -
Captain Wizbang I recently purchased the Andaseat Marvel Ironman chair, medium.Reply
I'm 6', 170 lbs, it fits perfectly.
Over build quality is the best I've ever seen in a racing style chair, period. I bought mine for $234 & free shipping.
Would I pay over $300 for any chair? NO.
Are their chairs worth the $? You can answer that yourself if you've already flattened out the seat padding in your $120 special!!! -
C.wolf
Yea, I have a Hon Nucleus and I'll never buy another "gaming" chair.gg83 said:Why pay a premium for a "gaming chair" a good office chair is all one needs. But nobody makes good office chairs in the $300 range. $450 $550 is the sweet spot. I've have an Autonomous Kinn for the past 3 years and I'm loving it still. No leather or foam padding. Just a rubber type mesh with plastic springs for the seat. Sounds weird but it works great! -
SkyBill40 That chair shown is clearly bent or the stitching is off as it's tilted somewhat to the right. That's unacceptable.Reply
I bought a Secret Lab Omega a few years ago and it's been outstanding. Did I pay more than I originally thought I might? Yes. Would I have paid even more had I waited for the Razer Iskur in all black? Absolutely. Are either of them "worth" it? I guess that depends on how one weighs that intrinsic value and how they feel their money is spent.