Secretlab Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition Chair Review: A Throne Fit for a King

"You get what you pay for" is a saying that's been around since the late 1800s, and for good reason. When you're shopping for a desk chair that you will use for dozens of hours a week -- whether for work or hobby (or both) -- it's not the time to test the validity of this aphorism. You could save a bit of dough and buy a $79.99 IKEA chair, and for the first couple of days, the savvy saver in you will trick yourself into thinking you made a great decision. But over time, you will pay for every dollar you saved tenfold with discomfort that will burden you with both short-term pain and long-term issues. You won't earn that holiday bonus, and you're certainly never going to beat Dark Souls. A desk chair isn't a purchase, it's an investment. And if you can afford it, the Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition chair is a great investment that doubles as a collector's item.

The name Secretlab is synonymous with gaming. They make some of the best -- if not the best -- gaming chairs. If you're in the market for something to keep you comfortable during long sessions of open-world RPGs or intense moments of competitive multiplayer, you can't go wrong with Secretlab. This doesn't just apply to the Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition chair, but all Secretlab chairs. However, don't let the company's reputation in the gaming world avert your attention if you're shopping for a home office chair. The Omega chair is great for both gaming and work.

Secretlab chairs also have a reputation for being a bit flashy, but this isn't how they've built a cult of comfort lovers. It doesn't matter good a chair looks if it's not comfortable and practical. If it doesn't check these latter two boxes, it's not furniture -- it's decoration. The Omega chair checks these boxes with a big bold jumbo marker.

The Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition chair comes in two forms: The Omega and the Titan. The latter is better suited for taller people due to its larger size. However, mo' chair means mo' money. Compared to the Titan, the Omega has elevated sides (opposed to a leveled seatbase) for a more figure-hugging feel and a specially designed lumbar pillow (sold separately) rather than built-in lumbar support. And, of course, it takes up less space, making it more small space and small desk-friendly. Meanwhile, the lumbar pillow doesn't boast the same customization options as the built-in lumbar support, but as someone plagued with lower back issues, it's done the job and overtime so far. That said, it remains to be seen how it will stand against the test of time, though the quality of the pillow suggests it has plenty of mileage.

Most days, I spend eight to 10 hours a day sitting in this chair. And, despite my lousy posture, I was comfortable from minute one to minute 600, though the quality of Secretlab's "new and improved PRIMETM 2.0 PU leather" will need some time to break and mold. Typically, leather and heat don't mix, but I've spent hours with the chair in a room ranging from 70-80 degrees and have had minimal issues with sticking and temperature.

Completing the chair is a full-length backrest decline, a multi-tilt mechanism, class 4 hydraulics, XL PU caster wheels, and full-metal 4D armrests, all of which work as advertised, though one of the armrests on my model feels a smidgen looser than it should.

None of this would matter though if putting this chair together was a Herculean endeavor as the assembly of some chairs can be. It doesn't matter how comfortable the chair is if you sour your 10-year relationship with your partner putting it together. Thankfully, the Secretlab Omega chair is simple to put together. In fact, if you have a helper, it can be assembled fairly rapidly.

It's ultra-comfortable, easy to put together, but how does it look? Obviously, the aesthetics of the chair are super subjective, which is why I'm not going to harp on the topic very much. As mentioned a few paragraphs ago, Secretlab chairs are often a bit more flashy. There's a lot of branding and design work. For a gaming chair, this isn't a problem unless it clashes with the surrounding aesthetic, however, if you're trying to close a multi-million dollar merger over Zoom, a Secretlab chair may not always be appropriate.

As for this chair itself, it's obviously inspired by the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones. Naturally, this inspiration is realized with intricate embroidery of the swords that make the Iron Throne running up the backrest. Further selling the visualization, the swords run alongside the shoulders and on the elevated sides as well. Capping this off are two Game of Thrones logos on the back and front and the sigils of House Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, Baratheon and, Tyrell stitched on the black velour of the lumbar pillow. Compared to other Secretlab chairs, the Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition Chair is pretty easy on the eye with its dark grey, black, and gold design, and thanks to the quality of the embroidery and attention to detail, it's a great addition to any Game of Thrones collection.

When it comes to gaming chairs, you can't go wrong with Secretlab. For $389, you're not going to find much better than the Omega version of the Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition Chair. There are better office chairs out there, but they cost a lot more money and don't have the Iron Throne embroidered into them. Simply put, if you like Game of Thrones and being comfortable, you're going to really like this chair.

The Game of Thrones Iron Anniversary Edition chair was provided by Secretlab for review purposes.

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