Anda Seat has been making some very good chairs lately. But, the truth is that very few people have even heard of them. After all, when it comes to gaming chairs, you may have heard of Secretlab, DX Racer, etc, but chances are you’ve never heard of Anda Seat.
So, since we just got our hands on the AD12, we figured that it’s worth reviewing as it’s a pretty good and underrated choice. Let’s take a look at it!
Anda Seat AD12 Review
Introduction
Let’s make one thing clear. This is a high-quality gaming chair. Period. It’s not cheap or light and it’s not intended for use outside of the desk. So, if you’ve got any other plans for it apart from office work, gaming, or anything that doesn’t include sitting a lot of hours on your desk, then consider looking for potentially cheaper options.
For those who are still interested, the AD12 has everything that you may want to look for in a gaming or desk chair. It has the aesthetics, comfort, and build quality of a high-quality chair without asking for a very high price. At least not when compared to other options.
Pretty much everything on it is adjustable including height, armrests, pillows, and backrest. Of course, the fact that it’s a gaming chair doesn’t mean that you can’t use it for leisure activities or work. In fact, we use it all the time for everything that includes desktop use.
And with all of that being said, let’s take a closer look.
Assembly, First Impressions, and Build Quality
If you’re one of these people who are worried about assembling equipment, then you’d be glad to hear that the Anda Seat AD12 was very easy to set up. The toughest part was just getting it up the stairs really.
Everything is handled by screwing together the various parts and placing the chair at the base. So, pretty easy. The manual explains everything in detail – and if that’s not enough for you, there is also a visual representation on YouTube.
The first impressions are more than good since the chair in its box weighs 31 freaking kilos. Seriously, we highly recommend having one more person to help you out carrying it into the apartment cause it’s almost impossible on your own.
So, with that being said, it’s very clear that we’re not looking at a toy here. It’s a very heavy and sturdy chair with a steel base that can withstand a lot of weight. 180 kilos, if memory serves right. Not to mention that the XL version can handle even more than that.
While we’re at it, let us not forget to mention that the XL version is mostly recommended for those who are at least 1.85 tall. Otherwise, you may not even be able to step down cause it’s just that tall.
Anda Seat AD12: Comfiness
So, the AD12 definitely feels sturdy and reliable. But, even the most premium chair in the universe would be useless if it didn’t feel comfortable.
Thankfully, this chair does feel comfy. But, that’s also depending on what your definition of “Comfiness” is. Do you like the kind where you can fall asleep on your chair? Or the one that keeps you alert over long periods of time? Cause the AD12 falls more into the second category. Let us explain.
When it comes to chair comfiness, there are usually two kinds:
- Soft foam
- Firm foam
Both have their own pros and cons. The soft foam feels more comfortable and relaxing but may introduce back pain over long periods of sitting. Not to mention that integrity wise; it usually doesn’t last as long as firm foam.
Firm foam, on the other hand, doesn’t feel as relaxing and, well, soft as soft foam. But, thanks to its stiffness, it also generally lasts much longer and it allows you to sit pretty much all day on it without back pain problems. Mostly because you are not sinking into the chair.
Again, the Anda Seat AD 12 is that kind of chair. It’s not “hard” per se. But, it definitely doesn’t offer that ultra-soft cushion that you’ll find in lounge chairs either.
It kinda stands in the middle and we think that this is near perfect for a gaming or office chair.
Anda Seat AD12: Adjustability Options and durability
If you’re going to sit on a chair for the biggest part of the day, then it’s very important that you’ll be able to adjust it to fit your body. And the AD12 offers everything that you may want to look out for.
Armrests: the armrests can be adjusted left or right, up or down, or even at an inwards or outwards angle. The last one doesn’t require a button, so don’t bother looking for it.
Height: the overall height of the chair can easily be adjusted up to a point where a 1.83 male could barely touch the ground with his feet. Admittedly, even at the lowest height, this chair may be a bit too tall for a short person.
Back Angle: just like any other gaming chair, the Anda Seat AD12 can lean back all the way to the point where taking a nap doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
Body and head pillows: both are removable and adjustable. Do keep in mind that if you want the version with the wide pillow then you need to specifically look for it on Amazon (Seems like our version with the small version has almost disappeared at this point anyway)
All of these options increase the overall comfiness level of the chair even more. But, as for durability, we feel like it’s too early to talk about it at this point.
So, we’ll come back to update this section of the article in at least a few months of using the chair and if there are any problems with it, then we’re going to let you know about them.
Wrapping Up
Overall, the Anda Seat AD12 is a very solid option. It offers excellent build quality, lots of adjustability options, and comfiness. All of that at generally about $300 (Depending on your region, seller, and version of the chair).
If we have to mention a downside, then that’s without a doubt the warmth of it. The leather makes it a very good option during the cold winter. But, you better have AC during the summer or you’re gonna sweat in it. Throwing a towel over it helps a lot, though.
Other than that, do also keep in mind that it may be a bit too high for people of medium to a short height. I, as a 1.85 male, need to turn the height all the way down to feel like I’m comfortably stepping on to the ground.
As of now, we can’t find the AD12 on Amazon, so we’re going to link to the Dark Knight which is the same thing except it can withstand more weight and comes with the upgraded pillows.
Check out the Dark Knight on Amazon
Admittedly, this is a bit more expensive than the AD12. But, we wouldn’t recommend looking at cheaper chairs since they don’t offer a lot of adjustability options and that can be a deal-breaker.