INTRODUCTION

   As far as I’m concerned there are four different types of gaming chairs currently in the market, entry-level models aimed towards people on a budget (which are clearly not meant for long periods of use), mid-end models aimed towards people who are looking for something better (and which will probably last them longer), high-end models made with premium materials (thus leaving nothing to be desired in terms of looks and build quality) and finally ergonomic models which primarily focus on proper posture (unfortunately there are such models in several price ranges and obviously not all are good). Now i won't lie, ergonomic models used to be my number one choice a long time ago but after using 3 different models (mid-end ones) i simply don't think they were also made for gamers (and they weren't really, these were designed specifically for office/professional use so comfort after long periods of use - not to mention looks - is not their strong selling point). The high-end category however is probably the only one that includes models with every type of cover available from fabric to faux and real leather and today i have one of the most popular and award winning models available in the market, the HERO Real Leather (Top Grain) Gaming Chair by noblechairs.

   noblechairs is a multi-award-winning brand, headquartered in Berlin, with offices situated across the globe. noblechairs are renowned for manufacturing gaming chairs with the focus on comfort, ergonomics, and high-quality materials, for both the office and gaming space. A synonym for world-class, noblechairs is one of the most recognized products for consistent comfort and quality, even after prolonged use.

   The HERO Real Leather Gaming Chair by noblechairs is currently available in two colors (all black and black with red stitching) and aside being the largest model in their entire lineup (at least at the time of this review) it also carries the DIN EN 1335 certification (office work chair). Aside the 1.7mm thick real leather cover (water resistant and breathable) the HERO model i have here with me also sports a steel reinforced frame (supports up to 150Kg), deform resistant cold foam padding, class-4 gaslift, built-in lumbar support (high-end bucket seat feature), 4D adjustable armrests (height, position and orientation), removable head and back support pillows (dressed with high quality velour fabric), 60mm caster wheels, backrest adjustment (up to 125 degrees), z-support tilt/rocking (up to 11 degrees) and height adjustment mechanism (complete with an aluminum lever) and a powder coated corrosion resistant 5-star aluminum base. So let's see what the top and most expensive gaming chair in the entire noblechairs lineup has to offer.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Just like with the TX model the HERO Real Leather arrived a plain cardboard box that has two product drawings at the front right next to the model name and company logo.

The serial numbers and barcodes and the company logo are located on the left side.

Typically, the entire bundle is placed inside plastic bags and between pieces of foam.

As you can see from the previous picture the 89cm tall backrest is placed at the very top.

Under the backrest noblechairs has placed the 5-star aluminum base.

Next were the two support pillows and the assembly instructions.

Inside a small cardboard box, you’ll find the two plastic handles for the Z-support mechanism, five 60mm caster wheels, class-4 gaslift, gaslift cover, two plastic side covers and a plastic package with screws and an Allen/Philips screwdriver.

I could had taken the Z-support mechanism before the accessories box but I got it out after that.

The base was the final piece which as you can see has one 4D armrest pre-mounted (the other is not cause otherwise the base would not fit inside the box).

ASSEMBLY

Instead of starting with the backrest as most installation instructions advice I always start by attaching the wheels onto the base as seen above.

60mm caster wheels hit a good balance between looks and durability (yes, the same are used with the HERO TX model).

Attaching the class-4 gaslift with its plastic cover onto the 5-star steel base came next.

Again, just like with the HERO TX the steel base of the HERO Real Leather is more reinforced than most I’ve seen to date.

The 4D armrests require 3 Allen screws each whereas the Z-support mechanism requires 4.

Don’t forget to also attach the plastic handles on the mechanism.

Since some of you have asked from me to showcase the built-in lumbar support some gaming chairs office I’ll be doing so from this review (however it’s not very easy to see – in car seats it comes out more). The polished aluminum piece of the lumbar support adjuster is also a good touch.

Two Allen screws are mounted on each side of the backrest.

As with every other gaming chair out there you will need to use those two Allen screws, place the plastic cover on and secure it with one of the Philips screws (noblechairs however doesn’t provide plastic caps to cover the screws).

With the main body of HERO Real Leather assembled it's time to place it on the class-4 gaslift and the 5 star base.

FINISHED LOOKS

Black and red has always been my favourite color combination and yes, it’s no coincidence that noblechairs send this one over.

Noblechairs has placed their logo at the top of the backrest just over their name.

In terms of build quality, the HERO Real Leather is the best to arrive in my lab to date.

Small details like the polished aluminum handle with the company name on it for the backrest adjustment do matter (at least to me).

The height for the 4D armrests can be adjusted by roughly 10cm whereas the top can move forward, backwards, left, right and diagonally to suit your body type.

Here you can see the soft support pillows which not only feel great but also look great too.

Again noblechairs hasn't placed their logo at the rear of the case (i do think it would look nice).

As already mentioned in the HERO TX review noblechairs has limited the backrest adjustment to a maximum of 125 degrees. Still thanks to also its tilt function of up to 11 degrees you should be able to relax after long periods of use.

SCORE

Many of you recommended (including some manufacturers) that I place a chart pointing to the pros and cons of each gaming chair that finds its way to the lab. Now of course since there's really no way for me to "benchmark" gaming chairs i decided to rate them based on their size, comfort and quality after using each chair for at least one full week. Size and comfort usually go hand to hand (the larger the chair the more comfortable it usually is - that however also depends on the amount of padding and also the type and quality of the cover) while in terms of quality having tested dozens of models over the past years, i think i have a good idea about that as well. Of course, these scores are based on my personal opinion (always based on the samples i get – isolated/early sample issues are always possible) so do take them with a grain of salt.

CONCLUSION

   The HERO Real Leather model by noblechairs is nothing sort of impressive, not only because of its near excellent build quality but also because of its features and very good comfort levels. Now, the reason I say near excellent build quality is because I did find some slight stitching issues (primarily at the rear of the seat) which honestly did surprise me a bit but that's not something i haven't seen countless time with other gaming chairs (this could of course be an isolated issue with my sample, that’s obviously always a possibility). That aside however everything else was on par with what you’d expect from what is the most expensive noblechairs model today. The lumbar support feature can certainly be of use for some people but what really steals the show is the top grain leather quality and of course the sufficient cold foam padding noblechairs has used. Yes, since the real leather used is quite thick initial comfort levels may not be quite on par with a “softer” faux leather HERO model but things do improve as time goes by (in my case it took over 20 days). Unfortunately, noblechairs doesn’t have limited edition designs with the real leather of their HERO gaming chair and even though i do suspect there’s a good reason for this (cost makes this more of a chair for grown ups and not teenagers) i also believe that they would sell well.

   The HERO Real Leather gaming chair by noblechairs already counts just over 3 years in the market and currently retails for USD719.99 inside the USA (noblechairs.com) and for 669.90Euros inside the EU (Caseking.de) so yes, it costs a considerable amount of money. That being said its build quality is indeed second to none so if that’s your number one goal you simply can’t go wrong with it. On the other hand, if you’re not looking for a real leather gaming chair the limited-edition HERO chairs could be a better option for you (will look at some of those soon). At the end of the day however the HERO Real Leather Premium Gaming Chair by noblechairs clearly sits at the top of that specific segment of the market and that’s why it gets the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Near Excellent Build Quality (Breathable Top Grain Leather / Steel Frame)
- Design (Available In All Black & Black Red Colors)
- Comfort Levels
- Large Size
- Features (Built In Lumbar Support / Adjustable Height / 4D Adjustable Armrests / 11 Degrees Tilt Function / 125 Degrees Backrest Adjustment)
- Removable Head & Back Support Pillows (Velour Dressed)
- Also Available With Synthetic, High Tech & Fabric
- Aluminum Lumbar Adjuster & Backrest Lever

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Reclining Function (125 Degrees Max)
- Current Availability (USA)