Tested for two weeks | Full analysis of comfort, build quality, and value
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The AndaSeat Kaiser 4 is a premium racing-style gaming chair that typically retails for $549, though sales often bring it down to $499. AndaSeat has established itself as a premier brand in the gaming chair space, right up there with competitors like Secretlab. After extensive experience with their chairs, I’ve found AndaSeat often surpasses even the biggest names in several key areas.
When AndaSeat reached out about their new Kaiser 4 model, I was excited to put it through its paces. This review comes after two full weeks of daily testing, covering everything from build quality to long gaming sessions. I’ll walk you through what I loved about this chair and where it falls short, so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your setup.
Full disclosure: This review is sponsored by AndaSeat, but all opinions are completely my own. They didn’t tell me what to say, and I’m giving you my honest assessment—both the good and the bad.
Quick Take
The AndaSeat Kaiser 4 is a solid choice for gamers who want a premium chair with excellent lumbar support. It excels in comfort for upright sitting and offers impressive adjustability options. However, its bold gaming aesthetic won’t suit every workspace, and the lumbar system can feel awkward when fully reclined.
Pros
- Outstanding Dynamic Pop-Out Lumbar Support system
- Softer, more comfortable seat than competitors
- Highly adjustable armrests with 360-degree rotation
- Premium build quality with metal components
- Competitive pricing compared to similar high-end chairs
Cons
- Lumbar support pushes you forward slightly in the seat
- Side bolsters restrict lateral movement
- Magnetic headrest pillow is firmer than competitors
- Bold gaming aesthetic limits versatility
- Tilt tension knob placement is inconvenient
Design Overview
The Kaiser 4 leans hard into the “gaming” aesthetic. This isn’t a chair that tries to blend into a corporate office—it’s unapologetically designed to look like a racing seat, complete with aggressive shoulder wings and angular cutouts. The silhouette reads large and powerful, with a chunkier, more padded appearance than some competitors.
If you’re building a dedicated gaming room or streaming setup, the Kaiser 4 will fit right in and make a bold statement. However, if you’re using the same chair for work meetings or prefer a more subtle look, you might want to consider sleeker alternatives. Personally, I tend to prefer chairs with a slimmer profile that work in mixed environments, but if you want your “gaming throne” to look the part, the Kaiser 4 delivers.
Build Quality and Materials
The Kaiser 4 feels exactly like what you’d expect from a $500-600 chair—sturdy, well-constructed, and built to last. It’s on par with other premium gaming chairs in terms of build quality.
Construction Highlights
- One-piece aluminum base – A premium touch that adds to the chair’s stability
- Full steel frame – Provides a solid foundation with no flex
- Metal components throughout armrests and base
- Zero creaking or wobbling – The chair feels rock-solid even after extended use
Material Options
I tested the PVC leather version, which impressed me with its soft-touch feel. Typically, PVC leather is more durable than PU leather but tends to feel stiffer. AndaSeat managed to make their PVC leather surprisingly soft while maintaining the material’s benefits:
PVC Leather Benefits:
- Superior durability
- Waterproof and stain-resistant
- Easy to clean
- Long-lasting appearance
Linen Fabric Alternative:
- Softer, more breathable
- Better for hot environments
- Less durable than leather
- More difficult to clean
Both options are excellent—your choice comes down to personal preference and climate.
Size Options
- L Size: 260 lb capacity, recommended for 4’11” to 6’2″
- XL Size: 395 lb capacity, recommended for 5’11” to 6’11”
The build quality is excellent across the board and matches what you’d expect from a premium gaming chair.
Comfort Breakdown
Seat Comfort
The seat on the Kaiser 4 addresses my biggest complaint with many high-end gaming chairs: excessive firmness. Where competitors like the Secretlab Titan Evo feel rock-hard (to the point where my butt would go numb after a few hours), the Kaiser 4 strikes a better balance.
Firmness Level: Medium-soft with good support
The seat has a decent amount of give while remaining supportive. This creates an interesting trade-off: softer seats provide better immediate comfort and pressure relief but may offer less long-term support, while firmer seats provide better support but can cause pressure buildup. For a gaming chair where you’ll be lounging and playing for extended periods, I prefer this softer approach—it’s a huge improvement over ultra-firm alternatives.
Seat Design
Like most modern high-end gaming chairs, the Kaiser 4 ditches the old-school bucket seat with pronounced side bolsters. Instead, you get a much flatter, wider seat design. The Kaiser 4’s seat is even flatter than competitors, with only slightly raised sides to prevent sliding.
This design is excellent for:
- Sitting cross-legged
- Tucking one leg under the other
- Freedom of movement
- Accommodating different body types
Note: There’s no seat pan depth adjustment, which is standard for racing-style gaming chairs. Make sure you choose the right size (L or XL) based on your height.
One consideration: since the seat is softer, you’ll sink into it slightly more, which can make it warmer—especially with the PVC leather version that’s less breathable and tends to trap body heat.
Overall, this is one of the best seats I’ve used on any racing-style gaming chair.
Backrest and Lumbar Support
The backrest uses a steel frame upholstered with either PVC leather or linen fabric. This is where the Kaiser 4 really differentiates itself from the competition.
Dynamic Pop-Out Lumbar Support
Most racing-style gaming chairs have a completely flat backrest design, which is my main issue with the category. Standard solutions include:
- Lumbar pillows – Better than nothing, but can slip and move around
- Built-in adjustable lumbar (like Secretlab) – An improvement, but still not enough
Compare this to ergonomic office chairs, which almost universally feature an S-curve design that matches the natural shape of your spine. The Kaiser 4’s Pop-Out Lumbar Support bridges this gap between gaming chairs and ergonomic office chairs.
Lumbar System Features:
- Provides excellent lower back support in upright positions
- Adjustable depth via side tab—pull it out for more aggressive support
- Height and depth knobs on each side for precise positioning
- Pronounced even when fully retracted
The system works exceptionally well for upright sitting, though there are a couple of caveats I’ll discuss later.
Potential Issues
Forward Push: The lumbar support does push you slightly forward in the chair. Because of this positioning, I found my upper back and shoulders don’t make as much contact with the upper backrest while sitting upright. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s worth noting if you like full back contact.
Side Bolsters: Like all racing-style gaming chairs, the side bolsters somewhat trap you in place. You can’t easily shift from side to side without bumping into them. This isn’t specific to the Kaiser 4—it’s an inherent limitation of the racing chair design—but it’s still worth mentioning.
Recline Function
The Kaiser 4 uses a knee-tilt mechanism, which allows you to tilt back while maintaining the same back position. The mechanism feels smooth and is great for gentle rocking. You can also lock it in a reclined position, which is excellent for extended lounging sessions without having to engage your core muscles constantly.
Tilt Tension Adjustment
The tilt tension knob is located under the seat—pretty standard for racing-style gaming chairs, but not my preferred placement. I personally need to flip the chair over to access it comfortably, which is inconvenient when you want to make adjustments.
Independent Backrest Recline
The main draw of racing-style gaming chairs is the independent backrest recline. By pulling the lever on the side, you can recline the backrest up to 135 degrees. Combined with the tilt mechanism, you’re almost completely horizontal.
Important Note: When fully reclined, the lumbar support can feel awkward. It hits you in the wrong spot and pushes your back forward, causing you to arch slightly. Most gaming chairs with flat backrests actually work better for this type of extreme recline.
However, I think this trade-off is worth it. The lumbar support makes sitting upright far more comfortable, and let’s be honest—you’re sitting upright 95% of the time or more. The occasional full-recline awkwardness is a small price to pay for dramatically better everyday comfort.
Armrests
The Kaiser 4 features some of the most adjustable armrests I’ve seen on any gaming chair.
Adjustment Options:
- Height adjustment
- Depth adjustment (forward/backward)
- 360-degree arm rotation
- 180-degree arm pad rotation
- 20-degree upward tilt
The range of motion for each adjustment is impressive, and between all these options, you can position the armrests in virtually any configuration imaginable. You can even rotate them completely out of the way when you don’t need them.
The upward tilt is particularly useful for mobile gaming or console controller use, allowing proper arm positioning for different activities.
Locking Mechanism
All adjustments lock into place with a button, which provides excellent stability. You don’t have to worry about accidentally bumping the armrests out of position—a common problem with other rotating-style armrests.
Trade-off: The button-lock system can be slightly clunky to adjust. You need to hold the button down while rotating the armrest, and since the pad moves while you’re gripping it, dialing in the exact position can be awkward at times.
Note: These advanced rotating armrests are only on the new version of the Kaiser 4. If you prefer more traditional armrest adjustments, you can opt for the older Kaiser 4 version, which is essentially the same chair with different armrests.
Arm Pad Comfort
The arm pads themselves are decent—they have some give but aren’t the softest I’ve felt. They’re not bad by any means and definitely get the job done, but they won’t wow you with plushness.
Headrest
Like other high-end gaming chairs, the Kaiser 4 features a magnetic headrest pillow. However, I’m not the biggest fan of this particular implementation.
My Concerns:
- Too firm compared to competitors like Secretlab
- Smaller pillow provides less coverage when moving your head around
- Tends to push head/neck forward rather than allowing you to sink in
The magnetic attachment works as expected—it’s easy to position wherever you want along the backrest. While there’s no true depth adjustment (it’s a pillow, after all), you can compensate by moving the entire backrest forward or back.
The magnets are strong enough that the pillow doesn’t fall during normal use. However, it can detach if you shift your head around extensively or try to position it in an area with insufficient magnet coverage.
While I prefer the Secretlab pillow, the Kaiser 4’s headrest is functional and does what it’s supposed to do. It’s just not my favorite implementation.
Value Analysis
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At $549 (or $499 on sale), the Kaiser 4 is slightly cheaper than comparable Secretlab chairs. I think this represents solid value for the money.
Having tested virtually all major high-end gaming chair brands, I can confidently say the Kaiser 4 stands right alongside Secretlab in terms of quality while coming in at a lower price point. That’s a significant advantage.
Warranty
The chair comes with a 3-year warranty that extends to 5 years if you post about the chair on social media. I’ve always been candid about disliking this practice—brands should just give you the maximum warranty without making you jump through hoops.
That said, this seems to be the standard in the gaming chair industry these days. While it’s annoying, if you’re spending $500+ on a chair, it’s probably worth taking a few minutes to post on social media for the extra two years of coverage.
Who Should Buy This Chair?
The Kaiser 4 is a strong value proposition for anyone in the market for a racing-style gaming chair. It offers:
- Solid build quality for the price
- Extensive adjustability options
- Better comfort than many competitors (particularly the seat and lumbar support)
- A unique Dynamic Pop-Out Lumbar Support system that genuinely improves comfort
If you’re specifically looking for a racing-style gaming chair and want excellent value without sacrificing quality, the AndaSeat Kaiser 4 should definitely be on your shortlist.
Final Verdict
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The AndaSeat Kaiser 4 delivers where it counts: comfort, build quality, and value. The Dynamic Pop-Out Lumbar Support system is a genuine innovation that sets it apart from competitors, and the softer seat makes long gaming sessions far more comfortable than ultra-firm alternatives.
The chair isn’t perfect—the side bolsters limit movement, the lumbar feels awkward when fully reclined, and the bold aesthetic won’t work for everyone. But these are minor quibbles in the context of what this chair does well.
For gamers looking for a premium chair without the absolute premium price tag, the Kaiser 4 is an excellent choice. It matches or exceeds competitors like Secretlab in most areas while coming in slightly cheaper, making it a smart buy for anyone serious about their gaming setup.
Check out the AndaSeat Kaiser 4 here
Have questions about the Kaiser 4 or want to know how it compares to other gaming chairs? Drop a comment below and I’ll get back to you.