The PL4800 is just one in Vertagear’s new lineup of gaming chairs. It is part of their new 800 series launched earlier this year in celebration of the 7th anniversary of the company in the racing seat scene. This new series comes in four models, the SL3800 and SL5800 for those with a smaller stature, and the PL4800 and PL6800 for gamers with larger frames. Our own hardware editor Chris Coke reviewed the original PL6000 in 2017, but gaming chairs — and Vertagear itself — have both evolved significantly over the past five years. The PL4800 shows off much of Vertagear’s latest technology, such as their trademark ContourMax Lumbar, the VertaAir seat and HygennX material. But are these new signature features enough to make it worthy of your gaming throne? Here’s our review of the Vertagear PL4800 gaming chair.
The specifications of the PL4800 are designed for gamers between 5’9″ and 6’6″ and with a maximum weight of up to 360 lbs, making it accessible to those with larger frames. Its bigger cousin, the PL6800’s weight limit, even goes up to 400 lbs if you need more space, while the SL3800 and SL5800 only go up to 220 lbs or 250 lbs respectively.
Specifications:
- MSRP $579.99 (on sale now for $479.99)
- 5 star base: aluminum alloy
- Penta RS1 castor: 65mm / 2.5”
- Armrests: 4D
- Gas lift: Class 4
- Seat Materials: Coffee Ground Fiber, Memory Foam, UPHR Foam, PUC Leather
- Height from 5’9″-6’6″
- Recommended height: 5’9″-6’6″ / 175cm-198cm
- Recommended weight: 360 lb / 163 kg
- Overall Height: 53.3″-56.2″
- Seat width: 21.5” / 545 mm
- Seat depth: 17.7” / 450 mm
- Gross weight: 73.9 lb / 33.5 kg
- Available colors: Black & White, Carbon Black, Midnight Blue, Midnight Green, Midnight Purple and Burgundy
The most striking thing about the PL4800, and the entire 800 Series chairs, is the new Vertagear patented technology they incorporate. The ContourMax Lumbar is a built-in lumbar support system (as opposed to a lumbar cushion that wraps you around the back of the chair) featuring Memory Foam material on four TPEE modules with a total of 64 responsive branches that Vertagear says help maintain ergonomic comfort during those longer sitting sessions. The VertaAir seat is embedded in the lower seat itself with multiple air cushions that distribute pressure evenly and direct energy away from the base instead of downloads to it. Finally, their HygennX material combines proprietary coffee ground nanotech to both neutralize odors and help prevent bacterial growth.
The packaging was quite large when delivered (as is the case with most gaming chairs) measuring approximately 33″ long, 29″ wide and 17″ high. The outside of the box has a large font with the model number and Vertagear brand name , so if you’re looking to get it delivered noticeably for whatever reason, it’s pretty obvious what’s in. In the box, the PL4800 came as four main parts: the 5-star wheelbase, the seat, the backrest, and the seat mechanism. the casters, M8 screws, M8 tools and manual in a nice looking box that has everything neatly organized.This was a nice change as most other gaming chairs I’ve put together had these smaller components loosely in plastic bags or in a skinny corrugated cardboard packaging that was glued together.
Vertagear claims that their gaming chairs have “effortless assembly” thanks to their proprietary “Slide-in” hardware, and frankly, I wasn’t disappointed. All in all, it took about 20 minutes to assemble the PL4800, and that was with the diversion help from my two toddlers who also want to help build. The only suspension I had while assembling was screwing in the “Slide-in” hardware where the screws initially didn’t align perfectly in the metal posts. Finally I got it (after unscrewing and tightening it a few times) and the seat was ready for a test drive. After my toddlers tried it out first, of course.
The PL4800 has a clean design, with the black HygennX fabric covering most of the surface and the PUC leather accentuated along the sides in one of the many color options. For this review, I chose the Midnight Purple, which contrasts nicely with the bold yellow stitching throughout the seat, but there are five other colors to choose from, including “carbon black” and “burgundy red.” The included memory foam pillow is also covered with the black HygennX material and fits snugly around the top of the headrest. Aesthetically speaking, the PL4800 is probably the best looking gaming chair I’ve ever owned. But what happens when you’re on it?
The PL4800 has a clean design, with the black HygennX fabric covering most of the surface and the PUC leather accentuated along the sides in one of the many color options. For this review, I chose the Midnight Purple, which contrasts nicely with the bold yellow stitching throughout the seat, but there are five other colors to choose from, including “carbon black” and “burgundy red.” The included memory foam pillow is also covered with the black HygennX material and fits snugly around the top of the headrest. Aesthetically speaking, the PL4800 is probably the best looking gaming chair I’ve ever owned. But what happens when you’re on it?
Conversely, the lower seat itself is comfortable to sit on, and the waterfall design allows your legs to fall off the edge naturally without being squeezed by the seat edge. This means longer sitting sessions (or gaming sessions) where the circulation of your legs is not cut off and you do not have to adjust your legs often. Features like the 4D armrests are also a lot of fun to have, with adjustments that go up and down, side to side, swivel in or out, and forward/backward. I could always find a position that was comfortable for my arms, whether I was typing at the desk or holding a controller. It has many adjustable parts where I think anyone could find a comfortable resting position for their arms. The padding on the armrests is on the harder side, but it never hurt to use, even with my elbows straight in it.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable the rear seat was and I couldn’t enjoy the rest of the seat. If only there were some kind of dial or roller that could change the positioning of the CountourMax Lumbar, it wouldn’t be so painful to sit in. it felt like I had to stretch and snap my spine to relieve pressure. It’s a shame that the TPEE modules used internally as a backrest are essentially lost in this case. I think Vertagear would have been better off opting for a back cushion like their other gaming chairs instead than trying to try a one-size-fits-all solution.
That’s a shame, because I really wish I could have made the PL4800 my favorite gaming chair. I wanted to splurge on the extra upgrade kits, like the RGB LED lighting kit for the top, which fits around the plastic holes in the back shoulders, or the bottom kit, which fits glowing LED lights on the 5-star base. These kits weren’t available to review along with the seat, and frankly I doubt the price would be worth investing either way. MSRP for the top or bottom kits is $299.99 each (although they both retail for $229.99 at the time of writing), which just seems arbitrarily expensive for the small gain it would bring to the overall aesthetic. . Still, I’m a sucker for RGB and will look for any excuse to install lights on every piece of hardware I have.
Vertagear is behind its seats though, and for good reason; the quality of the PL4800 is excellent. From the stitching to the casters and even the headrest cushion, the PL4800 is generally just well made. So it’s no wonder that Vertagear’s standard warranty includes 10 years on the frame and 2 years on all other parts except the fabric, although there is an optional wear program they offer at an additional cost that covers all the fabric and stitching of the seat. In addition, they also offer an extended warranty that increases the standard warranty by an additional 3 years, up to a total of 5 years.
The Vertagear PL4800 is a great looking chair with lots of high end features and clever design choices like the waterfall edge of the seat and 4D armrests, but it ends up being the most uncomfortable chair I’ve ever used due to its immobile and poorly placed construction – in lumbar region . For several smaller body types, I could see it being a good match, but for a seat supposedly designed for taller builds supporting up to 6’6 inches in height, with a one-size-fits-all approach to the placement of the back support is not ergonomic, it is ergo error. Especially considering that the price is set even higher at a suggested retail price of $579.99 than the others in the new 800 series, it’s hard to recommend paying such a premium price tag for a product that isn’t even guaranteed. is that it suits you.
The product described in this article is provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
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