Matthew Keith Updated: Aug 11, 2022 11:51 PM Posted: Aug 10, 2022 4:00 PM Category: Hardware Reviews 0
Cougar Gaming is a company that we here at MMORPG.com are quite familiar with. Over the years we’ve had the opportunity to review several of their products. From my own experience with their hardware, I’ve appreciated their desire to create products that aren’t afraid to try new designs and ideas. In fact, I was so impressed with their Puri TKL Mechanical keyboard when I first reviewed it that it’s still my main board four years later.
So when the Terminator Gaming Chair was announced I was excited to get the opportunity to take it for a spin. Its unique design and ergonomic structure were just a few of the reasons that this chair perked my interest. Designed from the wheels up to offer the maximum amount of back support and comfort, I was interested to see how well Cougar accomplished that goal. After hours of rigorous testing and sitting, it’s time to see if Cougar Terminator Gaming Chair accomplishes that goal. So grab that coffee, kick back and check out our review of the Terminator Gaming Chair from Cougar Gaming.
One thing the Terminator can’t be accused of is lacking originality in design. The Terminator Gaming Chair is hands down one of the most original designs I’ve ever seen. While most companies lean into that traditional gamer chair look and feel, Cougar held nothing back when it went about designing the Terminator.
Its slick black leatherette is accented beautifully with a bright orange stitched logo on the headrest and backrest. Even when looking at the chair from the back, the Terminator stands out as unique; Its central keel (more on this later) accented in dark grey and a dark orange handle stand out against the otherwise all-black design. Even the padding pops with orange stitching, making the whole chair look and feel premium, like something you find in the RT package of a Sports car.
Speaking of sports cars, the Terminator comes with a removable center pad which, when removed, reveals a honeycomb grill that offers additional ventilation to your back. Large 3-inch wheels keep the chair firmly in place and look right at home with the large metal base that supports the chair.
It's a monster of a chair and intentionally makes a statement. It wants you to know that it means business. The Terminator isn’t your average gaming chair so why even pretend? Instead, Cougar has designed a chair that looks and feels premium and unique. One that stands out in a crowd.
The Terminator Gaming Chair is one of the most uniquely designed gaming chairs I’ve ever seen. For the skeptics among us, it's easy to think that this move toward spectacle might be to distract from the otherwise standard build of your typical gaming chair. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
From the ground up the Terminator is designed to be rugged in structure and comfortable to sit in. Most of the structural components are comprised of metal and fiber reinforced plastic ( PAFRP ). The latter is plastic reinforced with materials like fiberglass or carbon. PAFRP is primarily used in the aerospace and automotive industries. It's a dense, durable material that feels solid and sturdy.
When sitting in the chair it feels solid and secure. Rated for just under 300 lbs capacity, it's not surprising that the base is comprised of thick metal legs and the same fiber-reinforced plastic as the rest of the chair. The armrests consist of a dense, smooth foam that offers superior support for your arms and elbows. Speaking of the armrests, they are fully adjustable allowing for both height and swivel adjustments. I sincerely appreciated the ability to drop the armrests below desk level allowing me to slide my chair under my desk when it's not in use, something I’ve not been able to do with previous chairs.
The padding for the backrest and seat is plush and firm offering great support and comfort for my back and backside. The padding itself is wrapped in a hyper-dura leatherette. This leather substitute is designed to be 12 times more durable than regular leather. I can say that it does a solid job at not leaving scratches or marks of any kind. Even after letting my kids take the chair for a spin and me having used it for the last week or so, it still shows no sign of wear and tear. Obviously, time will be the real test but the leatherette feels plush, smooth and of high quality. Not to mention it's easy to wipe down when you accidentally spill coffee on it for the fourth time, or so I’ve been told.
The Terminator comes with detachable neck and lower back pads that offer additional support. Speaking of support, the Terminator is a unique keel system that is designed to firmly support your back for those long gaming sessions. This keel runs down the back of the chair like an external spine and has key points of reinforcement that are designed to reinforce the lumbar and head.
The back of the chair is wider than some of the other chairs I’ve used and reviewed. This allows my back to comfortably rest against the whole back of the chair without forcing my shoulders to curve inward. This has been an issue I’ve run into with previous chairs. Additionally, having that extra width at the seat of the chair means being able to rest my legs at a bit wider of a stance alleviating some of the pressure that is typically on my lower back while sitting.
The headrest is fully tilt adjustable, accommodating for people of varying heights. Being only 5 foot 9 inches, I was able to easily tilt the headrest down to accommodate my height. With a quick adjustment, the headrest was then able to accommodate a friend of mine who measures over 6 feet. This coupled with the range of the seat height adjuster means that the Terminator is can be set for a wide range of people.
The Terminator is designed to offer adjustable ergonomic support for gamers. This is achieved through a series of design choices like the aforementioned central keel, adjustable head, arm and back pads and the detachable lumbar and neck pads. The removable center pad also allows for some cooling for your back while sitting.
In practice, it all works exceptionally well. In my testing, the biggest challenge was deciding which adjustments maximized comfort. The base chair and padding itself are plush and firm giving me the best of both comfort and support for my body. The Keel system really does offer reinforced support for my lower and upper back while sitting.
The detachable lumbar pad is exceptionally soft but might be a bit thick for some users. Personally, I found it to be quite comfortable and offered the extra support I find I need as I get older. The neck pad, on the other hand, wasn’t something I personally found useful as I like to lean back quite a bit while gaming. I did have my son test it out and he loved it.
The point here is that the Terminator really does offer a superb experience for a variety of people. The base chair is comfortable and its design offers an exceptional amount of flexibility to the user. Additionally, I really appreciated how stable the chair feels when sitting in it. The heavier base and wider wheels make the Terminator feel sturdy when in use. The whole package feels well thought out and is a quality product that offers a lot of flexibility for gamers.
The Terminator Gaming Chair is a high-quality, uniquely designed chair that offers all of the adjustment and comfort a gamer needs for long hours of gaming. Everything from design to build speaks to the premium look and feel of this chair. The Terminator is a premium chair and it comes at a premium price point. Though when I compare it to other chairs in that range I have to say that it is on par if not better than some of the others out there. Priced at $749.99 MSRP this is a serious upgrade for those in the market for a new chair.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
Hailing from the Great White North, Matt's been playing games since the Sega Master System was new. About 20 minutes after picking up his first controller he discovered he had an opinion on the matter. Ever since he has been looking for ways to share it with others! Matt's a pastor, gamer, writer, geek, co-host of @Rollthelevel podcast, husband, father, and loving every minute of it!
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