We’ve reviewed a number of AndaSeat gaming chairs in the past. While many of them are rather similar—to their own brand and to the wider world of gaming chairs—they each have key differences that make the experience of using the chair long term slightly unique. The latest chair we’ve had the privilege of trying out is the AndaSeat T-Compact Premium Gaming Chair. The T-Compact is, as the name might suggest, a slightly more “compact” version of the T-Pro line, which we also recently reviewed.
Despite the “compact” design, the T-Compact is still a pretty big heavy-duty gaming chair. With its steel frame and thick foam, the slightly smaller chair doesn’t feel any less sturdy than the T-Pro 2. And it’s still heavy, so make sure you build this one where you intend to use it, because lugging it around isn’t fun. The build process is essentially identical to the T-Pro 2 and will take about 20 minutes of your time. No additional tools are necessary—everything you need to put the chair together is included in the box.
The thing I love about these chairs is the muted aesthetic, featuring a nice grey, black, or blue cloth design, instead of bright colors on leather. The color selection and cloth gives the T-Compact a bit of a more mature look that looks just as good during the workday as it does when you are streaming the hottest games. The slightly smaller design of the T-Compact makes it the perfect size seat, with a low-ride option that goes much lower to the ground than many other gaming chairs. Where the T-Pro 2 feels like I’m sinking into this massive throne that is almost consuming me, the T-Compact offers me a much better fit. It’s important to get a chair that fits you. I feel like my posture is better in the T-Compact because I don’t have as much room to lean awkwardly or slouch.
The T-Compact uses the same dense memory foam, which makes sitting in it a delight. It’s firm enough to hold up under extended use, but soft enough that it’s not uncomfortable. It also features the same full recline and rocker functionality that I loved on the T-Pro 2, and the low rise of the chair along with the sturdy wheelbase means you can effectively lean back and nod off for a nice nap without too much fear of the chair falling backwards
Once again, virtually my only complaint is the use of the same standardized 4D armrests that every single gaming chair manufacturer seems to use for every chair they make. They feel rickety overall thanks to the assorted mechanisms that allow for the four dimensions of movement, and while the freedom to position them anyplace you’d like is nice to have, it’s a wonder that gaming chair armrest technology hasn’t improved. We still get these cheap feeling armrests on chairs that cost hundreds of dollars. Granted, despite the cheap feeling, they seem to at least last and hold up under extended use.
The lumbar pillow is also basically worthless on the T-Compact, feeling like a hard little lump that doesn’t nicely flow with the curvature of the spine. You can position it up and down the chair, but there’s no spot where it feels comfortable. A flatter, gently curved lumbar support pad may have been a better option to include with this chair. Similarly, the headrest pillow sticks out from the chair and is rarely comfortable to use. These continue to feel like the expected “checkbox” features for gaming chairs that I wish seat manufacturers would go back to the drawing board on. What’s especially disappointing is how much I love the lumbar support on the T-Pro 2, so for the T-Compact not to follow suit is a big missed opportunity.
The AndaSeatT-Compact is a great chair that offers up a “gaming chair” without the comically large size or obnoxious colors. It’s a valiant effort to bridge the gap between the stereotypical gaming chair and someone who may just want to upgrade their home office to a sturdier and more comfortable seat as more people move to working remotely. Solid construction and memory foam mean it’s a sturdy and comfortable chair, but it does suffer some of the same issues of additional features simply “checking a box” rather than actually being useful. Fortunately those don’t get in the way of the AndaSeat T-Compact being a great chair whether you’re gaming, filling in spreadsheets, or spending your days on Zoom calls.
AndaSeat T-Compact Premium Gaming Chair review unit provided by manufacturer. For more information, please read our Review Policy.
