When searching for the best gaming chairs, the GT Omega Element has got to be in contention – we know as we've built and tested this gaming chair at T3.com. But before you buy, its always good to get a considered hands-on opinion. Luckily, at T3 we like to get hands-on, so have the authority and experience to give you the truth about the product.
GT Omega is famous for making great gaming chairs, but with the Element, a simple screenshot can tell you that it’s not your average gaming chair. Just looking at it, you can imagine the GT Omega Element being occupied by anyone from Barney Stinson to Darth Vader. It’s just cool.
I couldn’t wait to put the GT Omega Element together and put it through its paces. This chair won Best Gaming Chair at the T3 Awards 2020, so you already know it's good. If you want a quick takeaway from my few days with the chair though – it might just be the best gaming chair I’ve ever used, certainly in its price bracket.
This how the GT Omega Element looks when it arrives
GT Omega Element Review: Package and Setup
The GT Omega Element arrived at my house in two boxes, helpfully marked box one and two. Both are branded with the GT Omega logo, with the larger box also emblazoned with the name and model of the chair. It’s a small thing but it did add to my internal hype.
The smaller box (box 2) is the first you need to open, which I inferred from the helpfully large “attention“ notice on the top. It seems clear that this box holds all the parts that are standard across a number of GT Omega’s chairs; the wheels and side covers (that conceal the bolts on the side of the chair) can be found in here, as well as the instructions.
I’ll note here that the instructions cover two basic kinds of chair setup that GT Omega uses. I imagine this saves on unnecessary printing, which I am all for, although it means not all of these instructions applied to my build, so make sure you read carefully when assembling.
GT Omega letting you know which box to start with
GT Omega Element instructions and wheels neatly housed in box 2
Assembly instructions for GT Omega chairs with 10 clear line drawn images
The larger box is where all the cool stuff is. It’s here you’ll find the GT Omega Element’s seat and backrest wrapped in their own GT Omega branded plastic sheath, alongside the velour lumbar cushion and headrest.
There’s another smaller box inside here which holds the armrests, chair mechanism and tools – all individually wrapped with plastic and bubble wrap. In fact, everything here is protected by packaging to keep it scuff and damage-free. It also made it easy to lay out ready for construction, even in the close quarters of my spare bedroom.
I’ll also say that “tools” is quite a strong word. All that’s needed to put this gaming chair together are two different sized hex keys to screw in the bolts, all but two of which are screwed into the chair already, so you'll know where they need to go later.
The GT Omega Element components in the main box are individually wrapped
All the GT Omega Element components outside of the box
One of just two hex keys that you need to put the GT Omega Element together
As someone who likes to do all the prep work before getting stuck in, I’ll say that unboxing and unpacking everything ready to build was a simple and seamless process. This was also true for the building process, with just one minor grumble.
While the GT Omega Element only had two M6 bolts in the box, there are more to contend with, as the other 16 M8 bolts needed to be removed from the backrest and seat before assembly.
There are two schools of thought on this (in my household). My wife thinks this makes it easier to know where all the bolts go when you need to use them, and that it probably saves on unnecessary packaging. As the one who had to build it, I felt like it doubled the, admittedly sparse, workload required to put the chair together.
That said, when that work was done, everything else was foolproof. The wheels and its hydraulic piston slot together easily without the need for screws. The backrest and seat slid together easily and flipping to the underside to connect the chair mechanism and armrests was straightforward with clearly marked instructions.
Quickly on that chair mechanism – there aren’t many points in the construction of this chair (or indeed most gaming chairs) where using a hex key is awkward. It could have been with the close quarters of the mechanism, but the ball-end hex key supplied here is perfectly suited for the job and its inclusion was appreciated.
Most of the bolts on the GT Omega Element will need unscrewing before assembly
affixing backrest and arms to the GT Omega Element's seat is easy
The supplied ball-head hex key made screwing in tight corners simple on the Element
The last thing to do was connect the wheels and their aluminium base to the chair itself. The instructions suggested simply sliding over the top but I found this approach pretty difficult with just one person. I could have called for help, but it was simple enough to pop the wheels in by laying the seat on a raised platform (in my case, the bed that that was next to me), and simply tilting the whole thing back to the ground.
Altogether, it took me just over 45 minutes to put the GT Omega Element together. That's from the moment I first took a picture of the unopened box, through to actually being able to sit in it. I’d imagine for those not stopping to take pictures throughout it would be an even faster build.
Once you’re done, you get a really classy looking gaming chair, with a deliberately minimalist approach to branding. While it clearly has gaming at its heart, the GT Omega Element doesn't have the dayglo racing-stipe approach to gaming chair design that makes it slightly embarrassing in non-gaming situations (like a video call for work). The end result speaks for itself.
The finished GT Omega Element, shown with headrest and lumbar cushions
The GT Omega Element is a clean and classy gaming chair. Its clear lines and white stitching work ooze a sense of premium craftsmanship, while looking like it would be just as at home in a meeting as on a Twitch stream.
GT Omega Element Review: Performance and Features
The velour headrest on the GT Omega Element provides excellent neck support
Before I talk about what this chair can do, I want to share an experience from my build. Right at the start of the process, I was idly removing the backrest from its plastic sheath and when my hand came in contact with the PVC leather for the first time I said out loud, to no one “oh that feels nice!”
It was a moment of unconscious satisfaction that speaks to my fully-conscious reaction to this gaming chair in general. This is a quality piece of kit.
Subtly embossed GT Omega branding on breathable PVC leather mesh backrest
The GT Omega Element’s instructions include an operation guide similar to its installation guide. That is to say, some simple line drawings that walk you through each of the adjustable features.
First are the spongy plastic armrests which are fully customisable to your preferences. A simple latch allows you to pull the handle up and down, a button press will slide the rest in and out from the chair, another button allows for sliding bath and forth while the rest themselves can be manually rotated with a twist.
The Element's armrests can be adjusted in four directions with a few button presses
As you’d expect the Element’s height can be adjusted with an easily reachable lever on the underside of the gaming chair. A second lever can be used to lock and unlock the rocking feature, with a central knob on the chair element that can be turned to adjust the tension of the mechanism. I’ve never been much for this feature of a chair, but I can say it is very easy to use.
Two underside handles like this control the height and rocking on the GT Omega Element
The Gt Omega Element is able to tilt backwards 160 degrees, for those of you who want some really relaxed gaming, but I’ve found the headrest and lumbar support cushions to be my favourite features of this gaming chair.
Both are housed in very soft velour cases that are satisfying to the touch. The headrest cushion sits at the right height for me (5ft 9”), when using the gaming chair upright, and over the past few days I have caught myself, on occasion – just resting on it. The lumbar support cushion is made from memory foam and I’ve found it to be supremely comfortable, and it might just be doing my back some good.
The GT Omega Element can tilt back 160-degrees with the pull of a lever
Over the past few days with this chair I’ve used it for pretty much everything. Its seen the best of me on Football Manager and the worst of me in Crusader Kings, I’ve taken video calls both personal and professional and been complimented for it in both. I honestly don't think I've ever been complimented for a chair before.
The biggest thing I can say about the GT Omega Element is that until now, I’ve not mentioned how incredibly satisfying it is to sit on it - it feels obvious.
It’s a very comfortable gaming chair. I’ve spent hours on end in it (and I’m writing this review from it) but it also feels oddly powerful. I feel confident in it as if I was wearing a new suit.
GT Omega Element Review: Price and Verdict
The GT Omega Element is like a freshly tailored suit. Comfortable, stylish and confident
The GT Omega Element is one of the best gaming chairs around. It sits at the more reasonably-priced end of the premium gaming chair market at £299/$395. That's an investment, but with the quality of the materials, none of it feels like a waste.
At that price, it’s a really hard gaming chair to beat, its solid components, pleasingly tactile PVC leather material and fully adjustable set up make this gaming chair feel like a premium product that will last for years.
It also looks outstanding, the sleek, minimalist design sets it apart among gaming chairs. No matter how your home office or Twitch stream is set up, the Element will blend in seamlessly. That's what makes the GT Omega Element a T3 Award winning chair, and why it's not hard for me to recommend it if you have the money.
GT Omega Element Review: Also consider
You should also consider the Razer Iskur, Noblechairs Epic Series Real Leather and Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 if you're shopping for a gaming chair at this price point. They're all very well reviewed gaming chairs and rated by T3.com highly.
