Boulies EP200 review: an affordable office chair with gaming credentials

With many of us still working from home, or in hybrid roles, there's never been a better time to invest in one of the best office chairs on the market. It stands to reason – if you're going to be spending a lot of time there, you want to be as comfortable as possible.

This one packs in a range of gaming credentials, too. Boulies make some of the best gaming chairs on the market – I actually replaced my aging Secretlab Titan with a Boulies Master Series gaming chair on the back of how strong it performed in our tests. That know-how comes in handy here, offering a sitting solution that will fit into an office environment, but still offers a range of comfort-enhancing plus points.

But is it the right option for you? Read on to find out.

Boulies EP200 review: Price and Availability

The Boulies EP200 retails for £269.99 in the UK, though at the time of writing, that was down to just £199.99. As ever, check out the widgets on this page to make sure you're getting the best price in your location.

Right now, users in the USA and Australia don't have the option to buy these. Users in the UK, though, can buy the EP200 on the Boulies website.

Boulies EP200 review: Set Up

There is some assembly required with this chair, but it's nothing too invasive. The base and backrest are ready to go, though you'll need to attach the mechanism to the base. Everything else is fairly standard fare.

Overall, the build took me around 25 minutes – not bad for a chair build. It also was fairly easy to do solo. Okay, I do have quite a lot of chair building experience, but with clear instructions and minimal room for confusion, you should have no issues.

All of the tools, nuts, bolts and other assorted hardware were packed in together, meaning you won't need anything extra to complete the build. That's really handy and makes it really easy to put together quickly.

Boulies EP200 review: Design and Features

The Boulies EP200 strikes a great balance, packing in tech without looking out of place. You'd be hard pressed to notice it standing out amongst the sea of black mesh chairs which grace the T3 offices.

It's a really nice design, though. The black review unit I have here uses a black plastic frame with matching mesh covering. Gentle chrome-effect accents give the chair a slightly elevated aesthetic too, with a matching aluminium base completing the look.

Beneath the mesh surface, the EP200 is packed with chair technology. You'll find an integrated lumbar support adjustment in the back panel. Simply twist the knob on the back of the chair until you reach the desired level.

It's only a one-dimensional lumbar support system though. That's still more than you'll get on many basic office chairs, but not quite as handy as some of the top-spec gaming chairs on the market, which offer adjustment in-and-out and up-and-down.

You'll also get 3D armrests, seat height adjustment and adjustment to pull the seat forwards, away from the backrest. That last one is really handy – because of the shape of the seat itself, pulling it out can help you sit a little lower, which got the lumbar support in a better spot for me.

On the back, you'll find a headrest. This is super comfortable, and great for longer sessions when holding your own head up is just too much to ask. It's easy to adjust – just pull up to the desired height and twist the headrest itself to fine tune. However, my unit wasn't great at staying put once you had it in place. It's to be expected with a pull-into-place system, but just know that you'll need to constantly re-adjust it to suit.

Boulies EP200 review: Performance

Having used this chair for a few weeks, I feel well qualified to tell you just how good it really is. And, overall, I'm really impressed. I have a lot of experience with gaming chairs and will admit to being somewhat dubious about the level of comfort that a thin layer of mesh could provide.

But there was really no need to worry. Both the seat and the backrest offer supreme levels of comfort and support, which leaves you feeling refreshed even after a long day of working.

The range of adjustment – as mentioned above – was handy here. Sure, I would have liked to see a little more on offer for fine-tuning, but in practice it didn't make too much difference. The hardest part for me was getting the balance right with the lumbar support. That felt just a little out of place for my back, although pulling the seat forward helped to get it into a more comfortable spot.

The headrest is also a really welcome addition here. It's perfectly positioned and really nice to use, without getting in the way. Again, I'd love for the headrest to have a bit more stability, but that's not really possible with this kind of design. And while it can be a bit annoying, it's far from a deal-breaker.

Boulies EP200 review: Verdict

The Boulies EP200 is undoubtedly a great chair. It's comfortable, offers a decent range of adjustment, and feels premium enough to inspire confidence. It's certainly going to be a marked improvement over your standard issue office chair, or the rehomed dining chair you borrowed from the dining room at the start of lockdown.

Whether it's worth it or not will come down to you though. I think it represents brilliant value for money. It's around half the price of the NeueChair we recently reviewed, for example. And while that one does feel a bit more premium, it's certainly not twice the chair.

I think that for most people, this represents a better option, with a greater price-to-performance ratio than others on the market. In short: if you want to elevate your comfort at home, or in the office, the Boulies EP200 is worth every penny.