Sybr’s Si1 gaming chair is the company’s first gaming chair, but does it manage to stand out in a sea of identical products, and does it compete with the best of the best? We find out.
Gaming chairs are a dime a dozen in 2024, with many brands competing for your attention. Leaders like Secretlab and Noblechairs have long since been regarded as the gold standard for chairs. But, new competitor Sybr entered the fray late last year with their Si1 model.
Now, you might not be familiar with Sybr, but they are no strangers to creating high-end office furniture. Sybr is a sub-brand of the Senator Group, which is known for creating high-end office furniture. The Si1 has been created with ergonomics and esports performance in mind, as well as offering some design flairs that make it stand out in a sea of identical racing-style seats.
The Sybr Si1 gaming chair costs £699, or roughly $890. This is a premium gaming chair, running at the higher-end of models we’ve checked out, such as the Razer Fujin Pro.
Assembly
The Sybr Si1 comes in an intimidatingly large 30kg box. But, inside, once all unboxed, the chair doesn’t weigh nearly as much. Upon tearing open the packaging, you’ll then have to contend with assembly. The backrest lies on top, with instructions on a QR code nestled underneath.
This doesn’t feel nearly as welcoming or inviting as when I first assembled my Secretlab Titan 2020, which offers all of the instructions in plain text, with an additional QR code for instructions. Simply having a QR code is handy, sure, but I would have liked to have seen an option for assembly that doesn’t require me to whip my phone out, scan a code, and then watch a video to assemble it.
Luckily, the assembly itself is incredibly straightforward. You attach the backrest to the seat itself and bolt it in using a handy, ergonomic tool. Then, you pop the roller wheels onto the metallic base and slot the gas unit into the bottom. Once you raise it all, you must contend with slotting in the armrests, which should just slide in. It took me around 15 minutes to go from messing around with the box to having a fully assembled chair.
It’s a much less involved process when compared to the likes of Secretlab, which is very welcome. I just wished that these simple instructions were printed inside the box somewhere.
Design
The Sybr Si1 is designed with esports in mind, with ergonomics at the forefront. From the high-quality base to the premium fabrics used on the seat itself, there’s plenty of padding there for a comfortable experience. After using it for weeks in a makeshift office following a move, it’s clear the Sybr is serious about offering great ergonomics.
The roller wheels are nothing too special, but the ventilation around the back helps keep you sweat-free in the heat of gameplay. I do wish that the seat was a touch wider, to accommodate for larger-built people, as it didn’t seem quite as natural as the Secretlab Titan that I’ve been so used to over the past few years.
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The chair also possesses a “harmonic tilt” function, which is to say that there is a four-stage tilt for the backrest, but there’s always ample tension in it, so it always snaps back into place very easily. This can be configured on the right-hand side underneath the seat. To the left, you can adjust the height of the chair, too.
The armrests are locked into place through a mechanism of plastic sleeves, and while they go in nicely, you can only adjust them up or down. This is can be done on a button on the inside of the armrest itself, and takes quite a tug to adjust. While the armrests can fold down, there’s very little in the way of lateral movement, in case you wish to lay them at an angle. This seems to be an odd gap that Sybr has managed to forget and one area where the seat feels sorely lacking, especially when compared to its competitors.
Comfort
Moving to a more ergonomic chair like the Si1 impacts comfort. Throughout testing, the Sybr Si1 managed to shift and “fix” a lot of my posture over weeks. However, it’s just not as comfortable as a traditional bucket seat. It’s important to note that the goals for a chair like the Secretlab Titan and the Sybr Si1 are very different, and ergonomics does come with the tradeoff of comfort.
One thing to note is that the harmonic tilt function is fairly tight, when trying to lean back in the seat, I often found myself slipping out of place. But, the comfortable and firm materials here do wonders. The armrests are slightly too firm for me too, as I often end up feeling sore after leaning on them for long periods.
Should you buy it?
The Sybr Si1 is a gaming chair that has impeccable build quality in many areas, with the armrests being the only key area where it’s really let down. It’s clear that this chair is created with ergonomics first, rather than comfort, too. While my back feels great after using it, it’s certainly not a chair that you feel immediately relaxed in, and takes some getting used to. The higher price it commands is reflected in a lot of the materials used here, and while some aspects don’t quite match up to some of the best gaming chairs out there, it’s a valiant first attempt to crack a tired and crowded segment.
Verdict: 3/5
The biggest downside to the Sybr Si1 is the price. This is just above the standard levels for an accomplished chair from many competitors, and a lot of people would really be better off opting for a Secretlab or NobleChairs option. But, if you’re looking for good ergonomics without bankrupting yourself with a Herman Miller Vantum, the Sybr Si1 might be the choice for you. There are areas of improvement here too, such as the armrests, which simply don’t feel very good in daily use.
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