In the dynamic world of gaming chairs, where comfort often battles with aggressive aesthetics, the Thermaltake Argent E700 (Porsche Design) emerges as a distinctive contender. It dares to redefine what a gaming chair can be, moving beyond the typical race-car bucket seat look to offer a blend of high-end design and ergonomic aspirations. For gamers and professionals seeking a seating solution that doubles as a statement piece, the E700 promises an experience steeped in luxury and unparalleled style.
This isn’t just another chair; it’s a collaboration with Studio F.A. Porsche, a design house renowned for shaping some of the world’s most iconic luxury products. Our in-depth review will explore whether this premium offering lives up to its lofty price tag, dissecting its unique design, material quality, ergonomic features, and overall performance in both gaming and professional environments. Can the E700 strike the perfect balance between artistic flair and functional comfort, or does its style overshadow its substance? Let’s find out.
Overview of the Thermaltake Argent E700 Gaming Chair
The Thermaltake Argent E700 is a truly unique entry into the high-end gaming chair market, setting itself apart through a prestigious collaboration with Studio F.A. Porsche. This partnership imbues the chair with a design philosophy that transcends typical gaming gear, aiming for an aesthetic that is both futuristic and elegantly refined. The E700 is positioned as a premium offering, designed for discerning users who value sophisticated aesthetics and high-quality materials as much as, if not more than, conventional gaming chair features.
Its core design intention is to seamlessly blend the dynamic aesthetics of a racing bucket seat with the elegant functionality and understated luxury of a modern office or lounge chair. This fusion results in a chair that looks equally at home in a high-tech gaming setup, a contemporary office, or a stylish living space. The E700 is available in an array of striking colors, including Sanga Yellow, Flaming Orange, Ocean Blue, Glacier White, and Storm Black, each offering a distinct visual appeal that highlights its glossy, full-bodied shell and chrome accents.
Thermaltake Argent E700 gaming chair in Sanga Yellow, showcasing its sleek, futuristic design and luxury appeal.
The Aesthetics of Excellence: Design and Materials
The Thermaltake Argent E700 is, first and foremost, a triumph of design, reflecting the meticulous attention to detail synonymous with Studio F.A. Porsche. Its appearance is a stark departure from the crowded field of aggressive, often over-the-top, gaming chairs.
Design by Studio F.A. Porsche
Table is empty.The chair boasts a distinctive, full-bodied plastic shell, polished to a reflective gloss that immediately catches the eye. This shell, along with a robust chrome base, gives the E700 a sleek, almost architectural presence. Reviewers have described its look as akin to a “captain’s seat in a space destroyer” or “modern chic” that wouldn’t look out of place in a professional office. The design language is consistent and cohesive, with every element meticulously integrated. For instance, the height and recline adjustments are managed by sleek, integrated aluminum handles on either side, which elegantly mimic car door handles rather than clumsy levers beneath the seat. The only visible branding is a minimalist Thermaltake logo, a subtle cutout in the leather backrest, further emphasizing the clean, sophisticated aesthetic.
Close-up of Thermaltake E700's sleek aluminum adjustment handle, resembling a car door handle for recline control.
Premium Materials
Thermaltake spared no expense in selecting materials for the Argent E700. The chair is upholstered with genuine real leather, approximately one millimeter thick, providing a robust yet remarkably soft and tactile experience. This premium leather is micro-perforated across the back and seating area, a thoughtful detail designed to enhance breathability and prevent discomfort during extended use. Beneath the surface, high-density molded foam forms the core padding of the seat and backrest, offering a firm yet supportive foundation. The headrest, however, uses a slightly softer internal foam for added comfort. The chair’s internal frame is constructed from concealed metal, contributing to its considerable weight and overall sturdiness, while the five-point base and other critical components are crafted from finely processed aluminum, ensuring durability and a polished finish.
Detailed view of Thermaltake E700's real leather upholstery, micro-perforations, and aluminum five-point base.
Ergonomics and Adjustability: A Closer Look
While the Thermaltake Argent E700 undoubtedly excels in design, its ergonomic features and adjustability present a more nuanced picture, balancing innovation with some notable limitations given its premium price point.
Seat and Backrest Comfort
The E700 features a U-shaped, bucket-style seat that cradles the user. The high-density foam padding provides a firm yet supportive sit, which many users find comfortable for typical upright sitting. This firmness also suggests excellent shape retention over time. However, the distinct U-shape and lack of seat depth adjustment can make alternative sitting postures, such as crossing your legs or tucking a foot, quite uncomfortable, restricting users to a more conventional upright position.
The chair includes an attached headrest that is soft, plush, and thick enough to provide support without forcing the neck forward. Uniquely, this headrest is adjustable, sliding up and down by about two inches, a mechanism cleverly hidden within the foam padding to maintain the chair’s smooth lines. Unlike many gaming chairs, the E700 does not come with separate head or lumbar pillows, relying instead on its integrated contours. While the backrest is contoured to offer support, some users, particularly those with smaller frames, have found the lumbar curve to be too low and too flat, potentially necessitating an additional lumbar pillow for optimal comfort during prolonged sessions.
Thermaltake E700's U-shaped bucket seat and integrated adjustable headrest, highlighting its ergonomic design for comfort.
Armrests and Recline Mechanism
The E700 is equipped with 4D adjustable armrests, allowing for lateral, vertical, horizontal, and rotational movement. While this provides a good range of customization to suit various activities, some reviews indicate that the armrests are surprisingly easy to accidentally shift, lacking a firm locking mechanism. The padding on the armrests is also quite stiff, which might lead to elbow soreness over extended periods.
The recline system is a synchro-tilt mechanism, where the backrest moves freely with the user’s posture, offering a natural rocking motion. The integrated aluminum handle on the side, resembling a car door handle, doesn’t offer continuous recline but rather locks the backrest into one of four preset positions, with a maximum recline of 126 degrees. A peculiar design choice is that this handle remains extended when the backrest is locked, interrupting the chair’s otherwise smooth contours. Furthermore, the limited recline angle means the chair isn’t suitable for napping or significantly relaxed postures. Height adjustment is smooth and sufficient, ranging from 16.1 to 20.8 inches.
Thermaltake E700 showing 4D adjustable armrests and the integrated aluminum recline handle for posture customization.
Performance in Practice: Gaming and Work Sessions
The Thermaltake Argent E700 offers a performance profile that is largely influenced by its unique design and ergonomic choices. For users who prioritize aesthetics and short-to-medium duration comfort, it can be a delightful companion.
In short bursts of gaming or work, the E700 is generally praised for its comfort. The firm, high-density foam and real leather upholstery provide a reassuringly premium feel. The micro-perforated leather effectively contributes to breathability, helping to stave off sweat during intense moments. The sturdy construction and smooth-rolling 3-inch casters ensure stable movement and maneuverability across various floor surfaces.
However, for multi-hour gaming or intense work sessions, some functional limitations become more apparent. The lack of adjustable lumbar support is a significant point for many, potentially leading to back soreness without an external cushion. Similarly, the stiff armrest padding and their tendency to shift accidentally can cause discomfort in the elbows and be a minor but persistent annoyance. The fixed, U-shaped seat, while supportive, might restrict those who prefer to change their sitting posture frequently, making crossing legs or tucking feet uncomfortable. The recline mechanism, while natural in its free-moving state, has limited locked positions and does not allow for a deep recline, which some users might miss for extended relaxation. Ultimately, while visually stunning, the chair may require personal adjustments or additional accessories for optimal ergonomic comfort during very long periods of use.
Person sitting in Thermaltake E700, chair integrated into a high-tech gaming or professional workstation environment.
Assembly and Build Quality
One area where the Thermaltake Argent E700 truly shines is its build quality and remarkably straightforward assembly process. Given its high-end positioning, one expects robust construction, and the E700 delivers.
The chair’s build quality is unmistakably premium. It features a concealed metal main frame, contributing to its substantial weight and rock-solid stability. The finely processed aluminum components, from the wheelbase to the integrated adjustment handles, underscore its luxury status and durability. The glossy plastic shell is treated with a scratch-resistant ‘Gloss UV’ coating, designed to maintain its pristine appearance and resist color wear over time. The real leather upholstery, with its subtle red stitching, feels well-crafted and built to last, reinforcing the chair’s overall sense of longevity.
Assembly is refreshingly simple and quick, a stark contrast to many gaming chairs that often involve intricate and frustrating steps. The Argent E700 arrives largely pre-assembled, significantly reducing the effort required. Users typically only need to attach the backrest to the seat with three bolts and then place the assembled unit onto the wheelbase and gas piston. This entire process can often be completed in less than fifteen minutes, even by a single person, though its considerable weight makes an extra set of hands helpful. All necessary tools, including a long-handled Allen wrench, are included. This ease of assembly highlights Thermaltake’s commitment to a premium user experience from unboxing to first use.
Thermaltake E700 chair components laid out for assembly, showing the largely pre-assembled design for quick setup.
Despite this impressive build quality, a notable point of concern is the warranty. Thermaltake offers only a 2-year warranty for the Argent E700. This is significantly shorter than what many competitors in the high-end gaming and office chair market provide. For instance, brands like Mavix offer 12-year warranties, while LFGaming offers 10 years, and Secretlab or Vertagear typically provide 5-year coverage. For a chair priced at $1,299, a 2-year warranty is considered by many reviewers to be underwhelming and could be a deciding factor for buyers prioritizing long-term peace of mind and support, especially when competing with brands like Herman Miller or Steelcase known for decades of support.
Value Proposition: Price and Competition
The Thermaltake Argent E700 occupies a distinct niche in the gaming chair market, largely defined by its collaboration with Studio F.A. Porsche and its premium price point. Understanding its value requires weighing its unique attributes against its cost and comparing it to other high-end options.
Pricing Analysis
With a recommended retail price of $1,299 / £1,199, the Argent E700 is undeniably one of the most expensive gaming chairs available. This price tag firmly places it in competition not just with other top-tier gaming chairs but also with high-end ergonomic office chairs from renowned brands. While sales can occasionally bring the price down, it remains a significant investment. This cost is a direct reflection of the Porsche Design collaboration, the use of genuine leather, finely processed aluminum, and the overall bespoke aesthetic.
Is It Worth the Investment?
The “worth” of the Thermaltake Argent E700 heavily depends on an individual’s priorities.
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For Design-Focused Buyers: If you are someone who deeply appreciates high-end industrial design, the prestige of the Studio F.A. Porsche collaboration, and desires a Gaming Chair that doubles as a luxurious piece of furniture, then the E700 offers unparalleled appeal. Its sophisticated aesthetic, premium materials, and unique features like the integrated car-door-style handles are genuinely distinctive. It’s a chair that makes a strong visual statement and elevates any space it occupies.
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For Pure Ergonomics and Adjustability: If your primary concern is maximum adjustability, comprehensive ergonomic support (especially for long, multi-hour sessions without needing external pillows), and extensive warranty coverage, then the E700 might fall short of expectations for its price. Competitors like the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 (often priced around $500-700) offer a wealth of adjustments and features, including integrated adjustable lumbar support, and significantly longer warranties, providing a more robust ergonomic package for a fraction of the cost. Similarly, high-end office chairs like the Herman Miller Embody (which starts at a comparable price point or higher) offer superior, medically-backed ergonomics and warranties spanning over a decade. While the E700 is comfortable for general use, its specific limitations in lumbar support and adjustability might lead some users to conclude it prioritizes “style over substance” at this price.
Thermaltake E700 chair in a luxury setting, emphasizing its high-end design and premium aesthetic appeal.
In essence, the Thermaltake Argent E700 is a luxury item. It’s for the buyer who is willing to pay a premium for a truly unique design and high-quality materials, accepting that some core ergonomic features might not match the adjustability found in other chairs within or below its price bracket. If you have the budget and the desire for a visually stunning, premium experience, and are comfortable supplementing with accessories like a lumbar pillow if needed, the E700 could be your ideal choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Thermaltake Argent E700 comfortable for long gaming sessions?
The Thermaltake Argent E700 offers good comfort for short to medium duration use, thanks to its high-density foam and real leather. However, for multi-hour gaming or work sessions, some users, particularly those who need dynamic lumbar support, may find the fixed lumbar contour insufficient and might need an additional pillow for optimal comfort.
What materials is the Thermaltake Argent E700 made from?
The Argent E700 is crafted from premium materials including genuine, micro-perforated real leather upholstery, high-density molded foam padding, and a sturdy frame and base made from finely processed aluminum. Its shell is a high-gloss, scratch-resistant plastic.
Does the Argent E700 have adjustable lumbar support?
No, the Thermaltake Argent E700 features an integrated, contoured backrest, but it does not offer adjustable lumbar support. This means the lumbar curve is fixed, which might not suit all body types for prolonged sitting.
How easy is it to assemble the Thermaltake Argent E700?
The Thermaltake Argent E700 is remarkably easy to assemble. It comes largely pre-assembled, requiring only a few simple steps to attach the backrest to the seat and place it onto the base. The entire process typically takes less than 15 minutes.
Is the Thermaltake Argent E700 worth its price?
The Thermaltake Argent E700’s high price tag ($1,299 MSRP) is justified by its unique Studio F.A. Porsche design, premium real leather, and robust build quality. It’s a worthy investment for buyers who prioritize distinctive aesthetics and luxury materials. However, if extensive ergonomic adjustability and a long warranty are your top priorities, other chairs might offer more value for the money.
