I still remember seeing the announcement of Razer’s very first gaming chair and asking, “Where’s the RGB?” And while I’m probably more grateful than anything that the company has pumped the brakes a little on dropping coloured LEDs on every single product it launches, it’s definitely taken a surprising length of time for a Razer chair to feature Chroma RGB lighting.
That all changes now, with the Razer Soma Chroma. Aside from having a name that’s unfortunately very fun to say out loud, this is Razer’s debut gaming chair with its signature Chroma RGB system on-board.
What this means is that, thanks to dedicated lighting sections on either side of the Some Chroma’s headrest, users can enjoy custom or reactive displays of glowing colours just out of their field of view. In the right room setup, this should provide a bit of extra immersion for any of the 300+ games that support Chroma’s reactive lighting, or it could also add a bit of extra Gamer™ flavour to your on-camera streams.
Now, the big question you might have is around power and, yes, there is a cable that you’ll need to plug in to make this work. Razer’s suggestion here is to use a power bank, which can slip into a dedicated pocket at the back of the chair, or alternatively you can chuck it into a wall outlet. With a reinforced steel frame and a 5-star steel wheelbase, this isn’t the kind of seat you’ll be rolling around on with any great purpose, so being tethered to a nearby outlet shouldn’t be an issue for most folks. You’re either willing to make it work for the benefit of 16.8 million colours or you’re content with your IKEA job that offers no illumination beyond the intellectual enlightenment implied by having not spent $750 on a chair with lights.
But what about the actual chair bits? Well, Razer is advertising some nifty comfort and ergonomics features like a built-in lumbar arch, dual-density cold-cured foam seat cushions that allegedly will help to relieve pressure from prolonged sitting, and up to a 155° recline – perfect for when your RGB chair lights suddenly catch what looks like the shadow of a Huntsman on the ceiling directly above you.
I will say, despite the couple of cheeky barbs thrown here, I’m on my second Razer gaming chair currently (the Iskur V2) and both have been fantastic for me. So I’ve some well-placed confidence in the quality of the Soma Chroma, and if you’re going to pair it with Chroma reactive lighting across your other gear – perhaps even Razer’s THX spatial-audio enabled Clio head cushion – you could be in for a good time.
The Razer Soma Chroma is available through Razer.com or select retailers for AU$749.95 / NZ$899.95.