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Razer Enki – Razer’s new gaming chair in review

After the Iskur, which we introduced in March, Razer will launch its next premium gaming chair, the Enki, in October 2021 and is aimed at people who want to spend a particularly long time in it.

The manufacturer wants to achieve this with an optimal weight distribution, ergonomically shaped backrest, wide seat and a lumbar support, which cannot be adjusted in contrast to the Iskur, but is permanently installed. On the other hand, the Enki comes standard with a headrest and, like the Iskur, also offers four-way adjustable armrests, a tiltable backrest and seat, and is of course height-adjustable.

The Enki is also available in a slimmed-down version called the Enki X, which we will also discuss in a short section.

During our extensive test over several weeks, we were able to gather enough impressions of the user-friendliness and ergonomics of the Enki and have detailed them for you as always. We hope you enjoy reading and that the article will help you find the right gaming chair for you!

Technical Features

Dimensions Width: 67 cm,
Length: 68 cm,
Height: 131 – 141 cm
Weight 24.1 kg
Recommended body weight <136 kg
Recommended body height 166 – 204 cm
Seat cover colors Green, Black, Quartz
Seat Cover Material EPU synthetic leather
Base Aluminum
Frame steel
Armrests 4D metal reinforced
Rollers 60mm PU sheathed
Gaslift class Class 4
Cushion type High density PU foam
Maximum angle backrest 152 degrees
Adjustable headrest Memory foam cushion
Guarantee 3 years on mechanics and moving parts
Price (MSRP) 449 € (Enki),
329 € (Enki X)

Scope of delivery and packaging

The scope of delivery of the Enki includes a sturdy hexagonal wrench and a pair of flexible fabric gloves in about size M to L for assembly. The complete scope of delivery is composed as follows:

  • 1x Razer Enki gaming chair (disassembled; 19-piece)
  • 1x hex wrench
  • 1x pair of assembly gloves
  • 1x assembly instructions
  • 2x Razer stickers
Enki packaging

Due to the large total weight of the Enki of about 24 kg, the packaging turns out to be correspondingly robust. Thus, the long outer edges and the short inner edges of the box are extra reinforced. All individual parts are then wrapped once again in cardboard or plastic or bubble wrap. Opening the outer flaps, you first encounter the assembly gloves and then a large welcome message on cardboard in bright Razer green, on the back of which are illustrated assembly instructions.

Assembly

With the help of the instructions, the assembly of the Enki can be done quickly in 15 to 20 minutes. Although the manufacturer recommends another person for assembly, it can be done well on your own.

First, the seat and backrest are screwed together.

The solid and heavy base for the gas pressure spring, which also houses the levers for the rocker mechanism and height adjustment, can then most conveniently be mounted under the seat while it is still on the floor.

The base is united with the castors, gas pressure spring and spring apron without bolting. The complete base is then placed in the socket of the base, which again works best when lying down. The chair can now already be set up.

Finally, only the pillow is attached to the backrest by elastic band. Tall people use the upper long loop for this purpose, while shorter people use the lower short loop of the pillow. The latter is passed between the top two slots, while the longer one is stretched only over the top part of the backrest.

In our opinion, the overall setup was relatively easy to do and was completed quickly. The included gloves and hex wrench are helpful extras and can be used well for other work afterwards.

Design and workmanship

As with most gaming chairs, the Enki’s design is clearly based on that of automotive sports seats. Compared to the Razer Iskur model, the upholstery and thus the overall impression is visually much slimmer, despite sufficient seating space.

While the contact surfaces of the seat and backrest are covered in a smooth, softer material that seemed a bit susceptible to dirt to us, the remaining upholstered surfaces are covered in a textured, multi-layered faux leather for more durability. Two parallel seams in eye-catching neon green adorn all upholstered edges, and the Razer logo is emblazoned on the pillow and backrest in turn. Whether the Enki, like the Iskur, will be available in other colorways is not known to us at this time. The contact surfaces of the armrests are hard padded and covered with a finely textured, firm plastic.

All supporting parts and mechanics are made of matte black painted metal, which is often wrapped in equally black hard plastic casings. Some exposed metal parts under the chair and on the armrests are high-gloss. The base is cast aluminum. The casters are made of smooth-running polyurethane plastic and felt very sluggish before use, though this turned out to be optimal for the chair’s stability afterwards. Thus, it could be rolled quietly and not too easily over laminate flooring.

The pillow cushion is made of memory foam, which initially emitted a certain odor that diminished over time. The cushion cover is soft and velvety and zippers open, which was difficult in our case. The seat and back cushions are made of high-density polyurethane foam, with firmness ratings of 60 and 75.

Most of the parts of our chair were well to very well made upon closer inspection. Some of the sturdier metal parts underneath the chair had slightly unclean edges, but this was not noticeable due to the paint and location away from view.

At the time of testing, we did not have any information about the absence of harmful substances in the materials used. We did not find any corresponding seals in the packaging or on the chair itself, but we did find information about the given fire resistance of the upholstery and covers to cigarettes and matches.

Sitting comfort and operation

Test person: 180 cm, 70 kg
Desk height: 75 cm

According to the manufacturer, the Enki is specially designed for hours of use. With it, long working or gaming at the desk should therefore not be a problem. The higher degree of hardness of the upholstery, a lumbar support and a wide seat surface were chosen accordingly, for example.
During the test period, we also used the Enki for many hours at a stretch and were always able to quickly adjust it to our current wishes thanks to the many adjustment options.

Backrest, lumbar support, head cushion

Very often we used the right-mounted and very easily accessible lever for tilting the backrest. Its mechanism is spring-loaded and can therefore be brought into the desired position purely by bending the upper body backwards and forwards and then fixed in it.

The backrest is also curved in a 110-degree arc, which is very comfortable for the back, and has a non-adjustable curve at the level of the lumbar spine, known as the lumbar support. Due to these features, an upright reclined sitting position was comfortably possible even over a longer period of time, as the spine was noticeably supported.

We found the memory foam headrest cushion, which could be attached to the backrest quite unconventionally with an elastic strap, very helpful during the entire test period. The pillow supported the cervical spine and adapted softly to the shape of the head.

Overall, we found the backrest to be ergonomically well thought out.

4D armrests

We also used the quasi-stepless height adjustment of the 4D armrests more often, which was very practical, especially when working at a desk. The levers for this are smooth-running and very easy to reach, each placed on the outside of the backrest. For example, the height could be raised to the level of our desk, which increased the work surface, or lowered so that we could rest our arms completely on the desk.

We basically didn’t need the other “dimensions” of the armrests, or only needed them once at the beginning. A switch located centrally under the armrests allows their surfaces to be moved approximately horizontally.
Another switch, located at the front of both backrests, allows them to be slid back and forth while also adjusting their yaw.

All levers and switches are very easy to reach and were smoothly adjustable with one exception. In some situations, the armrests could have happily been a bit longer towards the rear.

Tiltable seat, rocker mechanism

Once used to it, you don’t want to miss the rocker mechanism, as this automatically results in the optimal inclination of the seat surface based on the position of the upper body and the set resistance. This can be adjusted with an adjusting wheel, which is also located centrally under the seat.
It was also very pleasant for the back to occasionally assume a quasi-lying position with the backrest tilted to the maximum at the same time. However, we quickly missed a rest for the legs, also called a footrest, which some other gaming chairs offer, for example. Razer could take an example here for future models.

The rocker mechanism is adjusted by releasing the left lever under the seat. Occasionally, the locking of the mechanism must first be released by shifting the weight forwards or backwards, whereupon the tilt can be adjusted according to the user’s own body weight and then locked again or used continuously by operating the lever again.

We did not always find the upholstery hardness of the seat very comfortable. Since too soft cushions are generally not considered to be good for ergonomics, Razer has probably chosen an appropriate cushion hardness for long-term use. Razer also determined a partly slightly better weight distribution on the seat surface in its own comparison to models from two other manufacturers.

Height adjustment

As with other models, the height adjustment of the entire chair works via a gas pressure spring. The lever for this is easily accessible on the right under the seat. To find the optimal height, we first raised the chair to the maximum height and then reduced it as much as desired while seated, which worked well as usual.

Enki X – The slimmed-down version

Compared to the 120 € more expensive full price version, the Enki X does without one or the other feature. Whether this is missed or not ultimately depends on the personal preferences and physical characteristics of the person using it. Among other things, the Enki X does not have a rocker mechanism. We used this throughout the full version and also rate it as important for the overall ergonomics.

Users of the economy version also have to make do without a head cushion, which noticeably relieves and supports the head, especially when sitting upright and leaning back, and is much softer than the comparatively hard backrest. The head cushion is available separately in the Razer Store and costs a proud €50.

Finally, the armrests of the Enki X can only be adjusted in two ways instead of four. We did not know in which dimensions the 2D armrests can be adjusted at the time of testing. The four-way adjustable armrests of the full version are impressive, but we usually only adjusted the height and left the other three dimensions untouched after the initial setup. In special situations, the option to adjust them can probably be handy, but we don’t think it’s necessary and probably wouldn’t necessarily miss it.

Conclusion

In summary, we liked the Razer Enki a lot for the most part. It was quick to set up, even without help. Thanks to its features and many adjustment options, it can be adapted to a certain extent to many situations and thus offers a high degree of ergonomics and comfort, even during longer use and despite (or perhaps because of) the higher degree of hardness of the padding.

Very often, or rather consistently, we used the head cushion, the rocker mechanism, the tiltable backrest and the height adjustability of the armrests. We found the remaining “dimensions” of the armrests less important, which we also occasionally found to be too short towards the back. We definitely missed a footrest, which would have raised the already good reclining comfort to the maximum. We definitely see potential for future models or even retrofitting here.

The Enki’s price-performance ratio is good thanks to its features; it even offers a bit more than comparable models from the competition at the same price. As for the €120 cheaper Enki X, we clearly prefer the full version, if only because of the high aftermarket price of €50 for the then non-existent headrest.

The materials used are mostly of high quality and are robust where it matters. We only found minor optical flaws, which don’t carry any weight, when we looked closely underneath the seat.

A purchase recommendation is the Enki especially for long-term users, because they are most likely to benefit from the many adjustment options.

Razer Enki

Design and workmanship
Features
Ergonomics and seating comfort
Value for money

93/100

A comfortable and handsome gaming chair that is designed for hours of use and could have only been more comfortable with a footrest. Minor flaws do not hide the numerous features and solid build quality that promises long durability.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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After the Iskur, which we introduced in March, Razer will launch its next premium gaming chair, the Enki, in October 2021 and is aimed at people who want to spend a particularly long time in it. The manufacturer wants to achieve this with an optimal weight distribution, ergonomically shaped backrest, wide seat and a lumbar … (Weiterlesen...)

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