Backforce is known for individuality, quality and Made in Germany and has quickly established itself on the market. The chairs from Gamechanger radiate at least as much individuality and Made in Germany. To what extent the equally young manufacturer can keep up with Backforce in terms of quality remains to be seen.
Gamechanger was started in 2018 by the idea of Janet Carstensen, whose professional background was already in ergonomic office chairs. On a trip through Asia, she learned about the lack of quality and ergonomics of existing gaming chairs, which had dominated the market until then. So, with Backforce, Interstuhl was not the first manufacturer to establish itself in Germany and also to design as well as produce only in this country. In a way, Gamechanger has done pioneering work. The result has received numerous awards so far and has a seasoned reputation among gamers and e-sportsmen.
We wanted to find out to what extent the Gamechanger chairs can keep up with those of the younger Backforce brand. For this purpose, we contrasted the top models Black L and One Plus to compare them in detail. The result turned out to be much tighter than our previous comparisons with noblechairs, Recaro and SecretLab.
Corner data on the companies
Backforce | Gamechanger | |
Gamechanger | 2019 | 2018 |
Country of origin | Germany | Germany |
Market segment | Premium | Premium |
Target group (size) | 150 to 192 cm | 169 to 210 cm |
Target group (weight) | 45 to 130 kg | 45 to 200 kg |
Price range of all chairs | 499 to 629 euros | 519 to 1948 euros |
Test verdicts (Basic-Tutorials.com) | 1x Gold, 1x Platinum | 1x Platinum (Sports Edition) |
Best test result (Basic-Tutorials.com) | 95/100 points | 95/100 points |
Special features | 5D armrests, flexible lumbar support, distinctive back shield, customizable extras | 4D armrests, improved rocker mechanism, breathable faux leather, customizable |
Backforce: concentrated gaming chair expertise with only a 1 year
The brand is barely a year and a half old, but has already made a decent name for itself in the gaming industry. It’s not without reason that Backforce supports e-sports organizations like Berlin International Gaming (BIG), streamer events like Friendly Fire, or YouTubers like Paluten. Experience takes the brand from the house interstuhl, a German manufacturer of high-quality office chairs with a more than 60-year company history. This also provided a very good foundation for bringing gaming chairs like the One and the One Plus to life – and with plenty of quality made in Germany.
In the process, the people behind Backforce are so confident in their products that they issue a 10-year warranty on every single chair that leaves production. That’s more than any other manufacturer has to offer. Gamechanger is not even close behind with five years. Of course, we can’t yet judge whether the 10-year warranty will hold up, but now that we’ve looked so closely at the Backforce chairs in reviews and comparisons, we strongly suspect that a One or One Plus will still be doing their job completely in 10 years.
What sets Backforce’s gaming chairs apart
One problem with most gaming chairs is often the covers. If you want breathable seating, you have to go with genuine leather or fabric. However, some people don’t feel comfortable with animal skin or underestimate the amount of care required for it. Those looking for both a classy look and quality and durability will find it at Backforce in the form of Alcantara. The microfiber fabric looks just like real leather, is extremely durable, easy to care for and, most importantly, breathable.
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Backforce was all about doing away with a typical-looking gaming chair from the start. No holes in the backrest, no usual racing seat shell, but sustainable comfort, high-quality materials and functionality. To make sure that everyone really feels comfortable on the One or One Plus chairs, Backforce hasn’t skimped on the last point in particular. In addition to a flexibly adjustable lumbar support, the seat depth and seat tilt adjustment scores points – a rarity in gaming chairs.
Equally uncommon on the market are the built-in 5D armrests, which can be folded away so you can get closer to the table without bumping into it. And that’s not all: when it comes to comfort and ergonomics, Interstuhl relies on molded wood panels in the backrest. No material is better for the back, because it adapts perfectly and does not remain stiff, like steel or plastic.
Visually, the backplate is an absolute highlight. Here, Backforce has embellished a part that most chair manufacturers don’t bother with. In addition to the color accents, the backrest features a gamer pulse, a glowing brooch that is customizable. Equally customizable are the patches on the shoulders of the backrest. Every detail on the Backforce chairs is designed to fit the body and, to some extent, the tastes of the user. In the end, you have your very own personal gaming throne.
And so that you can sit on it for hours, not only the ergonomics have been perfected, but also the comfort. Two components of foam in the seat bring comfort and physical support. If you’re also a fan of a neck pillow, you can order one separately from Backforce’s online shop. The need for it is increasingly decreasing, which is why it is not only not included with Backforce.
As you can easily see, the name Backforce – in German as much as Rückenkraft – is not chosen well without reason. Quality, impeccable workmanship, durability and ergonomics dominate the German manufacturer’s chairs.
Check out the Backforce One Plus!
What makes Gamechanger’s gaming chairs stand out
Talking long and wide about Backforce is something we’re good at. But so can we about other manufacturers that have already won us over. And whoever we give a Platinum Award to has definitely convinced. So in addition to Backforce, our Hall of Fame also includes Gamechanger.
The brand has been around for a year longer, but the origin story is quite similar to that of Backforce. The idea came from the aforementioned founder Janet Carstensen, but the gamechanger became a high-quality chair through the chair manufacturer Westaro. Westaro can also look back on almost 60 years of experience in the field, as can Interstuhl.
There are now four models – one of which even comes without a headrest – and two special editions. In addition to functionality, quality and design, Gamechanger has devoted special attention to the chairs’ customizability. Just as you can assemble a pizza to your own taste at delivery services, you can do the same with Gamechanger. But beware: Depending on what you put in your shopping cart, it can get really expensive for the manufacturer. If you take the complete package including real leather, padded armrests, a lumbar support that can be adjusted in depth and other extras, you’ll end up with a whopping 1997 Euros. Some gaming PCs are cheaper. However, buyers spend an average of 700-900 Euros on Gamechanger, starting at 519 Euros.
But compared to the Backforce, you can paint the Gamechanger completely how you want it, right down to the seams. In the end, you have a gaming chair unlike any other in the world. By nature, the Gamechanger comes in sizes S/M, L and XL, depending on your height and weight. If you buy the standard version and not the customizable one, you can still choose between fabric, breathable faux leather and genuine leather, as well as with or without lumbar support. However, to compensate for the lack of adjustable lumbar support, the backrest is adjustable in height.
The functions built into the Gamechanger from the ground up are impressive. A synchronous mechanism is also installed in it, so that the seat and backrest move in coordination with each other. In addition, the chairs come with 4D armrests and a fiberglass-reinforced base. No compromises are made in terms of construction either, so molded wood panels are used here as well, which are on par with Backforce.
Gamechanger can offer almost everything that Backforce can. The difference lies in the fact that the chair is not optimally equipped from the outset, but you have to buy one or the other extra. This means that the price will quickly rise to a different level.
Top models: the Backforce One Plus compared to the Gamechanger Black L
If you don’t go to the customize tab on Gamechanger, the chair quickly loses out to Backforce’s top model, the One Plus. Equipped with a flexibly adjustable lumbar support, a wooden moldboard, breathable Alcantara fabric, synchro mechanism, two-component foam and optical features, it delivers everything a gamer needs for long gaming sessions.
The Gamechanger, on the other hand, has to go to the workshop before it can claim these extras as well. It still can’t match the 5D armrests, the 10-year warranty and a double-layered plastic shield on the backrest of the Backforce One Plus. In contrast, however, Gamechanger can score points with its excellent customizability and various chair sizes.
The prices in comparison
We already had to digest the price shock halfway through the article. Thus, we can now face the facts quite soberly. Fact 1: Gamechanger is significantly more expensive than Backforce. Fact 2: You get a bit less for more money than with Backforce, considering the different warranty periods and the full features.
Thus, for example, you get the Backforce One Plus for 629 Euros including all features and optical highlights. The Gamechanger starts at 519 Euros, but it does not even have half of the extras that are found in the One Plus. If you – hypothetically – want to replicate the Backforce One Plus at Gamechanger as far as possible, you will end up with 892 Euros. In return, however, all parts of the chair can be colored according to personal taste.
Conclusion
In the end, Backforce only has a razor-thin lead in our eyes. If it weren’t for the high price for the same performance, it would probably have been a neck-and-neck race. One thing is certain: Both chairs do an excellent, ergonomic job and offer every user many hours of comfortable seating.
Those who can overlook the fact that a Backforce chair cannot be designed in as much detail as a Gamechanger should definitely opt for the younger company. Those who have it financially loose can face the choice. The Basic Tutorials editorial team has spoken out unanimously in favor of Backforce – regardless of the prices.
After noblechairs, SecretLab and Recaro, Backforce can now also hold its own against Gamechanger – albeit more narrowly than against the other opponents.