Fractal Design Refine overview: magnificence and luxury mixed in a gaming chair

The Fractal Refine is the corporate’s first try at a gaming chair, and the corporate has all however nailed it first time. On styling alone, it’s clearly a bit totally different to the gaming chair norm, but it surely’s not only a nice shade of grey that defines the Refine. It additionally homes a handful of actually significant ergonomic enhancements over the overwhelming majority of different gaming chair choices.

It’s no shock, then, that the Fractal Refine instantly finds itself a spot on our greatest gaming chair information. Another chairs supply extra fashion  and ergonomics customization choices, however as an entire, the Refine is without doubt one of the greatest all-round choices on the market.

Specs

Design

The obvious place to start out assessing the Fractal Refine is to take a look at its design. Fractal is already well-known for crafting stylish, minimalist PC merchandise in a variety of classes, with the corporate primarily identified for its fantastic circumstances such because the Fractal Period and Fractal North. The Refine continues this pattern, with a glance that eschews the racing seat fashion of many gaming chairs – benefitting each consolation and appears – whereas protecting a way of the clear traces and appealingly muted colours of its stablemates.

By and enormous, lots of the styling could be seen as type following operate, with options such because the sliding headrest inherently trying cleaner than chairs that use headrest cushions held in place with elastic. Nevertheless, there are many refined particulars that clear up the look. These embrace the truth that a number of of the primary controls are built-in into the aspect of the seat, reasonably than being on stalks protruding from beneath the seat. The lumbar help equipment on the again can also be integrated into an elegantly sweeping body, whereas the armrest uprights have simply the appropriate ahead angle to steadiness the look of the chair.

The chair is obtainable in three predominant kinds: mesh, cloth, and Alcantara. The previous makes use of an identical tensioned mesh design, as made well-known by the Herman Miller Aeron (accessible right here) to supply springy help on your again and behind. In the meantime, the material and Alcantara (which is a sort of fake suede generally used as a premium end for automotive interiors) variations have a extra conventional padded seat base, however then use a equally tensioned again as mesh chairs.

This again design is in contrast to many gaming chairs which have enormously thick, padded seat backs. As an alternative, the Refine has an open body exhibiting on the again, with only a skinny layer of cloth held in stress by that body. This again design actually helps make for a lighter, extra elegant feel and appear than many gaming chairs.

When it comes to colours, the material model is obtainable on this mid-gray coloration with a black base and {hardware}, or a really mild, heat grey coloration with white {hardware}. The mesh model is available in two very comparable coloration choices, whereas the Alcantara mannequin is simply accessible in black. The Refine finishes off its usually mild look by having hole castors, to the extent which you could see by way of the center of them.

Options

For probably the most half, the Refine delivers the usual handful of options you’d anticipate from a gaming chair. It goes up and down, it tilts backwards and forwards, it rolls round on its wheels, and it has armrests that transfer in additional dimensions than appears potential. Nevertheless, there’s a good bit that the Refine does a bit bit otherwise.

Ranging from the highest, probably the most distinctive options of this chair is its headrest. As an alternative of the strap-on headrests of most previous gaming chairs, this one is locked to the chair and simply slides up and down, with an ample vary of motion of 130mm to accommodate totally different heights of sitters.

Should you discover you don’t get on with the headrest, otherwise you wish to wash the detachable cushion cowl, although, you may unhook it by way of a button on the highest of the chair. You’re then left with a few plastic-lined holes that barely disrupt the look of the chair, but it surely’s nonetheless a fairly neat end.

Shifting down the chair, within the decrease central portion of the already fairly convexly-curved again is the adjustable lumbar help. This may be slid up and down, and a flip of the dial pushes the curved, horizontal lumbar bar into and out of the again cloth.

Shifting onto the armrests, these can slide up and down, out and in, ahead and again, and they are often angled inward and outwards. All these changes lock into place besides one, which is the ahead and again sliding movement. This implies you consistently slide the arms ahead and again everytime you press your fingers into them to rise up or sit down. It’s a very odd oversight in an in any other case well-designed chair.

In the meantime, the seat’s base can slide ahead and again when loosened by way of a deal with on the appropriate aspect, and it is a large ergonomic profit over many gaming chair options. Subsequent to this deal with is the fuel carry launch, which helps you to deliver up the chair when not seated or decrease it when sat down. Additionally on the appropriate is the lean stress adjusting lever. You possibly can twist this to loosen or tighten the drive, pushing the again of the chair upward if you lean again.

Notable by its absence is a recline operate. You possibly can tilt again within the chair, with the seat and again rocking again in semi-unison, however you may’t simply decrease the again utterly independently of the seat. On the left is the lock deal with for the lean operate, and also you’re in a position to lock the seat again into any place right down to roughly a 45-degree angle.

The ultimate adjustable facet of this chair is the castors. These have a security mechanism, which suggests they don’t roll till there’s weight on the chair – so the chair doesn’t fly away from you should you solely barely lean on it. Nevertheless, should you take away every wheel, there’s a bit change that allows you to flip off this characteristic. Funnily sufficient, I assumed this characteristic was on after I first tried the chair because it didn’t appear to roll all that freely. Nevertheless, it turned out this was in truth the free-rolling setup and the castors simply aren’t significantly quick ones.

Consolation

My preliminary impression of the Fractal Refine’s consolation is that it’s wonderful. Nevertheless, over a number of weeks of use, I did discover a number of grumbles. Beginning with the good things, the convex curve of the primary seat portion is a delight to see and really feel on this chair. So many chairs get this unsuitable by having a flat or typically even upward-curving entrance to a chair, which simply causes the entrance edge to dig into your legs. You get none of that right here.

The adjustability of the seat size can also be a godsend for a tall particular person like me. The additional leg help additional reduces strain in your legs and customarily spreads out the help of your physique. One slight problem I seen, although, is that your bottom can get barely trapped between the seat and again if you tilt the seat again, after which return it to upright. That’s as a result of the hole between the 2 barely opens up as you tilt, then closes up once more as you come again up. It’s not uncomfortable however requires a fast readjustment wiggle.

The seat’s padding can also be supportive, regardless of being comparatively shallow and never all that squishy (although softer than lots of gaming chairs). Nevertheless, I did discover the overall build-up of heat in comparison with my ordinary Aeron mesh chair – a gripe I’ve with any non-mesh gaming chair. As such, I’d positively advocate the mesh model of this chair for hotter environments (I borrowed a mesh model of this chair for a short time and it’s very cozy too).

The contouring of the seat again is superb too, with ample additional help from the lumbar bar. It’s a bit difficult to regulate the bar if you’re sat down – it’s a must to lean ahead to take the strain off it – but it surely’s in any other case straightforward to maneuver about. The again additionally has not one of the tendency to push your shoulders ahead, in contrast to some gaming chairs, permitting for a great open posture.

The headrest is one other triumph, with its wonderful contouring and straightforward adjustability permitting you to shortly set a place to softly help the pinnacle when sat upright. It does want readjusting barely when tilted again, however that is straightforward sufficient to do.

Arm consolation is one other triumph, because the armrests have among the many softest padding I’ve encountered on the handfuls of gaming chairs I’ve examined. The changes are all actually exact and straightforward to make use of. Nevertheless, the dearth of ahead and again slide locks actually is annoying, even when it does imply you don’t want to fret about pushing the armrests out of the way in which when pulling your chair in near your desk.

The one actually main problem, then, is the dearth of a straight recline choice, as typically it’s good to have the ability to simply fold flat on your afternoon nap. Furthermore, the lean operate isn’t the very best. The strain adjustment didn’t appear to make a lot distinction, so I all the time discovered the chair felt prefer it wished to push me upwards, with me needing to relaxation my toes on one thing to maintain me propped backward.

Additionally, one tiny statement. The highest edges of the five-point base are fairly flat, with a barely harsh edge. I discovered it a bit uncomfortable to return into contact with these factors after I was simply carrying socks at house.

Worth

Priced at $549.99, the Fractal Refine is in the identical ballpark as most premium gaming chairs, and for its match, end, and options, that value feels truthful. Notably, the material, mesh, and Alcantara finishes are all the identical value.

Alternate options

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022

Our long-running favourite of gaming chairs is the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. Obtainable in three sizes and dozens of designs, this chair gives plenty of adjustability – its detachable armrest tops and magnetic headrest cushion being highlights – and nice consolation for the same value to the Refine. Its general look isn’t as glossy and its again help isn’t as refined but it surely stays a best choice.

Learn our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 overview.

Verdict

The Fractal Refine is, by and enormous, a triumph for a primary run at an entire new product sector for Fractal. It’s a classy-looking, feature-rich, and comfy chair, with its consolation firmly planted within the realm of sensible all-day sitting. It won’t really feel the softest, but it surely doesn’t go away you fidgeting or with a nasty again.

Its intelligent height-adjustable headrest is a specific triumph, as is the lumbar help and the contours of the seat – the size adjustment being a very helpful characteristic. We want the armrests may very well be locked from sliding backwards and forwards, and that you possibly can recline in addition to tilt the chair, however for a genuinely sensible all-day-sitting chair, it nails the transient.