Brazen Emperor review: "Comfy, robust, and sounds good, but comes up a little short - literally"

With the arrival of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, the console generation wheels have turned again. That brings a fresh wave of accessories, be it PS5 headsets or the best gaming chair. And with more people spending time at home these days, the desire to get a contender for best gaming chair for PS4, PS5, or Xbox is greater than ever. This is something that Brazen has sought to provide for with the Brazen Emperor - a pedestal variant and floor rocker chair. 

Note: These chairs are currently available in the UK right now.

Build, design, and features

There are a few things that help to position the Brazen Emperor range at the premium end of things. Firstly, the materials are plush, premium, smooth, and exude a sort of 'executive office' luxury. The soft faux-leather material covering the chairs makes for a nice seat and back, and there are no tearing or loose fibers that might come from a woven material finish either.

The overall build is of a good standard, too; everything feels sturdy once put together and in place. The pedestal itself has its big circular base providing stability, and the arms are easily and securely attached with one Allen key. If you don't use the pedestal and opt for a rocker setup instead, it's even easier to put together - only the arms would need to be attached. 

As a short aside, the pedestal chair design does make for easy assembly and construction, but I wonder whether something will also be developed for this generation that isn't held together at one crucial pivot/weight/anchor point...

Meanwhile, the audio switcher is neat and tidy and allows for quick flicks through what connection to use. That's handy if you're going from being plugged in and gaming on a console, to watching a movie on another device that's connected via Bluetooth. 

The downside of this connectivity and built-in audio is that this is not a chair that can be truly wireless with your console. These are not 'officially licensed' chairs that can be integrated into the consoles' audio or wireless ecosystems, and as a result, you do have to be plugged into both a power source and an audio source.

Comfort and performance

Generally, the Brazen Emperor range is comfortable and robust. That's an incredibly important factor in gaming chairs ticked off right from the start: comfort. 

Audio is just as good. The built-in speakers are the other mainstays of Brazen's chairs, and they perform just as well in the Emperor as other models. The rumble in the back is exciting and enjoyable in shooters like The Division 2 or Call of Duty, while the audio can - if your room is quiet enough - be enjoyed nicely at the subtler end of the scale with the wind rushing past your head in Assassin's Creed Valhalla or alerting you to the faint grumble of an enemy in the distance. The speakers are a nice advantage that Brazen chairs offer, and it's the same in these Emperor seats - they'll easily outdo the speakers in the best gaming TVs or the best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, for example.

In terms of comfort, I've been using the Brazen Emperor range for a while now and have gotten some good use of them over the Christmas break particularly. All in all, they perform well - though I prefer the pedestal rather than the rocker, personally - and offer a comfortable go-to console gaming chair. I even found myself getting the chair into position even for shorter periods, such is its performance over my sofa.

There have been a few squeaks or tiny wobbles that have developed over time which, while annoying, haven't actually impacted the chair's performance. 

They are, however, a little short in the back and in the armrests. What I mean by this is that it seems better suited for folks who are not at the taller end of the scale. As a Big Lad, I sit in the chair and the armrests are not high enough for my arms, and the neck support is not high enough for me either. It's still comfy despite this - which is great - but it'd be even better if it accommodated those of us who are a bit taller. And, perhaps as a result of the design to have the Emperor fold in half successfully, the back support isn't quite there; it needs to be slightly more upright and robust in the back, particularly at the lower end. You can still slouch into the chair quite comfortably in those more relaxed passages of games, of course (which will have you enjoying the armrests a little by virtue of 'shortening' yourself and your posture in the chair), but it does feel just a little small for those of us of a taller nature.

Elsewhere, there's a bit of give in the chair for a rocking motion, and the rocker itself obviously caters to this. No matter whether you go for pedestal or rocker style, though, both will fold in half which improves their ability to melt into the background of rooms or be stored when not in use. It's a small but notable benefit.

Overall - should you buy it?

Now is a good a time as any to browse for something like a Brazen Emperor as homes have changed a little to incorporate (perhaps) more dedicated work and play, or gaming rooms and areas. The Emperors are comfy and robust enough to be used as a main console chair, and the materials and comfort are of a pretty high level. 

However, particularly as we move deeper into a new and exciting generation of gaming hardware in terms of machines, it's a little hard to look past the lack of wireless connectivity and tighter integration into consoles than is currently on offer. 

Still, if you're after a solid console gaming chair, then Brazen and the Emperor offers a great option if you have the budget and inclination to commit. 

Note: This chair is only available in the UK as it stands.