GamesRadar+ VerdictThe Boulies Master Series gaming chair gets the fundamentals right, and that’s what makes it so good. This is a low-profile chair that’s comfortable for work and play, and its cushioning strikes a balance between ergonomics and support. Impressive integrated lumbar adjustment is a bonus that punches above its price range, and generous color options give you plenty of choice.Pros+Comfortable and supportive in equal measure+Granular lumbar support customization+Classy styling and color choices+Accessible price pointCons-Noisy with squeaks and clicks out of the box-Head cushion falls off easily-Lacks the premium vibe of others
GamesRadar+ Verdict
GamesRadar+ Verdict
The Boulies Master Series gaming chair gets the fundamentals right, and that’s what makes it so good. This is a low-profile chair that’s comfortable for work and play, and its cushioning strikes a balance between ergonomics and support. Impressive integrated lumbar adjustment is a bonus that punches above its price range, and generous color options give you plenty of choice.
The Boulies Master Series gaming chair gets the fundamentals right, and that’s what makes it so good. This is a low-profile chair that’s comfortable for work and play, and its cushioning strikes a balance between ergonomics and support. Impressive integrated lumbar adjustment is a bonus that punches above its price range, and generous color options give you plenty of choice.
Pros+Comfortable and supportive in equal measure+Granular lumbar support customization+Classy styling and color choices+Accessible price point
Comfortable and supportive in equal measure
Granular lumbar support customization
Classy styling and color choices
Accessible price point
Cons-Noisy with squeaks and clicks out of the box-Head cushion falls off easily-Lacks the premium vibe of others
Noisy with squeaks and clicks out of the box
Head cushion falls off easily
Lacks the premium vibe of others
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Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Boulies may be relatively new to the game but it’s quickly established a name for itself. For instance, its Ninja Pro currently sits proudly atop our gaming chair power rankings, beating options from Secretlab, Razer, and Herman Miller. I’ve been sitting on one of the British brand’s staples, the Master Series. That impressive reputation means it arrives with big castors to fill.
Most of us will only need to look for a new gaming chair every few years, so when that time does eventually roll around it arrives with rather a lot of pressure on the decision. The list of thebest gaming chairsis a good place to start, but with so many brands and so many options, the choice can be daunting.
Starting from $359.99/£289.99, the Boulies Master Series is a chunk cheaper than a lot of its rivals but still promises a familiar-looking feature set with all the expected mod cons. So something has to give, are we overpaying to sit elsewhere or is the Master Series cutting corners to compete?
Assembly
Image1of2(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
Image1of2(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
Image1of2
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
I’ve put together a lot of gaming chairs recently, the Boulies Master Series is my fifth build in as many weeks so I’m starting to get the hang of it. Constructing the Master Series was an entirely unremarkable experience, which is nice in one sense and an indicator of where Boulies has managed to trim the price down in others. While the process was simple and a welcome change from the wrestling match of theAndaSeat Kaiser 4, it was noticeably less elegant overall compared to theSecretlab Titan Evo.
All the bits were there, they all fit together first time and there wasn’t a bolt out of place, but the Boulies Master Series lacked an initial wow factor in its presentation. The instructions were easy to follow but a little low quality, and where Secretlab delivers a neatly branded box of tools and extras - Boulies throw a crumpled blister packet somewhere in the box for you to fish out. Both approaches are equally valid and I ended up with a finished chair just as quickly in both cases but there was more of a special feeling with the Titan Evo that the Master Series lacked.
Design & Features
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
As is now the norm with gaming chairs, the Boulies Master Series has plenty of choice when it comes to size and aesthetics. I’ve been testing the larger Master Max which runs a couple of cm larger in all directions, though it’ll also run you around $60/£70 more as a result. Upholstery-wise, you’re able to choose between Ultraflex PU, Nappa Leather, and the water-repellent fabric my test unit is wrapped in.
Boulies makes a deliberate point to highlight the Master Series’ design as being both gaming setup and home office friendly and it’s hard to disagree. It’s a refined shape with reserved accents that look the business. The colour choices echo this, the four fabric swatches are muted pastels and even the most outlandish red Ultraflex PU option isn’t over the top. My chair is ‘Como’, which is just marketing speak for ‘Green’, whatever it’s called though it looks lovely. If you’re not brave enough to rock a subtle green chair there are two shades of grey and a Slate Blue option as well.
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
Performance
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
There’s nothing too outlandish about the overall shape of the Boulies Master Series so there are no surprises when it comes to the all-important sitting experience. It’s perfectly pleasant, in fact, I’ll take that a step further and say for both work and play, it’s actually really rather comfortable to sit on.
I found the Master Series slightly more comfortable for shorter sessions than the Secretlab Titan Evo - a chair that’s considerably more expensive. A lot of this is down to the Boulies Master Series’ main seat cushion which finds a nicer balance between soft and supportive - something we found in droves with theBoulies Ninja Pro. There’s enough give when you first sit down to feel like you’re being welcomed into the Master Series’ rounded bucket seat, but it’s still firm enough to look after your posture too. After a couple of minutes, I’d be hard-pressed to notice a real difference between them, but first impressions matter after all.
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
The 4D armrests do their job well with plenty of room for adjustment while remaining stable in all positions, though unfortunately the same can’t be said for the included head cushion. It’s plush and comfortable but Boulies has stuck with the now outdated elastic strap mounting option meaning it’s a little less refined and likes to fling itself on the floor at every opportunity. The backrest is more modern and more successful, two knobs allow for impressively fine control of the integrated lumbar support and while I’m generally not one for pronounced back bumps, I was able to dial in a comfortable position with ease.
Should you buy the Boulies Master Series Gaming Chair?
(Image credit: Future / Alex Berry)
The Boulies Master Series gets the fundamentals right. This is a comfortable chair for both work and play with a seat that strikes a nice balance between cushioning and support, impressive lumbar adjustment, and refined styling.
While it may have skimped on some of the extra flourish of more expensive rivals on the list of best gaming chairs, the Master Series still delivers in the areas that matter most, and with pricing starting from $359.99/£289.99, this is an excellent middle-ground option.
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How I tested the Boulies Master Series
For more onhow we test gaming chairsat GamesRadar+, take a look at ourhardware policy.
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5
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