Playseats Classic Gaming Seat (Black Alcantara)
Playseats Classic Gaming Seat (Black Alcantara) Review
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BRIEFLY
This is probably the least expensive seat to be used with a Logitech PlayStation 3 Driving Force GT Racing Wheel. I found it to be relatively easy to set up. While the seat is comfortable and both the wheel and the pedal base are well supported, there are issues having to do with the ergonomics, portability and the overall solidity of the assembly.
For someone like me, unwilling to pay a lot of their first gaming seat, this should be the preferred entry-level pick. More sophisticated users may find this seat somewhat lacking.
PACKAGING AND ASSEMBLY
This made in China seat came reasonably well packed. Removing the components for assembly was easy and nothing in the box was scratched, bent or damaged. Even though there is no ‘parts list’ per se, everything I needed for assembly was in the box with a few parts to spare.
Incredibly (but true) all assembly instructions fit on 2 8×4″ pages, with half of the space occupied by 16 mini illustrations. I felt a little intimidated at first but, it turns out, the instructions were clear enough to allow us to finish the setup in 30-40 minutes. Assembly consists of a one-time unfolding the sit by sliding a pair of locking pins and fastening a few screws and nuts. The entire assembly is held together with exactly 3 adjusting screws.
In the case of the Driving Force GT wheel, it can be attached with its own mounting clasps – just tighten the screws and you’re done. Other wheels may need the provided Velcro strips. The pedals will need the supplied Velcro and I am please to report that they stay firmly in place this way. The supplied plastic ties could help with cable management.
The seat comes with a one-year, vaguely expressed limited warranty. I doubt that the warranty is worth much so, if purchased from Amazon, I would return this immediately if anything looked broken or about to give.
OPERATION AND ERGONOMICS
The 3 adjusting screws will allow you to set the pedals and a comfortable distance and the wheel height. It is easy to lengthen the frame and then lock it into a position and the same is true for the wheel height. However, since there aren’t preset holes for length/height adjustment and the assembly is held in place by the tip of the screw pressing against the frame’s metal, I don’t know how many readjustments before the frame begins sliding back and forth. Time will tell.
When it comes to storage, it is possible to easily separate the assembly into 2 halves – the seat and the frame holding the wheel and pedals. You must be very careful when moving the frame because the adjusting screws are not strong enough to hold everything together on their own so… you will have to carry your seat’s frame very much you would do a baby.
One word about the pedals. I am used to have the gas and the break pedals slightly on the right because we use the right foot to press them. This seat has them exactly in the middle. It’s not a huge deal but allowing the gas and break pedals on the right would have added to the realism of whatever simulation we are playing.
As far as using the seat, once I got seated I find it to be quite comfortable even for a 6’2″ person (that would be me) and the kids found it comfortable too after they adjusted the distance of the pedals. The rather fragile assembly – thin aluminum tubes – while creating issues when it comes to ‘looks’ and transportation, surprisingly, are a good thing when the seat is used with a wheel and a game that support rumble. The vibrations travel all the way to the seat, making the driving experience a lot more enjoyable than driving with the wheel attached to a table or some other platform lacking seat connections.
MY EVALUATION
On this unit I liked the price – I understand that prices change so my statement may appear ridiculous in a week or in a month. I also liked the relative ease of assembly and, more importantly, the driving experience. Driving on this seat is FUN. My issues with the seat, as I stated already, are related to ergonomics (pedals placement) and durability. After a few weeks of use everything is okay so far. I will come back and update my review if something goes wrong or breaks.
I hesitate between 3 and 4 stars but, after some debate with myself and after talking with the kids who used the seat more than I did, I am leaning toward the 4-star rating meaning “I like it”. Because we do. If, knowing what I know, I had to decide now between buying this seat or spending more for a higher end offer, I’m not sure what I’d do other than carefully read the reviews for the higher end product first.
Playseats Classic Gaming Seat (Black Alcantara) Feature
- True-to-life black Alcantara gaming seat compatible with most racing titles and consoles
- Combines genuine racing simulation experience with living room comfort
- Middle pole for steering wheel installation and bottom slots for pedals
- 3 adjustment knobs for different-sized gamers; under-seat storage compartment
- Works with Xbox 360, GameCube, PS, PS2, and PC; for ages 8 and older
Playseats Classic Gaming Seat (Black Alcantara) Overview
This racing stimulation cockpit gives you the ultimate realistic racing experience. Ergonomic race chair for real life race stimulation. Made of high quality materials, non-flammable. Multi adjustable for ages 8 upwards. For use with all Logitech steering wheels, patented folding racing seat and easy to assemble. Playseats works with PC, XBOX 360, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, PS ONE, AND PS2.
Playseats Classic Gaming Seat (Black Alcantara) Specifications
With a true-to-life cockpit design, the Playseats classic gaming seat puts you smack dab in the middle of your favorite racing game. The seat works with most racing titles and game systems, including the Xbox 360, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation2, and PCs. More importantly, the chair is notably comfortable thanks to its luxurious black Alcantara material–which feels like suede and looks like genuine black leather–all while delivering the most realistic racing simulation around. Just install a game steering wheel on the middle pole and attach a couple of pedals along the bottom (all sold separately).
The setup is easily adaptable, with three adjustment knobs letting you move the wheel and pedals closer or farther, depending on your height. And thanks to the high-quality steel construction, you needn’t worry about the gaming seat falling apart after just a few short months. Appropriate for ages 8 and older, the seat is the perfect accessory for gamers who want to boost their lap times in style.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: May 07, 2010 09:49:06
anderson