The gaming chair market has boomed in the last few years, so of course, CORSAIR would be keen for a slice of the pie. Today we’re examining their 3rd iteration, the T3 RUSH.
Product on Review: CORSAIR T3 RUSH Gaming Chair
Manufacturer: CORSAIR
Street Price: £249.99 / $299.99
CORSAIR, seemingly rampaging their way through the gaming community, catering for every corner of the market, are now onto their 3rd consecutive yearly gaming chair release, the T3 RUSH, following on from, you might’ve guessed it, the T1 RACE and T2 ROAD WARRIOR.
The latest gaming chair is CORSAIR’s cheapest so far, arriving at £249.99 in the UK and $299.99 in the US. It’s also the smallest in many respects, but with some improvements in terms of minimum and maximum seat height and arm rest adjustment.
While the previous two were available in bright and bold colours, with leatherette coverings, the colour selection is much more neutral this time around, with charcoal, grey/charcoal and grey/white as the possible variants; we’ve been provided with the grey/white for our review sample.
With the lower price tag and reduced dimensions, the gaming chair seems to be aimed at a younger, smaller audience who don’t want the gaudy, in-your-face styling of some other gaming chairs on the market.
CORSAIR on the T3 RUSH
The CORSAIR T3 RUSH gaming chair combines racing-inspired design and contoured comfort, with a breathable soft cloth exterior, padded neck cushion and memory foam lumbar support.
Technical Specifications
Packaging & Included Parts
The box was too large to take photos of in our photography area so we’ve taken it here instead. The strapping around the box makes it much easier to move about, particularly if you need to take the chair upstairs to assemble it. The cardboard is triple-walled and perfectly capable of protecting the chair in transit.
Starting at the bottom and working our way up, the 5-prong base is constructed from a dense, stiff plastic material with some glossy plastic inserts to spruce it up a bit.
Looking at the underside, you can see the cross patterns designed to improve strength and ensure the 120kg weight rating is no issue.
The 5 nylon 60mm wheels almost look like tiny alloy wheels in a powder coated finish, instead of the usual solid-sided affair you get from most office furniture. Also included in a small accessories box is the class-4 gas lift and shroud, hinge covers and a small pack of surplus nuts and bots, a small 8mm allen-key and screwdriver combo and some Corsair buttons to cover up some screw holes.
In another box inside the package is the hinge mechanism, this isn’t as intricate or bulky as we’ve seen on other similarly priced offerings but it promises to do the job.
Corsair provide the T3 RUSH with a couple of cushions, one for your lumbar, which can be wedged between the bolsters on the back of the chair and a neck cushion with elasticated band that is clipped through the “harness slots” of the chair.
Included Parts (Continued)
Now to look at the main components of the chair, starting with the backpiece. The soft cloth covering is a nice change from the faux leather that we’re used to and smells much better straight out of the box, like a brand-new sofa. The Corsair logo is loud and proud at the top of the headrest area.
The reverse side, which is of importance in some scenarios, sports a small CORSAIR tab on the left edge, like a posh handbag or expensive clothing. The same CORSAIR logo is stitched into the top of the backrest, in a prominent position. People need to know it’s CORSAIR, obviously.
The base arrives almost entirely assembled, saving you plenty of effort in the construction of the chair. The bottom is slightly curved for better ergonomics with ample cushioning over the front edge for the backs of your knees.
Looking to the underside of the base, the steel construction is still partially on show, with metal clips around the perimeter to hold the fabric in place. The arm rests, outside of their built-in adjustment, can be tweaked from the underside of the chair by backing off the three bolts and making adjustments from there.
The green bands are there for additional support and comfort.
Finished Look
Construction, allowing for the photographs taken between each stage, amounted to no more than about 8 to 10 minutes, between a couple of people. It’s easy to put together on your own but the back piece can be a struggle to line up and bolt together without help.We really like the soft cloth and overall colour scheme of the chair, particularly in the style that we chose. It lends itself to a modern bedroom or even someone’s living room quite well.
Adding the cushions, comfort and ergonomics can be increased even further. The neck/head cushion is clipped into place with a small plastic buckle through the harness holes but the lumbar cushion, which on many other chairs has to be adjusted every time you use the chair, can be wedged into place and remains there rather well.
Performance & Comfort Testing
First impressions with the chair were good, it’s comfortable, is constructed well, finished to a high standard and looks cracking in the soft cloth, but the biggest, or smallest, thing we noticed was the size of the chair. I’m 175cm (5’8”) tall and 80kg (12.5 stone) and I definitely exceed the capacity of the chair, at least without the lumbar cushion in place. My ribs were pushed inwards by the bolsters on each side and my shoulders curved forwards slightly by the upper backrest. Obviously, the chair is styled upon a bucket seat from a racing car, designed to hold you in place and prevent you falling out of the chair and losing control of the vehicle; that’s not the case with a gaming chair, you don’t need to be held so tightly, and the same appearance can easily be achieved with a less aggressive form.The foam that CORSAIR have used offers good resistance to deforming too quickly so offers good overall comfort no matter how long you plan to sit down for. Obviously, we recommend you take regular breaks from your computer but it’s nice to know it’ll keep you supported if you do partake in the occasional mammoth gaming sessions.
Sporting a geometric pattern on the arm rests that looks the part and adds to the appeal of the chair, especially to fans of the class Q*bert arcade game from the 80s, but the 4D adjustment is where the magic happens. The armrests can be adjusted up and down, side to side, forwards and backwards and angled inwards and outwards.
Looking towards the hinge of the chair, we see something slightly different here, where the plastic section extends over the hinge below, instead of just butting up against it. CORSAIR have also included a couple of rubber bungs to plug up the screw hole for that finishing touch.
The handle is pulled upwards to adjust the angle of the back of the chair. Unlike some other chairs which get close to horizontal, this T3 RUSH gets entirely horizontal, you can quite literally lie down flat. It almost defies physics.
The wheelbase and wheels are entirely plastic but don’t let that put you off at all, they feel solid and should last the test of time. The single handle connected to the mechanism can be twisted to raise and lower the chair and pulled outwards to lock the lean mechanism into an upright position.
Conclusion
All things considered, CORSAIR have done a good job on the T3 RUSH, it’s relatively affordable, looks excellent and feels robust enough to take a pounding.The overall shape is comfortable, with ample padding in all of the right places, but make no mistake, this chair is squarely aimed at children, young teenagers and smaller women. Having said that, my girlfriend did find the chair comfortable and enjoyed the lower overall height thanks to the shorter gas lift, being able to plant her feet flat on the floor.
Build quality, as you’d expect from a CORSAIR product, is spot on. All of the components, while mostly being made from plastic, don’t feel cheap; they’re still a premium offering. However, considering that, CORSAIR have only given the chair a 2-year warranty which is much less than some others, such as the AK Racing Core Series LX.
Overall, the smaller size and available colours puts the T3 RUSH in a unique position, particularly if you prefer a snug chair but the larger chairs on the market are too big.
Providing you feel you’ll fit into the chair, we wholeheartedly recommend it. If you need something a tad larger, the Nitro Concepts S300 in black and white might suit your needs perfectly.
CORSAIR build quality, attractive design, uniquely appealing size and neutral colour schemes make the CORSAIT T3 RUSH a strong choice.
Pros
+ Neutral colour schemes
+ Good build quality
+ Comfortable cushions that stay in place
+ 4D armrests
+ Can lie down flat
Neutral
+- Small size
Cons
– More expensive than alternatives
+ Neutral colour schemes
+ Good build quality
+ Comfortable cushions that stay in place
+ 4D armrests
+ Can lie down flat
Neutral
+- Small size
Cons
– More expensive than alternatives
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