HP Omen Citadel Gaming Chair review: Comfy seating

The HP Omen Citadel Gaming Chair ticks all the right boxes. It looks great, sits great and has an adjustable lumbar cushion. In fact, while it's the same size as the Secretlab Titan gaming chair, it's actually priced the same (S$499) as the smaller Secretlab Omega line. That makes it a pretty good deal if you're looking to save on some cash.

Quick specs

Supports up to 136kg
Made from leatherette
Self assembly required
4D adjustable armrests

Made from what should be leatherette (HP did not disclose this on the site), the Citadel chair is pretty comfortable to sit on. My only concern is that the leatherette may peel in our humid weather, which I've encountered with the first-generation Secretlab chairs. HP says the material is fairly durable, so time will tell. I enjoyed resting my butt on it through the weekend I spent testing it. Interestingly, the chair's size seems better suited for those with a bigger frame (up to 136kg), and is a bit too big for me. Looks wise, it has a pretty looking checkered stitch design on the seat, and striking red Omen logos for highlights.

Like most gaming chairs, the arm rests are adjustable in four directions. Up, down, back, and forth. While you can't slide them from left to right, you can adjust their angle. It does not come with a built-in massager like the OSIM uThrone. The chair also tilts pretty far back. If you incline the seat all the way, you can even lie down and sleep on it. I felt secure lying down, the chair was never in danger of keeling over. An adjustable support and a neck rest were included, though the neck rest feels a bit too hard. I actually preferred the Secretlab's memory foam neck rest.

Setting up the chair takes about an hour or less. It's rather easy to do, and the instructions in the manual are straightforward. There's also a QR code for a video. I did find that the provided hex key inefficient to use. You'll want to use a proper screwdriver with a hex head. Use the hex key to tighten instead. My cordless Xiaomi Electric Screwdriver set came in handy for the smaller screws, but it lacked the largest size head for the chair.

The HP Omen Citadel Gaming Chair is a pretty good buy. After all, you're getting a chair made for a larger frame, but sold at a cheaper, competitive price. It's available at S$499 from the HP online store. It doesn't appear to be listed on Lazada yet, but I found a seller on Shopee. Unlike the Secretlab chairs, the Omen only has a one-year warranty, and this does not cover leather peeling.

Note: Review unit provided by HP.

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