AndaSeat Kaiser 3E XL Gaming Chair Review
design
If you’ve built an AndaSeat chair before, and I’ve now built several, there are no surprises here. The AndaSeat Kaiser 3E arrives in a predictably enormous box, securely packed but lacking the same branded flair and packaging quality of Secretlab. Everything you need is in there though, including a basic hex key. The two-size lineup offers an L for those up to around 180cm and an XL for taller folk up to 210cm, with both available in either PVC leatherette or linen fabric, I’ve been testing the larger of the two in the Ash Gray Linen Fabric colourway.
Putting it together took me about 20 minutes solo and it was simple enough to the point that I can do these without the instruction booklet now. What I will say, as I’ve noted across multiple AndaSeat reviews now, is the assembly tolerances aren’t quite as forgiving as what you’ll find from competitors like Secretlab. The backrest-to-seat bolt alignment requires a bit more patience and persuasion than it should, and this isn’t unique to the Kaiser 3E, it’s a pattern across the brand. Once everything is tightened down it’s perfectly solid, but others still set the standard for a painless build experience.
The finished chair looks exactly like what it is, a gaming chair. The AndaSeat Kaiser 3E borrows the general design language of the Kaiser 3 (and just about all other gaming chairs) with its cutout details and branded backrest, though it’s a touch less refined. There are no magnetic swappable armrest tops, no MagClap bracket system, and the overall aesthetic sits somewhere between the stripped-back simplicity of the Novis and the more polished Kaiser 3.
One thing worth noting is the weight. The Kaiser 3E is a heavy chair thanks to its all-steel internal frame and metal wheelbase. The L version gets an iron base while the XL upgrades to aluminium, but either way this is noticeably heftier than the Novis, which uses a plastic base on its L variant. It feels reassuringly sturdy once it’s in position but you’ll want a hand getting it upstairs.
Material quality is on par with what I’ve come to expect from AndaSeat. The upholstery is the same stuff used across the range, from the Novis right through to the Kaiser 4, and the castors, gas lift, and tilt mechanism are all familiar components. The brand deserves credit for not cheapening the fundamentals at this price point.
performance
Comfort is where the AndaSeat Kaiser 3E earns its keep. The seat uses the same cold-cure foam as the rest of the Kaiser line with a decently thick base, raised side edges, and a slightly elevated front to stop you sliding forward. It’s a forgiving, springy sit that bounces back well and doesn’t leave you feeling like you’re perched on a board after a few hours.
If you’ve tried the Novis you’ll find the overall comfort profile pretty familiar. Both chairs use the same foam density and the sensation is broadly similar, a softer, more cushioned experience than what you’ll get from a Titan Evo. Secretlab will tell you firmer padding is better for long-term ergonomic support, and there’s science behind that argument, but in practice the softer feel of AndaSeat’s foam is something plenty of people will prefer for day-to-day comfort.
The big talking point with the Kaiser 3E however is what’s been removed rather than what’s been added. The Kaiser 3’s adjustable 4-way lumbar system, controlled by a pair of knobs on either side of the backrest, is gone. In its place is, well, nothing. Just a fixed rear cushion with a reasonably pronounced outward curve designed to approximate the natural shape of the spine. This is probably the single biggest factor in whether the Kaiser 3E is right for you. I personally don’t go looking for aggressive lumbar support so the fixed curve worked fine for me across extended sessions, but if you’re someone who needs to dial in specific lower back pressure then this chair simply can’t accommodate that. It’s a “one shape fits most” approach and your mileage will depend entirely on your build.
The 4D armrests are the most obvious upgrade over the Novis, which only offers up-down movement. Here you get the full range of adjustments, up and down, forward and back, side to side, and rotational. I didn’t find them restricted in any meaningful way during testing, though I also didn’t find them overly helpful either. I’ve always found chair manufacturers overstate how much an armrest can and should move, it ends up being more irritating than helpful when they’re prone to jumping about all over the place.
The Kaiser 3E reclines to 155° with a 15° rocking mode, identical to the Novis and very close to the Kaiser 3’s 165° range. The tilt mechanism works well, the rocking tension is adjustable, and the seat height adjustment is perfectly fine too. There’s no head pillow included, not even a strap-on one, which feels like a miss at this price. AndaSeat sells its magnetic memory foam pillow separately for about $70, and while the chair functions perfectly well without one, the Kaiser 3 includes it as standard for around $100 more. It’s a small thing but it makes the value equation a little harder to love.
summed up
The AndaSeat Kaiser 3E is a perfectly good gaming chair that doesn’t really put a foot wrong, it’s just not particularly exciting in any one way either. It’s comfortable, well built, and the 4D armrests give it a practical edge over the budget-focused Novis. The fixed lumbar support will suit plenty of people just fine, and the shared foam and material quality across AndaSeat’s range means you’re not getting a compromised product here.
The challenge for the Kaiser 3E is positioning. It sits in a tricky spot in AndaSeat’s own lineup. Below it, the Novis delivers a remarkably similar comfort experience for significantly less money, with the main sacrifice being those basic armrests. Above it, the Kaiser 3 adds adjustable lumbar and the included head pillow for not much more and other brands like Boulies go a small step further in quality and features at the same price. The Kaiser 3E does enough to justify its existence between the two, just. If the Novis’s armrests frustrated you but the Kaiser 3’s price put you off, this is your chair. For everyone else, one of the siblings or someone outside the family is probably the better pick.
