Fractal Refine review: so close to a great gaming chair

The Fractal Refine is a sleek and functional first attempt at a gaming chair from Swedish PC case and parts maker Fractal Design. Though it doesn't quite nail everything, it gets quite a lot right for a company that hasn't yet dipped its toes into the seating game until now. However, that also means that the things it misses the mark on are even more disappointing, leaving it shy of excellence.

In my Fractal Refine review, I’ll tell you what works, what doesn’t and whether or not this is one of the best gaming chairs and most importantly, if it’s worth its mid-range price.

Fractal Refine: Specs

Fractal Refine review: Price and availability

The Fractal Refine comes in three versions: Fabric, Mesh, and a premium Alcantara edition. The former two land at $549.99, while the latter has an equally premium price of $899.

Both the Fabric and Mesh versions of the Fractal Refine can be purchased in either Dark or Light variations. The Dark style sports shades of dark gray and black, while the Light style combines shades of light gray and white.

If buying online, you'll find that Fractal doesn't sell the chair directly. As such, you'll need to purchase it at an online retailer, such as Amazon or Newegg.

Fractal Refine review: Design and comfort

The Fractal Refine isn't an overly flashy chair, opting instead for a subtle, minimalistic look that works exceedingly well at helping it blend into an office setting without having to forgo its gaming chair vibe in the process. I was sent the Dark Fabric version, which combines two shades of dark gray to great effect. Neither shade overpowers the other, giving the chair an almost stealthy aesthetic. I didn't necessarily love it at first glance, but the more time I've spent with it, the more I've grown to adore this stylistic choice.

This also marks one of the first gaming chairs I've ever reviewed that seems to understand that you already know who made it when you bought it. And by that, I mean it doesn't feel the need for the showy branding that gaming chairs are so known for. As a matter of fact, besides a single Fractal Design logo impressed into the frame on the back of the chair that you'd have to be actively looking for to spot, there's no branding to be found.

The fabric doesn't feel quite as great to the touch as, say, the Softweave on a Secret Lab chair, but it's still wonderfully smooth and soft in equal measure. My chair also arrived with impeccable stitching from top to bottom. With this being Fractal Design's first chair, it's hard to anticipate what type of longevity we can expect from this material — but you get a 3-year upholstery warranty alongside a beefier 5-year warranty for the aluminum frame. Time will tell if that's enough, I suppose.

Starting from the top of the chair, I've found that the adjustable headrest pillow is, well, fine. It feels sort of small and cheap, but it slides up and down with relative ease, and it's more or less comfortable and supportive once you find the right spot. I'd have really loved to see a magnetic headrest pillow, but maybe a future iteration of the chair will get this common feature.

Elsewhere, it's irritating that the lumbar adjustment knob is on the back of the chair —meaning you'll need to do some stretching to reach it — but it's a minor inconvenience. Now that I've found a decent setting, though, I think the lumbar support is… also fine. I definitely wouldn't call it uncomfortable by any means, but I've yet to feel like it's doing any favors to my posture the way some ergonomics-first gaming chairs have. Even at its strongest setting, the backrest looks and feels more or less flat, which is kind of a bummer for those seeking ideal ergonomics.

However, while the lumbar support is mediocre, the Fractal Refine's armrests are a delight thanks to their immensely soft padding. As someone with nerve issues in my elbows, these suckers have been simply wonderful to rest on for extended periods, and I have never experienced any pain from them. They're also very sturdy, which I appreciate more than ever after recently reviewing some chairs with unusually wobbly armrests.

Lastly, the seat cushion has soft foam that feels alright when first sitting down, but there's a glaring problem. While most gaming chairs provide deep seat pans that support your thighs — taking pressure off your knees and aiding with circulation — the Fractal Refine's seat pan is incredibly shallow even when fully extended.

I'm 6'3", and my legs became pretty sore after sitting in the Fractal Refine for more than 2-3 hours at a time. I even experienced a bout or two of tingling and numbness on the back of my thighs, which has left me feeling like this just isn't a chair that is ideal for my height. I suspect this issue is at least a little less concerning for smaller folks whose legs take up less horizontal space by design, but I still find it hard to imagine anyone not thinking it's a bit too shallow.

Fractal Refine review: What’s adjustable

The Fractal Refine has all the standard features you'd expect on a gaming chair, including the ability to move the seat up and down. The seat pan can also slide forward or backward using a lever on the right side of the chair, though as mentioned above, it doesn't do much to alleviate the issues caused by being inherently shallow.

The headrest pillow is attached on a rail of sorts that lets you move it up or down, while lumbar support is handled by a knob on the back of the chair. You can spin the knob to increase the aggressiveness of the support while sliding it up or down can change the location of the lumbar bump itself. This can be annoying to adjust while sitting due to having to contort your arm somewhat, but it's not too bad.

The 4D armrests can be moved up or down to be sure they're at the right height for you, or you can move them in and out to make more space on either side of you. I wish performing the former adjustment didn't result in such an agonizingly loud clanking sound, but given that you're not likely to adjust that aspect often, it shouldn't be a major concern. Maybe just don't move them up or down when everyone's asleep.

Fractal Refine review: Assembly

The Fractal Refine showed up in a pretty standard gaming chair box. Everything was secured with fantastic packaging, and unboxing the components was a breeze. The included instructions were clear and concise as well.

Assembly was similarly straightforward with very little friction, and the lightweight pieces make it an easy one-person job. One of my only complaints is that the armrests didn't come pre-installed, as this is frequently one of the most aggravating parts of assembling a chair due to positioning. Luckily, the process wasn't as bad here as it has been on other seats — again, partially due to how lightweight it all is.

From box to sitting, it took me around 20 minutes to assemble the Fractal Refine, and I doubt it'd take the average person more than 30. With so few steps and excellent instructions, Fractal's first foray into gaming chairs has been made quite easy to put together. Good stuff.

Fractal Refine review: Verdict

The Fractal Refine is an adequately comfortable chair that does everything "well enough" without being particularly impressive in any specific category. It's far from a bad buy for the mid-range segment and provides an overall acceptable sitting experience, but the few things that fall flat here make it worth at least considering other options in the same price range before you make a final decision.