OSIM uThrone review: Get a massage while gaming

The OSIM uThrone combines all the benefits of a gaming chair with OSIM’s celebrated massage technology. Here’s our review of the OSIM uThrone.

We’ve spent several days sitting in an OSIM uThrone. From gaming, to working, and using its massage features, the chair promises to be a jack-of-all-trades. But, it gets a little bit more complicated than that.

OSIM is considered a market leader when it comes to massage chairs, and it’s easy to see why once you’ve experienced one of their products. Coming in at around $1,449 USD, this isn’t the cheapest chair in the world. But, are the massage features worth it?

Design

The OSIM uThrone chair has a PVC finish that screams quality and it strikes quite an imposing figure when assembled. This is one of the tallest computer chairs we’ve ever seen, and it’s certainly something you’ll want to assemble in the room where it will live.

We’re not overly fond of the non-cushioned, plastic armrests, but as the right-hand one houses the remote control for the massage functionality, this is probably a fair tradeoff, and just nitpicking on our part. We also found it simple to assemble, with everything we needed included in the box.

The detachable headrest and lower cushion for lumbar support are both made out of memory foam which makes them extra comfy – and a cut above other cushions. The lower back massage also works surprisingly well even when the cushion is there, so don’t worry about this getting in the way.

The reclining lever is located on the right-hand side, just above another that lets you raise or lower the chair. Most of these functions work exactly as you’d expect them to if you’ve used an office chair before.

There’s a wire from under the chair that will need to be plugged into the mains for the audio and massage features to work. Fortunately, this is long enough to reach wherever your computer is also plugged into, just be careful not to get it tangled if you spin or move around in the chair.

Massage functions

OSIM are masters of making chairs with massage functionality and the uThrone is the latest product in their range that shows this off. Whether it’s rolling and tapping, or gently kneading your muscles to help you relax, the uThrone gives a phenomenal massage.

You can tailor it to your preference either by making it focus on your lumbar area, neck, and shoulders. Or, all over your back with the touch of a button. It’s possible to enjoy a variety of massage techniques in each 15-minute cycle.

You can also adjust the area by moving the massage up, down, and across your back to make sure it’s hitting the right spot. We’d advise taking a quick peek at the instructions to learn how to use the manual massage settings. Once you understand the functions, which is a fairly speedy process, you’ll get the most out of the chair. This way you can have the massage you want, whenever you need it.

There are three default or ‘auto program’ settings for those who just want to dive right in. Numbered one to three, these offer a variety of massages, combining multiple features. One works the neck and shoulders, two offer an ‘Energizing’ massage, and the final one works your lower lumber area.

Energize is a faster, more rigorous massage, one that is intended to wake your muscles up rather than relaxing them. The other two settings are essentially just automated programs for those in a rush, but are both much gentler.

Once the 15-minute massage cycle has finished, you can either have another or let the device return to the ‘home setting’ until it’s needed again. We’ve used a few massage chairs in the past, either in airports or other locations, and we can honestly say that the OSIM uThrone has outshone them all.

Sound and speakers

The uThrone is easy to connect to your computer, phone, or anything else that uses Bluetooth to transmit sound from one device to another. Once plugged in, just cycle through your Bluetooth devices and select the chair, you’ll then hear a chime to confirm the chair is connected.

Once it is, you’ll be able to hear the sound coming from speakers close to your ears. This is very effective when playing a horror game and it’s also a great way to hear voice chat if you’re not using a headset. While using the uThrone as an office chair, we also connected it to the radio and various podcasts, controlling the volume with our phone.

The speakers are clear and it creates an intimate feeling that lends itself well to atmospheric games or the spoken word. However, the sound only seems to work while the chair’s massage functions are active. Once a fifteen-minute massage cycle has ended, the chair will go on stand-by after a while and the Bluetooth connection to the speakers will cut out, reverting back to the original device.

While it’s fun to use the massage and audio functions together, you’ll find yourself wanting to keep the audio going after the massage has finished. It can be jarring for the audio to revert back to the original device and this made us simply return to our headphones instead of the chair’s audio.

It’s a shame, but we couldn’t find any way to keep the audio output going for longer than a few minutes once the massages functions ended. We read through the instructions and looked online for an answer without any luck.

We’ve since learned that this is because OSIM’s products must comply with mandatory requirements in the ErP (Energy-related Product) Directive for its products sold in Europe, which explains why it sound cuts off when the chair goes idle. However, persistent audio is something many gaming chairs offer as standard therefore it may simply be a tradeoff for having the massage functionality.

Should you buy it?

If you’re looking for a stylish-looking office chair with the best massage functionality that money can buy, then the OSIM uThrone is a solid choice. It’s less flashy than other gaming chairs on the market, but this will appeal to those who appreciate the more subtle and understated look.

8/10

However, as a gaming chair, the uThrone falls short in some areas. If gaming is your priority then you may prefer other chairs. The uThrone makes up for any shortcomings by offering a flawless design and peerless massage technology. With that said, you’ll still need to cough up the cash to purchase one of your own.