Herman Miller Embody Gaming Chair Review

When you’re spending hours sitting at a desk, either working or gaming, the last thing you need is a chair that feels like it’s fighting against you.

Thanks to Herman Miller for sending this Embody over, and after daily use as my main office chair, multiple gaming sessions, and even a fair few sim races, I want to share exactly whether I think this Herman Miller Embody Gaming chair is worth its crazy high price tag.

Product Overview and Summary: What Is The Embody?

When you think of gaming chairs, you may think of the bucket seat style that is often rocked. However, those things are never the most ergonomical. The Herman Miller Embody bucks this trend, and looks distinctly different from any other gaming chair on the market.

Its futuristic appearance is one of the areas that make this thing really stand out in a very crowded market. The other is its crazy price tag, but I’ll get to that later. The pixelated backrest is the statement piece of this chair, and while it looks cool and incredibly unique, it’s actually designed to move with your back to ensure it’s always supported.

The Embody itself has been around for years, however, this variant, a partnership with Logitech to create the gaming Embody is a newer take on the original. As for changes compared to the original, well, you’ll be looking for a while before you find any. There are new gaming colourways, and some Logitech branding throughout.

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Price of the Herman Miller Embody

And that brings me onto the price. This is a premium office and gaming chair for sure. In fact, it’s THE premium gaming chair. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything else that falls into this price bracket.

In the UK, the Embody costs £1715 as standard, and just over $2000 in the United State. Although it has been discounted down to around £1290 during some sales. In fact, at the time of this review, it has 25% off as part of the Herman Miller Winter Play sale.

As for where this puts the Embody in the crowded gaming chair market. Well, its firmly at the tippy top of the mountain. Other brands such as Secretlab or Noblechairs really top out around £700.

Value for money is a hard term to throw into the conversation with an Embody gaming chair. However, its 12 year warranty does quantify the quality on offer. Many cheaper chairs from say Ikea or Amazon can set you back around £100-£200. And if you sit in them all day, they may last you 1, 2, maybe 3 years at a push.

The Embody, across 12 years works out at around £140 a year. If you’re trying to justify buying one to your better half, that calculation makes the crazy upfront cost a little more palatable. Your welcome!

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Unboxing and What’s Included in the Box

The price also starts to be justified as soon as the box arrives. The Embody arrives fully built in a large box. If you live on the top floor of your apartment, you may want to consider this before buying one, as this thing only just fit through my front door!

There’s practically no setup required, basically just removing the chair from its packaging and adjust the chair to your preferences.

Now there is one thing that isn’t included in the box, and I did know this going into the review. But probably didn’t gauge how important it was until after I started using the Embody. And that is a headrest. While sim racing in the Embody, this made no difference, and it also made little difference during my 9-5 office routine. However, when gaming, I often wanted to kick back and rest my head to achieve maximum comfort, but simply couldn’t.

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Comfort and Ergonomics

Talking of comfort, headrest set aside, this is where Herman Miller have worked their magic. I’ve used a fair few office chairs over the past 10 years, and spend around 10 hours a day sitting in one. I have to say that the Embody is by far the most comfortable I’ve ever used.

You wouldn’t necessarily think it when looking at the minimal design and thin padding. however, the flexibility and free-form nature of the ergonomics ensures however you are sitting, you’re always supported.

There’s a slight springiness to the chair as you sit in it, a sense that the seat is actively supporting you rather than just being there. It is firm, but nowhere near as firm as my old SecretLab chair.

The backrest

The first thing you’re likely to do is lean back in the chair, and this is where things really feel different. No matter how you rotate or lean, the back of the Embody is always there and adapts to you. You can change the vertical tilt to adjust your sitting position, and alter the resistance.

The pixelated structure that makes up the entire backrest allows micro movements and adjustments, while distributing pressure across your whole back. Compared to a traditional firm backed chair, the comfort level is night and day. You don’t feel as restricted due to the slimline tapered design, but always feel supported.

The seat

The pixelation also extends to the seat of the chair, suspending the seat across a series of small interlocking springs. This is what gives the little bit of bounce when you first sit in the chair, and it also adjusts as you move your weight balance.

The design of the base is nice and wide, meaning for those times when I want to not sit ergonomically, and cross my legs. The base is more than wide enough to accommodate, and the removal of any side bolsters mean I’m not restricted.

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How Adjustable Is the Chair?

Most ergonomic chairs boast about how many ways you can adjust or adapt them. The Embody doesn’t offer the complete full suite of adjustments that some chairs do, but you’ll still get more adjustments than your standard office chair, with all areas covered.

Basic adjustments

To start, you have your basic adjustments covered including the height. These are handled with a small joystick that you pull up to raise or lower the chair. Given that this joystick is constructed from plastic and the amount of movement in it. I do have some concerns about longevity and how long it’ll last before falling off. But that 12 year warranty is there to prove me wrong.

Tilt adjustment

The outer casing of the joystick is also functional, letting you increase or decrease the tilt tension. Rotating one way lets you firm up the resistance when trying to lean. While rotating the other way loosens the tilt right up.

Moving around to the other side of the chair, we have a tilt limiter tab which is rather satisfying to use. This restricts the lean angle, and is perfectly positioned for quick adjustments. On a day to day basis, I have this at its lowest setting allowing me to stretch and lean during work sessions. Then, when I’m sim racing, I can lock the tilt completely so I don’t lean backwards when hitting the brake pedal.

Unfortunately, there isn’t any tilt adjustment to lock the chair in a reclined angle. However, the tilt tension adjustment can help you find that perfect leaning sweet spot while gaming.

Seat adjustments

For those long-legged gamers, there is quick seat depth adjustment available. This actually felt really rudimentary to operate, with two handles that you literally pull into position. The movement isn’t smooth as you click the depth into place and is rather clunky to use. However, it’s a really simple and quick-to-use adjustment. So I have no real complaints over that.

In fact, it’s nice to see, as many office chairs don’t have any form of depth adjustment. It is vitally important to support your thighs properly when choosing the right office chair, so this is a good addition.

BackFit adjustment

Moving onto the backrest adjustments, Herman Miller have named this part of the chair BackFit. Basically, the only adjustment you have is to rotate the BackFit knob. This will move the whole angle of the chair forward or back. You can choose between various angles for the back, and I opted for something pretty vertical.

A more vertical position kept me sitting straight while working, whereas a more reclined angle does increase the lower back support. However, I found that my back kept coming away from the top of the seat when it was too reclined.

Arm rests

Finally, we have the arm rests. For those familiar with other gaming chairs, you’ll be surprised to see no 4D adjustments. Instead, you get the ability to raise or lower the armrests, and adjust the width.

The choices here are a little strange. Given the design of the armrests, and how they curve around the chair, as you raise them up, they also get close to your body. This is mitigated by the width adjustment, which is essentially a push or pull mechanic.

Much like the seat depth adjustment, this feels clunky to use. The adjustments are quite stiff, meaning you have to hit the armrests with some force to move them, and I often found it difficult to apply enough pressure to move them, but not too much that I fly past the middle ground I was aiming for.

The armrests themselves are quite long, and really nicely padded, meaning I didn’t struggle to find the perfect position. However, if you like using the armrests along with your desk for support, the lack of forward and back adjustments can prove problematic.

When I raised my armrests to match the desk height, I had to move my chair quite far back from my desk. While I felt pretty ergonomical in this position, I also felt slightly too far from my desk, and could feel the added pressure on my wrists. Backwards adjustment would have solved this issue instantly.

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The Design of the Herman Miller Embody

Now I want to talk a little about the design of the Embody, as other than its typical Herman Miller comfort credentials. This is why you’re likely to buy an Embody.

This thing looks completely different from anything else available. I am firmly in the camp of this thing looking incredibly cool and futuristic. Others may not like its unique design and find it quite odd to look at.

The main point of contention is the pixelated back. This pattern of pixels is a true combination of form and function. The pixelation has been designed to support your back in a way many office chairs don’t, while also allowing for flexibility. This results in the spine-like structure that you can see, and rather than hiding it behind a frame or inside a cushion. Herman Miller did the right thing and made it a design statement.

The rest of the design language is also really nice. The tapered back design, and lack of a headrest make this a pretty small chair which helps in tighter spaces. And the overall form and the way the chair curves slightly from top to bottom is really nice.

Build quality

Where things start to fall down a little bit is in the materials used in the construction. The back material is rubber, and the framework that supports the back is constructed from plastic. This is all understandable from a flex point of view, with metal framing not allowing for the same levels of flex and movement.

However, this plastic extends to almost all areas of the chair. The only parts constructed from metal are the core chassis elements under the chair, and the legs. For a chair costing double, or even triple many of its competitors, this much plastic is a disappointment.

I would have much rather seen the single spine down the back and the arm rests constructed from metal. Or at the very least, the intractable knobs and dials to be finished in a more premium material. Instead, every part of the chair you interact with, is plastic.

There is also some creaking in the back of the chair when moving. It certainly isn’t a quiet chair. This is down to the structure of the spine and the pixels. As you lean and move, they also move with you, and this can lead to some creaking.

Rotating the chair though is silent and buttery smooth. There are some specific areas that feel so incredibly premium, and this is one of them.

The softer areas of the chair are an improvement over the plastic. And these are arguably more important as they’re key to your comfort. The armrest pads have a good density, and the seat padding is about spot on. The gaming Embody I have does differ to the standard version, with a copper-infused foam padding allowing for better heat prevention.

The seat has been upgraded with additional foam, and this makes the chair very comfy to sit in for hours at a time. After enduring a SecretLab chair for around 2 years, I can firmly say, a numb backside is a thing of the past thanks to this Herman Miller.

Casters

One area where there is no sound is in the casters. When I got them out of the box, I was a little concerned as there was some rattle. But they roll incredibly smooth once weight is applied, and are almost silent. I often use caster locks or pads to hold the chair still while sim racing, and this works like a dream.

Missing head support

One design element that divides opinion is the lack of a headrest. Herman Miller’s design philosophy argues that you shouldn’t need head support when sitting properly. I tend to agree, as during my day-to-day work, the lack of headrest made no impact at all.

Where it does prove a bigger problem is when gaming, which is kind of what this chair was intended for. When not sim racing or playing a full on FPS title, I like to kick back and recline my chair while gaming. Of course, this is still possible with the Embody, but without a headrest, it certainly isn’t as comfy.

There are third-party headrest options out there if you want the Emobdy but do need head support. But be warned, some of them can be just as expensive as buying an Ikea gaming chair!

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Final Thoughts

The Herman Miller Embody is a chair that delivers on its marketing of providing a flexible, responsive, well supported chair for hours of gaming. While it does deliver on this, it certainly isn’t perfect, and a big part of that comes down to its price point, and the expectation you have at that price.

Overall, the build quality is high with smooth movement throughout, well padded armrests, and a super comfy fabric seat. But there are a few strange oddities. The seat depth adjustment feels so clunky, and the heavy use of plastic on knobs and levers is almost unforgivable at this price.

The twelve year warranty shows belief in this build quality, and I have no worries this Embody will out last almost all previous gaming chairs I’ve burned through.

What makes this chair a real seller is the comfort levels and the true ergonomics it delivers. I can honestly say I’ve never had a chair support my back so well, whether that is an office or gaming chair. And this is where a Herman Miller chair earns its price tag. People who use their chairs for 8, 9, 10 hours per day really need the best ergonomics. And many are happy to pay a premium to ensure they get that with a Herman Miller.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pros & Cons of the Herman Miller Embody Gaming Chair

Pros

• Extremely comfy
• A lot of adjustability in backrest
• Flexible movement in backrest
• Smooth tilt and recline
• Goregous design
• Nicely padded armrests

Cons

• Incredibly expensive
• No 4D armrest movement
• Plastic used throughout
• No headrest

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