One of my golden childhood memories is playing in an arcade cabinet that moved for the very first time. It was the late ’80s, and Sega’s downright weird Space Harrier shook me around as I dodged dragons and fired at robots. It swallowed all my pocket money that summer. I felt that same electric anticipation as I unboxed the Cooler Master Motion 1 Gaming Chair, which promises immersive movement and vibrations to enhance your PC gaming.
After an initial burst of feeling faintly ridiculous as I rocked back and forth in my home office, I felt a silly grin come to my face. I haven't felt racing thrills like that since the last time I was in an arcade. It’s quirky and awkward, only works well with a handful of games, and costs more than you want to spend on a chair, but gamers seeking a jolt of adrenaline will find it here.
Finicky Setup
Photograph: Cooler MasterThe Motion 1 Gaming Chair comes in three parts that are easy to assemble, though you might want some help lifting it out of the box. The heavy base section lights up underneath and you plug the power cable into it, then hook up the USB connection to your PC. There is cable management, but you must be careful not to pull on or roll over a cable when you get up.
Once assembled, it looks like a pretty typical, if slightly chunky, gaming chair with an open bucket seat style. The foam base is quite comfortable, and you can adjust the seat height, lock the tilt on or off, and adjust the height of the armrests. Magnetic pillows are easy to position for your head and lumbar support. I am 6'1" and made it work, but it likely won’t be comfortable for taller folks.
