There is currently obviously a lack of design aspiration when it comes to gaming chairs, or a restricted budget since tooling is expensive to begin with. Not all companies can afford to have their own tooling, and we thus have a plethora of gaming chairs with almost the same design. What sets them apart is the upholstery covering the frame, the cushioning, brand name, and price tag, of course. That said, aesthetics are not the most important factor when it comes to a chair as gamers spend countless hours in front of their monitors or TVs, which make ergonomic features and build quality for longevity matter the most.

Like I stated above, noblechairs gaming chairs have a different approach when it comes to design. Their gaming chairs are of an austere, minimalist designs. In the meantime, noblechairs' engineers take user (and reviewer) feedback seriously to also constantly add new features, such as the adjustable lumbar-support system for the Hero series. I have reviewed an abundance of gaming chairs so far and can now easily recognize a quality product from among the lot. At less than five years, noblechairs is considered fairly new in this market, but its goal was to deliver quality products with fresh aesthetics from the start, which it has indeed done with the Hero.

Since I have also evaluated the Hero with PU pleather, a comparison is unavoidable. The minute I opened the bundle and started removing the parts, I was impressed by the top grain leather upholstery and vivid red diamond stitching design. Since most parts are handmade, I did notice some minor flaws in the backrest and base. I also noticed a flaw in the armrests, with one being lower in height by about a centimeter compared to the other. This is something many probably wouldn't even notice, but what can I say, I have a keen eye for such details. According to noblechairs though, this specific problem would easily qualify for RMA and spare parts are available in all markets.

The members of the Hero line have the same dimensions and are all for large users. As I stated many times so far, there are two upholstery types, along with some other notable differences. Other than the asking price, the Hero with the real leather upholstery appears to be more impressive overall, which is as expected given the huge price difference. A big advantage is that the seat's cushioning is thicker, which makes it more comfortable. The diamond stitching pattern is also different, being the same as for the ICON real leather. The metal plate has the golden noblechairs logo, while the recline lever and integrated lumbar-support dial have some nice nickel-plating. You should also keep in mind the features of real leather: it is anti-mold, easy to clean, and will fare better than any artificial material ever will in terms of longevity with use.

There is no doubt that the real leather Hero model is a sturdy gaming chair overall. However, I would like it to come with a longer warranty since the two-year warranty is the same as for lower-priced products. In my opinion, a more suitable warranty period would be three to five years.

The real leather Hero can be purchased in two different color combinations; the addition of color is solely done through the stitching thread—there is a completely black version (black upholstery with black stitching) and a black and red version (black upholstery with red stitching), which is the fanciest. If you cannot spend $719.99 on the Real Leather edition, but still want something more exclusive than the plain PU version, there are three special edition PU Hero models which are all priced at $489.99 and dedicated to specific Esports teams:

• The Hero SK Gaming edition, in collaboration with the pro gamers at SK Gaming.
• The Hero BIG edition catering to large players, designed in collaboration with the pro gamers at Berlin International Gaming.
• The HERO DYRUS edition—the inaugural HERO Limited Edition of noblechairs, created in close collaboration with the ex-professonial League of Legend Player Dyrus.