Fractal Refine 2 Gaming Chair Review – Ergonomic Luxury

Fractal further refines the gaming chair

Two years ago Kent took a look at Fractal’s original Refine gaming chair, and his conclusion that “for productivity work, gaming, or any other activity where the user is sitting upright in front of their keyboard, it may be the best chair I’ve ever used” had my interest.

Thankfully, when Fractal reached out about the new Refine 2, I was able to selfishly route the review sample my way for this review. After years of sitting in an uncomfortable succession of cheap IKEA and Amazon chairs, it was time to see what I’ve been missing.

Compared to the previous Refine, the Refine 2 offers various updates including an enhanced lumbar support, lockable armrests, updated fabric and mesh materials, improved comfort, refreshed controls, and increased height and weight capacity.

The full list of features of the Refine 2 (via Fractal) are as follows:

• Elevate your gaming station with a clean yet dynamic expression rooted in Scandinavian furniture design
• Enjoy the lasting support of soft foam cushioning or adaptive mesh, a memory foam headrest, and padded armrests
• Recline naturally with a synchro-tilt mechanism that moves with your body, with adjustable tension and lockable positions
• Fine-tune your comfort with lockable 4D armrests, a height-adjustable headrest, and a seat with adjustable height and depth
• Adjust the built-in lumbar support in height and depth, with an adaptive dual pad design that flexes to support your lower back
• Move smoothly with hubless casters made from materials that help absorb shock, reduce noise, and protect floors
• Choose between upholstered fabric, breathable mesh, or a mesh-and-fabric hybrid to suit your preferred feel
• Designed to last with durable materials including a glass-fiber reinforced frame and sturdy aluminum wheelbase

Packaging and Assembly

When UPS dropped off this massive, 80 lb box, I was confused. Then I looked at the label and remembered agreeing to the review, so I had no choice but to assemble it.

Of course every effort was made to destroy it in transit, but thankfully it was double-boxed and the gash in the bottom of the box did not get past the layers of cardboard within.

After opening, I was greeted to the largest, clearest instruction sheet I have ever seen. Seriously, the instructions are 3.5 feet wide (the width of the box), and extremely simple to follow. Alone in my front yard, I conquered the chair assembly in minutes, and possibly made a spectacle of myself in the process.

After clicking in the very Apple-like wheels, pushing the seat and back into place, adding eight bolts (and tightening two more), the chair was done. The best part? Showcasing the assembled product on the front lawn.

Refine 2 Chair Design

Rather than take it upon myself to document this new design with a further front-lawn photo session, we will instead take a look at Fractal’s beautiful studio photography in the gallery to follow. We have the fabric version with light finish in for review, as shown.

Usage Impressions

From the moment I began assembly, I could tell that this was a very premium product. I have never spent more than $100 on a computer chair, and now I know how the other half lives. This thing screams quality, and it is really, really comfortable. The level of posture and armrest control is impressive, and I was able to figure out all of the adjustments easily without RTFM!

I wish you could sit in one of these, because typing subjective comments about cushion level and lumbar support are less useful than a test drive would be. I will say it was softer than I expected (in a good way), but not too soft. Once nestled into position and finding just the right amount of lumbar support, armrest height / width / angle, and reclining just a bit, I was sold.

Too bad my son has already claimed it. Seriously. It’s at his desk right now. I’m not even sitting in the chair as I type words about the chair. I ask, is that fair?

Pricing and Conclusion

The Fractal Refine 2 has a list price of $639.99 USD for all configurations (mesh, fabric, or hybrid). Obviously, that is not an inexpensive price tag. To be clear, this is an awesome chair, and I’d be happy to use it for all of my computing – not just gaming. It’s extremely comfortable, and easy to dial-in to my preferences. I have never used a chair with controls this easy, or comfort this good.

Let’s look at the pros and cons:

Pros:

• • Premium design and materials
  • High level of adjustment with intuitive controls
  • Excellent comfort

Cons:

• • Price puts this out of reach for many

Bottom line, the Refine 2 is a very premium chair with a price tag to match, but if you compare it against ergonomic office furniture from the likes of Herman Miller it becomes a much better value. As always, the market will decide on pricing, but I don’t think you would be disappointed if you bought it – at least not like you would be after spending the same cash on a mid-range GPU right now.