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One-minute review
The Asus ROG Destrier Core is a compelling option if you’re searching for a mesh gaming chair and don’t mind paying a little bit more for a refreshingly stylish overall design.
The brand claims that the striking look was inspired by a ‘futuristic cyborg aesthetic’ and, while I personally don’t see the resemblance, the abundance of sharp angles helps it stand out in a sea of generic racing seats. It’s still sleek enough to blend into an office environment, with little details like the attached ROG fabric strap and subtle ‘Republic of Gamers’ engraving that mean it will look just as at home in a high-end gaming setup like any of the best gaming chairs.
It’s very comfortable to sit on too, with its breathable nylon mesh ensuring that heat won’t build up over even the longest gaming sessions. I’ve been using this chair at my desk at TechRadar Gaming HQ for months, and it’s helped me keep cool both during the stuffy summer months and throughout winter when the heating is mercilessly cranked up to uncomfortable levels.
Despite its thin overall profile, it still provides a good level of lumbar support thanks to an adjustable system in its backrest and the ability to tweak seat height and depth to find the perfect sitting position. The included headrest is also a nice touch, offering substantially more comfort and adjustability than the much more static magnetic cushion found on the competing Secretlab Titan Evo 2022.
My only major complaint with the Asus ROG Destrier Core relates to the setup process out of the box. I assemble gaming chairs every other week, and this is one of the few models that I’ve struggled with. The included instructions are perfectly clear, but getting the heavy backrest into position so that you can screw everything together is tricky to do alone, and had me drafting a colleague in to help hold it in position.
Luckily, you’ll only have to do this once – but it is worth bearing in mind that you might need a friend on hand.
Price and availability
- Costs $629.99 / £499.99 / around AU$600
- Available via Asus and online retailers
- Strong competition at this price
The Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair costs $629.99 / £499.99 / around AU$600. It’s readily available direct from Asus or at online retailers such as Amazon.
This price tag puts the chair towards the upper bracket of the mid-range market, coming in above supremely popular alternatives like the $519 / £414 / AU$724 Secretlab Titan Evo 2022.
What makes the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair worth picking in the face of such strong competition? The mesh material and the unique design, namely. Quality mesh gaming chairs are generally expensive, with the likes of the Razer Fujin Pro at an eye-watering $1,049 / £999, so this price tag is not too unreasonable.
Specs
|
Price |
$629.99 / £499.99 / around AU$600 |
|
Dimensions |
27.8 x 24.1 x 45.2-53.1 inches / 707 x 613 x 1150-1350mm |
|
Max user weight |
299.8lbs / 136kg |
|
Min seat height |
18.5in / 470mm |
|
Seat width |
20in / 510mm |
|
Warranty |
2 years |
Design and aesthetics
- Unique look
- Quality materials
- Subtle branding
With its distinctly angular look, the Asus ROG Destrier Core is pretty stylish as far as gaming chairs go. Asus has kept the aesthetic very minimalist, with most of the branding confined to subtle details.
This includes a neat fabric strap on the back of the headrest, which doubles as a convenient way to yank the chair around if you want to move it. There’s also a small ‘Republic of Gamers’ engraving on its spine, and a subtle ROG logo on the back of the headrest’s mesh.
Looking at the chair head-on, the only real indication that this is indeed a gaming product is the red ROG emblem emblazoned on the headrest. If this isn’t to your liking, though, Asus also offers a white version of the chair that swaps the red out for a much more subtle silver color.
As you would expect, given the price tag, the materials here are flawless across the board. The nylon mesh is impressively strong, and the armrests benefit from a soft layer of foam padding. The casters are smooth, gliding across surfaces with ease and minimal noise.
This chair has been used heavily throughout its time at our office so far, with someone sitting in it every weekday for months, and in that time, it’s sustained very few visible marks or scuffs, which is particularly impressive.
Comfort and adjustability
- Adjustable lumbar support and 3D armrests
- “Mobile gaming mode”
- Highly comfortable to use
There is no shortage of adjustment options with the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair. It offers the standard height adjustment via a gas mechanism and the ability to alternate the backrest recline between three levels via a lever on the right-hand side of your seated position. You can also easily reposition the bottom of the seat to increase or decrease its depth with a lever located on the other side.
The armrests can be raised by up to 5.5 inches / 14cm and can rotate a full 360 degrees. They’re a decent size and have a layer of soft foam at the top to make them a bit more comfortable on your elbows.
Raise the armrests as far as possible to enter what Asus calls “mobile gaming mode” – designed to keep your arms elevated so you can hold a phone in front of your face without strain. It feels a little weird at first, but it does a surprisingly good job of improving mobile play if you’re at your desk.
Underneath the backrest is a basic lumbar support mechanism which can be raised and lowered freely, clicking into place. You can also tweak its depth slightly by twisting the two rotating dials on the back.
The final points of adjustment are in the headrest, which can be raised or lowered in a range of 4.7 inches / 12cm or moved forward and backwards to ensure that it’s snugly against the back of your head. I’m quite tall and can struggle with headrests built into gaming chairs, but the range of adjustment here made it easy to get it into the perfect spot.
Add in the breathability of the mesh material, and you have a chair that remains comfortable even over extended periods of use. I’ve sat in it for hours at a time and haven’t experienced any soreness or fatigue.
Assembly
- All necessary tools included
- Backrest is difficult to align
- I’d recommend having a friend help
Assembling the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair is a bit of a chore as the components are quite heavy, which makes them difficult to maneuver on your own.
Due to the shape of the backrest, it’s hard to keep it in place when it needs to be screwed in – so I’d highly recommend making sure that you have a friend on hand to lend a hand.
The instructions are thankfully very clear, and all necessary tools are included in the box, so Asus gains some marks back there.
Should I buy the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider…
If you’re not sold on the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair, then these two alternatives are worth weighing up.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair |
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 |
Razer Fujin Pro |
|
Price |
$629.99 / £499.99 / around AU$600 |
$549 / £469 / AU$799 |
$1,049 / £1,315 / around AU$ 2,600 |
|
Dimensions |
27.8 x 24.1 x 45.2-53.1 inches / 707 x 613 x 1150-1350mm |
51.2 x 27.6 x 19.3in / 130 x 70 x 49cm |
28.57 x 16.94 x 36.05in / 725 x 430 x 915mm |
|
Max user weight |
299.8lbs / 136kg |
285lbs / 130kg |
136kg / 300lbs |
|
Min seat height |
18.5 inches / 470mm |
17.7in / 45cm |
18.5 inches |
|
Seat width |
20 inches / 510mm |
18.5in / 470mm |
20.9 inches / 530mm |
|
Warranty |
2 years |
3 years |
5 years |
How I tested the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair
- Tested for multiple months
- Sat in for hours at a time
- Compared to other gaming chairs
I tested the Asus ROG Destrier Core Gaming Chair over multiple months at the TechRadar Gaming office.
Throughout that time, I used the chair every time I was working from the office, sitting in it for multiple hours at a time. In addition to office work, I tested gaming products like the Nintendo Switch 2 from the seat and was careful to evaluate its mobile gaming mode.
I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of many other gaming chairs, including the likes of the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 and my go-to at-home pick: the Herman Miller Sayl.
First reviewed September-December 2025.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
