Due to the pandemic, a lot of us are working from home nowadays. To work comfortably and maintain good health, proper setup and posture is needed. A comfortable chair with back support and a table with a laptop or screen at adequate height is essential (check out the links section near the end for tips!).
Searched online for a few days, and finally bought the Wakefit Virgo. After using it, my review is as follows:
Note – My height is 5’8, and body weight 70kg. Where possible, I indicate how the chair would feel to a person with similar as well as different characteristics. Some chairs are more suited to a body type than others, so its best to go to a furniture store and try a few chairs if possible.
Comfort
The lumbar support is firm and has good cushioning. It is vertically adjustable, but the range of adjustment and range of support is limited. I could not find a setting that was comfortable for both lower and middle back, and ended up adding cushions for compensation (pics attached).
Note – The lumbar support should be positioned such that it supports the back curve. If there is pain in the lower back area, it means the lumbar support is situated incorrectly and needs to be adjusted.
The seat cushion and back mesh are comfortable. Feels good to lean back and rest the shoulders. Same goes for the armrests which have a padded top and are vertically adjustable. The armrests cannot rotate though. There is a seat lock which allows tilting the chair back to around 135 degrees.
The neck support is awkward. It juts out an angle, and is uncomfortable to lean on. There are adjustments for height and tilt, but its unreliable and usually reverts to the base setting. There should be an option to remove it altogether.
Comfort – 6/10
Update (2021-07-23): The back mesh has loosened, and is not comfortable for sitting longer hours. Rating downgraded.
Build quality
Build quality feels decent for the price. The back, base and armrests feel sturdy. The fit and finish is good.
Regarding long term durability, I am not sure. A little more structural support should be added. The shoulder area is supported only by the mesh; if there was a frame / cross bar it could be more resilient to sag and tear. Similarly the armrests attach to the seat via a triangular base with screws – it would be better if the base was a bit wider, to help distribute the pressure when putting body weight. The chair wheels are smooth, but make a little noise while moving.
Build quality – 7/10.
Price
I got it for Rs 7740 (approx $100). Not too expensive and not too cheap. Chairs from local stores might be cheaper.
Price – 7/10
Pictures
Conclusion
Decent build quality and comfort are pros for this chair. Inadequate adjustment options is a con, and long term durability is unknown. I would suggest to check out chairs at the local store, ask more people for reviews, and then make the choice.
Drop a comment if you have any queries. If you bought a chair, or improved your current setup, would love to hear about it! Take care of yourself 🙂
Update (2021-07-14) – Not using the chair as much due to lack of comfort. Would not recommend it.
Update (2021-09-04)
After approximately 6 months of usage, below is how the chair is holding up.
The added back cushion, from the same brand as the chair, is much more comfortable than the back mesh which has gotten loose. The arms have been chopped off to make more room. The wheels grind when moving the chair while sitting. All in all, I am happy that it is at least usable.
Alternatives
Price range upto 5k
Few options are available:
- Mid back ergonomic chairs from local market
- Good quality executive chairs from second hand market
- Normal straight back chairs, with slight backward tilt for back support. Can be reinforced with comfortable and firm cushions. Example – https://imgur.com/a/IoDdNdV
Price range upto 10k
Amazon Solimo Elite for Rs 9k is an alternative. It has better armrests, frame and warranty, but worse lumbar support.
Price range upto 20k
Ikea Markus for Rs 14k is another good option. The back support seems solid and covers the lower back as well as middle back. The neck support seems decent and non intrusive. The only thing is that these supports and armrests are not adjustable, so its recommended to preview it in an Ikea store before buying.
Featherlite liberate game fabric is a fancier version of the Featherlite liberate. Priced around 17k, it well reviewed but on the expensive side. The solid cushioned back should help with long term durability and comfort, as mesh back tends to sag over time (especially on cheaper chairs). Some people do not find the dynaflex mechanism comfortable though, so it is good to cross check with a person who has bought it or try it out in the store.
See also
Short video on correct posture
Addendum
- Questions and chair reviews from various people can be found on the IndianGaming subreddit.
Musings 
Hey, great post! I’ve been able to find no other helpful sources of review for this chair but am really interested in it myself. I was hesitant since the Wakefit site only seems to have positive reviews which seems a bit fishy.
I believe you’ve now been using the chair for almost 3 months. What do you think about it? The chair does look bad for the lower back. Would you consider another chair if given the choice?
Thank you Timus! Appreciate your comment, the lack of third party reviews is the reason I wrote this post.
I am not convinced with this chair after 3 months – the back and neck support bother me. If you are 5’10 or taller, it should be comfortable. For shorter people like me, likely not, as the lowest settings still feel too high.
Before this, I had a simple straight back chair with a slight backward tilt for back support – very comfortable. Pic – https://imgur.com/a/IoDdNdV . From personal experience so far, full back Executive chair (with back cushion for support) > full back Ergonomic chair. Would love to try more chairs to see whether the lackluster lower back support is a problem specific to this Wakefit model, and to find the better ones.
Curious to know what kind of a chair you are using currently, and what are you are looking for.
Update – thanks to your comment and some research, have updated the article with more information.
Really appreciate you taking the time out and responding so quickly! (I was almost about to checkout!)
Interestingly, I’m just a little over 5’10 and kind of worried about the lower back support due to the curve at the backend of the chair and the headrest which could be a bother. A 3D armrest would be great but not a blocker. I would love to have an executive chair for the comfort it provides, but with the hot weather in Delhi along with the long working hours, sweat would be a big issue.
The only other alternatives that I’ve been able to shortlist under Rs. 8.5k are the Solimo Elite you mentioned (sadly out of stock) and the INNOWIN® Jazz High Back Office Chair (Amazon). The Solimo Elite would have been a good choice with the 3 year warranty but the cushions and back support seem really poor (which look way better in the Wakefit Virgo) while the INNOWIN seems to have fudged reviews as well.
I’ve been using the simple plastic chairs with a cushion for now but it’s not sustainable for long hours and tires you out quickly, hence the urgent need for a chair now (which Wakefit doesn’t help with a 1 month delivery ETA)
Hit the nail on the head, my friend! The curve / gap in the back near the chair bottom can definitely be bothersome if one is short or has weak lower back muscles. Can be hacked / compensated for by using cushions on the bottom or back. The headrest is a bother for sure, and my attempts to hack it have been hit and miss. Your mileage may vary.
The seat cushion is good so far, no issues there. The back mesh was very firm and comfortable when the chair arrived, but seems to have loosened up a bit with use.
There is a Wakefit store in Gurugram. If you have been vaccinated and can take necessary precautions, could be worth your time to call them up and try out the chair before you buy: https://www.wakefit.co/furniture-store-gurugram
Hi Timus, did you buy / get your chair yet? Would appreciate your review. Hope you get a comfortable one!