Your Gaming Chair Doesn't Fit Through the Door

You order a gaming chair online. Five-star reviews. Looks perfect.

It arrives. You unbox it. You try to bring it into your room.

It doesn't fit through the doorway.

Your apartment door is 70 cm wide. The chair with armrests? 75 cm. You try angling it. Pushing it. Nothing works.

Even if you get it in, your room is 2.5 meters wide. A standard racing chair takes up nearly a meter of space. Your room feels like a furniture warehouse.

Gaming chairs are designed for spacious setups. Streamers with dedicated rooms. People with houses.

If you live in a city apartment, most gaming chairs are ridiculously oversized.

What Small-Apartment Gamers Actually Say

I went through Reddit's r/SmallSpaces, r/battlestations, and urban gaming forums. Hundreds of apartment gamers share the same frustrations:

• "Chair arrived. Couldn't get it through my apartment door. Had to return it."
• "My room is 2x3 meters. Racing chairs take up half the space. I need something compact."
• "I live in Tokyo. Standard gaming chairs are absurdly oversized for my apartment."
• "Tried a 'compact' chair. Still 68 cm wide with armrests. Barely fits."
• "I need a chair I can fold or lean against the wall when not using it."
• "Chair fit through my door fine. Didn't fit around the hallway corner. Had to return it anyway."

The pattern is clear: most gaming chairs are designed for suburban houses with big rooms. Apartment gamers need furniture that respects limited space.

Why Standard Gaming Chairs Don't Work in Small Apartments

Problem 1: Racing-Style Width

Racing chairs have aggressive side bolsters and wide armrests. Most measure 65-75 cm wide.

Apartment doorways? Usually 70-80 cm. Your hallway? Maybe 90 cm. Getting the chair in feels like a puzzle game.

Problem 2: Fixed Armrests Eat Space

Even if the chair fits through the door, fixed armrests jut out permanently. In a small room, that wasted space adds up.

Problem 3: Can't Store It

Standard gaming chairs can't fold. Can't lean flat against a wall. They occupy floor space 24/7.

In a studio apartment where every square meter counts, a permanent chair footprint is a luxury you might not have.

What Actually Works in Small Spaces

After reading through hundreds of small-space gamer setups, the chairs that work share a few things:

• Width under 60 cm (fits through narrow doors)
• Compact footprint (doesn't dominate the room)
• Foldable or wall-leanable (can be stored)
• Slim armrests or flip-up arms
• Removable armrests (for tight doorways)

You're not looking for a racing throne. You're looking for a chair that respects your space.

Gaming Chairs That Fit Small Apartments

Most Compact: GTRACING Gaming Chair (Slim Edition)

• Width: 52 cm without armrests, 60 cm with armrests up
• Why it fits: Narrower frame than racing-style chairs. Flip-up armrests reduce width when needed.
• Doorway friendly: Users report fitting through 70 cm doors easily by flipping arms up
• Real user feedback: "Finally a gaming chair that fits my Tokyo apartment. Arms flip up so I can slide it through my narrow hallway." — Reddit r/SmallSpaces
• Footprint: Base is compact, doesn't eat floor space
• Trade-off: Less padding than premium chairs. Comfort is decent but not luxury-level.

Best for: Apartment gamers who need a chair that actually fits through the door

👉 Check Current Price → GTRACING Gaming Chair

Best Foldable: X Rocker Floor Gaming Chair

• Width: 55 cm, folds completely flat for storage
• Why it works: Not a traditional chair—sits on the floor. Folds flat and leans against wall when not in use.
• Space saving: When folded, takes up about 10 cm of wall space
• User experience: "I live in a studio. This chair folds and goes behind my door. Gaming chair during sessions, invisible when I need space." — Amazon review
• Long-term comfort note: Floor seating doesn't provide the same back support as elevated chairs. Great for short sessions or console gaming. For 4+ hour PC sessions, you might miss lumbar support.
• Trade-off: No desk height. Best for console gaming or casual PC setups.
• Bonus: Built-in speakers (if you're into that)

Best for: Studio apartment gamers who need a chair that disappears when not in use

👉 Check Current Price → X Rocker Floor Gaming Chair

Best Space-Efficient Traditional Chair: RESPAWN 110

• Width: 58 cm with armrests (narrower than most)
• Design: Traditional chair shape but compact proportions
• Why small-space gamers like it: Looks like a normal gaming chair but sized for apartments
• Real feedback: "Not as flashy as racing chairs but fits my small room perfectly. Armrests don't stick out awkwardly." — Reddit r/battlestations
• Footprint: Standard base but overall frame is narrower than racing-style chairs
• Trade-off: Less aggressive styling. If you want the racing look, this isn't it.

Best for: Gamers who want a traditional chair shape in a compact size

👉 Check Current Price → RESPAWN 110 Racing Style Gaming Chair

Space Comparison Table

Pro Tips: Getting Chairs Through Narrow Spaces

Check if armrests are removable: Many gaming chairs have detachable armrests. Look for "removable arms" or "detachable armrests" in product specs. You can remove them during delivery, then reattach after getting the chair into your room.

Measure the full path, not just the door:

• Doorway width (standard: 70-80 cm)
• Hallway width, especially corners and turns
• Stairwell width if you're on an upper floor
• Elevator dimensions if applicable

One Reddit user learned this the hard way: "Chair fit through my apartment door perfectly. Couldn't make the 90-degree turn in my narrow hallway. Had to return it."

Simulate the path with a cardboard box: Cut a box to match the chair's dimensions. Try moving it through your space. If the box struggles, the chair will too.

How to Know If You Need a Compact Chair

Measure first:

• Your doorway width (most apartments: 70-80 cm)
• Your room width (if under 2.5 meters, standard chairs feel huge)
• Space between desk and wall (if under 1 meter, you need compact)
• Hallway corners and tight turns

You probably don't need a compact chair if:

• You have a dedicated gaming room
• Your doorways are 90 cm+ wide
• Your room is 3+ meters wide
• You have straight, wide hallways

You probably do need one if:

• You live in a city apartment or studio
• Your doorways are 70-80 cm
• Your hallway has tight corners
• Your room feels cramped with standard furniture
• You've returned chairs before because they didn't fit
• You need to store the chair sometimes

Which Chair Should You Choose?

GTRACING Slim: Best for narrow doorways and flip-up arm convenience

X Rocker Floor: Best for studios needing foldable storage (but remember: less back support for long sessions)

RESPAWN 110: Best compact traditional chair design

Stop Fighting Oversized Furniture

Gaming chairs aren't one-size-fits-all. Reviewers test them in big suburban houses. You live in a 40 square meter apartment.

A chair that "fits everyone" doesn't fit through your door.

Compact gaming chairs aren't compromises. They're designs that respect real living spaces.

Your chair should fit your apartment. Not the other way around.

Thousands of urban gamers use compact chairs—because furniture should fit your life, not dominate it.

What's your apartment size? If you're gaming in a small space, drop your setup in the comments. Always curious how people make it work.

If you've got friends stuck with oversized furniture, send this their way.