20k gaming chair

[The_King]

 

 

 

https://www.pcmag.com/news/inside-cooler-masters-15k-orb-x-pod-for-gamers-and-open-office-haters

 

 

 

In Arcadia, 25 miles east of Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in California, the sun beats down at 90 degrees Fahrenheit, even in winter. But in the middle of a strip mall surrounded by cash-only ramen restaurants, inside the Dreamlab Technologies(Opens in a new window) LAN center, it remains cool and dark. 

I'm at Dreamlab to test a pre-release ORB X(Opens in a new window), a $15,000 semi-enclosed gamer pod/workstation from Cooler Master. The unit is 6 by 6 feet, made of vacuum forming thermoplastic polymer and surrounded by an Addressable RGB (ARGB) LED strip that glows in heliotrope neon, like something out of a sci-fi series. It presents a unique take on the gaming chair, and could also appeal to traditional offices, if you can justify the cost. Here's what to expect.

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From Inside the ORB X 

I get distinct Mork and Mindy vibes from the egg-like structure, but a quick glance around the LAN center and I am pretty sure a “Mork Calling Orson” reference wouldn’t fly there.

Once inside the ORB X cockpit, I flip manually through the various headrest and lumbar settings, using the remote controller to bring up the footrest on the ergonomic leather gaming chair. Meanwhile, the fully automated shuttle dome moves down toward me, shunting the 34-inch monitor into position in front of my face.

You can switch out the large screen for three 27-inch monitors, if you prefer, and the ORB X comes with HDMI cables that can support 4K resolution. By pressing down on the larger of the console buttons for 5 seconds, you can also save personal settings, so everything—including the monitor height—will be at your chosen specifications on subsequent sessions. 

A mid-gameplay session of Apex Legends is paused on the monitor for me. I start hitting the W, S, A and D keys to hunt down villains on the horizon and get a feel for the ORB X as a gaming environment, which is encompassing yet not entirely isolating. The custom-built, 2.1 spatial audio system includes two full-range speakers and a subwoofer, so the immersive backdrop of surround sound is complete.

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The Orb X Origin Story 

Lucy Hung, Senior Marketing Manager at Cooler Master, flew in from the company’s Taipei HQ and joined me at Dreamlab Technologies to walk me through the inspiration and production process behind the ORB X. 

I (reluctantly) exit the unit to let Ben, one of the company’s gaming specialists, take over on Apex Legends; see him in action in the video below.

“The Cooler Master ORB X was developed by the CMIMX team in Taiwan,” Hung explains. “This is a newly developed team at Cooler Master Technology with a mission to perfect and enhance the immersive experience for users through community-driven innovation and collaboration. By integrating hardware and software as well as incorporating next-gen technologies such as VR, AR, and haptics, we aim to take the overall user experience to the next level.” 

The only thing I think is missing from the ORB X is advanced haptics, similar to the 4DX cinema experience. While actively gaming, or watching immersive entertainment, the ability to add to sensations through motion effects, like pitch and roll, would be welcome.

Hung says it’s on the Cooler Master production schedule. "We’re targeting 2023 for upgrades, including focusing on the haptic function of the recliner."

While many manufacturers hire third-party design agencies to bring them the cool factor, Hung says this device was designed and developed solely in-house. It also appears to be part of a larger vision to get Cooler Master from a PC DIY company into more of the tech lifestyle category. 

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Specs, Price, and Customization

If your tech lifestyle can run to $15,499, you can pre-order the ORB X this month. But that’s the price for the station only. If you want customization, or added complexity in the setup, the price will go up.

Current customization focuses on the shell color (Universe Black or Arctic White) and gaming chair (brown or black), with lead times depending on the level of complexity. The ARGB also has eight mode effects.

[chamfer]

If this is a fully enclosed pod with air con and haptic feedback. That would be an ultimate gaming experience without disturbing others.