Corsair put a new chair on sale on 8 September and it's aimed at the budget end. The TC80 is A$279, it only comes in black fabric, and instead of leading with RGB or racing stripes, Corsair's release is mostly a list of the tests it survived. That's a smarter pitch for a chair that's going to live in a family house.
Corsair lists the TC80 alongside the TC100 Relaxed and what it calls the premium TC500 Luxe, and at A$279 it's the cheapest of the three by model number and price. It's a fabric seat with leatherette trim, a wide flat cushion rather than the racing bucket shape, a neck pillow you can take off, and armrests that level themselves as you lean back. Underneath it's a steel five-star base, 50mm wheels and a steel class 4 gas lift.
Height adjusts through 100mm and the back reclines from 90 to 115 degrees, and you can lock it anywhere in that range rather than at fixed stops. Recline tension is adjustable. Corsair says assembly is quick, which every chair maker says.
The testing is the actual story
Corsair says the TC80 has been through more than 30 durability and safety tests and meets the BIFMA X5.1 and EN 1335 standards, which are the American and European office chair standards rather than gaming ones. The numbers it lists: a 136kg weight dropped on the middle of the seat, a 57kg weight dropped on the seat 100,000 times, the tilt mechanism cycled 300,000 times with 109kg on it, 400 newtons on each armrest 60,000 times, and the swivel cycled 120,000 times with 122kg on the seat. Those are Corsair's own tests reported by Corsair. There's no independent lab named. Still, it's more than most chairs at this price tell you.
Price and availability
Australia and New Zealand pricing is A$279, which Corsair says is launch pricing and may change. It's US$199.99 in the States, so the Australian price is about where you'd expect. It's available now through Corsair's own store and its retailers, with a two-year warranty. Black fabric is the only finish.