Thermaltake launches active-cooled X Comfort Air gaming chair

Thermaltake has announced that it is to launch a product aimed firmly at the more moist gamers out there: a gaming chair with active cooling, designed to keep your backside between 0.6ºC and 1.5ºC cooler than the unassisted competition.

Featuring a 'a special five-fan blade design based on automotive industry tech', the Thermaltake X Comfort Air expands the company's existing range of gaming chairs with the promise of a cooler bum-bum during extended periods of gaming. Built into a 'unique wind blocker frame [...] specially designed to direct greater volumes of airflow towards the middle section of the blade' the four 60mm fans push air through to the seat of the chair with the claim of cutting the heat down by up to 1.5ºC on the fans' maximum speed setting.

Elsewhere the Thermaltake X Comfort Air follows the usual trend for racing-style seats on a five-point castor base. Finished in PVC plastic, commonly known as 'pleather' for its pseudo-leather appearance and feel, the seat includes an internal breathable mesh, additional padding, adjustable armrest, adjustable back and head support, pre-set and lockable tilt positions, and internals made from high-density foam over a 22mm steel framework.

While Thermaltake has shared many of the specifications relating to the cooling system - including a control panel which allows adjustment up to the maximum 5,100 revolutions per minute (RPM) speed, a 21.3 cubic feet per minute (CFM) airflow, and a 7.1mmH2O static pressure, the company has remained silent on the noise levels users can expect - which, given the use of smaller 60mm fans, could be substantial if not muffled by the foam surrounds.

More information on the X Comfort Air is available on the official website, where it is set at a US recommended retail price of $499.99 (around £382 excluding taxes).