Updated in August 2020 to reflect current line-up & provide 1-year insights.
What chair are you currently sitting on? Is it a typical hard back chair or some roller cushion chair? And more importantly, is it comfortable sitting on it for long hours? My current chair certainly isn’t. For the longest time, I’ve been considering getting a gaming/office chair for the comfort it provides.
But I was always put off by the cost of it. When I think of gaming chairs, Secretlab usually comes to mind, the price of their chair starts at $500, which is not cheap. For a first chair, $500 just seems too much to spend on, and so I have never made that purchase.
UPDATE: Check out the reviews of two of APOL’s chairs – Kraken, and Sphinx.
APOL Singapore
I stumbled upon their brand a few weeks before the PC Show 2019, and found that they offered very attractive chairs at very attractive prices! So I went down to their booth to find out more about their chairs. What makes APOL special is that the creation of their chairs is driven from the founder’s personal posture problem and his passion and desire to bring his solution to the masses. It’s nice to know that you’re getting a chair that is aligned for your comfort. You can find out more about APOL here.
Who is APOL
APOL, known as (A Piece of Lifestyle) is a Singapore based company selling ergonomic gaming/office chairs. Their vision is to design chairs which are comfortable and top quality but yet affordable at the same time. Chairs in APOL are designed to cater to different sitting postures and build – this is seen from their chairs from Kraken, Behemoth, to the Sphinx.
APOL’s chairs
APOL has currently 4 chairs in their product lineup – (1) Classic, (2) Sphinx, (3) Kraken, and (4) Behemoth. Each chair is catered for different individual needs.
Here’s a quick summary of all of APOL’s chairs for a quick comparison:
The Classic, available in either fabric or leather, targets individuals who do not want to pay too much – the S$298 entry price strikes a balance between comfort and cost. The Sphinx is only available in fabric, and targets petite individuals as it is more compact chair but packs the more premium build and feature at S$398.
The Kraken, available in both fabric or leather, is meant for the average Singaporean build and designed to provide a snug hugging comfort. It retails for S$398. Lastly, the Behemoth, available in both fabric or leather, is targeted towards individuals who have a larger build, provide ample cushioned space to seat on. It is also made from premium materials like the Kraken, and retails for S$398.
Materials and features
The materials that APOL has listed in the making of the main line – Sphinx, Kraken, and Behemoth – are similar to the ones used by Secretlab’s Omega series. I’ll be going through a quick summary of the materials used. If you want to know about the comfort, you can skip the next few sections.
Upholstery and Inner foam
APOL’s chairs can either be in fabric or leather. I have reviewed the Sphinx chair which has fabric upholstery, and the Kraken chair which has PU leather upholstery. For the fabric upholstery, I found it to be really comfortable, with the comfort akin to sitting on a fabric sofa. As for the PU leather upholstery, there are actually small pores cut on the leather to allow air flow to pass through so it will not be uncomfortable seating for long hours. And they actually do not feel warm to sit on despite Singapore’s humid weather.
Beneath the breathable PU leather or fabric is cold cured memory foam. The cushioning is not too firm or too soft, it feels just right. The cushioning of the fabric chair will feel a little firmer than the PU leather variant at the start due to the fabric upholstery, but will soon break in nicely. Each chair is also bundled with a set of memory foam headrest and lumbar pillows, which comes in either a PU leather cover or suede cover.
Recline ability / Multi-Tilt mechanism
All chairs are able to recline to a maximum 165°, which is almost fully flat. And when the bed is too far, lying down on the chair to relax is actually surprisingly comfortable. APOL’s premium S$398 chairs have a multi-tilt mechanism. Multi-tilt allows you tilt backwards while rocking back and forth. This provides greater comfort as the chair will not feel rigid when you’re adjusting yourself in the chair.
4D Adjustable armrest
4D armrest means four-directional. This means that you can adjust the armrest in 4 directions: (1) up-down, (2) swivel left-right, (3) push inwards-outwards, and (4) push towards-away from you. You arm position may change when you’re typing or gaming. By having 4D armrests, you are able to quickly adjust them to maintain a comfortable and ergonomic experience.
Base of chair
The wheel base for the premium chairs are made of strong aluminium and they are supported by 6.5cm casters which have been tested to withstand one tonne of pressure.
Comfort
APOL’s premium line of chairs – Sphinx, Kraken, Behemoth – were designed for people with different physique and based on the type of comfort one prefers. APOL generally suggests Sphinx for the petite sized, Kraken for the slimmer build, and Behemoth for the stockier individuals.
I am about 172cm tall weighing 62kg, so based on my physique I found the Kraken to be more comfortable than the Behemoth.
Kraken
The Kraken is meant for average-sized Singaporeans, which is no surprise why it became APOL’s best seller. The Kraken’s offers you a body hugging kind of comfort due to its racer-chair looking shape. You can expect a snug kind of fit, but it isn’t tight. Compared to the Behemoth, the Kraken is padded more on the sides on the backrest and on the seat.
You can feel more “cushioning” at the lower back area. Because of that, I am able to get a snug and cushioned feel against my lower back on the Kraken, which is comfortable for long hours of sitting. The sides of the chairs also have cushioning, so if you like to slouch over to one side, you still feel support.
The provided headrest provides comfortable rest point for my neck whenever I want to lean back and relax, while the lumbar pillow provide great support my lower back. One unique trait about the Kraken is the flexibility of shifting the position of the neck and lumbar pillows due to the holes at the headrest and the tighter silhouette. You can place the lumbar pillow wherever you like along the upper back of the chair and it will stay in place.
Do note that the seat base of the Kraken has “flaps” meaning that they are designed for a snug sitting experience. So if you’re someone who likes to cross your leg or sit on your butt, then the Kraken may be a little squeezy for your sitting positions. If you are about 170cm then, the Sphinx, with its flat seat base, can be a great alternative.
You can read the full review of the Kraken chair here.
Behemoth
The Behemoth is the largest chair of the bunch so it is meant for individuals who have a larger build. I didn’t get the chance test it properly and review it, so I will share my thoughts from the few minutes of sitting on it.
The cushioning is wider on the shoulders area, so if you constantly leaning back this might be the one for you as it gives great support due to the outwards padding. The butt area does not feel as well cushioned as the Kraken, and my back does not feel as sunken in to the backrest of the chair. As the upper back silhouette is wider, the lumbar pillow cannot be fixed in place like how the Kraken does.
I prefer the wider seat base that the Behemoth provides as it allows to adjust my sitting postures however I like. The best part about the Behemoth is when you recline the seat down to 165°. Because of the wider backrest silhouette, your upper back is rested comfortably along the round contours of the chair.
Sphinx
The Sphinx is designed to be like a mini-Kraken, where it offers the signature body hugging snug comfort. Like the Kraken, the Sphinx has lots of curves along the backrest area which contours nicely to your back’s sitting shape. Though the Sphinx looks rather similar to the Kraken, the curves are less aggressive. The side cushioning are not as outstretched and less tapered in so you won’t end up sitting so deep compared to the Kraken. The shape of the Sphinx is more relaxed compared to Kraken. The lumbar pillow now is not able to stay in place along the upper back of the chair.
The Sphinx also differs by using a flatter seat base to allow for more flexible seating habits, like sitting with your legs tucked in. I personally prefer a flatter seat base as I like to switch up my sitting positions. Also, do note that the Sphinx is only in fabric upholstery.
If your height is below 170cm, I think you’ll enjoy find the Sphinx the fit better than the Kraken. The height of the chair isn’t really that much of a factor since the neck pillow position can easily be adjusted due to the holes in the headrest. The benefit of having a flatter seat base (if you’re constantly moving about in a chair) may be a bigger factor in your consideration.
You can read the full review of the Sphinx chair here.
“Kraken or Behemoth?”
I agree with APOL that Kraken fits more for the slimmer build, while Behemoth fits more for the stockier build. But choosing between the Kraken or Behemoth also depend on the way you like to sit, or your seating style.
As you can see, the silhouettes of the Kraken and Behemoth are quite different. Firstly, the Kraken is narrower while the Behemoth is wider. As such, if you tend to adjust your sitting position constantly such as crossing your legs, then the Behemoth might be a greater fit because of the wider seat base it has. Secondly, the indent of the Kraken’s cushioning is also deeper than the Behemoth, providing more side support. So, if you prefer a more snug and hugging feel for your back and shoulders, then Kraken is the one for you.
One thing to note is that the Kraken is that the lumbar pillow can be slotted anywhere along the backrest of the chair and it will hold its place. This is because of the slimmer silhouette of the Kraken.
The best way to figure out what chair suits you best is to go visit APOL’s showroom at 7030 Ang Mo Kio avenue 5, #06-53 Northstar@AMK Singapore 569880. The staff are very friendly and patient so you won’t feel paiseh taking a long time to choose!
Value for money
At this point, you might be wondering how these chairs stack up against Secretlab’s Omega. Specs wise, both companies use almost the same materials for their construction. You do get more design and upholstery options for Secretlab’s Omega.
As you can see above, all 3 chairs have different silhouettes. If you were to compare Secretlab and APOL, you’ll notice that APOL chairs are more curvy compared to Secretlab’s Omega. More curvatures are good news to me because it probably means that the chair will provide a more ergonomic fit to my back.
Should you buy?
Personally, I have sat on an APOL Kraken and Sphinx for a year now and I definitely so recommend them to anyone who is looking to upgrade your sitting experience. Especially with the coming trend of working from home, getting a comfortable chair which you will be spending almost 10 hours daily is ever more important.
If you wanted to upgrade your chair at an affordable price, yes you should consider! APOL’s chairs are really comfortable. Of course, the best way would be to sit down and compare for yourself. But if you can’t do that you can rely on my experience or on people who have bought from APOL before:
At $398, it is almost 20% cheaper than its rivals. The comfort you get (depending on individual) may be similar or even better. If you have been following my blog, I seek out brands that provide great value for your money and APOL is surely one of them. With chairs designed uniquely for different physique and seating styles, you can be sure that APOL’s chairs has your back covered (pun intended).
Get yourself an APOL chair here, or read reviews on Kraken and Sphinx.