Razer Iskur V2 NewGen gaming chair review: A much-needed ‘cooler’ update to an already solid chair

I reviewed the Razer Iskur V2 gaming chair and its cheaper sibling — the Iskur V2 X — last year. Today, Razer is expanding the range with the Iskur V2 NewGen, which is just a minor update to the Iskur V, despite “NewGen” being tacked on to the end of the product’s name.

At first glance, there's not much of a difference between the Iskur V2 and the Iskur V2 NewGen. However, Razer says that the latter includes a second-generation EPU leather with so-called “CoolTouch” technology and a new inner foam design. Both upgrades should go a long way towards fixing one of the main issues I had with the original Iskur V2.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen Specifications

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen Design

As I mentioned in the intro, the Iskur V2 NewGen looks nearly identical to its predecessor. But there are some slight differences if you look closely. The first is that the Iskur V2 has a carbon-fiber-style pattern on the EPU leather that runs along the outer edges of the seatback and seat base. Basically, this is the area between the two green stitching lines on the chairs. On the Iskur V2, the EPU has the same grain as the rest of the seating surfaces. It’s a minor change, and one that doesn’t really affect performance – it’s also something that you won’t notice while sitting in the chair.

Rubbing my hand over the seating surfaces, the materials felt identical to the touch, but there are unseen changes — according to Razer. The company says the Gen-2 EPU leather has higher thermal effusivity, which is a fancy way of saying it stays cooler to the touch during extended gaming sessions. Razer also says that its PU leather is 13x more durable than traditional PU leather. Additionally, there are so-called “CoolTouch” fibers embedded into the seating surfaces to help regulate temperatures. There are still no perforations in the seating surfaces.

Sadly, when I tested the Iskur V2, daytime temperatures were in the 90s, and I was wearing shorts daily. It was in these conditions that the seat base would stick to my legs, putting a damper on comfort. But now, in the middle of winter here in North Carolina, daytime temperatures are in the 30s, and I’m wearing pants inside the house to stay comfortable. So it’s not exactly the right environment to test how clammy my skin gets while sitting on the Iskur V2 NewGen.

Finally, Razer introduces dual-density cold-cured foam, which it says provides excellent comfort while maintaining a firm base to support proper posture. It also resists trapping heat from your body, which, in turn, improves cooling performance.

With that said, everything else is reminiscent of the Iskur V2. That means the trick lumbar pad, controlled by left and right dials while tracking your body movement, remains. You also get the same dual-density foam seat cushion, 4D armrests, height and recline controls, a heavy steel frame, and an aluminum alloy base with five PU casters. The same memory foam headrest pillow is also included and can be placed on top of the backrest.

The Iskur V2 NewGen is available in black, black with green stitching, light gray, or quartz (pink).

Assembling the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen

Like the Iskur V2 before it, the Iskur V2 NewGen arrived in a massive box that took some finagling to transport to my upstairs office. The large and awkward shape of the shipping box, combined with its 80-pound weight, was quite daunting. Once I had the box upstairs where I wanted it, my brain realized I could have just opened it downstairs and carried the pieces up one by one instead. However, a couple of minutes of frustration was worth it to me than running up and down the stairs like an errand boy to fetch components one by one.

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen parts list includes:

• Backrest and seat base (left and right arms pre-attached)
• Headrest pillow
• Left and right armrest
• PU Casters 5x
• Gas lift, tilt mechanism
• Allen wrench, screws, plastic covers, and a pair of gloves

The seat base, backrest, and headrest pillow were wrapped in plastic to protect them during shipping, while the wheelbase was wrapped in thin, flexible foam. The other components (wheels, bolts, tools, plastic covers, gas lift, etc.) Were tucked into a smaller box. Something that I’ve come to expect from Razer chairs is a pair of work gloves inside a plastic bag taped to the inner flap. Although I don’t need gloves for chair assembly, I appreciate that Razer takes the effort to include a pair for people who might prefer that luxury.

Given that I’ve previously assembled both the Iskur V2 and the Iskur V2 X, I blazed through the process in about five minutes without even looking at the Iskur V2 NewGen instructions. Razer includes a multitool for assembling the Iskur V2, and the whole process took no more than ten minutes. I first inserted the wheels into the aluminum-allow base, and then used my fist to bang them into place. Next, I inserted the gas lift, attached the bottom cushion to the seat base, and then attached the seatback using Allen screws. The assembly process was aided by an Allen tool that Razer included in the box. The final touches were to add plastic covers to hide the screws used to attach the seat back and attach the headrest pillow.

One thing I noticed after assembling the Iskur V2 NewGen was a strong chemical smell that still lingers. I didn’t experience this odor with the Iskur V2, so perhaps it's due to the new Gen-2 EPU. While the odor is not as strong now — 5 days after I first removed the chair from the box — I can still smell it when I sit in it.

Razer Iskur V2 NewGen Comfort and Adjustments

As I mentioned, the Iskur V2 NewGen builds on the firm foundation of the Iskur V2. That means the chair offers plenty of adjustability to conform to your body and posture. My favorite part of the chair is what Razer dubs the HyperFlex Lumbar Support System.

In practice, it features a 360-degree swivel that allows the back lumbar to move with you. If you move your body left, right, back, or forward, the lumbar support stays anchored to your back and moves with you. It feels great on my back, especially as I'm getting up there in age and sometimes have lower back aches.

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To that point, you can use the right rotary dial to adjust the lumbar inward (turn the dial downward) or outward (turn the dial upward). You can also adjust the contact point up or down using the left dial. Using a delicate combination of these two controls, you should be able to find the optimal setting to comfort your weary bones.

Adding to the comfort factor is the dual-density cold-cure foam. Now, to be fair, the Iskur V2 was already an extremely comfortable chair with good ergonomics and great long-term comfort. After sitting my butt in both chairs and hopping between them frequently, I couldn’t detect a significant improvement with the Iskur V2 NewGen. Razer has only made minor tweaks here, with the primary impetus being to improve cooling performance.

Like the Iskur V2, the updated model supports a maximum 152-degree recline, which can be beneficial if you just want to lie back and game or enjoy a movie on your widescreen monitor. The extreme recline isn’t for me, but I can appreciate that it's probably beneficial for more daring gamers.

The chair supports height adjustment (floor-to-seat height ranges from 435 to 535 mm), which is controlled using the right stalk that juts out from the seat base. As is common in today's gaming chairs, the Iskur V2 features 4D armrests, which are highly adjustable. I found the perfect height and horizontal position to accommodate my arms while seated at my desk. The armrests can also pivot up to 25 degrees in or out, but I found they were most comfortable pointed straight ahead.

The 4D armrests can adjust up and down, in and out, and can pivot up to 25 degrees inward or outward.

Given that the chair's dimensions haven’t changed, I’m still not completely sold on the seat base, which, at 17.72 inches (45cm) is a tad shorter than I prefer. I'm 5’10” (with long legs), and this means I don’t have the thigh support that other chairs with longer seat bases provide — but my body has learned to adjust.

Bottom Line

Despite the “NewGen” in the name, the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen is a relatively minor update to an already good chair. The Iskur V2 NewGen has minor design changes and updates to materials (internal and external) that should help keep your body cooler during gaming sessions. This was one of my nitpicks with the prior model, so it’s good to see that it’s being addressed.

The main problem, however, is that it’s the middle of winter in my neck of the woods, so the ambient temperature is not hot enough to have issues with my legs sticking to the chair or my back sweating from the EPU surface materials on the chair. So, back-to-back testing between the Iskur V2 and Iskur V2 NewGen has not shown any real-world improvements to cooling performance… yet. However, we will revisit the chair when summer comes around to see whether the new materials have improved on this significantly.

That said, if you’re in the market for a new chair at the moment, the Iskur V2 NewGen is replacing the Iskur V2. It retails for the same price — $649 — so if you already have the Iskur V2, it’s probably not wise to spend another $649 for a minor materials upgrade. However, if you don’t already have a gaming chair or you're looking to upgrade from an older, worn-out one, the Iskur V2 NewGen should definitely be on your radar. Just be prepared for at least a week of an odd chemical odor once you take it out of the box.