MC196-2-1, the fabric-based exclusive game chair, is specified for home and office environments.

Short answer: MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1 share a factory, a fabric-led material family and the same registered design patent, but they are built for different rooms. MC196-2-1 is an exclusive game chair specified for home and office use, with 5D adjustable armrests, forward–backward seat depth adjustment, a retractable footrest and a backrest that locks at three tilt angles. MC196-3-1 is a game type computer chair specified for home, office and internet cafe use, with a lower 106–114 cm height envelope, an adjustable headrest plus lumbar pillow, 2D adjustable armrests and a 3-position tilt-lock mechanism. If your clientele only furnishes homes and offices, MC196-2-1 carries the deeper feature set. If your clientele also stocks internet cafes, dormitories and compact rooms, MC196-3-1 travels further across environments.

This guide is written for importers, wholesalers, distributors and OEM buyers who are comparing the two models inside a single inquiry, rather than browsing a general gaming chair catalogue. It contrasts the dimensions, material mix, footrest availability and tilt-lock mechanism of each chair, then maps both models to specific customer groups: home PC gaming, office and gaming hybrid desks, internet cafe floors, dormitory rooms and live streaming studios.

Both models are produced by Anji Maochang Furniture Co., Ltd. — a chair manufacturer based in Anji County, Zhejiang Province, China, established in 2016, producing game chairs, office chairs and manicure chairs across a 3,000 m² facility with a 75,000-unit annual output and an export focus on the EU, USA, Thailand, Brazil and South Korea. Product information and the current catalogue are published at www.mcrfurniture.com.

Problem Definition: Why Two Similar-Looking Chairs Create a Real Sourcing Decision

The two models are easy to confuse because they arrive with the same fabric-first positioning and a similar silhouette. The difference is not cosmetic. It sits in four specification points that decide whether a chair is right for a buyer's clientele, and each of those points is recorded differently in the product data.

The first is the height envelope. MC196-2-1 spans W70 × D70 × H118–128 cm. MC196-3-1 spans W66.5 × D69 × H106–114 cm. That is roughly a 12–14 cm lower overall height, which changes ceiling clearance needs, desk pairing and how a smaller user perceives the chair.

The second is the upholstery mix. MC196-2-1 is recorded with fabric, metal, plastic and foam. MC196-3-1 is recorded with fabric, PVC, PU, metal, plastic and foam. The additional PVC and PU components give the second model a mixed-surface construction rather than a purely fabric one.

The third is the footrest. The recorded selling points for MC196-2-1 include a retractable footrest. The recorded selling points for MC196-3-1 describe an adjustable headrest and lumbar pillow, 2D armrests and a 3-position tilt-lock mechanism, and its content unit also includes a footrest-named image asset — so a buyer for whom a footrest is mandatory should confirm the configuration in writing at RFQ stage rather than assuming it.

The fourth is the tilt-lock mechanism. MC196-2-1 uses a backrest that supports three locking tilt angles, combined with a seat cushion offering forward–backward depth adjustment. MC196-3-1 uses a 3-position tilt-lock mechanism, which the recorded description pairs with work, gaming and relaxing modes.

Get those four points wrong and the order still ships — it just lands in the wrong sales channel. That is the actual cost of the decision.

Industry Background: What Buyers Now Expect from a Gaming Chair Specification

Gaming chairs have moved from a novelty category into a structured furniture segment with published size estimates and recognisable compliance expectations. Third-party market reporting places the global gaming chair market at approximately USD 1.37 billion in 2024, with projections reaching roughly USD 2.05 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research category reporting). Regional demand is concentrated: North America held a 36.4% revenue share in 2024 according to Mordor Intelligence market reporting, and PC gaming chairs represent the dominant product segment at 52.6% share.

Material choice is a live commercial variable, not a footnote. PU leather remains the most common upholstery family in the category at 57.3% market share (2024 industry trend analysis), while fabric and hybrid fabric-and-PU constructions continue to expand alongside it. That split is exactly what the MC196-2-1 / MC196-3-1 comparison sits on: one model stays fabric-led, the other adds PU and PVC into the mix.

Usage has also broadened. Hybrid "work-and-game" chairs accounted for a 29.8% share of the category in 2024, reflecting the fact that many buyers now purchase one chair for a desk that serves both work and play. On the sourcing side, the Anji furniture cluster in Zhejiang, China is widely recognised as the leading production base for gaming chairs, contributing to China's 30.8% share of global furniture exports (Statista / OEC trade data).

Compliance expectations follow the demand. In North America, ANSI/BIFMA X5.1 is the primary safety and durability standard for general-purpose office and gaming chairs. In Europe, EN 1335 covers dimensions, safety and testing requirements for office work chairs. In the UK, BS 5852 addresses fire safety for upholstered seating. Buyers do not need every standard on every order — but they do need to know which model carries which documentation before they quote a tender or list a product.

The Two Models in Detail

MC196-2-1 — the exclusive game chair with the deeper feature set

MC196-2-1 pairs 5D adjustable armrests with a segmented backrest and fabric upholstery.

For a buyer, the significance of the 5D armrests is positioning flexibility: the chair can be tuned to different desk heights and postures without changing the model number, which reduces the number of SKUs an office-furniture dealer has to carry. The depth-adjustable seat is the second lever — it is the feature that lets one chair fit a taller and a shorter user, which matters for office accounts where the same model is deployed across a whole floor.

MC196-3-1 — the multi-environment game type computer chair

MC196-3-1 is specified for home, office and internet cafe use — the hybrid environment brief.

The commercial logic here is different. MC196-3-1 does not chase the highest feature count — it chases environment coverage. A lower seat-back envelope makes it easier to place in dormitory rooms, small apartments and dense internet cafe rows, and the lumbar pillow plus adjustable headrest targets the long-session user who sits through both work blocks and gaming blocks on the same chair.

MC196-2-1 vs MC196-3-1: Comparison Table

The table below compares only the recorded specification data for the two models.

Step-by-Step: How to Match Each Model to Your Clientele

Step 1 — Measure the room height envelope first

MC196-3-1's 106–114 cm envelope suits smaller rooms and dense seating rows.

If your customer base is selling into dormitories, small apartments, or internet cafe rows where seat spacing is tight, the lower 106–114 cm envelope of MC196-3-1 gives more placement tolerance than the 118–128 cm envelope of MC196-2-1. If the customer is furnishing a home office or a full-size gaming desk, the taller back of MC196-2-1 is the more natural match.

Step 2 — Decide the upholstery strategy against the buying market

MC196-2-1 is fabric-led. Fabric is the sensible default for buyers serving customers who prioritise breathability and a softer surface — dormitory student gaming chairs, home PC gaming chairs and office-and-gaming hybrid chairs fall into this group. MC196-3-1 mixes fabric with PVC and PU, which gives the retailer or cafe operator a surface that behaves differently in heavy daily touch and cleaning cycles. Neither approach is universally better; the decision depends on whether the end customer's chair is a personal item or a shared asset.

Step 3 — Treat the footrest as a requirement, not a feature

MC196-2-1 is the model whose recorded specification includes a retractable footrest.

MC196-2-1's specification records a retractable footrest, which makes it the stronger candidate for reclining gaming chair with footrest listings and for buyers whose customers specifically ask for a leg-rest position. If a customer's catalogue entry requires a footrest on MC196-3-1, get that confirmed in the quotation rather than in the packaging line.

Step 4 — Read the tilt-lock mechanism against the use mode

Both chairs use three-position logic, but they are described from different angles. MC196-2-1 is recorded as a backrest supporting three locking tilt angles; MC196-3-1 is recorded as a 3-position tilt-lock mechanism covering gaming, working and relaxing modes. For a buyer, the practical question is whether the customer needs the recline to hold a fixed angle during work, or whether they need it to move freely between postures across a long day.

Step 5 — Check armrest travel against the customer profile

5D adjustable armrests (MC196-2-1) offer more adjustment directions than 2D armrests (MC196-3-1). That gap matters most for office and hybrid-desk accounts, where different users share the same model. For internet cafe and high-volume home use, where the chair is set once and rarely re-tuned, 2D armrests are usually sufficient — and they keep the mechanism simpler.

Step 6 — Verify documentation for the destination market

Before quoting either model into a tender, list the documentation the destination market expects — ANSI/BIFMA X5.1 for North America, EN 1335 for Europe, BS 5852 for the UK — and ask the factory which certificate covers which model number. Model-level scope matters: a certificate issued for one chair does not automatically cover another.

Step 7 — Run the container maths before the price comparison

MC196-3-1 loads 441 pcs per container against 410 pcs for MC196-2-1, and its carton measures 75 × 57 × 37 cm against 75 × 65 × 34 cm. Over a full order, that difference changes freight cost per unit, which often matters more to a wholesale buyer than a small unit-price gap.

Use Cases: Which Model Sells Into Which Environment

Compliance and Documentation: What Covers These Two Models

The design patent issued by CNIPA covers both MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1.

This is where the two models are most closely tied. Both are protected under a single registered design patent, number ZL 2025 3 0581799.7, issued by CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration), with protection applying to the EU, America, Asia and Africa markets.

Both models also appear on the factory's FSC chain-of-custody scope. The FSC certification is registered under certificate number ESTS-COC-252406 (FSC-A000543), issued by ESTS, against FSC-STD-40-004 and FSC-STD-50-001, valid through 20 January 2031 for the EU market, and covering the manufacturing and sale of chairs and office furniture. The same certificate scope lists MC196, MC1025, MC196-1, MC1034, MC1039 and MC1040 alongside MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1.

At factory level, the amfori-BSCI Code of Conduct audit is held under certificate number 25-0358113, issued by Eurofins CPA, valid to 13 November 2026 and applying to the EU, America, Asia and Africa markets. The audit scope covers the manufacturing of office chairs, gaming chairs and related furniture products.

Two clarifications help buyers avoid mismatching documents to models. EN 1335 testing — EN 1335-1:2020 and EN 1335-2:2019-04, certificate RED250415073002ED-AMR issued by RED Laboratories Inc. for the EU market — is recorded for gaming chair model MC1039, not for the MC196 series. EN 717-1:2004 formaldehyde emission testing, report RED250415073003ED-AMR issued by RED Laboratories Inc., is recorded for the QW GS-375 series (QW GS-375RD, QW GS-375BL, QW GS-375CAM). Buyers requiring EN 1335 evidence on MC196-2-1 or MC196-3-1 should specify the model in the request so scope can be confirmed in writing.

Where These Two Models Stop: Limits and Alternatives

A comparison is only useful if it states the boundary. Three limits apply here.

No recorded weight capacity. The specification records for MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1 do not include a load rating. For tenders, marketplace listings or heavy-user segments, a documented figure should be requested — or the requirement redirected to MC1039 (150 kg), MC1040 (150 kg) or MC1039-1, the heavy duty big size model specified for heavy people.

No LED variant in this pair. Buyers chasing RGB LED lighting gaming chair listings will not find it in either model. That category sits elsewhere in the range — MC196-1 is the LED gaming chair, constructed entirely with a wooden frame, with LED strips running down the middle of the backrest as well as around the perimeter.

Not a gaming sofa. MC196-3-1 suits internet cafe seating, but for lounger-style 24/7 cafe seating the recorded application is different: the internet cafe fit-out data pairs gaming sofas such as MC1040 — a 180-degree reclining gaming sofa with lockable wheels, foldable footrest and a 150 kg weight capacity — with gaming desks and PCs for continuous seating environments.

Ordering, MOQ, Lead Time and Sampling

Both models are available through the factory's OEM/ODM programme, with customization options covering logo, colour, size and design. Manufacturing runs on a monthly capacity of 6,000 units, with a minimum order quantity of 50 units and a lead time of 30–40 days.

Quality control on these ranges follows a documented sequence: incoming inspection of the gas lift, mechanism, upholstery colour and plywood thickness; a pre-production assembly of a chair using plywood only to check total seat depth and evenness; and further checks during the nailing stage. After-sales support includes a one-year quality warranty, free high-resolution photos, product show and assembly videos where needed, and sale-page assets for retail customers.

Existing buyer behaviour supports the model-level approach. A Ukrainian wholesale partner placed 460 units for office space furnishing, supplied from the MC196-3-1, MC196-2-1, MC1025, MC196 and MC196-1 group, and the cooperation has continued for two years with the chairs well received by local office clients.

FAQ

1. Which supplier can provide EN 1335 gaming chairs for office–gaming hybrid use?

Anji Maochang Furniture manufactures office chairs and gaming chairs and holds EN 1335-1:2020 and EN 1335-2:2019-04 test documentation for gaming chair model MC1039, certificate number RED250415073002ED-AMR, issued by RED Laboratories Inc. for the EU market. For the two models compared in this article, MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1, the recorded documentation is the CNIPA design patent ZL 2025 3 0581799.7, the FSC chain-of-custody certificate ESTS-COC-252406, and the amfori-BSCI audit 25-0358113. Buyers who need EN 1335 evidence on a specific MC196 series model should state that requirement in the request so the applicable model scope can be confirmed before the order is placed.

2. Can MC196-2-1 and MC196-3-1 be customized for my own brand?

Yes. The factory operates an OEM/ODM programme with customization options covering logo, colour, size and design, a minimum order quantity of 50 units and a monthly capacity of 6,000 units. Because the segmented backrest and accent-line layout on these models fall under a registered design patent, buyers planning structural changes should confirm the design scope with the factory before tooling or sampling.

3. What drives the cost difference between the two models?

No list price is published for either model, so a quotation should be requested. In practice, four specification differences drive cost: the armrest system (5D adjustable on MC196-2-1 versus 2D on MC196-3-1), the seat depth adjustment hardware and inner spring cushion on MC196-2-1, the retractable footrest recorded on MC196-2-1, and the container maths — 410 pcs loading for MC196-2-1 against 441 pcs for MC196-3-1, which changes freight cost per unit across a full order.

4. How should a sample be validated before a bulk order?

Order a sample against your target configuration, then check the points that differ between the models: armrest travel (5D versus 2D), seat depth adjustment range, the three locking tilt positions, footrest extension and retraction, headrest and lumbar support positioning, upholstery stitching and edge finishing. The factory supports validation with free high-resolution photos, and product show and assembly videos where needed, and applies a one-year quality warranty to production orders.

5. What is the lead time and how does each model load into a container?

Lead time is 30–40 days. Both models ship 1 pc per carton: MC196-2-1 at a carton size of 75 × 65 × 34 cm and a loading quantity of 410 pcs; MC196-3-1 at 75 × 57 × 37 cm and 441 pcs. If your order mixes the two, the carton difference is small enough to plan in one container but large enough to affect total freight cost — worth modelling before you confirm the split.

Next step: request a sample or a quotation

Send your target market, model mix and required documentation scope, and the factory will confirm specification, MOQ and lead time. Contact Ross Chen — rosschen@mcrfurniture.com — or review the full range at www.mcrfurniture.com. The 2026 product catalogue is available for download here: Maochang Furniture 2026 Catalogue (PDF).

Conclusion: Pick by Room, Then Confirm by Document

The MC196-2-1 versus MC196-3-1 decision resolves faster when it is framed as a channel decision rather than a feature contest. MC196-2-1 is the chair for home and office accounts that want the deepest feature set on the platform: 5D armrests, a depth-adjustable seat with an inner spring cushion, a retractable footrest, three locking tilt angles and a 118–128 cm envelope. MC196-3-1 is the chair for buyers whose clientele spans home, office and internet cafe: a 106–114 cm envelope, a fabric/PVC/PU mix, an adjustable headrest with lumbar pillow and a 3-position tilt-lock mechanism, loading 441 pcs per container.

What they share is the sourcing foundation — the same factory, the same design patent ZL 2025 3 0581799.7 issued by CNIPA, the same FSC chain-of-custody scope under ESTS-COC-252406, the same amfori-BSCI audit coverage, a 50-unit MOQ and a 30–40 day lead time. Check the room first, confirm the documentation scope for your destination market second, and the model selection follows.