Skip to main content

Cooler Master’s GamePod is a gaming chair ripped straight from a sci-fi movie

Calling the Orb X GamePod a gaming chair is a bit reductive. The egg-like design of this all-in-one PC battle station looks like it was ripped straight from a sci-fi flick.

Cooler Master unveiled the new Orb X gaming chair during its Cooler Master Summit, and its eye-catching design isn’t its only stand-out feature. The chair is fitted with a recliner, mounts for up to three monitors, surround sound speakers, and enough RGB to make even the most seasoned PC gamers blush.

The Cooler Master CMIX GamePod in white.
Cooler Master

The heart of the Orb X is a recliner with an adjustable keyboard stand. It includes six adjustment points for lumber and head support, as well as a leg rest so you can kick up your feet. Additionally, it includes mounting options for up to three 27-inch monitors or a single 34-inch monitor and a 2.1 sound system that offers spatial audio within the cockpit.

A control panel inside the unit allows you to adjust everything to your taste, as well as raise and lower the cockpit. The top of the GamePod that holds the monitors rolls forward or back with the touch of a button, allowing you to slot in and out of the GamePod without wrestling it.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

On the back, you’ll find a slide-out compartment that can house a PC rig or console. It looks like this compartment just includes a sliding tray, and we’re not sure how well it will work with a gaming PC spitting out a lot of heat. We’ve reached out to Cooler Master for clarification, and we’ll update this post when we hear back.

If that wasn’t enough, the GamePod also features four USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a headphone/microphone jack, and RGB accents along almost every edge. The integrated mousepad even includes a spot for wireless charging, so you can top off your phone while gaming and charge your wireless peripherals while you’re away.

Profile view of Cooler Master CMIX GamePod.
Cooler Master

The CMIX GamePod is far from the first all-in-one gaming battle station. Razer, for example, unveiled Project Brooklyn at CES 2021 that’s similar to the GamePod, and Acer has its Thronos gaming station as well.

Cooler Master actually showed off the GamePod concept at Computex 2019. This design, which includes updates to the recliner, keyboard stand, and various other components, is coming to the U.S. in December.

At Computex 2019, Cooler Master said the GamePod would cost around $5,000 with a monitor. Although the company hasn’t announced final pricing yet, the Orb X GamePod will likely cost between $12,000 and $14,000, according to a Cooler Master rep. The GamePod will be available in white and black with different recliner color options.

Editors' Recommendations

Jacob Roach
Lead Reporter, PC Hardware
Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from…
Alan Wake 2 is proof that more PC games need a potato mode
Alan Wake 2 running on the Samsung Odyssey OELD G9.

Alan Wake 2 is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played -- and it's the frontrunner for the most demanding PC game you can currently run. For as impressive as the game is, from its path-traced reflections to the extensive use of Nvidia tech, it's so demanding that some otherwise-powerful PCs won't be able to post playable frame rates.

It's clear developer Remedy set out to create a certain atmosphere with Alan Wake 2 that can only be captured with photorealistic visuals. That said, Alan Wake 2 is  proof that more PC games need to adopt a stripped-back graphics setting, even if that means sacrificing a part of what makes the game special.
What in the world is a potato mode?
A potato mode is something so easy to run that you could run it on a potato -- not literally, of course, but that's the sentiment. It's a kill switch graphics option that will only be used by a small fraction of PCs, but it can help the least powerful (and least expensive) rigs at least run an otherwise demanding PC game.

Read more
Lenovo’s Legion Glasses promise big-screen gaming wherever you are
A closeup of a person reclining on a sofa, playing a game on Lenovo Legion Go while looking up at a virtual screen in Legion glasses.

A person plays a game on Lenovo Legion Go while looking up at a virtual screen with Legion Glasses on. Lenovo

Lenovo's new Legion Go handheld gaming computer has a built-in 8.8-inch screen, which is great for a pocketable device. But if you want more, you can supersize that to TV dimensions without sacrificing portability, thanks to the new Legion Glasses.

Read more
I professionally review gaming monitors. Here are the worst buying mistakes I see
Cyberpunk 2077 running on the LG UltraGear OLED 45.

Tracking down the best gaming monitors is no simple task. As you can see from how we test gaming monitors, it involves a lot more than throwing a display on a desk and playing a couple of games. And even after years of reviewing them, I still see some common mistakes buyers make when shopping for a new gaming monitor.

I've tested dozens of gaming monitors, and although a spec sheet might sway you in one direction, I can tell you with certainty that all gaming monitors aren't built equally. Here are the biggest pitfalls to avoid.
Thinking in resolution

Read more