Appearance and Size

Rocker 51396 Pedestal Gaming Wireless

Both Rocker chairs are black. The 51259 has more of a matte finish whereas the 51396 has a shinier finish. There is a major and obvious difference, appearance wise, between these two Rocker chairs. The 51396 has a pedestal while the 51259 does not.

The chairs themselves are about the same size (although the maximum height will be taller on the 51396 because of the pedestal). The 51259 measures 29.1 x 22 x 20.9 inches and the 51396 measures 28.5 x 23 x 23.5 inches. The shipping boxes are a bit heavy, at around 50 pounds.

Is setup and assembly easy…?

After reading through the reviews of customer experiences, I’d say that set up and assembly is easy with either of these chairs. However, there were some complaints. Some have said that they wished there were specific instructions for connecting certain devices.

Speaker Performance

The 51396 has 2 speakers and a subwoofer while the 51259 (X Rocker Pro H3) has 4 speakers and a subwoofer. So, naturally you can expect a louder, better gaming experience with the 51259. Both of the chairs have AFM technology (Audio Force Modulation).

If you’re interested in very lengthy and technical explanation of AFM then you can check out this wiki. For the layman, including your truly, it means that sound is magnified and intensified using the frame and the open space within the chair itself.

Many customers, even some with complaints, say that the sound quality is amazing.

Vibrations

Both of these chairs have vibration motors that sync up with your audio’s bass tones. This provides you with a full-bodied experience. The vibration feature only activates after a certain sound level.

Comfortability

Rocker 51259 Audio Gaming Wireless

After examining both of these chairs and reading through the reviews some points became immediately obvious. While the gunstock arms look cool and will provide you with support they are lacking in my opinion. You will see from the pictures that there is no cushion over the arm rest for either of these models. I’ve experienced discomfort when sitting for long periods of time in chairs without cushioned arm rest.

The 51259 sits very low to the ground because there is no pedestal that the chair attaches to. This is problematic for some users. It makes it difficult for them to get up after sitting down. Others complain that they cannot rest their head on the chair. Others even complained that the chair will flip over if you lean back too much.

The pedestal on the 51396 allows you to tilt and swivel for added comfort. Your mobility is limited with the 51259.

All in all, because of the material used, I think that the 51259 is more comfortable. It is softer compared to the stiffer material used with the 51396.

Durability

Both of these chairs have some issues as it relates to long-term durability. Some customers have reported that the padding will deteriorate after a few years. I’ve come across pictures that prove this. Cushioned chairs will wear out over time. The rate at which the cushion wears out will depend upon when how much you use them.

Some users also complained that the exterior wears out quickly on the 51396. It seems that the exterior material for the 51259 is more durable.

Click here to get more details on the X Rocker 51396

Click here to get more details on the X Rocker 51259

Wireless transmitter

The wireless transmitter will send audio source that has RCA or headset to your gaming chair.

Both chairs come with a wireless adapter that requires batteries for operation. According to customer reports, the 3 AAA batteries will run out fast. Unfortunately there is no AC adapter that comes with it. You could buy one separately but you need to find one that is compatible – else you end up with static interference. The easiest solution would be to get some rechargeable batteries. I have some Panasonic and they work great and save us a ton on batteries.

Potential Issues and Quirks

In this section, you will discover some of the potential issues and or quirks that each of these machines has. This isn’t meant to scare you away from either one, but rather to make you aware as it could influence your purchase decision.

51259

• The rocking rails underneath the seat are narrow; only a couple inches wide. This can cause wear marks in your carpet or other flooring. A solution would be to use a floor pad like the one listed below to protect your floors.
• More than one customer complained about the chair rocking too far back and causing them to fall back. This makes for some limitations in the way that you can sit in these chairs. Some people like to sit with their legs crossed, for example.
• Some customers complained that there isn’t enough padding over the vibration box. So, it goes like this. Sitting in the chair for a few minutes you don’t notice it, but after like 30 minutes to an hour it becomes uncomfortable. This means that you will have to constantly reposition yourself.

51396

• Some customers have said this chair, although it looks soft and comfortable, is actually a stiff seat. But there were mixed experiences here. You may want to explore this further.
• Some customers reported that the chair doesn’t actually tilt. This is something that has influenced buying decisions.

Connectivity and Compatibility

There is an included cable that you can use to connect your chair to your ipod, ipad, iphone or android device to the chair. These chairs will also work with your gaming devices (Xbox, xbox 360, xbox one, Playstation 3, playstation 4). There are directions that are, based on customer feedback, easy to follow.

Pros and Cons

These chairs are very similar. You will notice that many of the pros and cons will be the same. Where there is a pro or con that applies to just one chair you will see it in parenthesis.

Pros

• Good Sound Quality
• Easy to Assemble
• Looks Great

Cons

• Not for taller humans
• Short power cord
• Quite a few reports of the chair not being comfortable after extended use
• Cheap pleather exterior starts to wear quickly according to some

Need an HDMI to RCA converter to work with PS4