It’s tough to put a number on your health. Unlike flashy monitors and beefy graphics cards, every penny spent on good ergonomics pays you back quietly, through fewer aches, a straighter posture, and more time perched on your posterior. However, rather than paying a small fortune for Herman Miller Embody, which remains a gaming chair champ half a decade after release, LiberNovo Omni attempts to challenge that legacy with more features and a lower price tag.
LiberNovo Omni
$1,099
Pros
- Breathable fabric is very comfortable
- Adjustable lumbar
- Four-stage tilt
- 4D armrests
- Easy to build
Cons
- Armrests are too loose
- Seating is shallow
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How we test and review products.
Taking the crowdfunding approach, the lofty claim that LiberNovo Omni is “the world’s first dynamic ergonomic chair” fortunately turns more heads than it raises eyebrows. Using battery power, you can adjust the motorised lumbar support to the curvature of your spine and even set it to a “massage mode,” but its flexibility isn’t confined to its moving parts.
Although the Kickstarter campaign has already ended, having pulled in 18,049% more than its goal at the equivalent of $9,138,897 US, you can still get Omni at its early bird price of $848 until pre-orders end on October 20. Just one day later, LiberNovo starts shipping the chair, and the cost shoots up to $1,099.
Specifications
| LiberNovo Omni specs | |
|---|---|
| Material | Fabric over high-density foam |
| Recommended max. weight | 122kg (<269lb) |
| Recommended height range | 158 – 190cm (5ft 2in – 6ft 3in) |
| Seat height (from floor) | 440 – 550mm |
| Seat depth | 450 – 480mm |
| Maximum tilt | 160° |
| Warranty | Five years on the chair frame Two years on the electronic parts |
| Price | Full price: $1,099 Sale price: $848 |
Assembly
For a chair hiding batteries, motors, and wiring, LiberNovo Omni is refreshingly simple to build. Most of the frame clicks neatly into place, leaving just a few screws to tighten using the supplied Allen key screwdriver. The large instruction card makes the process straightforward, with clear diagrams and no language barriers to worry about. It’s intuitive enough that even first-time builders should be seated within minutes of opening the box rather than hours.
The only step that requires real attention is routing the cable that connects the seat base to the battery pack before everything locks in. If you miss that, you’ll need to backtrack; otherwise, it’ll be an effortless experience. The battery itself slides into a cradle beneath the seat with a firm click, and there are no stray wires in sight once everything is fitted.
Design
LiberNovo’s design philosophy favours motion over minimalism. Omni’s futuristic backrest, with its Bionic FlexFit frame and 16 articulated joints, looks more like an exoskeleton than an office chair. It’s built from a mix of high-grade plastics and steel, wrapped in a micro-linen fabric stretched over dense memory foam. The result feels substantial but never bulky, with a compact footprint that fits smaller setups surprisingly well.
The fabric is soft and breathable, but if you run hot like I do, it can still trap heat just as much as PU leather. I use Mavix M9 as my daily driver in my office, which regularly sits with an ambient temperature in the 20-29°C range, and the experience is on par. Of course, cooler climates will favour fabric, so your mileage will vary. My only suggestion is to keep a lint roller within arm’s reach, as it tends to collect hair quickly.
Build quality is strong overall, though not flawless. There’s a faint creak when twisting side to side, a reminder that this is still a modular design. The generously padded headrest is part and parcel with Omni, unlike Herman Miller Embody, although you can remove it if you choose. When attached, it moves as you do, shifting left and right as you reach around your desk.
The 4D armrests offer similar mobility, letting you turn, pivot, and raise them to match your body shape; however, they move a bit too easily. It’s natural to leverage the armrests when repositioning on the chair, and every time I do, they either push outward or slide back, forcing me to reset them once I’m comfortable. A locking mechanism would be a welcome improvement should we see a second iteration.
Still, the fundamentals are solid. The motorised lumbar system integrates seamlessly into the frame, creating a ‘zero-gap’ connection between the backrest and seat pan that supports the lower spine more consistently than any fixed chair I’ve used. This, combined with a sturdy steel base and smooth-rolling casters, gives Omni a premium feel that belies its crowdfunded origins.
Everyday Use
Once you’re seated, Omni quickly proves its worth. The high-density foam feels plush yet supportive, providing immediate comfort without the need to constantly shift your weight. The seat itself is on the shallow side, though, and even at 5ft 8in I find my thighs wanting a touch more length. Taller users will likely notice this more, making the optional StepSync footrest an essential add-on rather than a luxury. At its $89 sale price, it’s a good companion, but the $198 retail tag is difficult to justify when cheaper alternatives exist.
Motor operation is whisper-quiet, giving only a soft hum to confirm movement. Speed is gentle but deliberate, quick enough to make adjustments without jolting your spine. The motorised lumbar system is the star here, allowing you to fine-tune depth and position to your exact liking. Once adjusted, the support blends in so naturally that you soon forget about it, which is precisely how good ergonomics should feel.
Then there’s the so-called “massage” feature, which is more of a rhythmic stretch than anything therapeutic. Press the button, and it slowly expands and contracts the lumbar plate up to 50mm for five minutes. It’s closer to a gentle spinal stretch than the rumble you’d expect from a massage chair, but it does provide a subtle release for the lower back after long sessions.
The 2,200mAh battery lasts up to 30 days of use and takes 3.5 hours to charge. I’ll admit that I still worry about what might happen if it dies halfway through a massage, as it risks leaving your lumbar support in an uncomfortable position, but I’m happy to say this has yet to happen to me after nearly a month of use.
Recline options are excellent, with four presets covering everything from upright typing to near-horizontal relaxation. Each mode adjusts the headrest, backrest, and seat pan in unison to maintain balanced posture. I rarely venture outside of the 105° comfort zone since I type for a living, but 120°, 135°, and 160° declines make it a dab hand for laid-back entertainment.
My favourite part of the chair is how the elastic posture support layer follows you as you twist and turn. Reach over to grab something towards your left or right, and rather than fighting against your movement, the flexible backrest bends with you, naturally adapting to your day-to-day activity. It leaves you wondering how you ever tolerated static lumbar systems in the first place.
Conclusion
At its pre-order price of $848, LiberNovo Omni is an ambitious chair for a newcomer to the space, and relies on an early-bird discount to heighten appeal. To this end, one can subscribe to the company’s newsletter for a further 5% off, bringing cost down to $805.80. Few other chairs offer this level of comfort or feature set without paying substantially more. Once it jumps up to its full price of $1,099, it enters a much more crowded market, but it’s still cheaper than its closest rivals.
For the money, you get one of the most forward-thinking chairs to emerge in years. It’s not without its faults, as armrests are too loose, the massage function is slightly overstated, and the shallow seat won’t suit everyone, but these are forgivable blemishes on what is otherwise an impressively polished product. The motorised lumbar system is genuinely transformative, and the near-silent operation and thoughtful ergonomics make everyday use a pleasure.
Against the likes of Herman Miller, Steelcase, and Secretlab, Omni holds its own by offering something truly different. It doesn’t dethrone the Embody, but it certainly earns a seat at the table. For those seeking long-term comfort with a taste of innovation, LiberNovo Omni is alluring in all the right ways. Now, it just needs to prove it can stand the test of time.
