Herman Miller Embody vs X-Chair X4 Leather Executive (2021): Which Chair is Better for Your Body?

If you’re going to be working from home and spending hours upon hours seated in front of your computer, you should consider investing in a premium, ergonomic office chair. These specially designed office furnishings will give you the best support and comfort when seated and prevent you from getting back and spinal problems in the future.

Today we will compare two premium ergonomic office chairs to help you decide which is better – the Herman Miller Embody and the X-Chair X4 Leather Executive.

Herman Miller Embody vs X-Chair X4 Leather Executive Comparison Chart

Design and Materials

Both chairs offer a unique design, with the Herman Miller Embody featuring a geometric design and the X-Chair X4 Leather Executive going for a more restrained and formal look.

With both chairs costing up to ten times more than most office chairs, you would expect these products to be works of art. The Embody features a more modern design, with its back resembling a masterpiece worthy of a modern art museum. The X4 Leather Executive, on the other hand, features a more unobtrusive, yet elegant design. The combined use of high-quality plastic and alloys for each chair is pleasing to the eye. You know, just by looking at it, that the seat is not your ordinary office furniture.

Both the X-Chair and the Herman Miller offer customization options on their top-of-the-line products. For the X4, you have a choice of eight colors and two upholstery materials. There is an optional headrest and locking or non-locking casters. Meanwhile, the Embody has four frame colors and nine seat colors, giving you an astounding 36 combinations to choose from. However, there is no available headrest option for this chair, and you cannot order locking casters for it.

Herman Miller uses its own proprietary ‘Pixelated Support’ material for the chair. According to the company, they use a ‘dynamic matrix of pixels’ so that the back and seat will automatically adjust to each movement for even weight distribution. For the X-Chair, they offer an optional Brisa upholstery, made from a gel polymer, to give the user better ventilation.

Technology and Ergonomics

Herman Miller and X-Chair have excellent features installed on their chairs that address seating issues in different ways.

Given that these are the best models that the manufacturers are offering, you can expect new and cutting-edge ergonomics and technology to be utilized in its design and function.

Herman Miller published a white paper detailing what they know about comfort and human ergonomics. The resulting technology that they have developed from what they’ve learned is called ‘Innovative Spine’. The Embody’s seatback has a central spine and flexible ribs, which follows the user’s spinal curve for a balanced sitting position.

The X4 Leather Executive Chair comes with Dynamic Variable Lumbar Support. Also known as DVL, it is installed at the lower section of the back and automatically adjusts itself to your back’s every movement, providing continuous support no matter what your sitting position is.

For you to get the most out of your ergonomic chair, you must customize its settings while you are seated on it in a neutral position with your feet flat on the ground. The Embody offers 7 adjustments:  seat height, seat depth, armrest height, armrest width, tilt tension, tilt limiter, and BackFit adjustment to fit the curvature of your spine.

The X4 Executive adjustments include armrest width, height, tilt, forward and back position, headrest height, seat height, depth, and tilt, and backrest height. Let us not forget its automatic adjusting lumbar support system as well.

Comfort and Durability

Herman Miller has a slight comfort advantage with their proprietary ‘Pixelated Support’ technology, but several users also have raised some durability issues with the arms of the chair.

Each chair, with its own features and technology, is indeed comfortable to sit on. With such a high level of customization, you will definitely find the most ergonomic sitting position for you. However, the Embody has a slight edge over the X4 with the ‘Pixelated Support’ upholstery. This advancement distributes your body’s weight evenly on its surface and provides much greater comfort.

One thing about the Embody is that its armrests are not as durable as they may seem. Several users have reported above-average wear and tear on it after just three years of regular use. This might be a slight inconvenience because of the 12-year warranty offered on the chair, but at this price point, you would expect it to last longer.

Verdict

Herman Miller still takes the top spot as the overall best office chair, but X-Chair’s X4 Leather Executive comes in at a close second, especially for those with lower back issues.

If you’re after the best of the best, the Herman Miller Embody is the perfect option for you. Its technological features and radical design will make it stand out among other office chairs. The ‘Pixelated Support’ upholstery on it will give you the most comfort when you are seated for a long time and BackFit adjustment gives your spine full support when you lean back on your chair.

On the other hand, the X-Chair X4 Leather Executive is the only one to offer an optional headrest and locking casters on their chair. If you are one to have a quick nap on your workstation after lunch, this might be a good option for you. Also, the automatically adjusting ‘Dynamic Variable Lumbar’ Support that they offer on their product is a lifesaver for those who have lower-back issues.

If you’re looking for a good office chair to investment on, the Embody and the X4 are definitely good picks. Since both cost about the same, your decision on which ergonomic seat you will purchase rests upon what your body requires.

FAQs