Taking a break from our usual Linux hardware coverage and performance benchmarking this weekend is a look at the Sumo Emperor, a comfortable basis for lounging or working from a laptop.

Our friends over at Sumo Lounge sent over the Emperor to check out at Phoronix, the latest product in their high-end beanbag family. Sumo Lounge continues to cater to gamers and computer enthusiasts, which is where Phoronix comes in to play. The Sumo Emperor measures in with a 55-inch diameter and 25-inch height to easily accommodate one or two people whether it’s for relaxing while watching a movie, working from a laptop, gaming in your living room, or engaging in other activities.

In the past on Phoronix have been reviews on the Sumo Lounge Omni and Sumo Lounge Titanbean bag chairs, both of which turned out to be great products.

Sumo’s products aren’t your run-of-the-mill bean bag but are composed out of a very nice fill that is long-lasting and retains its comfort — even the two-year-old Sumo Titan is still within my office and very comfortable.

In terms of the beanbag’s arrival, the 55 x 25 inch chair was shipped via FedEx and was compressed down to a 34 x 20 x 20 inch box and the weight on the shipment was 47 lbs (21 kg). Once removing the Emperor from its box and bag, it was quick to regain its proper shape and size.

Compared to the Sumo Titan, which measures in at 70 x 49 x 36 inches, the Emperor seemed to be more dense while at the same time was more comfortable than its $400 (USD) brother. The Sumo Emperor in its fiery red color is presently selling for $249 USD.

Here’s a shot of the Emperor and Titan side-by-side.

After having used the Sumo Emperor for several weeks in one and two person configurations for lounging, laptop usage, watching movies, and other activities, we’re quite satisfied with this new high-end beanbag. While it’s smaller than the Sumo Titan, it’s much more convenient as it takes up flour space while still being able to snugly seat two adults. The Emperor overall has an excellent feel to it and is very firm whether sitting one or two people.

Photos courtesy of my better half.

While it’s not a cheap beanbag chair, for those not minding the $249 USD price tag, it’s an innovative piece of furniture that is very comfortable for seating one or two people. While the Emperor has just been around for a few weeks, the Omni and Titan both continue holding up well, so I’m fairly confident the Emperor will also be quite firm for years to come. The Emperor is very comfortable and I’ll continue to be using it as an usual piece of mixed work and recreational furniture. Ordering from Sumolounge.com, the company backs the product with a satisfaction guarantee.