Pleated, IMO, tufting doesn't work with the style of the chair. Makes it look old. The pleating is a more fresh approach.

Will the chair be something that you spend many hours a day in? I ask because I work from home, and would need an office chair with arms on it to be comfortable all day. But if this is a place that you don't sit for 8+ hours each day, I also prefer the look of the pleated one.

This is my office chair, but in a different color -

By far, the first chair is soooo much more attractive!

Pleated. I just not a fan of tufting.

Pleated. I know some people prefer arms on their desk chair, but the ergonomics specialist in my office took mine off, saying they encourage people to lean which can lead to the upper body aches and pains that I was experiencing as I work on my computer for hours on end. In my case, he was right to remove the arms.

I love tufting (My3dogs's chair wears it great) but I have to agree--on this one, go with chair #2.

I prefer the looks of the pleated back chair, but I'd need something with arms.

Is the new chair comfortable and supportive? It's hard to tell from the picture but it appears to recline away from the back and may not be comfortable for long term sitting at a desk. If it feels comfy, it's more stylish. Go for it!

I like the tufted.

I like the tufted. Do you feel the seams when you sit in the pleated chair, if so, that would bother me.

I prefer the tufted back, but I like traditional furniture. The pleated back would fit well in a transitional/somewhat contemporary room.

Beautiful desk chairs like these are not very practical as they give no lumbar support at all. If the desk is actually used for any significant period of time, you'd be much better off with a classic Herman Miller Aeron chair. You can find knock-offs of these at any place such as Office Depot and they are very satisfactory.