The DXRacer Martian Gaming Chair Succeeds With Its Ergonomic Support for Proper Posture
Standing out in a sea of high-quality gaming chairs at nearly every price point can be a difficult proposition. So, what does the DXRacer Martian gaming chair do that others don’t? Despite offering an electric adjustable backrest and smart airbag lumbar support, it mostly eschews any gimmicks to try distinguishing itself in the premium space. Instead, the no-nonsense Martian primarily focuses on having an exceptional solid build for a gaming or office chair, but despite its thoughtfully designed and well-implemented ergonomics, it may not have the versatility to accommodate everyone’s needs.
DXRacer Martian – Options and Assembly
The DXRacer Martian comes in two sizes, Regular (Large) for those under 5’11” and 275 lbs, and Plus (XL) for those over. There are four different colorways, including black, black with gray accents, red and black, and yellow-black if you choose the EPU leatherette upholstery (and only all-black if you choose woven fabric). The other option is upgrading the default chair wheels to rollerblade casters for an additional $39.00, instead of the traditional double-wheel design.
DXRacer also offers a slightly higher-end version of this chair in the Martian Pro, which is $200 more, and adds seat ventilation and back massage, albeit only in an EPU leatherette red-triangle colorway. Here, I’m reviewing the non-Pro Martian in regular black, EPU leatherette and standard wheels. (In a first for a chair delivery for me, the box actually arrived in good shape from shipping.)
The box itself weighs just over 78 pounds and the contents just under 70 pounds, with a good portion of that weight due to its sturdy steel frame. There’s not a lot of excess or bulk with either the packaging or the chair itself, and while solo assembly is possible, it always helps with handling and assembly to have a helper like I did.
As expected, you’ll find the poster with the instructions detailing the five main assembly steps. There’s also an assembly video online if you prefer, which is even easier to follow. In a nice touch, all screws and bolts are pre-attached to the chair’s associated parts, only requiring the packaged combination Allen Key and Phillips screwdriver tool to secure everything.
The electric lumbar support system is built into the backrest, but the magnetic headrest is a separate pillow. The pillow had one of those infamous law tags securely attached, which I was able to rip off, but then needed tweezers to pull out the strings that were left behind. The bottom rear of the chair has a charging port for the included AC adapter, or you can remove the battery altogether and charge it separately – you’ll need around 3.5 hours to fully charge a depleted battery.
The AC adapter has a barrel connector, which is fine, but I would have much preferred a USB-C port for greater versatility with charging options. DXRacer says you should get about two weeks of battery life between charges, and that’s if you even bother with regularly adjusting the chair, which I rarely did once I figured out the ergonomic setup that worked for me.
For whatever reason, most of these chair companies never include an onboard storage area for accessories like the AC adapter, and DXRacer is no different. As such, you’ll want to take care to remember where you’re storing it, lest you drain the battery and can’t charge it. In a nice touch, DXRacer includes a comprehensive user guide, which is something you don’t often get with even the priciest of chairs, and this guide tells you exactly how to adjust all facets of the chair and has care instructions for both the EPU leatherette and woven fabric materials.
DXRacer Martian – Performance and Comfort
After assembly, I was struck by how solid the overall build quality is as this is one of the most sturdy chairs I’ve come across, even compared to brands typically praised for their build quality like Secretlab – there’s nary a squeak or wobble to be found.
In terms of the armrests, sound the trumpets, because these actually lock into place. I’ve expressed my frustration many times before about chairs with armrests that are way too loose when it comes to adjustment to the point that if you shift in the chair, the armrests slide into a different position. Such is not the case on the Martian. If you want to move the armrests into a different position, you have to actually press a release, make the adjustment, then lock it solidly back into place – imagine that.
These armrests are also a bit simpler in design than other chairs I’ve covered. For example, instead of something like full 6D movement, we’re looking at what DXRacer calls 4D armrests. This means you can move each arm up or down, forward and backward, slide it left or right, or rotate it inward and outward up to 50-degree angles. Since this chair lacks a footrest option, those positions should be plenty for most users, but it still would have been nice to be able to angle the rests up to better support your arms when reading or handheld gaming.
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What further reinforces the Martian’s solid build is the fact that both the lumbar and seat back adjustments are powered, allowing for finer adjustments that fully lock into place once you stop pressing the electronic directional pad or tilting the lever. The depth of the internal upper and lower lumbar support can be adjusted as a unit or individually, and these adjustments are also done through a simple four-button directional pad on the right side of the chair.
With the lever on the left side of the chair, you can tilt the backrest from 90 to 135 degrees, and when using this powered lever, the DXRacer logo above it lights up. Both seat height and the rocking function adjustments are manual, with the former is done pneumatically with a lever and the latter through a dial on the underside of the seat, all of which works sensibly.
Build quality is an important aspect, but comfort is still king and in that regard, I’m of two minds with the Martian. The extra-firm cushioning feels like it cradles and supports my body properly and it really is an ergonomic marvel. However, since it forces me into more of a “proper” upright position, even when I slightly recline the back, I’m not quite as comfortable in a relaxed sense. As such, my recommendation with this chair is to consider how you normally like to sit, whether or not this is what you wanted from your seating experience, and if this type of design is suited for your body type. It’s an undeniably fantastic chair with sound engineering, but one that I’m not sure is as well-suited to my physiology as others I’ve used.
I find myself sitting in this chair with a different posture than others. Even with the internal lumbar support set to near its maximum, I’m still able to sit all of the way back in the chair with a fully upright posture. My posture is so upright that I’m able to actually have the magnetic neck pillow in the nape of my neck when I’m sitting and working. To put it another way, from my backside to the bottom of my head are all in contact with the rear of the chair at all times as I work or play. To contrast this with other gaming and office chairs, I typically only make contact with the neck pillow (or support) if I consciously lean back, which makes me not want to bother with them.
That’s not to say this is the most comfortable chair I’ve sat in, however. While the firm seat does a great job of providing support and remaining comfortable for my bottom even after hours of sitting – which is always a huge plus – my lower back does exhibit some fatigue with such a constant upright posture. With that said, it’s arguable whether this is the result of me being used to sitting a different way in other chairs and the physiological quirks of my own body versus what is probably a more ergonomic configuration with the Martian. I’m inclined to lean towards the latter.
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