DXRacer Martian review: A gaming chair that’s not out of this world

Pros and cons

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  Large and sturdy build

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  Wide and mostly flat seat

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  Reclining supports fine adjustments

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  The price

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  heavy

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  Tight lumbar support

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  Ample armrest space

the DXRacer Mars It looks like a very typical gaming chair. It has a racer aesthetic, even though it doesn’t push the struts very hard. It feels well built and well padded, which is a plus. But at first glance, that doesn’t explain why it costs $699, even though there are similar options for less. The secret is a lumbar support that uses a mechanical airbag system, as well as a recliner, both of which are powered by a battery mounted in the base of the seat.

These features make the Martian chair unique, but fail to make it an exceptional gaming chair. The finer adjustments possible with the lumbar support and backrest look nice on paper, but the latter is slow, and the former has airbags that are too tight to provide complete, comfortable support. With the rest of the chair being so average, the Martian failed to leave any trace. It’s not a bad chair by any measure, but it’s quite expensive for what it is, so it doesn’t negate any of our picks for the best Gaming chairs.

The DXRacer Martian Gaming Chair comes in two sizes, two different material finishes, and a range of different colours. While the regular size was initially priced at $699 and the plus size was $799, they are now priced the same at $699. The choice between EPU leather and woven fabric also does not affect the price. However, the woven finish only comes in black. The leather finish comes in four main colors plus a special Red Triangle Martian Pro color that brings the price up to $899, apparently due to more detailed stitching.

A quick note about sizes: I’m 6’3″ and was chosen to test the Plus model, as it’s claimed to be designed for users 5’11” and taller. At the chair’s lowest position, I found I was tall enough to sit comfortably with my knees bent at a 90-degree angle. I advise shorter people to stick to the regular size unless you have particularly long legs.

The association is a little more involved than most

It took just over 36 minutes to assemble the chair. The process was made a little easier using my own tools, as the included Allen key/screwdriver combination was too short to avoid constantly hitting the base and would have required me to repeatedly reinsert it into each screw to tighten it.

Depending on your strength, assembly may be better if done by two people, especially since attaching the backrest to the chair base may require a little force to align the four screw holes. Wiring the chair is also a little confusing as the instructions are a little difficult to read, and the instructions included on the chair itself are immediately covered by the battery pack in the first step.

The DXRacer Martian doesn’t stand out from the gaming chair crowd in any aesthetic way. Like the Hundred’s other contemporaries, it comes with a black faux leather casing over a metal frame, with foam inside. It has an aggressive, unassuming racing style, but not as aggressive or ostentatious as some. The wide seat base flares out at the sides, but not sharply. This helps keep it comfortable for people with wider hips.

The seat is surrounded by 4D armrests. It sits very wide and doesn’t offer a lot of padding. Although they’re well spaced for keyboard and mouse gaming, they’re not ideal for comfortable typing or controller gaming. While magnetic armrest covers seem to be catching on for gaming chairs, including the Martian, there seems to be little actual reason for this, other than to facilitate eventual replacement.

What sets Mars apart from its competitors is hidden away. Instead of relying on a level to adjust the recline or just a simple lumbar pad, the Martian has its own twist on these features. The first is the backrest, which tilts using a motor controlled by a lever on the left side of the chair. This is a little slow, but it allows for better adjustment than most other chairs. However, I had difficulty lifting back up when I was lying in the chair.

The other notable feature is a pair of small lumbar airbags that inflate and deflate via controls located on the right side of the chair. The lumbar airbags are an interesting feature and provide good adjustment. I found it much easier to control than the fly-by-wire setup in chairs like DXRacer main unit and Anda Seat Kaiser 3 Which I reviewed for CNET’s sister site IGN. However, the airbags are rather narrow, leaving the outer edges of the lumbar vertebrae less supported and putting more pressure on the spine. Because of this, I never found them that comfortable. On the plus side, you can just deflate it and place it in your favorite cotton pad.

Another downside is that these two features mean you have a chair that relies on a battery for major operations. It wasn’t dead in the time I tested it, but it certainly would be dead to anyone who used it long enough. This can lead to some awkward situations, such as the chair ending up stuck in the reclining position until you recharge it. At least the magnetic neck pillow is a nice touch, providing a comfortable cushion with easy repositioning (even if the pillow included with the chair isn’t what was advertised).

All of this means that the DXRacer Martian offers some interesting features, but that doesn’t mean it’s an exceptional gaming chair.