Review: The DXRacer Martian Pro electric gaming chair’s gimmicks undercut its versatility | GosuGamers

We’ve tested out the new DXRacer Martian Pro gaming chair, and here’s what we think. 

DXRacer, self-branded inventor of the gaming chair, has come up with yet another way to keep gamers comfortable during long play sessions. The company’s latest product launch, the DXRacer Martian Pro, is a gaming chair that packs a lot into a sleek and unassuming package. On the exterior, it looks much like any other generic gaming chair–perhaps with a little more ergonomic support than lower-end chairs typically afford. 

However, a closer peek will reveal that this chair is packed with neat little features one doesn’t typically find in the average chair. The chair also has self-heating, cooling, massage, and adjustable backrest functionality, all powered by a battery strapped to its base. Is this chair doing too much, or is it setting a new standard for gaming furniture everywhere? 

Let’s get into it.

Assembly might give you some trouble

We received the DXRacer Martian Pro gaming chair by delivery, and it should be noted that this is a heavy chair to start with. Its packing weight is almost 40KG in a box, and moving that box all the way from my security gate into the home of my apartment felt like a Herculean feat of its own. Be aware–you’ll want either a trolley to bring this thing into your home, or have it delivered right to your door. 

The box itself turned my hall into a nightmare of cardboard and foam upon unpacking, and my instructions and safety booklets came printed only in Simplified Mandarin. That left me with a somewhat poor first impression of the chair, but with the help of my Mandarin-speaking partner and the IKEA-like instruction booklet, I was able to put everything together rather simply. The only other misstep I had during assembly was searching for a number of screws that were seemingly left out of the packaging, only to discover that they were already included within the chair. 

Assembly takes some time and elbow grease, but it won’t be too long before you’ve built the chair up. The most complicated aspect of assembly will clearly be dealing with chair’s wires and battery. When I ran into issues using the chair later on, paranoia would quickly seep in; did I assemble the chair wrongly? Did I damage the wiring unknowingly? All this, despite knowing that I had followed the instructions to the letter. 

The chair’s neat design details

The DXRacer Martian Pro is a slightly more feature-robust version of the DXRacer Martian gaming chair (more on that soon), but it otherwise feels right at home with the standard DXRacer Martian line. The only caveat that comes with getting a Martian Pro chair, besides its higher price point, is that you’ll have to settle with its Red Triangle colour variation. The regular Martian has a spread of different colours and designs to choose from, but the Martian Pro only has this: a black chair furnished with red triangles that are mostly hidden when the chair is used. 

Subdued design aside, the chair looks exactly like what it is: a happy marriage between an ergonomic chair and a gaming chair. The DXRacer EPU leatherette used for the exterior is sleek and matte-like, and little touches–like the light-up logo on the adjustable backrest toggle, the adjustable blocky armrests, and the visible red triangles on the sides of the chair when seated–add flair to a chair that doesn’t feel as flashy or gaudy as certain high-end gaming accessories. 

It might appear underwhelming to those who actually prefer flashier chairs, but as someone who prefers function over form, the chair seems to strike a good compromise between both. There’s plenty about this chair that might catch someone’s eye anyway, and it looks just as comfortable as it feels. 

Martian Pro-exclusive features: hot and cold edition

DXRacer touts the Martian Pro as the very first electric gaming chair, featuring motorised features like one-button adjustable backrests, and cooling fans thanks to its 5000mAh battery. That’s right; this is a chair you actually have to charge for its features to work. Granted, its battery has a fairly long lifespan. We used the chair for multiple days before we had to charge it for the period of this review. 

Before we dive into the ups and downs of this chair, it’s worth mentioning that this is a really feature-robust gaming device. Its flashiest features include a seat ventilation system, which uses a vortex fan located in the base of the seat to keep the chair continuously ventilated. At first, one might mistake it for a cooling device–or a butt fan, as I affectionately refer to it–but it is ultimately meant to keep the user dry, not cold. 

For those who already live in drier and colder climates, the chair also has a seat heating system. Both of these systems can be activated via two buttons located on the seat, with three adjustable levels. They’re rather unfortunately placed, however, as those who shift around in their seats throughout the day (like I do) will end up accidentally activating the buttons more than once by sitting on them. These buttons have to be held to be activated, but it can make you feel like you’re sitting on a TV remote under the cushions nonetheless. 

Unfortunately, that was the least of my problems when it came to these buttons. During the latter portion of my review, both the heater and cooler buttons glitched out and became non-responsive, seemingly ad infinitum. I was only able to fix the problem by disconnecting and reconnecting the chair’s battery. A DXRacer marketing representative explained that this came down to an issue with both buttons’ circuits being unable to complete a self-test when powered on. Confusingly, the chair was like that when I woke up one morning–and it was perfectly fine the previous day.

Martian Pro-exclusive features: back massage edition

The chair also has a massage feature, which does seem a little more unusual for a gaming chair. Six different massage modes can be activated through a well-placed button on the right side of the chair, and users simply rotate through them by tapping the button repeatedly. Gamers with the posture of shrimp cocktail will likely find this feature very useful, just as I did. It can prove rather relaxing during a work or gaming break. 

All three of these features are exclusive to the DXRacer Martian Pro, however. I would argue that this makes the chair a luxury choice over the basic model, as its core gimmicks are slightly ineffective, if not totally unnecessary. I found myself thoroughly unimpressed by the marginally-warming seat heating feature, and those who sit by a fan or in air conditioning might not require the ventilation feature either. I found the massage feature to be the most impactful of these three new additions by far, though it does feel weak and ineffective compared to actual massage chairs. 

Thus, the Martian Pro’s new features do feel like a weak value add over the original package, with each of them compromised to some extent. Heated and ventilated cushions exist, and so do regular massage pads–so there are separate solutions for the problems this chair is aiming to fix at a premium price point. If all of these features were a tad more effective, I would wholeheartedly recommend the chair. The problem is that their benefits are only barely felt when used. 

What’s so electric about this electric gaming chair?

One of this chair’s best features is its unassuming magnetic memory foam head pillow. Where most chairs have a headrest attached to the chair using straps and the like, this chair sports magnets in eight different spots. The magnetic pillow can then be attached onto the chair in different positions quite easily, and it thankfully doesn’t slide around when used. Being able to constantly readjust the pillow without dealing with straps or buckles is a game changer. 

The chair’s armrests are also magnetic, which thankfully means that they can be easily replaced. They can also be adjusted backwards and forwards, side-to-side, up and down, or rotated to suit your fancy. That, combined with the wide seat base, steel frame, and medium-hard foam, makes this chair more than comfortable to suit in for long periods of time. It feels satisfyingly chunky and durable, while also allowing for a welcome breadth of user customisation. 

Now, let’s talk about the chair’s motorised components. The backrest of the chair reclines, much like any other gaming chair. However, it can go from a 90-degree working angle all the way down to a casual 135-degree resting angle. Putting the chair in resting mode, coupled with built-in massagers and heating functionality, can make this chair feel more like cosy living room furniture than gaming tech. 

Reclining the chair requires the use of a pedal, which has the backrest lift up or sink downwards at a painfully glacial pace. I do wish there was a way to speed things up while reclining, but the technology seemingly isn’t there yet. The DXRacer logo on the pedal also lights up when reclining downwards, but not upwards, which is a little odd–though far from a dealbreaker. 

Lastly, the chair also provides lumbar support in the form of built-in airbags, which theoretically removes the need for a lumbar cushion entirely. There are two of these airbags, each of which can be inflated with the simple press of a button to provide support to either the upper or lower lumbar areas. Thankfully, that means you’ll be able to move around your seat in a variety of postures and adjust the chair for your level of comfort. 

The chair’s motorised functions are powered by a 5000mAh lithium battery, which DXRacer claims can provide over 360 hours on a single charge. For our part, we used the chair for up to two weeks without needing a charge, while deliberately trying to wear it out with excessive usage of its heating and cooling functions. The chair can also be charged by plugging a wire into its back. If the concept of rolling onto wires accidentally seems tiresome to you, the chair’s battery can also be disconnected quite easily to charge independently. 

I’ll admit, I was sceptical when faced with the proposition of reviewing an electric gaming chair. Plugging my chair into a socket isn’t something I’ve ever wanted to do, but given its long battery life and ease of use, it never felt like a real issue to me. Even if the battery runs out, you’ll still be left with a pretty comfortable chair, and that isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Verdict

The DXRacer Martian Pro electric gaming chair offers a few intriguing upgrades over the average gaming chair. Unfortunately, its most promising features, like the cooling and heating systems, are by far its most compromised. The heating system doesn’t work nearly as well as the average toilet seat with built-in warmers, and might only provide marginal comfort to those in colder climates. The seat ventilation system is slightly more useful to keep users dry, but the light vibrations it generates can prove uncomfortable for long-term usage. 

Thankfully, the Martian Pro still excels at being a damn good gaming chair. Adjustable lumbar support and armrests allow users to shift around their seat with comfort, and the magnetic headrest keeps the chair from being a literal pain in the neck. The chair’s design itself is sleek and sturdy, and its adjustable backrest can also provide a welcome respite from overlong gaming sessions. 

For all of its needless frills, we’d heartily recommend the Martian Pro, so long as you can afford its hefty price tag. Its novel gimmicks might be overrated, but the long-term comfort it provides is worth consideration. Plus, plugging in your gaming chair is arguably the most gamer^TM thing a person can do. 

The DXRacer Martian Pro is now available for purchase via its website, for a selling price of $899.00. We received a chair for this review.