DXRacer Martian Pro. (Image: Joshua Boyles)
Gamers who spend multiple hours per day gaming will know that a good seat to sit in goes a very, very long way. I’ve tested a fair few chairs out in my time, and while I’ll likely always recommend a proper ergonomic office chair for long-term posture health, it’s impossible to deny that the classic bucket racing seat just looks way cooler in a gaming setup.
Over the weekend, I’ve been putting the DXRacer Martian Pro through its paces, a bucket seat that’s filled to the brim with technology that truly puts it at the top of the pile when it comes to gaming-focused chairs. It’s not perfect, and there are a few baffling oversights that make the Martian Pro a tough sell at this price point, but if you can look past them, the Martian Pro is a worthy contender for your gaming chair shortlist.
Right from when you first receive the DXRacer Martian Pro, you know you’ve received a premium product. It’s a hefty package, largely down to the sheer amount of electric tech that’s packed in here.
The chair took me around 45 minutes to put together myself, which was made speedier thanks to the relevant bolts already half screwed in place and the seat arriving with the arms attached. Once it’s together, the Martian Pro feels remarkably sturdy with very few creaks and groans across its leather and metal construction.
What sets the Martian Pro apart from the competition is the vast amount of electrical components it has jammed into its seat and backrest.
Two inflatable airbags are situated near the lumbar, which can be inflated independently or together to deliver the correct amount of support for your body shape. A small, easy-to-use control panel sits on the right side of the chair, and you can instantly feel how the airbags are expanding at the press of these buttons.
Also in the backrest is a set of massaging pads, which press and prod your back at the press of another button on the right of the chair. It’s nowhere near as in-depth as a proper massage, but it’s powerful enough to feel like some knuckles kneading their way through your back, and did help me feel relaxed during longer gaming sessions.
On the left side of the chair, there’s an electric recline function, which makes dialling in the right level a breeze. It’s much better than the usual lever operation that most chairs use, although that does exist underneath the chair if you want to tilt the whole seat back too.
DXRacer Martian Pro. (Image: Joshua Boyles)
In the seat itself, there are a couple of fans that can be turned on to ventilate the seat. I was skeptical about how useful this feature would be, but it cooled me down surprisingly quickly during a particularly long session reviewing a game over the weekend.
Inversely, the seat is also equipped with heating pads that can get surprisingly warm. I can see that becoming an instant favourite when the UK winter rolls around.
All of these features are powered by a 5,000 mAh power brick that’s stored underneath the seat, and charged via a cable hooked up to the mains. If you’re using all of the features all of the time, expect to burn through that battery within a day. The chair can be used while it’s plugged in and charging, but I found the cable to be too short for this to be practical.
DXRacer limits the massage, heating and ventilation functions to 10 minutes at a time, which is helpful in maintaining the battery. However, that short amount of time is almost too short for it to actually be considered a useful feature. I found myself getting slightly frustrated at having to re-enable the heating function after only just starting to feel at a comfortable temperature.
Running out of battery is an issue, as features like the recline won’t work when the battery is completely dead. If you’re caught in a laid-back position without a charge, you’ll find yourself hunting for that AC cable, perhaps reminding you why chairs have used mechanical levers for so long.
I would have appreciated some sort of manual recline back-up here just in case of emergency.
DXRacer Martian Pro. (Image: Joshua Boyles)
In terms of comfort, the plush cushioning of the Martian Pro keeps it plenty comfortable, more so than most other gaming seats with a bucket design. The seat itself is slightly angled backwards to the point where you feel like you’re falling back into it. That’s great for gaming sessions, but less great for office work where you want to sit up straight.
I loved the rigid armrests which have fantastic adjustability and feel supportive when resting your arms on them.
However, I didn’t feel like the lumbar support ever gave me quite as much support as a proper ergonomic chair. After a few hours, I found myself wanting to get up and move around – much earlier than I have when using dedicated office chairs.
The headrest is also a slightly baffling design. The cushion is constructed of well-made, comfortable materials and attached using magnets, sliding up and down to accommodate different heights.
However, its shape is far too large for most people’s necks, and I found it to push my head quite far forward rather than cupping the neck and supporting it. Weirdly, the cushion is actually more comfortable when positioned upside down, although this creates the cosmetic issue of displaying the text the wrong way.
There’s also no foot rest included in the Martian Pro model that I reviewed, a feature that you can get for the same money on other ergonomic chairs out there.
DXRacer Martian Pro. (Image: Joshua Boyles)
The Verdict
Overall, the DXRacer Martian Pro is a mixed bag. The heated and ventilated seat features are fantastic, and something that I wish other chairs would adopt. The inflating lumbar support is also a neat idea, even if it doesn’t provide quite as much support as I’d like.
Those features come with the tradeoff of requiring power, with the two options of regularly charging your chair or leaving it plugged in feeling a little impractical for most people. While remaining comfortable when compared to other gaming chairs in its class, it doesn’t compare to a dedicated ergonomic chair, which will ultimately save your back in the long-run.
At £649, it’s an expensive buy. If style and gadgetry are what you’re looking for in a gaming chair, the DXRacer Martian Pro may well be for you. But if it’s practicality and comfort you’re after, I’d look elsewhere.
