Is a DXRacer gaming chair worth its expensive price tag? That’s probably a frequent question you might ask yourself as someone who games, works on a computer or maybe even both.
In terms of price, comfort and features a DXRacer gaming chair is only worth the money if you specifically want the features gaming chairs excel at: their relatively big size, good reclining features and the distinctive racing car design.
However, if what you are looking for in a chair is overall comfort, good support for upper back and lumbar area, then there are better options for the same amount of money.
To properly understand why a gaming chair might not be the best fit for you, it’s worth knowing a little bit how gaming chairs were invented in the first place.
How DXRacer invented the gaming chair
DXRacer was the company that invented the gaming chair trend in the first place way back in 2006.
Up until then, DXRacer was a discrete manufacturer of luxury chairs for car makers such as Chrysler and Oldsmobile.
However, in the mid 2000’s car sales slumped because of high oil prices. As a result, DXRacer was left with many chairs in stock but no one willing to buy them.
Their stroke of marketing genius was to attach wheels to the seats and call them gaming chairs.
Around that time, eSports started to take off, and a few years later, Twitch appeared on the scene.
Having a gaming chair became part of the identity of eSport players and Twitch streamers. It set them apart as different from regular office workers and was a sign they’re part of the broader gaming culture.
4 Reasons a DXRacer gaming chair is worth it
1. DXRacer chairs are spacious
DXRacer chairs are generally spacious and big. This applies both to the actual seat as well as the backrest.
If you’re the kind of users that goes through lots of sitting positions during a gaming or work session, then a DXRacer chair could potentially be a good fit for you, since it has lots of space so you can sit cross-legged, curled-up, one leg underneath etc.
As an added bonus, DXRacer offers two different sizes: “Standard” for regular folks and “Max” for the taller humans among us.
As a note however: feeling the the need to constantly shift around and change your sitting position is a sign your current chair is uncomfortable because it forms pressure points on your body.
These pressure points push against your muscles and blood vessels, causing pain and numbness over time.
A chair with comfortable ergonomics will either eliminate these pressure points completely, or minimize them so they appear after much longer sitting periods.
2. Great for reclining
A very cool feature DXRacer chairs carried over from their days as car seats is the ability to deeply recline the backrest, to the point where it’s almost completely parallel to the ground.
Thanks to this recline feature you can basically stretch your entire body on the chair, almost like on a bed, and have a moment to relax after a game or a long period of work.
3. You want the racing car seat design & customization features
If car seats are really comfortable for you, then trying out a gaming chair could be worth it, since they essentially share the same design.
Another aspect to consider are the customization options available for certain DXRacer chairs, since you can choose what pattern to imprint on the chair.
As of writing this article, DXRacer offers 5 patterns for customizing the chair, but they rotate these on a frequent basis.
If you don’t like these patterns, then DXRacer (and gaming chairs in general) allow you to fill them up with how many stickers you want.
4. 30 day return policy
If you’re on the fence about buying a DXRacer, then know that they offer you a 30 day return policy, at the cost of a restocking fee plus a shipping fee.
This lets you at least try out the chair for what is a fairly significant amount of time, and make up your own mind as to whether it’s a good chair for you or not.
4 reasons a DXRacer gaming chair is NOT worth it
1. Designed for car safety, not comfortable sitting
DXRacer gaming chairs take their design from racing car seats, and racing car seats look the way they do because they’re designed to hold drivers in place when doing sharp turns at high speeds.
The prime example of this are the wings on the edges of the seat, which exist so a driver won’t slip to either side of the chair during high-speeds or even a crash.
However, those same wings are bad for your back and posture because they touch your shoulders and force them inwards towards the chest – especially if you’re broad-shouldered. After longer periods, this will lead to upper back and shoulder pain.
Another design issue common among gaming chairs is the slightly elevated “lip” at the end of the seat.
This lip digs in to the back of your thighs and creates a pressure point that cuts blood circulation to your lower legs.
The severity of this problem can range from slight but bearable discomfort, to tingling or even complete numbness in your lower legs with prolonged sitting sessions.
2. So-so lumbar & upper back support
Most gaming chairs have poor lower back support, which in most cases consists of a simple pillow.
To DXRacer’s credit, they have innovated in this regard and most of their chairs come with an adjustable lumbar support integrated right into the backrest.
This lumbar support is certainly better than a pillow but still not quite as comfortable as the lumbar support found on office chairs in the same price range.
For one, the lumbar support is rather rigid and doesn’t mold very well on your lower back, which causes pain and discomfort after a long sitting session.
You can adjust this lower back support, but all it does is just push into your back more and always at the same angle.
However, not using the lumbar support isn’t an option either, since then you won’t have anything to support your lower back, which will force you to lean your upper back on the very rigid and uncomfortable backrest.
Office chairs in the same price have lumbar supports you can not only move up or down, but also adjust their tension so they can push more or less against your lower back.
3. Few adjustment options for the price
Most DXRacer chairs are in the $500 price range, and for this amount of money you’re not getting as many adjustment options as traditional office chairs in the same price range.
As an example, the $520 DXRacer Master offers:
- Seat height.
- Backrest recline.
- 4D armrests.
- Seat tilt.
- Lumbar support tension (but not position)
By comparison, the ErgoChair Pro which costs $500 offers:
- Seat height.
- Backrest recline.
- 4D armrests.
- Seat tilt.
- Lumbar support position + lumbar support tension.
- Move seat forward or backwards.
- Adjustable headrest.
In fact, there are some chairs such as the Staples Hyken that cost around $200, but offer just as many adjustment features as a $500 DXRacer chair.
4. Short warranties
DXRacer offers a lifetime warranty only for the steel frame of the seat and backrest, while all other components get a 2-year warranty.
Simply put, DXRacer doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the quality of their products if they aren’t willing to offer a high warranty.
By comparison, the flimsy looking $200 Staples Hyken offers a 7 year warranty while IKEA offers a 10 year warranty for the $300 Markus (plus a 1 year return policy!)
Conclusion
Finding a chair that is right for you, that doesn’t give you aches, pains or discomfort even after long periods of use is something really special and should be valued.
If you’re really interested in a DXRacer, consider buying one but returning it within the 30 day return policy if you don’t like it.
But if you are one of those persons who found gaming chairs to be really comfortable for 8-10 hours on end, then you might as well keep the DXRacer.
At the end of the day, chairs are very subjective. And finding the right one for you is a matter of experimentation.