That’s partly due to the cheap feeling some of them have. Certain parts don’t feel like quality-made parts. Yet you’re still expected to pay hundreds for the top brands. In short my experience with every gaming chair I’ve ever owned hasn’t been great. Not terrible, just not great. Because down the line they just end up causing strain and muscle issues. Suffice it to say I wasn’t sure if Mavix could do any better, but I was ready for it to prove me wrong because let’s be honest, this is one sexy gaming chair. And that’s precisely because it doesn’t actually look like a gaming chair. There’s also a good reason for that. Mavix has its roots in ergonomic office chairs, and was launched by parent company X-Chair in 2020. And that’s what really got my attention. As I’d been using an ergonomic chair for the last couple years. Which had been a godsend for my neck and back muscles. After spending the last few months with the Mavix M9, Mavix has me convinced. But how does the M9 stack up as a whole? Let’s dig into it.
The Mavix M9 is the most comfortable gaming chair I’ve ever sat in
Is this the most comfortable gaming chair on the planet? I can’t say for certain since I haven’t sat in every gaming chair out there. Namely what I could consider the M9’s main competition, the Logitech and Herman Miller Embody chair. What I can say is that every gaming chair I’ve sat in so far, doesn’t even come close to this comfort. Not just in the seat, but in every aspect. For starters, the Cool Gel memory foam seat is plush and forgiving. Not only does it help keep my bum cooler than standard gaming chair seats after sitting in it all day, it’s also wider than your typical racing-style bucket seats in most gaming chairs. And because the seat is memory foam it feels like everything is contouring to my personal body shape. Sitting in it for 8-9 hours for work and then another few hours for gaming most days, so far hasn’t changed the comfort of the seat. And just judging by the first few months of use, it feels like it’s going to hold up well over time. You can also add in some optional features for a price by way of an insert that you can stuff into the back of the lumbar support. This little insert does cost extra, but it adds fans for cooling, as well as a heating element, and there’s even a button for massage. I’ll admit, the heat and massage functions are pretty mild and won’t be as good as an actual massage chair. But they do help. What I liked the most though were the fans. Which are going to come in really handy now that we’re headed into the Summer. In short, I’ve never felt this good about any other office or gaming chair I’ve sat in for personal use. Even the Autonomous Ergo Chair 2 which I was using just before this wasn’t this comfortable. Though to its own credit it was still miles better than anything else I’d had before.
You need the optional FS 360 armrests
I don’t say this to dog on the original armrests that come with the Mavix M9. Or any of the Mavix models. They’re fine. But that’s just it. They’re just, fine. Not great, and not really all that different from any other armrests that come with any other gaming chair. The optional FS 360 armrests though, these are a game changer. They’re like your typical 4D armrests if armrests hit max level and unlocked every ability. They go up, down, forward, and backward. They also swivel inward towards you or outward away from you. But on top of that the actual part your arm sits on spins around 360-degrees. And this allows you to find the absolute most comfortable position for your arms to rest in. Both ergonomically and otherwise. As an example, I can leave them at their default width when working. Then when I play games on the PS5 I can swivel the arms inward while keeping the top surface of the armrest straight. This helps keep my arms a little closer to my body and makes it more comfortable to hold a controller for longer periods of time. The arms can also lock in position so you don’t accidentally move them. I do have at least one complaint though. The armrests won’t lock in any position you wish. They only lock at two points which means you might have to be a tad more mindful of putting too much pressure on them. That being said, I do find they move less than anything else I’ve ever used. Which is great.
Great ergonomics and adjustable features
What sets the Mavix M9 and its brethren apart from other gaming chairs is the ergonomics. You can adjust tons of stuff here and it’s all built around both comfort and keeping your muscles and joints healthy. Mavix has thoughtfully designed what feels like every aspect of this chair to keep you at an optimal ergonomic position no matter what you’re doing. The seat for instance features little grooves for your legs to sit in. Which helps alleviate some of the pressure on them. It feels like the seat is giving your legs a little hug. You can also adjust the seat depth, so if you’re taller or shorter your legs are kept at an ergonomic angle. And naturally you can adjust the seat height in conjunction with this. Lumbar support and neck/head support are a little more understated. But still provide ample comfort. The head rest can move up and down and it has a tilting function that helps immensely when you lean the seat back further. Speaking of leaning the seat back, the Mavix M9 offers a recline of 120-degrees. It’s not quite flat but it’s close. Letting you sneak in a quick nap with just one or two quick adjustments. One knob on the bottom engages the recline while another adjusts the backs tilt tension. And there’s also a lever that simply disengages the tension altogether if you want to lean the seat back all the way quickly. As for lumbar and back support, Mavix uses what it calls Advanced Tensile Recovery fabric. Which the company says is more breathable than traditional fabrics, yet it also has more give and spring. It then layers the backrest with a supple fabric on top of the ATR that feels almost like ultra-soft leather for a more premium look. This is the same fabric that covers the seat. All-in-all, I haven’t experienced any back, shoulder, or neck pain when sitting in this chair for what is usually 12 hours a day with the occasional standing break.
The easiest assembly ever
What was almost my favorite part about the Mavix M9 was how easy it was to assemble. Granted, I’d have loved for it to come assembled already. But Mavix usually doesn’t offer that as the chairs come shipped in pieces. That being said, it didn’t matter much as the M9 was easy enough to put together. In fact, easier than any other chair I’ve ever put together. It took me less than 15 minutes to pull everything out of the box and have the chair ready for sitting. And in place of your traditional instructions, Mavix provides you with a link to their line of assembly videos that show you how to do everything step by step. Which I found refreshing and a better experience than flipping through a manual. Compare this to some gaming chairs which can not only be more difficult to assemble (because you have to put every single piece together), but assembly also takes a lot longer, and setting up the Mavix M9 was a breeze.
Is the Mavix M9 worth $999?
Honestly, part of me feels like the M9 is a tough sell because it is a pricey chair. And like with any gaming equipment, whether it’s headphones, keyboards, mice, controllers, and gaming rigs, some people just want good enough. They don’t care much for a premium product, and that’s fine. But if there was one thing I would recommend people don’t skimp on, it’s the chair you sit in for gaming. Everything else is secondary. Because the chair is something you’ll sit in for hours on end and it deals with your health. A good chair can help you avoid years of unnecessary back, neck, and should pain down the road. So is the Mavix M9 worth the price? Though the price is a big ask, I say yes. However, it is worth considering that at this price (which goes up to $1,165 with the FS 360 armrests) you’re fairly close to the cost of some high-end ergonomic chairs. Which can also be great to game in due to their comfort. Where I think the M9 wins out here is that it offers many of the same types of features, at a quality that is nearly as good as those chairs for a better price. If the cost doesn’t hang you up here, your body will thank you. Mavix M9
