Mavix M9 gaming chair review: true luxury for gamers

There are great gaming chairs and there are game-changing ones. The Mavix M9 belongs to the latter category. This premium gaming chair is equal parts solid, comfortable and smooth, which makes it a dream for anyone who wishes to game with ease. 

It’s testament to how great gaming chairs could be if they tried. It delivers a level of comfort and adjustability that most desk chairs can’t even come close to in a smart, stylish and luxurious package that makes it just as perfect for office and creative setups as it is for gaming ones. 

Mavix and its sister company X-Chair provide some great-looking chairs for the gaming and office environment and both make use of a technology they call Elemax. This provides cooling, heating and massaging functions to the chair to heighten the level of comfort and is an option available for the Mavix M9. 

The addition of Elemax is one of the reasons the Mavix M9 really impresses and why for me it’s the perfect throne to game, work, and sometimes, laze around in. 

Mavix M9 review: price and release date

The Mavix M9 couldn’t have picked a better time to hit the shelves, right in the middle of a raging pandemic when most people are stuck at home, some of them forced to set up home offices, others turning to video games to drown out the boredom.

As Mavix’s most flagship option, however, it also doesn’t come cheap. It starts at $1,099 in the US and £819 in the UK at the time of writing. That’s just for the stripped version. Kit it out with Elemax ($130/£130) and a footrest ($44/£44), and you’re looking at a whopping $1,274/£994, which is pretty much the cost of a mid-range gaming PC.

If that’s out of your budget, there are other options out there that might not be as elegant, stylish and adjustable, but can be just as comfortable. If you are adamant about taking the M9 home, however, you’ll be happy to know that Mavix does offer the occasional discount. 

Mavix M9 review: design and setup

The Mavix M9 might be designed for gaming, but it’s also all about luxury and elegance, made of premium materials you’ll rarely see on even the best gaming chairs out there. The seat itself has a memory foam center and a M-Breeze fabric exterior, the former touting cooling properties and the latter offering breathability. Both the backrest and the headrest are made of the same M-Breeze fabric as well while the DVL (Dynamic Variable Lumbar) support is made of Mavix’s ATR mesh-like fabric. Altogether, they deliver a cooler, sweat-free experience even during intense game moments.

The chair doesn’t just help you stay cool. It also has your well-being in mind with its thoughtful ergonomic design details. The Mavix M9 comes with more than enough space as well as a level of adjustability to serve most body shapes and lengths. There are basic seat, armrest and headrest height and angle adjustments, of course, as well as the usual reclining abilities. 

Where it goes above and beyond, is in Mavix’s Revolve Extended Recline Technology that offers the deepest recline of all Mavix chair models, along with four levels of backrest and DVL height and an adjustable seat depth. It is, therefore, designed to contour to your shape as best it can and provide maximum support, whatever your body type is.

Unfortunately, all those adjustments on hand mean that you have to know which lever or knob controls what. The two paddles, one lever and two knobs under the seat alone could be intimidating. Luckily, it isn’t as complicated as it sounds. They’ve also got step-by-step video guides for reference when you need them.

That ease-of-use starts early on, during setup. This is one of the easiest chairs I’ve had the pleasure of assembling and without the workout that other gaming chairs give you in the process. You simply attach the Locking M-Wheels and insert the cylinder to the five-star base, then affix the base to the seat mechanism, and finally screw the backrest, armrests and headset on. That’s it. The hardest part of the whole process might just be lifting the seat itself, which is heavier than it looks.

Mavix M9 review: performance and features

Effortless assembly and premium materials can only take you so far, however. At the end of the day, it still boils down to comfort, which is luckily something the Mavix M9 also excels in. 

This might be the first chair I’ve used that’s given me a cozy sitting experience, and that’s without utilizing any of its nifty adjustments. The soft-to-touch M-Breeze fabric exterior and plush memory foam exterior seat offers a luxurious, cloud-like experience while still delivering that ultimate support required for extended gaming sessions or long work hours, especially with the DVL that allows my back its natural arch. Add in its myriad adjustments to personalize it for your specific ergonomic needs, and you’ve got a chair that you can practically game, work, eat, and even sleep in.

Because there are so many ways to adjust this gaming throne, it might take some time for the average person to commit all of them to memory. That’s perhaps the biggest deterrent in your comfort here: you have to constantly figure out which lever to pull and which knob to turn… at least in the first few months until you’ve memorized them all.

Unlike other gaming chairs, the Mavix M9 does make it easy to lock in place, with every individual wheel having its own locking mechanism. Five locked wheels also mean that you’re really locked in place when you want to be. When not in locked positions, however, these wheels are butter smooth, allowing you to glide from one spot or desk to another effortlessly.

The Elemax console is a nice and promising addition to the DVL of any of the Mavix chairs to deliver cooling, heating, and massaging action. It’s just as easy to operate, with the buttons for toggling between cooling and heating and/or turning on vibrate to help loosen the knots on your back set in the back within quick reach.

The only gripe I have about this feature is that it just doesn’t last that long. At $130/£130, I had hoped for something that lasts longer than 15 minutes, especially because I’m not good at regularly charging my devices. Granted, you can keep it plugged in, but its relatively short cable also limits movements, making doing so inconvenient. Still, it’s a worthy splurge if your charging game is on point.

Mavix M9 review: verdict 

Cozy and luxury meets function and form in Mavix’s top-of-the-line M9 gaming chair. It’s both plush and supportive, comfortable and solid, high-class and simple, sleek and spacious. And, it offers plenty of adjustments and customizations to conform to your form, whether you're petite or tall, big or small, skinny or muscular. The Elemax also adds to its value, offering your back that much needed respite during long gaming sessions.

But, is it really worth that hefty price tag? I spent a few months in this throne, clocking in 10 hours or more each day gaming and working, and have rarely experienced back or shoulder pain during that time. For my well-being and comfort, I wouldn’t hesitate spending this much money, even if I have to spend a few months saving up for it. And, so should you.

Mavix M9 review: also consider

If you’re looking to spend a bit less, however, know that there are decent budget and mid-range options out there that get decently close to the level of comfort and adjustability the Mavix M9 offers.

Secretlab’s Titan Evo remains T3’s top choice of gaming chair thanks to its excellent build quality, comfort and affordability. The base model, finished in a NEO hybrid leatherette, starts from $469/£369/AU$644 while the SoftWeave Plus fabric starts from $469/£389/AU$694. If you really want to splash out, the NAPA leather version starts from $949/£769/AU$1359 – which is still cheaper than the Mavix. 

Though not quite as luxurious in terms of materials, the Cougar Explore S is easy on the wallet at $386 in the US (it’s currently unavailable in the UK at the time of writing) and manages to be almost as adjustable as the M9.