A Breath of Fresh Air – DXRacer AIR Review

For years, I have preferred a comfortable office chair to a gaming chair, mostly due to the increased comfort and ergonomics. I’ve taken the DXRacer AIR for a spin and, while I don’t believe it’s fully changed my mind, it is a step in the right direction and may well be the best choice for bridging both worlds.

A Bit of Mesh Goes a Long Way

The stand-out feature of the DXRacer AIR is its mesh design. It is about time that gaming chair manufacturers acknowledge the need for airflow during gaming sessions. We’ve had all manner of other peripherals to assist with keeping the sweat away, and chairs have been tragically overlooked. Until now.

The DXRacer AIR’s design is pretty standard for the DXRacer product line and includes many of the company’s long-standing features, functions, and support for add-ons. What sets it apart is that instead of a fabric or leather seat and back, the entirety of the chair is covered in mesh. This provides not only a certain level of comfort that those office chair users of us are already accustomed to, but it also allows air to flow and prevents general discomfort during long gaming sessions.

Fit Matters

The AIR series is available in a variety of colors, but at the core, they all offer the same functionality. I have been using my chair exclusively for use in flight simulation and have found the design to be quite conducive to that type of gaming. I find the fit of gaming chairs in general to be on the tighter side, something that works in its favor when I’m flying in VR, for example. The DXRacer AIR is rated for users up to 6’6″ and 254lbs, both of which I’m near the top limit of. While the snugness offers a certain amount of support, it works best in scenarios where that is desired. I love it when I’m racing or playing games where I want that additional level of immersion. I am not, however, a big fan of my sides being hugged this much while playing first-person shooters or writing code or articles. Your mileage will vary, however, as the fit of the chair will vary greatly depending on your unique body type.

Structurally, the DXRacer AIR seems very solid and assembly was quite painless. I was able to easily assemble the chair by myself in less than 15 minutes. The adjustable lumbar support is quite nice, and the headrest can also be moved up and down to suit your height. The armrests are sturdy, but not so much that they can’t be tweaked to your liking. As with other DXRacer chairs, the backrest can be reclined to extreme levels, something I didn’t test extensively, as I prefer to sit upright with the occasional lean back. It offered strong support where I never felt at risk of falling back or like I had to push too hard to recline.

Since I tested this chair throughout the winter months, I discovered that there is a drawback to having too much mesh: it gets cold! My daily use chair has a mesh back but a cushioned seat. The DXRacer AIR’s seat is also covered in mesh, proving to be somewhat chilly from below. I expect this will be a great benefit in the warmer months ahead, but I certainly felt a bit cold at times. To their credit, DXRacer does sell a fabric cover set for both the back and seat at an additional cost. This might be a good compromise to allow flexibility for those gaming in colder climates.

Overall, if you’re used to the comforts and breathability of a good mesh office chair and have been wondering if a gaming chair would provide you any additional benefits, I would recommend the DXRacer AIR. It offers both the benefits and features of a gaming chair, provided that’s what you’re after, while allowing you to keep the benefits that mesh offers. Just pay extra attention to the chair’s dimensions and what will fit your body best. If you spend a lot of time playing simulation games, then the tighter hug of a gaming chair can really add to the immersion.