The Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody stands out as one of the most stylish and least bulky gaming chairs, and at $1,500, it’s by far the most expensive we’ve seen. Mavix offers Herman Miller-like alternative gaming chairs that share the highly adjustable, minimalist style, while costing significantly less. At $999.99, the Mavix M9 is still extremely expensive for a gaming chair, but its feel, build quality, and ergonomics help justify that price, and make it a compelling alternative to any gamer who’s been eying the Embody.
Stylish Structure
Like the M5, the M9 doesn’t look like your typical gaming chair. It’s closer to the Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody than more conventional, reclining gaming chairs like the SecretLab Titan. It’s smaller and less overbuilt than its competition, focusing on supporting only the body parts that need supporting rather than ensconcing the user in padding. The chair is available in white, black, black-and-white, and black-and-gray; you won’t find any bright gamer colors here.
The chair’s back consists of two parts: an upper back and a lumbar support section. The upper back is made of a supple faux leather on top of sturdy fabric, suspended on a frame. The lumbar support is mesh fabric, also suspended on a frame mounted on a springy hinge attached to the upper back; it provides flexible, firm lower-back support. A headrest, made of the same suspended, faux leather material as the upper back, screws into the chair’s top and can be tilted up and down on a stiff hinge. These suspended materials lack conventional padding, but their fabric and faux leather materials offer just enough give and springiness to feel both soft and supportive.
The seat is well-padded, but not bulky. Under the same supple, faux leather as the upper back and headrest rests dense, but soft, cool gel memory foam. This is one of the big upgrades the M9 has over the M5 and M7. The less-expensive Mavix chairs use mesh suspended on frames for their seats, which is firm and comfortable but not quite as pleasant-feeling as memory foam.
The M9’s base is a dense plastic, but a metal base would have been better. The plastic doesn’t feel flimsy or brittle, but solid steel or aluminum are more reassuring for long-term use. While the base isn’t impressive, the casters certainly are. The M9 uses Mavix’s M-wheels, narrow rubber wheels that roll smoothly and feel sturdy. The wheels’ softer-than-usual material should protect hardwood floors from scuffing, which hard plastic and metal wheels easily do. The wheels are also lockable, with levers you can tap down with your foot. Locking wheels are rare on gaming chairs, and they’re a nice feature if you want to keep your chair in place.
Assembly
Putting the M9 together is an easy process. Pop the wheels and gas piston cylinder onto the base. Set the seat onto the cylinder. Slide the chair back into the seat and screw it in place. Attach the armrests and headrest. You’re done! You don’t need to screw on a baseplate or flip over a half-assembled chair to get it ready. The process isn’t quite as convenient as the Embody, which arrives fully assembled, but it’s simpler than most other gaming chairs.
Ergonomic Adjustments
Speaking of the Embody, the M9 has almost as many ergonomic adjustments as the more-expensive Herman Miller chair (though the much-less-pricey M5 features most of those same adjustments). To start, the entire chair back can be raised and lowered using a ratcheting mechanism to adjust its height relative to the seat. The mechanism is a bit finicky; it clicks as you pull it upward, and resets after the last click at the top to drop back down. It’s a firmer click than what you’ll experience with the M5, so it’s slightly less prone to accidentally resetting. Still it tends to click upward when you sit up from the reclining position. A lock on the mechanism would have been welcome.
On the upside, just tweaking the height of the chair back is nice. The seat can also be slid back and forth relative of the chair back, providing adjustable depth based on your frame and posture. This mechanism is a smooth slide that locks in place with a lever.
The headrest can be tilted up and down to adjust to your head’s position. The chair’s “dynamic variable” lumbar-support section isn’t actively adjustable, but it automatically conforms to your lower back thanks to its springiness. It bends back just enough to provide a pleasant, but not intense pressure, supporting the lower back. The armrests feature adjustable height, and can be slid forward and back, and rotated to three different angles.
Twisting a knob under the chair’s left side lets you lean back 127 degrees, tilting the seat slightly and the chair back significantly in the process. It isn’t as deep a recline as some other gaming chairs, but it’s quite comfortable. Just be careful when sitting back up, especially if you like the chair back high; it tends to click an extra notch in the process, which can reset the back height from that position.
Luxurious Sit
The M9 is supportive and comfortable. It’s comparable to the Embody’s feel, which is good considering the M9’s not-quite-as-high-but-still-steep price. It feels good under me and against my back, with pleasant lumbar and head support. It also rolls smoothly, smoother than the SecretLab Titan. The chair doesn’t completely cover my back like most gaming chairs (including the Titan), but it doesn’t have to; it supports all the points that need support, with plenty of mobility for everything else.
Warranty
Like all Mavix chairs, the M9 comes with a 12-year limited warranty that isn’t quite as good as it sounds. The warranty covers all defects, including shipping replacements, for two years. For three years after that, the warranty covers all defects, but you pay for shipping. Beyond that, the full 12-year part of the warranty only applies to the chair’s metal frame, which is much less likely to have problems than the plastic or upholstery. Still, an effective five-year warranty is good for a gaming chair.
Expensive and Elegant
The Mavix M9 is a pricey gaming chair when compared with most alternatives, but it isn’t like most other gaming chairs. It’s a sleeker, more minimalist, more adjustable chair designed to take after Herman Miller’s offerings more than SecretLab’s. Its $1,000 price is still hefty, but that’s still only two-thirds as much as the Embody costs, and provides a similarly comfortable, customizable fit. It looks and feels premium, and features an above-average (though not quite Herman Miller-level) warranty.
If you’re looking to splurge on a gaming chair, this is an excellent choice. If you want to spend less for similar ergonomics, the Mavix M5 offers similar adjustments with a more mesh-focused design and wider wheels for just over half the M9’s price. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a conventional gaming chair, we remain big fans of the SecretLab Titan, our Editors’ Choice pick.
