DXRacer Formula Series Gaming Chair
The chair that started the gaming chair craze — still comfortable and affordable, but the racing-seat ergonomics are starting to show their age.
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What we like
- Genuinely comfortable high-density foam, even after 8+ hour sessions
- Detachable lumbar and neck pillows let you tune support to your body
- Sturdy tubular steel frame with a reassuring lifetime frame warranty
- Aggressive racing-seat aesthetic if that's the look you want
Could be better
- Bucket-seat side bolsters are uncomfortable for wider body types
- Pillow-based lumbar support is crude compared to modern adjustable systems
- PU leather tends to crack and peel within 2-3 years of heavy use
- Feels dated next to Secretlab, Branch, and Herman Miller alternatives
Full Review
DXRacer made the first real “gaming chair” back in 2006, and the Formula Series is the direct descendant of that original. Two decades later it’s still on the market, still selling well, and still doing the same job — with the same compromises.
Build and Comfort
The Formula Series uses high-density cold-cure foam over a tubular steel frame, and that combination holds up better than the price suggests. The seat doesn’t sag after a year the way cheaper knockoffs do. The foam is firmer than most office chairs, which some people love and others hate — if you prefer a plush seat, this isn’t it.
The detachable memory foam headrest and lumbar pillow are the only real ergonomic adjustments you get. They work, but only if your torso happens to align with where the pillows sit. There’s no in-seat lumbar adjustment like you’d find on a Secretlab Titan Evo, let alone a real ergonomic chair.
The Racing-Seat Problem
The high side bolsters that define the Formula look are genuinely uncomfortable for anyone with broader hips or shoulders. You sit in the chair, not on it, and if you’re above roughly 200 lbs or 5’10”, you should skip the standard Formula entirely and look at the Formula L or the Master Series instead.
For gaming sessions this is fine — you’re leaned back, not moving much. For a full work day where you’re shifting posture, reaching for things, and turning to talk to people, the bolsters fight you constantly.
How It Compares in 2026
This is where honesty matters. At $260, the Formula Series costs about the same as a Branch Ergonomic Chair and roughly half of a Secretlab Titan Evo. The Branch chair gives you real adjustable lumbar support, breathable mesh, and none of the bucket-seat awkwardness. The Secretlab gives you better materials, a higher weight rating, and a design that’s evolved significantly past the 2006 template.
If you want a gaming chair because you want the racing-seat look, the Formula is still the benchmark. If you just want a comfortable, supportive chair for long work days, the category has moved on.
Who Should Buy This
Buy the DXRacer Formula Series if you’re under 5’8” and 200 lbs, you genuinely want the racing-seat aesthetic, and you’re spending most of your time gaming rather than working. If you’re buying a chair for 8-hour work days or you’re outside those dimensions, put the money toward a Branch Ergonomic Chair or save up for a Secretlab Titan Evo instead.
