Bottom Line
The DXRacer IS166 offers a good blend of functionality and comfort while remaining as affordable as possible.
If you want the most advanced chair available, this isn’t it, but it’ll fit most people’s needs very well.
So you’re in the market for a gaming chair, and you want quality, but you don’t want to break the bank. We’ve got some good news for you: there is so much choice and rivalry in the mid-budget chair market.
Today, we’ll be looking at the DXRacer Iron Series, specifically the IS166, to see if it’s right for you.
Seat style | Racing/ bucket seat |
Upholstery | PU leather, vinyl |
Color options | Black, white, red, blue, green, orange |
Dimensions | 51 x 27 x 23” |
Weight limit | 275lbs |
Table of ContentsShow
Design
On the surface, the DXRacer IS166 resembles many other gaming chairs: it has the same racing-style seat enveloped by the backrest and the ubiquitous vent slot at the top.
However, the reason this design is so popular is that it works! This style of seat is designed to help decrease the strain on your spine during long gaming sessions, which can only be a good thing.
It’s important not to overlook the importance of ventilation, particularly with PU leather chairs. There’s relatively good airflow throughout thanks to the slot mentioned above, but also the cutaways between the seat and backrest.
The IS166 has reinforced supports at the bottom of the backrest, which does restrict ventilation to some extent, but dramatically increases stability.
The base and frame are made of aluminum: this provides excellent support, while also keeping the overall weight of the chair down.
Accordingly, this model has a slightly lower weight capacity than some others, at around 275lbs, as opposed to 300lbs or so. This isn’t a significant problem, though, as most people will fit into this limit with room to spare.
Comfort
The IS166 features vinyl and PU leather upholstery. While this takes a while to warm up on cold days and isn’t as breathable as fabric, it is much harder to stain.
Plus, you can just wipe it down now and then, so maintenance is a lot easier. The foam inside is suitably springy and should last for a very long time.
One of this product’s main strengths is its adjustable 4D armrests. You can move them in, out, up, down, or even rotate them to suit your wishes perfectly. It’s also possible to recline back to 135° – not flat, but certainly far enough to use a footrest.
The only issue we have in this area is that this chair doesn’t come with lumbar support or headrest cushions. These can still be used – and in fact, DXRacer sells them – but you’ll have to buy them yourself.
It might be a petty complaint, but including these cushions would significantly increase the validity of the company’s health-focused claims.
Functionality
The DXRacer Iron Series 166 is relatively limited in terms of advanced functionality, but it does have one trick up its sleeve.
Although most chairs let you rock back and forth, very few allow you to lock the tilt in a given position. That’s not a problem here – and best of all, you aren’t restricted to a few set angles.
The seat itself can be raised by up to 3”, which is fairly standard, but the armrests have a massive 6.5” of leeway. This allows users of varying body shapes and sizes to use the chair in whichever way is most comfortable.
That said, DXRacer does recommend the IS166 for people of a slimmer build, due to its slightly lower weight limit.
Sure, some other gaming chairs offer massage support or highly customizable tension settings, but do you need these features?
Instead, the DXRacer IS166 focuses on nailing the basics: it provides just enough customizability to keep you comfortable, but not enough to overwhelm the user.
Price
The DXRacer IS166 costs around $799, which makes it one of the most expensive.
Better still, unlike many other online retailers, DXRacer allows users to pay monthly, assuming they pass a credit check. The interest does increase the overall cost slightly, but only by a few dollars.
At the very least, shipping is free! There is one warning, however: DXRacer can only ship to within the contiguous United States – so not Hawaii or Alaska.
You may be able to find third-party suppliers who’ll deliver overseas, but unfortunately, you can expect the price to rise considerably.
We feel that this chair is appropriately priced. On the one hand, it’s more expensive than a basic, low-end office chair; on the other, it’s actively designed with long-term usage and your health in mind.
It comes down to whether your business can justify the higher initial cost.
Support
All of DXRacer’s chairs come with a two-year warranty on the individual parts, plus a lifetime guarantee on the frame itself.
That’s pretty exceptional, especially for a mid-budget chair, but it goes to show how much faith the company has in its products.
The official website has detailed instructions for assembling every available series of chairs the company offers. As a result, you shouldn’t run into any difficulties.
If you do, though, rest assured, you’ll be able to get help as quickly as possible. How?
You can contact the company in numerous ways. There’s a dedicated support form, an email address, a phone number, social media, or, if you’re nearby, you can even head into their showrooms in California and Michigan. Simply, you can communicate in whichever way you’d prefer.