We’re spending more and more time in our office chairs. Even after the pandemic, it’s expected that more and more companies will at least adopt a hybrid work model, meaning that the desk chair that you have at home is becoming increasingly important. So what chair do you get? Do you go for a gamer chair, complete with RGB lighting? What about an Amazon Basics mesh chair? X-Chair thinks it has the chair for you — the X-Chair X3 offers a ton of adjustability and a comfortable seat.
The kicker? The chair has an optional attachment that acts as a massager and a heating pad, meaning that it could be the chair to get if you’re worried about back pain.
But does the X-Chair X3 live up to all that hype? At $950, the X3 isn’t exactly cheap — and that price puts it in direct competition with much better-known chairs. I’ve been testing the X-Chair X3 for a while now to see if it’s really worth the cash.
X-Chair X3 assembly
Assembling the X-Chair X3 is relatively easy. The chair does come in a few different pieces, and it’s a good idea to have someone help you — but I was able to assemble it alone without too many issues. Assembly involves attaching the wheels to the base, screwing the arms to the seat, and attaching the back to the seat.
It’s pretty intuitive, and the chair comes with everything you need — including the tools to attach the screws. That’s to say, you won’t need a screwdriver handy to put everything together.
The box that everything comes in is relatively heavy. I don’t recommend trying to carry it by yourself, especially if you need to take it upstairs. The best way to take the chair upstairs is to take each individual component out of the box and carry it up before you assemble it all.
If you end up purchasing the Elemax pad, it’s relatively easy to install. It kind of stuffs in behind the lumbar support, and you may have to force it a little.
X-Chair X3 design
The X-Chair X3 is clearly well-designed, and it’s built from premium materials. But at first glance, it’s not the most interesting chair. For many, that’s a good thing. Not everyone needs or wants a neon green chair. But if you like the gamer aesthetic, this may not be the chair for you.
That’s not to say the chair is completely devoid of customization. The chair is available in Black, Gray, Blue, and Glacier, and while none of those options are super colorful, they all seem to look quite good. We’re reviewing the black model, which is my preference. I’m a little boring like that.
This particular chair is mostly plastic and a mesh fabric, which covers the seat, and serves as the back of the chair. Other X-Chair models are available in other materials, like leather, but I generally prefer the mesh fabric. The fabric itself, according to X-Chair, is Advanced Tensile Recovery (ATR), which basically means it’s a knit polymer mesh. The company says that this is spill and stain-resistant, which should help keep the chair clean over years.
Generally, the X-Chair X3 felt well-built and strong. The arms were comfortable enough, though perhaps a mesh covering there would have been nice. They have a little padding in them to help make them a little more comfortable, which is nice.
There are a ton of options to choose from when you purchase the X3. The base model comes at $950. For an extra $100, you can add a headrest to the chair. Or, for an extra $75, you can change the width to 22 inches, instead of 20.5 inches. For $120, you can switch the foam out for memory foam. And, for between $66 and $79, you can select the type of wheel you want. There are plenty of options for most, which is great to see.
X-Chair X3 adjustability
The X-Chair X3 offers a ton of adjustment options, and that’s a good thing. X-Chair could have done a better job at explaining how to adjust the chair though. For example, it took me a few weeks to discover that the back cover is where you set the height. The manual is pretty weak in that respect, so expect to have to discover the chair on your own.
There are a number of mechanisms to get used to around the chair. The basics are all here — like the ability to control the height of the armrests with buttons on each arm. I had the arms at the highest setting, and it might have been nice to be able to slide them up a little bit extra. You can also slide the armrests forward and back, and twist them.
The back of the chair can be raised or lowered to your preference, and set in place with a screw behind the cover on the back of the chair. It’s very much a set-it-and-forget-it system, which may or may not work depending on whether or not the chair is solely for your use.
There are a number of levers under the seat to tweak as well. On the left, there are levers to adjust the seat, which can move forward and back, and the seat height. On the right, there’s a lever to adjust the angle of the back of the seat, and a knob to adjust the tension of the seat back. Ultimately, I kept the seat more or less locked upright, but you can adjust it to be locked to any angle or position, which is pretty handy.
X-Chair X3 comfort
Partly because of the adjustments that you can make with it, and partly because of simply the way it’s built, the X-Chair X3 is excellently comfortable.
Office chairs aren’t really like couches. You don’t sit in an office chair and find that you can’t get out because of how comfortable you are, like you might a couch. Instead, over time, you find that it just…feels natural. The X-Chair X3 achieves that.
One of the big selling points here is the Dynamic Variable Lumbar support, which is basically a tension mechanism at the point of your lower back. It helps promote good posture, and may be a selling point for those who experience back pain. I don’t (yet), but it did feel as though my back was supported throughout testing this chair.
Generally, I found that the X-Chair X3 offered excellent comfort levels. There’s plenty of padding in the seat, and the back rest offers just the right amount of tension. That said, it’s definitely worth spending a few minutes setting up the adjustments when you first get the chair.
X-Chair Elemax
The X-Chair X3 comes with another option — the option to add the Elemax temperature and massage pad. Elemax is essentially a pad that fits in the lumbar support. You charge it with an included power supply, however, I wish that it charged through USB-C instead of the propriety charging port.
Elemax has a few different functions to take advantage of. For starters, it has built-in fans that it can use for cooling. And, it has heating elements for heating. Lastly, it has a massage function that supports two different intensities.
The heating and massage features definitely feel nice, but they’re not necessarily game-changers. The massage feature isn’t quite as intense as some might like, and the fact that it only works on your lower back means that it won’t appeal to those who want a full-back experience.
But, for those who like the idea of an integrated massage and heating pad, and who don’t mind the more focused experience, Elemax may be worth considering.
Conclusions
The X-Chair X3 has a ton going for it. The chair may be a little pricey, but it’s also very comfortable and boasts a huge range of adjustability features. Elemax isn’t a must-have, but it’s still cool, and may be a worthwhile add-on for many users.
The competition
If you’re looking for a great office chair in this price range, with these features, there isn’t a ton of competition. Of course, it’s worth considering other high-end options, like the Herman Miller Aeron, but even it doesn’t offer the same lumbar support, nor the same optional massage and heating features.
Should I buy the X-Chair X3?
Yes. If you want a chair that offers plenty of adjustments and prioritizes an ergonomic fit, the X-Chair X3 is a great option.
