Boulies Master Rex review: "The built-in adjustable lumbar support is the main selling point of this chair for me"

After my ginger cat destroyed my previous desk chair, I knew I needed an upgrade to something that would be big enough to comfortably fit him on my lap as I worked. The Boulies Master Rex gets not only my seal of approval, but his too. Although not a traditional-looking gaming chair, it wouldn't look out of place in your home gaming setup. In fact, it's a great chair for long gaming sessions when you're no longer in your prime and need that bit of extra support on your back and knees.

Buying a new chair is always a daunting task. They're not the cheapest addition to your gaming or work set-up, and with so many options on the market, it's easy to get lost and overspend. We here at GamesRadar+ have a comprehensive list of the best gaming chairs, which is a great place to start.

The Boulies Master Rex is an updated version of the Boulise Master Series that we reviewed just over a year ago, and at $479.99/£409.99 is still a fair sight cheaper than some other chairs out there right now. To make things even better, Boulies frequently runs discounts on its chairs, making this one even more affordable. That said, the Rex model will add more to your checkout price since it builds upon the already-great Master Series with an integrated footrest. So is it actually worth the extra money?

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Assembly

I was a little daunted when I saw just how big the box was that the build process for the Boulies Master Rex was going to be a bit of a struggle, especially as someone who has never actually built a chair like this before.

As a beginner, I found the process of building the chair fairly simple, and it didn't give me too much grief in the end. I did end up following a video tutorial supplied by Boulies on their YouTube channel, which I highly recommend if you're a beginner chair builder like myself. I'm a visual learner, so I found actually watching someone build it took away the stress for me, so I definitely appreciate Boulies adding a video tutorial. In the video, they do showcase using power tools to speed up the process, but I went in with only the tools supplied to me in the box, which were an M6 and M8 Allen key.

It's worth noting that the footrest came as a separate part and slots into the base of the chair. It's easily locked into place with two rubber rings, so this piece is easily removable if you end up not liking the addition.Everything slotted together with relative ease, the only real parts I struggled with being the screws on the base and arms, which had to go through the layers of Water Repellent Fabric, and the screw which finished off the side covers. I often found my screws would either not align properly, or struggled to go in due to those several layers of fabric getting in the way of the threading, but with a bit of patience, it all slotted together well in the end.

I do think people who have built desk chairs like this at least once before would have probably finished the build much quicker than I did. However, as a newbie to the process I can say the instructions were clear and concise, and I only got confused right at the end when I accidentally installed the right side cover on the left side.

Design & Features

The design of the Boulies Master Rex is nearly identical to the original Boulies Master Series, but with the addition of a fancy new footrest. This is a common theme in the gaming chair market right now, as in the last few years, traditional gaming chair brands like Secretlab and now Boulies have been trying to meet their mesh, ergonomic competition in the middle, and supply ways for customers to kick back when they’re gaming at a desk.

Boulies has gone about things in its own way though. Like the AutoFull G7, the Master Rex features an extendable footrest that folds out from the bottom of the chair, but it isn’t a 1:1 match with Secretlab’s ergonomic recliner add-on, for example. You won’t be able to buy a footrest separately and add one to an existing Boulies Master Series chair, which may or may not be a frustration for loyal customers who’ll now need to pay for a whole new seat should they want to put their feet up.

The options available to you should suit most people's tastes if you're looking for a simple but classy-looking desk chair. You can either get it in Ultraflex PU or Water Repellent Fabric, and since my cat seems to get great joy out of destroying PU chairs, I opted for the Water Repellent Fabric in Como. The fabric is really soft and quite cosy. In the month I've had it, the fabric hasn't bobbled at all and still looks to be in very good condition.

Overall, the design of the chair is sleek and stylish, and it definitely works as both a gaming chair and a professional-looking office chair. Other than that, the Master Rex shares the same features you’ll find detailed in our review of the original, so for a full rundown on the integrated lumbar support, recline features, armrests, and more, give that a read.

Performance

The wide seat base is great for people like me who sit cross-legged as they work. I don't find that I feel squeezed into the seat when I sit like this, but I am only 5'2, so people who are taller may struggle a bit if you prefer unconventional seating positions.

The integrated lumbar support is a nice touch, as I often find the removable lumbar support cushions that come with other chairs (like my old DXRacer) always look a little cheap and would never stay where you want them to. Integrated lumbar support like you’ll find on the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition or the Fractal Refine, keeps the whole design simple and sophisticated, without crowding it with unnecessary pillows. The Boulies Master chairs do come with a head cushion, which I found stays on well whenever I feel the need to use it.

The lumbar support has a lot of adjustment available, so I'm pretty sure it could fit most people’s needs. As someone with joint issues, I have to change my support options sometimes daily, and the handy knobs on the sides of the backrest make this really easy. You can make it as subtle or hard as you want, and the range of height options is varied.

The armrests are easily adjustable with a flappy paddle design on the sides, with the addition of a chrome button on the inside, which lets you turn them to an angle that suits your needs. Although I do appreciate a 'locking' system to turn the armrests to a different angle, I often found that if they're at an angle, the button doesn't actually lock the armrest in place. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. This isn't a deal breaker for me, however, as I usually keep it in the default parallel position.

My one gripe with the chair comes down to the new addition of a footrest. Although it is very nice to have one, it does feel a bit flimsy to me. This is a manual footrest, meaning you have to reach under the chair to pull it out and then flip the cushion the right way around. Because of this, I do find it tends to wobble a bit. It's also only on one axis, meaning you can't adjust the height, so hopefully you like having your legs out straight all the time. I personally don't, so I actually avoided using the footrest most of the time.

Should you buy the Boulies Master Rex?

If you're looking for a well-rounded and sleek-looking desk chair, I can't recommend the Boulies Master Rex enough. It's comfortable sitting in for hours at a time, and the built-in adjustable lumbar support is the main selling point of this chair for me.

The armrest buttons and slightly wobbly footrest aren't a deal breaker at all, and there isn't anything that was glaringly wrong with this chair. It's a well-rounded chair and the most comfortable gaming/office chair I have ever had.

Although the footrest is nice to have, I would recommend getting the slightly cheaper Boulies Master Series chair if you're not too bothered about having that addition. As I mentioned, I personally don't end up using it most of the time, but I know a lot of friends who would really appreciate one.

How we tested the Boulies Master Rex

I tested the Boulies Master Rex for just over a month before this review was written. I assembled it myself in around 40 minutes, and found it perfectly easy to lift and build without assistance. I sat in the chair for long hours at a time during the day during remote working hours, and gaming during the evening.

For more on how we test gaming chairs, take a look at our full hardware policy.

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