If you haven’t heard of Martiangear, they are a new Singapore company that specialises in gaming equipment. They’re starting out with gaming chairs first, and the Supernova is one of their three gaming style chairs. The Martiangear Supernova retails for S$488, but if you use the promo code TECHJIOBLOG, you can enjoy S$60 off!
Unboxing and assembly
The Supernova chair came in large box, but I didn’t need to do any unboxing at all. This is because Martiangear offers free assembly service! There were two service staff who helped to assemble the chair in about 10 minutes. I didn’t even have to lay a finger. For those who prefer a fuss free experience of receiving your chair, it is great that Martiangear offers free assembly service. Be sure to do check the build of the assembly before the staff leaves, so that if anything is not to your standards, they can fix it for you on the spot.
In case you ever need to adjust any of the screws or components in the future, Martiangear provides you with a large assembly guide in the box as well. If you don’t wish to keep it, you can refer below for a soft copy:
Build quality and design
The design of the Martiangear Supernova is rather unique. It does not look like the typical flat gaming chair or racer-style chair. They are actually rather similar to Noblechair’s Icon. Martiangear says that Supernova’s design was inspired from the seats that are in sports cars, and it does indeed exude a luxurious feel.
The left picture above is the seat you’ll find in a Porsche 911 Carrera, and the Martiangear Supernova features a similar premium silhouette as shown. You’ll find that even the style and placement of the recline lever is similar to what you’ll usually find in a car.
Martiangear Supernova currently only has one upholstery option which is vegan leather. There is also only one colourway available, which is black with red stitchings. Overall, I like how the Martiangear Supernova looks – it is clean and modern with the red stitching giving off a sporty vibe.
As for build quality, the Martiangear Supernova is pretty good. The stitchings on both the backrest and seat base are neat and consistent. The vegan leather used also feels smooth to the touch and feels high quality. The overall construction of the chair feels solid and there is only very slight rattling heard when I shake the chair vigourously. The wheels are roll around rather smoothly with mild audible rolling sounds on parquet flooring.
Warranty
Martiangear offers up to 12 years warranty for selected components of the chair. As the frame and base are usually very durable, a more realistic warranty duration you can expect is between 2-3 years.
| Components | Duration |
|---|---|
| Metal Structure Frame | 12 Years |
| Five Star Base | 12 Years |
| Reclining Mechanism | 3 Years |
| Seat Mechanism | 3 Years |
| Vegan Leather | 3 Years |
| Arm Rest | 2 Years |
| Wheels | 2 Years |
| Five Star Base | 2 Years |
| Gas Lift | 2 Years |
Features
Martiangear Supernova has all the features the features that a typical gaming chair would have such as 4D armrests, flat angle reclining, and multi-tilt mechanism.
4D armrests
4D refers to 4-directional, which means that the armrests are able to be adjusted in four different aspects – height, depth, angle, and width. There are three different swivel angles that you can adjust. Check out the video below to see the 4D armrests in demonstration:
As you do not need to press down any button to adjust the angle, it does take some effort to change the angle. Adjusting the depth, width and height of the armrests are easy, but the movement could be smoother, especially for the height adjustment which can feel a little unpolished. The design of the armrest are quite similar to the ones found on APOL’s chairs. It features the same carbon-fiber finish, and both have the similar shape and firmness.
Reclining
Martiangear Supernova is able to recline up to 155º. Reclining is smooth and like all gaming chairs in the market, there are defined angles which you can lock the chair in position.
Multi-tilt mechanism
Multi-tilt mechanism refers to the ability of the chair to bop back and forth when you lean back. You can think of the motion like a rocking chair, but with more tension. Martiangear Supernova has this feature together with angle lock which means that you can enjoying the bopping motion at any recline angle.
I found that at an upright sitting position, even setting the tension to the lowest setting via the knob under the seat base, the tension of the mechanism is still stiff and requires some effort to create the bopping motion. When the chair is further reclined backwards, the tension loosens and it is then much easier to get the bopping motion.
Comfort and usage
Let’s start by giving some context to my physique – I’m 172cm 62kg, lean build. Even though Martiangear said the Supernova was their largest chair, I found that it still fit me well in terms of seat depth. This means that when I’m seated flushed to the back of the chair, there is a still a comfortable gap between the seat and the back of my knees. The seat depth is about 49cm for reference.
The seat of the Martiangear Supernova has a medium-soft firm cushioning. The cushioning is firmer than APOL, but slightly softer than Secret Lab. The cushioning at end of the seat where your thigh would rest on is softer than that of the butt area. I find that having your thighs resting against something softer is more comfortable. Check the video below to get a sense of the cushioning:
Personally I find the cushioning comfortable for long hours for sitting. As the upholstery on the Supernova is vegan leather, it will trap heat faster that fabric, so the seat can feel a little warm after extended periods of sitting. The front of the seat where your thigh makes contact features carbon-fiber like finish much somehow doesn’t trap heat that quickly. Martiangear Supernova features a flat and levelled seat base. Personally I prefer a levelled seat base which allows me to cross my legs when I’m working.
The backrest of Martiangear Supernova is comfortable, akin to sitting in a car seat. Despite the flat looking backrest, the lower part of the backrest is actually contoured to provide comfortable support for my lower back. The support provided by the backrest is enough such that I do not even require the provided lumbar pillow. In the future, Martiangear could look into implementing an integrated lumbar support like the ones found in car seats to offer more aggressive lumbar support for those you need it.
The backrest is not as body hugging like racer-car chairs, so there is still some room to move about in the chair. As the shape of the backrest is tapered upwards, it gets slimmer at the top. As such, when you sit all the way back, you shoulders will then be rested on the sides of the backrest, similar to APOL Kraken. But when I’m working, my shoulders aren’t actually flushed back to the backrest so this to me isn’t really an issue. Another unique detail about the backrest is that the “head” portion (ie. the pointed part) is protruded. So, when I lean back, I can actually rest my head comfortably on it even with the neck pillow attached.
Neck and lumbar pillows
Martiangear throws in free neck and lumbar pillows with every Supernova purchase. As mentioned above, I found that I do not need actually lumbar support as the cushioning provided by the chair itself is sufficient. Depending on personal preference, you might prefer having more support at the back. The pillow case features a soft suede material and even though it does not use foam, it has decent cushioning and is not too firm.
The included lumbar pillow is a tad small in my opinion, but the size works well as supporting piece for your upper lower back. The cushioning is not too firm and is dense enough to not be overly compressed in its suede pillow case. Personally I don’t think you’ll need the lumbar pillow to use with the Supernova chair, but it’s good to have it in case you need extra support.
Conclusion
Martiangear Supernova features a sports car inspired chair design which offers great comfort for long hours of sitting. You can expect supportive lower back support and comfortable seat cushioning without the use of the provided lumbar pillow. I believe the Supernova is a good fit for individuals who are 172cm and above. The overall construction and materials used on Martiangear Supernova is good and feels quality.
TECHJIOBLOG
For S$60 off
Martiangear Supernova retails at S$488 and if you’re making a purchase, be sure to use discount code TECHJIOBLOG for S$60 off! This means you get the chair for just S$428 and enjoy free assembly service.