Magnetic head pillow Tilt-lock mechanism Backrest recline Adjustable lumbar
Brand: Secretlab Material: Neo Hybrid Leatherette Height Adjustable: Yes Adjustable Arms: Yes (and swappable arm rests) Recline: 165° Maximum Load Weight: Regular: 100kg / 220lbs (XL: 180kg / 400lbs) Sizing: Small (<169cm/5. 5 feet), Regular (170-189cm/5. 5-6. 2 feet), XL (181-205cm/6-6. 7 feet)
Supportive material is great for long periods of sitting Adjustable lumbar, tilt, and recline options
Heavy and difficult to move Excessive foam and plastic packaging
As we close out 2022, Secretlab’s Titan Evo series of gaming chairs have been on the market for over a year, and in that time, people have said a lot about the product. There are hundreds of reviews out for this particular series of gaming chair, many of which are reports of using the chair for several months. So why are we reviewing this now, at the tail end of 2022?
Well, as it turns out, Secretlab has actually made some changes since the original launch of the Titan Evo series. Stick around, and we’ll reveal everything, old and new, about Secretlab’s newest gaming chair.
Unboxing and Assembly
Before we get into the updates Secretlab has made to the Titan Evo since launch, let’s start with the package that arrives. From what I can tell, the unboxing and assembly of the Titan Evo package hasn’t changed much since the product first became available.
Secretlab clearly puts an emphasis on this user experience and makes everything as premium and intuitive as possible. Though, it is a bit excessive for my taste. Things like putting the user manual in its own sealed envelope and having each component wrapped in plastic just felt wasteful by the time I was done unpacking. The amount of packing foam in the box also felt overkill.
To be fair, the harshest reviews I’ve come across for this product have been related to shipping damages, so this could be one of the updates Secretlab has made to this product since its release that I alluded to earlier.
As for assembly, it couldn’t be simpler. The instructions suggested assembling the Titan Evo with a friend to make the process easier, but I was able to do it by myself in under an hour. All of the steps for assembly are clearly outlined on the instruction card. If somehow you still run into any issues, the card also includes a QR code with a tutorial video, and Secretlab encourages you to contact support if you need further assistance.
All in all, this is the unboxing experience we’ve all come to expect from Secretlab that has been shared around all over the internet, and yes, it’s very nice. The only real disappointment here is that by the end of the process, you’ll also have a waste bin overflowing with plastic wrap and packing foam. There must be a more eco-friendly way to do this.
Once it’s fully assembled, the chair looks great. It’s fairly large for a gaming chair or what you might expect from a more generic wheelbase rolling chair. In terms of scale and weight, it feels more like a nice desk chair that you’d find in an important office. It’s definitely not a chair I would want to move up or down a flight of stairs post-assembly, though.
What’s New Since 2021?
If you’ve had your eye on a Titan Evo chair for any amount of time, this is the part of the review where you’re going to want to start paying attention. Secretlab heard some of the complaints the Titan Evo received at launch, and I can confidently say that the chair I’ve had since late October is a noticeably improved product.
For starters, the chair is much quieter. In daily use, I haven’t noticed any squeaking or rattling, even when I’m reclining or rocking. If you look at reviews from the beginning of the year, you’ll find complaints of it being too squeaky. I tried really hard to make my chair squeak by imitating what I saw in these reviews, and I think it’s safe to say that Secretlab completely fixed this issue.
However, the chair isn’t completely silent. As many have pointed out, the armrests for the chair can wobble and rattle around quite a bit. This seems partly because the armrests are magnetic and interchangeable (with optional memory foam rests available). In reality, it’s just not something that bothered me in day-to-day use. Unlike squeaking hinges that could be caused by reclining, the armrests won’t rattle unless you’re deliberately trying. I suppose some users may find this to be less than ideal, especially if you’re particular about your armrests being rigid, but I really don’t see how the armrests would be making any unwanted noise if you’re using them to… rest your arms.
Finally, the wheelbase. If you check out the Secretlab subreddit, there are a few posts from unhappy patrons that show Titan Evo chairs with broken legs. I can’t say for certain that Secretlab is shipping the Titan Evo’s with new and improved wheelbases, but I can say that I would be shocked if the wheelbase on my chair ever broke. The wheelbase is made of reinforced ACD12 aluminum and feels heavy-duty. Plastic wheelbases on similar-looking chairs are notoriously breakable, but the metal wheelbase of the Titan Evo 2022 feels built to last.
Ergonomics and Comfort
So, the most important question to answer in a review about a chair is: is it comfortable? While that’s obviously a matter of personal preference, my answer would be: absolutely, yes. The first thing you’ll hear most people say after sitting in a Secretlab chair is that it’s very firm. The Titan Evo series is no exception, the chair is definitely firm, and I think that’s a smart design choice from Secretlab.
Whether you intend on using this chair for gaming or working at your desk, you’re going to be spending several hours at a time sitting in this thing. I you’re sitting in the same chair for a full workday or hours-long gaming sessions, you need good support.
Speaking of support, there are knobs on either side of the backrest for lumbar adjustment. You can increase or decrease the lumbar with one knob and raise or lower the lumbar with the other. Not all of the ergonomics of the Titan Evo are for posture and support though; there is a tilt lock mechanism under the chair next to the height adjustment lever. I personally really like being able to tilt and rock back and forth in my chair, but if you prefer to keep your tilt mechanism locked, you can always recline the backrest of your chair and have it fixed at your preferred angle. The backrest recline can tilt back so far that you can practically lay horizontally in your Titan Evo, and as long as you’re properly seated, it feels secure and supportive.
Something Secretlab seems dead set on in 2022 is the implementation of magnets in their chairs, which initially sounds like a curious feature to have. Both the armrests and the memory foam head pillow are magnetized. With the armrests being interchangeable and customizable, the choice for magnets makes more sense, but I was a bit more skeptical about the head pillow. Surprisingly though, I’d go as far as to say it’s a feature worth getting excited about.
Most gaming chairs on the market have a head pillow of some kind, and they’re always strapped to the headrest. Secretlab’s magnetic version ditches the straps, which I think aesthetically is a huge improvement, and actually makes adjusting the position of the pillow as easy as moving your head around until you get comfortable. I’ve had no issues with the pillow coming loose or falling off.
The Titan Evo 2022 is available in two fabrics: Neo hybrid leatherette and SoftWeave Plus fabric. I’ve been reviewing the leatherette version, and overall, I like the material. Secretlab claims that the Neo hybrid leatherette is twelve times more durable than normal leather, but I haven’t put that to the test. On the other hand, in comparison to normal leather, my chair does have a faint odor to it. It’s difficult to describe, but there is a mild odor that smells both chemical and leathery. While the smell is distant and not terrible, it is noticeable to me, and I can imagine it being less tolerable to some.
Regardless of your chosen fabric, it’s difficult to deny how great this chair looks. Both the leatherette and SoftWeave versions of the Titan Evo 2022 have immaculate stitchwork in the embroidery and seams of the fabric.
Is the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Worth It?
Compared to the generic office chair I’ve been using at my desk for the past five years, the Secretlab chair is a massive improvement in every aspect. It’s better for my posture, looks cooler, and is designed to be sat in for extended periods of time.
It really comes down to how much you’re willing to spend on a piece of office furniture—albeit, quite an essential one, next to your desk. There are plenty of options for chairs, for gaming or otherwise, in price ranges both above and below Secretlab. At its current price point of $565, the Titan Evo is definitely on the pricey side of gaming chairs. But for an office chair? That’s actually not too bad if you’re looking for a good-quality single chair. High-end office chairs can run to outrageous prices—and I highly doubt those have a magnetic headrest pillow.
