Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: two minute review
Anyone who spends a lot of time at a desk knows how important a good quality chair is: a stiff back or the need to constantly adjust your posture reinforces the need for a good chair. Secretlab has created one of the best gaming chairs on the market and is now following it up with the updated Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. While it’s aimed at gamers, there’s no reason why you can’t use it as a home office chair as well.
Cheap chairs are everywhere, but they often make compromises, either with substandard material, construction or a matte design. Making the move to a quality chair like the Titan Evo 2022 is definitely an investment, and in the long run it’s the kind of chair your back (and bum) will thank you for.
The Titan Evo 2022 is available with a whole host of different customization options to choose from, including different sizes and trim options. There are also many pop culture themes, including movies or TV series to game franchises and esport teams. For our review, Secretlab sent the largest XL version with the Neo hybrid leatherette cover in Ash coloring. It looks and feels fantastic.
The Secretlab Titan Evo XL is the largest variant of the Titan Evo range. The seat base is deeper and wider than the small and regular versions, the backrest is higher and it has a load capacity of 180 kg, making it a great option for taller people.
After using the same gaming chair for three years, the switch to the Titan Evo 2022 XL was a dramatic step forward in almost every way. Physical size was an issue for this reviewer’s small office space, but everything else, including adjustability and ergonomics, is excellent. Joining video conferences at work or typing at a desk felt very natural. As someone who can get a little low back when sitting in a chair or car seat, the three-dimensional adjustment of the lumbar support and combined with a sweet spot recline position provided really impressive support.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Price and Availability
- How much is it? From $519 / £414 / AU$724
- When is it out? now available
- Where can you get it? Instant shipping is available through the Secretlab website
The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 XL as configured is priced at $599 / £514/AU$869 via the Secretlab website† Instant shipping is available in many regions, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. There is a section on the Secretlab website if you live in a country not listed. Secretlab will advise you if it can be shipped to your country.
Specification sheet
Width seat: 49cm (58cm incl. sides)
Seat height: 89cm
Seat depth: 50cm
leaning angle: 165 degrees
Maximum load: 180kg/396lb
Weight chair: 37.5kg/83lb
If you’re looking to buy a smaller Titan Evo 2022, the leatherette small and medium versions cost $549 (£444/AU$759). There are several options that increase the cost, including a genuine leather option that adds several hundred dollars to the price. The special edition themes with different esport teams or popular games like Overwatch and DOTA2 cost a little more. There are also some very cool looking movie themed options, including a purple and green Joker finish or Game of Thrones option.
Whether the Titan Evo 2022 is worth it to you will depend on what you’re looking for in a chair, your budget and how often you use it. You could get by with a cheaper option like the Duelhawk Ultra Gaming Chair for $450 (£339 / AU$620) or DXRacer Master for $519 (about £406), but the leatherette finish and larger size of the Secretlab Titan Evo XL will certainly win its fair share of enthusiasts.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Design and build quality
If you’re going to drop a lot of money on a quality chair, it has to be well built and made with quality materials. The Titan Evo 2022 ticks these boxes.
The frame is made of steel, while the foam is a patented Secretlab cold cure formula. Our review sample (size XL) came with the faux leather option in an ash finish. The gray and black highlights look great. There is no impression that Secretlab has made any effort when it comes to materials and construction.
The wheelbase is made of reinforced ADC12 aluminum and is firmly attached to the underside of the seat. Because – how shall we say – a larger individual, any kind of weakness or flexibility tends to show up, so it’s great that the weight balance seems to be excellent and the structural integrity after a few minutes shows no sign of a problem shows weeks of daily use.
During our testing, our seat wasn’t moved much, but the caster wheels can move freely, even across a carpet — a surface some bearings don’t respond to very well.
The armrests are highly adjustable. Secretlab calls them ‘4D’. They can be moved up or down and left to right. They can also be raised. The entire armrest can also be moved by adjusting the screws on the bottom that hold them in place. What really stands out is the use of magnetic armrest mounts. This means that the top can be exchanged for a different type or design. They are strong magnets! Once attached, they don’t move a millimeter.
Using magnets is simple, but ingenious. Some seats rely on straps to secure a headrest or lumbar cushion, but the Titan Evo 2022 uses a simple magnet to secure the headrest. It’s so simple that we wonder why it isn’t much more common. Again, the magnet is strong and the headrest won’t come off unless you really try to remove it.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Setup and assembly
The Titan Evo 2022 XL comes in a huge box. It’s so big you’ll probably need two people to move it, or a sturdy trolley. The individual parts are well packed and the assembly instructions are well written and easy to follow thanks to the large diagrams.
The first stage involves assembling the base part, consisting in fixing the wheels and inserting the hydraulic piston. The next step is to attach the chair base to the backrest by aligning the backrest support and then covering it with the supplied magnetic panels to hide the brackets and screws.
After this it is a matter of attaching the seat to the base and tightening all the screws. Both the base and the seat are quite heavy, so you will probably need some help attaching the seat to the base.
Once the major assembly phase is complete, all you need to do is adjust to your preferences. There is tilt tension, armrest adjustment, lumbar adjustment and the height and tilt.
It’s really worth spending some time trying out some of the different settings. It’s one of the reasons you’d buy an expensive chair – it may take a while to match your physique and frame, but the end result is well worth it.
Overall, assembly was about as difficult as you’d expect from a chair. It’s never a matter of clicking your fingers, but Secretlab’s excellent documentation will get you up and running (or sitting still?) in no time.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Use and comfort
The best thing about the seat is the adjustable lumbar support. There is an internal mechanism that can move in and out as well as up and down. It is controlled by the use of the two dials on the side. It’s much better than adjusting a cheap pillow and it’s worth adjusting it to suit your sitting and lying position. When finished, it will take the Titan Evo 2022 to a whole other level of comfort. Maybe airplane seat designers can learn a thing or two from Secretlab!
As a tall person of 194 cm, this writer appreciates the extra few centimeters of seat depth. It brings the brim closer to the knees and combined with the fairly stiff foam base it feels very comfortable and supportive. A softer base would lack a bit of support, while a harder base would start to feel, well, hard. The balance feels just right.
After sitting in the Titan Evo 2022 XL every day for two weeks, we love it. Going back to an old chair illustrated how much better the lumbar support is. While testing, this reviewer spent over a few hours playing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and I’m convinced that the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is the best chair I’ve ever had the pleasure of parking my derriere in. There may be seats that are better, but you’ll have to spend a lot more to get something noticeably better.
Should I buy the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022?
