TechRadar Verdict
The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is one of the best gaming chairs on the market. It combines the best of the Titan and Omega ranges into a stunning throne that offers excellent ergonomics, build quality and a choice of high-quality finishes. Like most class-leading products, though, it comes with a premium price.
Pros
- +
Excellent adjustable lumbar support
- +
Build quality and leatherette finish
- +
Up to 180kg weight support
Cons
- -
It's expensive
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Update (June 2022): Secretlab has released its new PlushCell memory foam armrests. We've tried them out with our Titan Evo 2022 chair and added an update to the Usage and Comfort section of the original review below.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Two-minute review
Anyone who spends a lot of time sitting 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 to have a good chair. Secretlab has been making one of the best gaming chairs on the market and now follows it up with the updated Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. While it's aimed at gamers, there’s no reason you can’t use it as a home office chair too.
Cheap chairs are everywhere, but they often make trade-offs, either with sub-par material, construction or a lackluster design. Making the step up to a quality chair like the Titan Evo 2022 is definitely an investment and, in the longer term, it’s the kind of chair your back (and butt) will thank you for.
The Titan Evo 2022 is available with a whole range of different customization options to choose from, including different sizes and upholstery options. There are also lots of pop culture themes, including movies or TV series to game franchises and esport teams. For our review, Secretlab sent over the largest XL version with the Neo hybrid leatherette upholstery in Ash coloring. It looks and feels fantastic.
The Secretlab Titan Evo XL is the largest variant of the Titan Evo range. It’s seat base is deeper and wider than the small and regular versions, the backrest is higher and it comes with a load rating of 180kg/396lb, which makes it a great option for larger folk.
After using the same gaming chair for three years, switching to the Titan Evo 2022 XL was a dramatic step up in virtually every aspect. Its physical size presented a problem for this reviewer's small office space, but everything else, including the adjustability and ergonomics are excellent. Sitting in on video meetings while at work or typing at a desk felt very natural. As someone who can get a bit of lower back discomfort when sitting in a chair or car seat, the three-dimensional lumbar support customization and combined with a sweet spot recline level left yours truly with body-hugging support that was truly impressive.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? From $519 / £414 / AU$724
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct shipping is available via the Secretlab website
The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 XL as configured costs $599 / £514 / AU$869 via the Secretlab website. Direct shipping is available in many regions, including the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania. There's a section on the Secretlab website if you live in a country that's not listed. Secretlab will advise if it is able to ship to your country.
Seat width: 49cm (58cm incl. sides)
Seat height: 89cm
Seat depth: 50cm
Recline angle: 165 degrees
Maximum load: 180kg/396lb
Chair weight: 37.5kg/83lb
Should you wish to buy a smaller Titan Evo 2022, the leatherette small and medium versions cost $549 (£444 / AU$759). There are various options that will add to the cost, including a genuine leather option that adds several hundred dollars to the price. The special edition themes that include various esport teams or popular games like Overwatch and DOTA2 will cost a bit more. There are also some very cool-looking movie themed options, including a purple and green Joker finish or Game of Thrones option among others.
Whether the Titan Evo 2022 is worth it to you depends 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 at $450 ( £339 / AU$620) or DXRacer Master at $519 (roughly £406), but the Secretlab Titan Evo XL's leatherette finish and larger size will certainly win its share of fans.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Design and build quality
If you're going to drop a big chunk of cash 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 patent-pending Secretlab cold cure formula. Our review sample (the XL size) came with the leatherette option in an ash finish. The grey and black highlights look great. There's no impression at all that Secretlab cut any corners when it comes to the materials and construction.
The wheelbase is made from reinforced ADC12 aluminum and attaches firmly to the underside of the seat. As – how shall we say it – a larger individual, any kind of weakness or flexibility tends to reveal itself, so it's great that the weight balance seems to be excellent and the structural integrity doesn't show any sign of a problem after a couple of weeks of daily use.
During our testing, our chair didn't get moved around a lot, but the casters do move freely, even over a carpet – a surface that some bearings don't react too well to.
The armrests are highly adjustable. Secretlab refers to them as '4D'. They can be moved up or down and from side to side. They can be raised too. The entire armrest can also be moved by adjusting the screws on the underside that holds them in place. Something that really stands out is the use of magnetic armrest attachments. This means the top can be swapped out for another type or design. They are strong magnets! Once attached, they don't move a millimeter.
The use of magnets is simple, but ingenious. Some chairs rely on straps to attach a headrest or lumbar pillow, but the Titan Evo 2022 uses a simple magnet to attach the headrest. It's so simple, it makes us wonder why it's not a lot more common. Once again, the magnet is strong and the headrest won't detach itself unless you genuinely 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 that 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 large diagrams.
The first stage involves assembling the base section consisting of attaching the wheels and inserting the hydraulic piston. The next stage is attaching the seat base to the backrest by lining up the recline bracket, then covering it up with the supplied magnetic panels to hide the brackets and screws.
After this it's a matter of attaching the seat to the base and tightening up all the screws. Both the base and the chair are quite heavy, so you'll probably need some help when attaching the seat to the base.
Once the major assembly stage is completed, all that's left is customizing it to suit your preferences. There's tilt tension, armrest adjustment, lumbar adjustment and the height and tilt.
It really is worth spending some time trying out some of the different settings. It's one of the reasons that you'd buy an expensive chair – tuning it to suit your build and frame might take some time, but the end result is well worth it.
Overall the assembly was about as difficult as you might expect from a chair. It's never a simple matter of clicking your fingers, but thanks to Secretlab's excellent documentation, you'll be up and running (or is that sitting?) in no time.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022: Usage and comfort
The best part of the chair is its adjustable lumbar support. There's an internal mechanism that can move in and out as well as up and down. It's controlled by the use of the two dials on the side. It's vastly superior to adjusting a cheap cushion and it's well worth adjusting it so it suits your sitting and reclining position. Once it's done, it elevates the Titan Evo 2022 to a whole other comfort level. Maybe airline seat designers could learn a thing or two from Secretlab!
As a tall person at 194cm, this writer appreciates the extra couple of centimeters of seat depth. It brings the edge closer to the knees and when combined with the quite stiff foam base, it feels very comfortable and supportive. A softer base would lack a bit of support while a harder base would begin to feel, well, hard. The balance feels just right.
After two weeks of sitting in the Titan Evo 2022 XL every day, we've have come to love it. Going back to an old chair illustrated how much better the lumbar support is. During testing, this reviewer spent more than a few hours playing Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and I'm confident in saying that the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is the best chair I've ever had the pleasure of parking my derriere in. There might be chairs that are better, but you'll need to spend a lot more to get something that's noticeably better.
Shortly after receiving our Titan Evo 2022 XL sample, Secretlab sent over a pair of its new PlushCell memory foam armrests. They're an optional extra and are compatible with all Titan Evo 2022 chairs. At $79 (£65/AU$99) they aren’t cheap but they're superior to the standard armrests, especially if you rest your forearms in more of a horizontal position. The velour finish is lovely and they add a touch of luxury to an already superb gaming chair.
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[First reviewed May 2022]
