We Tried It: Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Review

---

Secretlab’s latest offering is has hit the market and is ready for countless hours of gaming.  Titan Evo chairs have always been good and just seem to keep improving year after year. The Secretlab team recently sent us one of the new 2022 models to test, so we could get a complete overview of the Secretlab gaming chairs. I was super excited when I received the box to find out if this model was another step up or a step in the wrong direction.

UPDATE 09/23: The Secretlab Titan EVO has seamlessly clinched the title of “Best Overall” winner in our Ultimate Buyer’s Guide. After rigorous analysis and comparison with numerous other gaming chairs, the Titan EVO stood out for its impeccable design, unrivaled comfort, and durable build, marking it as an exemplar in the gaming chair domain. For a more in-depth look at why the Titan EVO earned this prestigious recognition, and to explore other noteworthy contenders, follow this link to our Ultimate Buyer’s Guide.

All Models of Secretlab Titan Evo

---

Buy “Secretlab Titan EVO Series 2022” with Discount

Small	Regular	XL
up to 5`6″ / 1,69 m	6`7″ – 6`2″ / 1,70 – 1,89 m	5`11″ – 6`9″ / 1,81 – 2,05 m
up to 200 lbs / 90 kg	up to 220 lbs / 100 kg	175 – 395 lbs / 80 – 180 kg
Buy from SecretLab.co	Buy from SecretLab.co	Buy from SecretLab.co

Read on to hear more of my thoughts on the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 as I unboxed, assembled, and put it to the test.

Secretlab Titan Evo

---

---

Packaging

Seeing the black box waiting for me when I got home was thrilling enough. Seeing the name of the chair and the words “Your unboxing experience starts here” actually got me looking forward to putting together the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series chair and see what it could do.

The excitement was temporarily replaced by concern over how I would get the 75 pound gaming chair inside and up a flight of somewhat narrow stairs. Fortunately, I was able to grab the box on either side and lug it up with a decent amount of difficulty, but not everyone would be so lucky.

Opening the box revealed a box-sized piece of cardboard that once again declared the chair’s name and that it was hand inspected for what I assume was quality and completeness. With the cardboard sign out of the way, I was really impressed to see everything packaged so nicely.

I’d bet money that the delivery person dropped the box on my concrete driveway since there was a nice dent in the side. Even if that was the case, everything was securely held in place where it should be inside the box.

Each part was wrapped in plastic and foam, and nothing was damaged. Components like the wheels and levers were inside a large box, and the armrests came in individual containers of their own.

Assembly

The instruction manual looked promising at first glance, but it doesn’t actually contain any information about assembly. I feel like a person who had purchased this Secretlab model as their first-ever gaming chair may have been frustrated by this.

Luckily, it’s not too difficult to assess where each of the components need to go. The armrests come pre-attached to the seat, which saves a significant amount of time right there. The chair came with the hex wrench I’d need to put everything together.

I started by putting the wheels on the metal base, followed by attaching the backrest to the seat. Attaching the backrest was the only spot that gave me a slight pause simply because I had to line everything up very carefully.

With those steps done, I wasn’t sure at first which direction to attach the hydraulic mechanism, but a sticker on the bottom of the seat clearly shows which way it needs to go. Everything else, including the armrest padding, side protective panels, and even the headrest pillow are all held in place with magnets.

I admit this isn’t my first time putting together a gaming chair, and I had a good idea of how to start even without instructions. From start to finish, it only took me around 15 minutes to assemble.

Features

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Chair Specs

Weight: 76 pounds

Seat Height Adjustment: 18 to 21 inches off the ground

Seat Width: 21 inches

Weight Capacity:  Up to 395 pounds with XL model

Chair Material: NEO™ Hybrid Leatherette

Reclining Angle: 85° to 165°

5-Wheel Metal Base

Padded 4D Armrests

Comes with a head cushion

5-year extended warranty

The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 comes in three different sizes, each with distinct characteristics. Here’s a breakdown of what each one offers:

Size	Small	Regular	XL
Recommended Height	4’11” – 5’6”	5’7” – 6’2”	5’11” – 6’9”
Recommended Weight	< 200 lbs	< 220 lbs	Up to 395 lbs
Max Load	285 lbs	285 lbs	395 lbs
Hydraulic Gas Piston	Class 4	Class 4	Class 4 Heavy Duty
Seat Width	17.7 inches	18.5 inches	19.3 inches
Starting Price	$449	$449	$499

Now, let’s take a look at some of the Titan Evo 2022’s top features.

4D Armrests

---

---

I love a good 4D armrest, and that’s just what the Secretlab has. I feel that a comfortable armrest for a gamer is just as important as a comfortable seat. I can adjust these armrests in any direction I choose to dial in the exact spot that works best for me.

The padding on top of the armrests only adds to an already stellar feature. Interestingly, the padding is held in place with magnets on the front and back. I suppose this makes it easy to swap out those pads as needed, but it makes me a little leery about placing an electronic device on them.

The Recline

This gaming chair tips all the way back to 165° from vertical, which is perfect for a much needed nap. I can also recline less for watching TV, but for gaming I always leave the chair vertical.

The chair’s specs say it comes forward to 85° (slightly forward from vertical), but mine clearly goes a lot further forward than that. Without instructions, I’m not sure if something isn’t set right or if there’s an issue with my chair. It’s pretty annoying when I want to bring the chair back to vertical and it tries to crush me.

The Rocker

I didn’t know how much I liked the rocker feature until I used it for the first time. Now I wouldn’t want to imagine a gaming chair without it. The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 doesn’t fail to deliver. There’s nothing better than leaning back as I contemplate my next move in Civilization VI that will ultimately bring my opponent to ruin.

Height Adjustment

This chair offers nothing special in the height department, but it does offer a standard three inches of adjustment. This range is 18 inches off the ground at the low end and raises to 21 inches. Honestly, I just find my sweet spot somewhere in the middle and leave it there. I am thankful that I have the ability to get the height just right.

Lumbar Support

There’s no lumbar support pillow on this chair, which bothered me at first glance. That irritation quickly went away when I saw the two knobs (one on either side of the chair) that allow me to adjust the height and curvature of the lumbar support.

After playing a bit with these knobs, I was able to find a level of support that I really like. The downside to this design is that the location of the knobs makes it very hard for me to adjust the lumbar support with my back still against the chair. Modification becomes trial and error as I have to lean over to make changes before sitting back in the chair to see if it’s better or worse.

Headrest Pillow

The headrest pillow is another great feature for me. It attaches to the chair with a flexible magnet that covers the entire back side of the pillow. Most of the upper part of the backrest has a magnet, and I can move the pillow around as needed to accommodate any leaning or slouching that I find myself doing.

The pillow has lovely memory foam material that is heavenly to rest up against. I can’t think of a material I’d rather have for a gaming chair pillow.

The downside to this design is that the pillow comes off the chair every single time I bring the chair back to vertical from a recline. It either goes shooting off like a catapult or at least falls down between my back and the chair.

The pillow’s adjustability and memory foam more than makes up for this flaw.

Build Quality

The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 reminds me of a tank. It weighs in at 75 pounds and looks really robust through and through. The chair has a metal base and frame that look like they can withstand anything I throw at them.

Even when sitting down, the Secretlab is incredibly sturdy. Pieces don’t bend or flex, and even the padding doesn’t have much give. While that sounds like a negative, it’s not – this is a very comfortable gaming chair to sit in.

When I move around in the chair, there is an audible creaking noise no matter which direction I lean. The noise emanates from a pre-assembled piece of plastic on the left side of the chair that covers the metal bracket that controls the recline.

I’ve tried tightening the screw and working with the plastic piece in different ways, but so far, nothing has been able to stop the noise. It’s quite annoying because it occurs every time I move, get up, or sit down.

---

**********

UPDATE:

Secretlab has come back with potential fixes to the creaking issue I experienced. They’ve identified both the lumbar support bar and the leatherette material as sources of excess noise.

Breaking in the lumbar support may solve the issue. To do this, Secretlab suggests setting the lumbar support to its maximum depth and then moving it from top to bottom a few times. I tried this and it didn’t help my creak, but I don’t think the lumbar support was my issue in the first place.

Regarding the leatherette material, Secretlab has identified unwanted sound in places the leatherette rubs against smooth parts of the chair. The company states there’s a fix in the works for this source of noise but has not provided specifics as of yet.

**********

The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022’s stitching is a prominent feature of the chair. The thread that holds the faux leather pieces together is really well done and is a stylish red that catches your eye against the black seat and backrest.

There’s also gold stitching on the front and back of the backrest that spells out the Secretlab name and shows their logo. This lettering also really stands out against the black background and gives the chair another dimension of coolness.

The headrest pillow is the nicest I’ve seen on a gaming chair to date. It comes with a really high-quality memory foam material that is nothing short of a joy to rest up against. The stitching that holds the pillow together is just as high-quality, and the pillow looks great with gold logo and company name stitched into the front.

Metal bases make me happy, and the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 comes through in a big way here as well. I’m not worried in the least about anything damaging it. The chair does come with generic plastic wheels that appear to hold up well but are visually a bit of a disappointment.

Even the plastic coverings for some of the metal push points are nice and don’t look like they’re out of place on a gaming chair of this quality. They do their job well and look like they could take quite a beating.

I find myself questioning the use of magnets to adhere the armrests and some plastic pieces to the chair’s body. Magnets and electronics can be a dangerous combination, but admittedly it would likely take a much bigger magnet to do any damage to a hard drive.

Comfort and Ergonomics

The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is such a comfortable chair that you forget you’re sitting in it.

The padding in both the seat and backrest is on the firmer side, but it has just the right amount of give backed by a really thick amount of padding underneath.

With adjustable lumbar support using the knobs on either side of the chair, I can dial in the right amount of comfort that I need. As someone that has a tendency to slouch, this chair supports me so well that I don’t find myself doing that.

This helps keep me seated upright and in an ergonomic position. I can also set the armrests at the height and direction I need so that I can rest my elbows on them as I game. I have no issue resting one hand on my WASD keys and the other on my mouse.

The armrest padding is a rubber material with the same firmness as the cushioning on the seat and backrest. This commonality helps tie the features of the chair together without drawing unwanted attention to any one area.

I lean forward most of the time when I am gaming, but it is nice to be able to fall back on that headrest pillow after a thrilling win or crushing defeat. The memory foam padding is exceptionally soft, and I really like that I can quickly adjust the pillow’s location to support my head as needed.

Verdict : 5/5, Perfect.

I’m hard-pressed to find something I don’t like about the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. I love the level of comfort the chair gives through firm but supportive padding and an adjustable lumbar bar.

I think the chair has a really stylish look with a sleek black design and gold lettering to give it some pop. Everything is really well constructed and is very sturdy to sit and game in. Each part appears high-quality, and I don’t detect any weak points in the design.

This Secretlab model has a level of quality that justifies a higher price point. There’s a clear difference between budget chairs that come in at a couple hundred dollars and a chair of this caliber that sits at the $500 mark. As in many areas of life, you do get what you pay for.

I’d sleep better at night if I could do away with the annoying creak that happens every single time I move. It’s no bother when I have my headset on during gaming, but it’s like nails on a chalkboard during quiet moments.

The Titan Evo 2022 is my favorite chair that I’ve tested/owned to date. I can’t get over how comfortable it is, and I never get tired of sitting in it. I’d have no difficulty recommending it to a friend for purchase.