Secretlab Titan Gaming Chair Review (2020 model)

 

Gaming chairs are becoming increasingly popular as we enter into a new decade, with the likes of Secretlab, Noblechairs, DXRacer, and other notable brands battling it out to try and secure your hard-earned cash.

Having said that, Secretlab – one of the standout gaming chair manufacturers – impressed us last year when we reviewed their popular Omega gaming chair. It offered unrivaled build quality, superior comfort, and an ergonomic design, which promoted extended gaming sessions and back support. So, when they decided to send us their new Titan 2020 gaming chair, it’s safe to say we were more than eager to take it for a spin in the WePC testing studio.

In the following review, we’ll be taking a closer look at; build quality, the assembly process, features, and answering the big question surrounding the Secretlab Titan 2020 – is it worth your money?

So, without further ado, let’s dive straight into it.

The Specs

What's In The Box?

The Secretlab Titan came to us in a fairly standard brown box that weighed 35Kg and was labeled with the Secretlab stamp. The sides had some generic content regarding the chair – all very standard.

Inside the box, we found the following:

• Secretlab TITAN backrest
• Secretlab TITAN seat base with armrests
• Aluminum wheelbase
• Multi-functional tilt mechanism
• Class 4 hydraulic piston
• Hydraulic sleeve
• 2x Tilt levers
• 5x XL PU casters
• 2x Side covers
• Screw set
• Secretlab Signature Memory Foam Head Pillow

The chair also came with an easy-to-follow instruction manual and some warranty details. Everything was individually wrapped in protective plastic and securely packaged for safe transit.

Where to buy?

You can purchase directly from Secret Labs right here.

Assembly

After unboxing the Secretlab Titan, I laid out the parts to see what we were dealing with. The chair is made up of around 20 individual parts, but don’t let that worry you, the assembly process was extremely easy for the most part. Everything has been purpose-designed to only connect in a certain position, angle, or way, to make the entire assembly process that little bit easier.

Some of the parts did have tight fittings and required a little force to lock into place properly (wheels, mechanism levers), but I feel that’s usually a sign of decent build quality. You have the feeling that when it’s all put together, it won’t be coming apart anytime soon.

The trickiest part of the entire assembly process was towards the end of the build when you have to screw the back piece to the seat. It requires holding the backrest in place and screwing the bolts in at the same time. Apart from that though, very easy assembly, to say the least.

Design

Once assembled, the first thing that struck me about the Secretlab Titan was how good it looked. They (Secretlab) have clearly taken the minor details into consideration with the 2020 model.

We had the pleasure of using the PRIME 2.0 PU leather version of this chair. However, it does come in a couple of other materials that include a soft fabric and NAPA leather. Be aware, selecting the NAPA leather will have a dramatic knock-on effect in the pricing (around double the cost). You also have the option to choose between five different color schemes and an abundance of esports/ special theme designs.

We opted for the Stealth color theme that offers an all-black design accented by flashes of gold embroidery found in the logo and model branding. Secretlab also chose to give this particular color theme red stitching and a faux carbon-fiber texture which contrasted nicely with the rest of the chair’s aesthetic. Finally, to ensure there’s no confusion regarding this chair’s model year, Secretlab also decided to add a small patch on the left-hand side of the backrest with the year on. Fair play.

Color theme aside, the Titan’s ergonomic design has been cleverly thought out to provide excellent comfort and a ton of back support. This is thanks to the bucket seat design and some additional features they’ve implemented in the backrest (which we’ll touch upon shortly). The bucket seat offers both upper and lower back support thanks to the nicely positioned pads that protrude out at the sides.

The PU leather the Titan uses feels of the highest quality and definitely beats the competition for softness and longevity. Secretlab says the fake leather is rated for 200,000 abrasion tests – roughly ten times that of other chairs in the market – a factor that will no doubt attract a lot of interest from buyers.

Secretlab has equipped the Titan 2020 with a cold-cure foam, which is found molded to the contours of the chair. The padding offers a firm feel, which, when paired with the ergonomic design, promotes a healthier seating position for longer periods. The same padding is used throughout the entirety of the chair, meaning no corners have been cut during the manufacturing process. Comparing this to the Omega of last year, it’s safe to say the Titan definitely feels more robust and much firmer. Does this mean it loses out on some comfort? Potentially. Having said that, I’ve been using this chair for around five months now and have yet to experience any discomfort whilst using it.

As far as build quality is concerned, Secretlab has used only the highest quality materials for the Titan. Strip back this chair to its basics, and you find a strong aluminum alloy base plate combined with an all-steel frame – making up the main body of the chair, the wheelbase, and the arms as well. If there was any doubt in your mind over how long this thing will last, I can assure you Secretlab has not skimped in this department.

Features

With the gaming chair industry offering such a competitive marketplace right now, it’s no surprise that the Secretlab Titan comes equipped with a bunch of high-quality features. Let’s start off by looking at the armrests.

Armrests, believe it or not, are a huge selling point in a gaming chair – or they certainly should be. We’ve had an abundance of gaming chairs in the office, and (more often than not) the armrests are the first things that start to show signs of deterioration. Thankfully, Secretlab has fitted the Titan 2020 with very efficient and versatile armrests. They have been finished with a soft PU coating that looks and feels more premium than other options on the market. Furthermore, the padded nature of the armrest offers a comfortable seating position for your elbows and forearms – allowing you to work/game in comfort for much longer.

As far as functionality goes, the armrests have the ability to adjust in four directions – height, pivot, side-to-side, and forward/backward. That means users will easily be able to find the perfect position no matter what activity they’re participating in. The button to activate the forward/backward and pivot adjustments is now flush with the armrest meaning there is no possible way of pressing that by mistake. Secretlab has also gone to the lengths of adding metal buttons as well (apart from the side-to-side button), which definitely adds to the stylish aesthetic.

Like last year’s version of the Titan, the 2020 has ditched the memory foam lumbar pillow and has been equipped with a more versatile lumbar support mechanism built into the backrest. You’ll find a knob on the right-hand-side (as you sit) of the backrest, which, when turned, offers adjustable lumbar support. With a decent amount of adjustment available, I was able to crank the support up to a point where it actually became uncomfortable – good to know if you have chronic back issues, I suppose. The Titan does come with a decent head pillow though, which, like most modern-day gaming chair pillows, straps over the backrest. It has been designed using a dense memory foam layered with a cooling gel, which helps dissipate additional heat.

To continue with the adjustment of this chair, you have two levers underneath the seat, which offer height adjustment and an option to lock the tilt mechanism. The lever that alters height is predominantly metal with a plastic paddle fitting over the top. You have a max height adjustment of 9.5cm with the Titan, about average when compared to other chairs out there. The hydraulic gas piston is rated at class 4 – offering a smooth transition between heights and a decent lifespan, respectively. The locking lever is identical to the height lever, only offering the option to lock the backrest in place.

To recline the chair, Secretlab has fitted another lever on the right-hand side of the seat, underneath the armrest. The chair offers a huge 85-165degree recline range – extremely useful if you’re one of those gamers who like to game from an almost sleep-like position (hopefully the sarcasm came through). To bring the chair back to its upright position, you’ll have to pull the lever and lean forward simultaneously. If not, you’ll find the chair snaps back into place.

Verdict - Is The Titan 2020 Gaming Chair Worth Your Money?

So, we come to the big question facing anyone looking to potentially purchase one of these chairs – is it worth the money? For me, this is a pretty easy conclusion – and the answer is yes.

While there are very few changes that separate this chair from its predecessor, the Titan 2020 still offers the tried and tested design of yesteryear, with the added addition of higher-quality materials used throughout.

The Titan 2020 has excellent build quality, a fantastic design, superb comfort levels, versatile adjustments, and materials that are rated to stand the test of time. It really does offer it all. The only issue I can foresee with this gaming chair is the price. It is by no means a cheap investment, coming to the table at around $400. Having said that, if you are considering buying something a little less premium, you might want to consider the lifespan of that product. Where the budget offering might only last two years, the Secretlab will probably see you well for the next 5-10. Definitely something I’d consider when looking to purchase my next gaming chair.

Where to buy?

You can purchase directly from Secret Labs right here.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the weight limit and height limit for Secretlab chairs?

A: The recommended weight limit for the Titan 2020 is 130kg. The Omega offers 110kg, whereas the Throne only caters to 100kg and below.

Q: What separates the Titan from the Omega and the Throne?

A: Each of the Secretlab series offers a slightly different design which caters it better towards different weight and size classes. The titan is for larger individuals, the Omega is an all-rounder, and the throne is for smaller folks.

Q: How to assemble the Secretlab Titan 2020?

A: The chair comes with its own set of unique instructions. However, if you’re struggling to get it up and running, you can head over to Secretlab’s product page which has a full how-to.

Conclusion

Let us know what you thought of the Secretlab Titan 2020 by dropping us a comment in the section below. Better yet, why not head over to our Community Hub where you’ll be able to discuss everything chair related with like-minded individuals.