Regardless of releasing again in Summer season 2021, Secretlab’s Titan Evo stays among the best gaming chairs right this moment. The Titan Evo provides glorious ergonomics and flexibility in a premium bundle that is constructed to final. But when the $549 beginning worth is a bit too steep in your finances, there’s now another possibility. Secretlab’s brand-new Titan Evo Lite retains the overwhelming majority of options discovered on the unique whereas shaving nearly 20% off the worth.
Beginning at $449, the Titan Evo Lite falls squarely within the mid-range of pricing for name-brand gaming chairs. However as talked about, you are still getting the same expertise to the Titan Evo at a lower cost: cold-cure foam cushions that stay comfy for a lot of hours, sturdy SoftWeave material or Prime 2.0 Leatherette upholstery that appears and feels high-quality, adjustable 4D armrests that transfer up and down in addition to left to proper, a pebble-shaped seat with refined contours, easy casters, 165-degree reclining, and a sturdy, carbon-steel body.
Secretlab says the Lite has 95% of the options discovered on the Titan Evo. Whereas I am undecided how that share was calculated, it’s true that the sitting expertise is kind of comparable. I requested my spouse, who had by no means sat in both the Titan Evo or the Titan Evo Lite, to strive every chair and inform me which one she thought was the finances mannequin. She advised me they felt the identical.
Now, as somebody who has been utilizing the Titan Evo for years, I can inform they’re not precisely the identical, however the Lite is not for individuals like me who have already got the pricier mannequin. The essential factor right here is that the brand new mannequin does an admirable job replicating the Titan Evo, which stays our prime decide for the very best gaming chair while you think about worth and efficiency.
So, what is the distinction between the 2 fashions then? The primary one is the precise implementation of their lumbar help. For background: Not like many gaming chairs which have seen cushions or extremely noticeable curves to help your again, Secretlab chairs have built-in lumbar helps. Reasonably than providing an opulent really feel with a variety of give to it, the backrest and seat have a agency really feel. Should you’re used to plush cushions, it’s going to take a bit to regulate, however the essential benefit right here is that the inner lumbar tech limits pressure in your again when sitting for lengthy stretches of time. Maybe much more importantly, these post-sitting pains that crop up after hours of sitting are much less possible because of the design.
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Everybody’s physique is completely different, so I can solely converse from my expertise, however my decrease again and legs are by no means sore from the unique Titan Evo–and I’ve had some depressing experiences with gaming and workplace chairs up to now. Although I’ve solely been utilizing the Titan Evo Lite for a couple of week, I have never skilled any again ache whereas sitting or afterwards.
That mentioned, the Lite does not have as a lot tech contained in the backrest. The Titan Evo was the primary Secretlab chair to implement the 4-way L-Adapt Lumbar Assist System. In easy phrases, the lumbar help subtly repositions itself to suit the consumer’s seated place. It’s also possible to flip the pair of stress dials to manually regulate the inner lumbar help. The help can shift each vertically and horizontally. Should you have a tendency to maneuver rather a lot whereas sitting, this intelligent function is definitely welcome. The Titan Evo Lite’s lumbar help has a set location within the lower-middle of the backrest. When seated in a standard upright place, I truthfully could not inform the distinction between the 2 lumbar helps. The distinction reveals up while you alter your posture, corresponding to leaning to the facet, slouching, and so forth. The lumbar does not shift along with your physique, so you aren’t getting the identical help when not utilizing correct posture. You can also’t regulate the strain to your desire. Granted, that is the case for the numerous majority of ergonomic chairs, so it is not likely a deficiency except it is in comparison with the common Titan Evo. I have a tendency to remain in the identical spot whereas sitting, so this omission did not actually impression my expertise. The Lite wasn’t fairly as comfy with unhealthy posture, nevertheless it definitely wasn’t painful. Just like the Lite’s different adjustments, it is too early to say for positive whether or not the reworked lumbar design will trigger discomfort for many who have a tendency to maneuver round of their seat. It’d make sense that constantly sitting with unhealthy posture would result in extra aches and pains with the Lite than its predecessor.
Whereas the backrests are completely different, the superior pebble-shaped seats are an identical. The design really helps you keep correct posture because of refined contours that push you towards the middle. Just like the backrest, the seat has a agency density that, when paired with the sunshine curvature, alleviates stress in your higher legs and backside.
Each Titan Evo fashions I’ve examined have been wrapped in Secretlab’s black SoftWeave material. Technically, although very comparable, the supplies on the 2 aren’t an identical. The Lite makes use of commonplace SoftWeave, whereas the unique has SoftWeave Plus. The latter employs finer stitching, permitting for extra detailed patterns. Within the case of the black fashions I examined, the stitched sample of the Lite has a streakier look versus the speckled design of the unique. Total, this discrepancy is minor from visible and really feel standpoints.
It is too early to know the way effectively the SoftWeave will maintain up in comparison with the SoftWeave Plus. The material on the common Titan Evo is tighter, so it could fare higher in the long term. My Titan Evo’s upholstery seems to be an identical to once I unboxed it 2.5 years in the past. There is not a single stretch, tear, or put on spot. It is value noting commonplace SoftWeave was used within the 2020 Titan and Omega chairs and was well-received. The Prime 2.0 Leatherette upholstery matches the 2020 fashions, too. Although I did not take a look at it on the Lite, I at all times appreciated the texture on the 2020 Omega I beforehand owned. In the meantime, the unique Titan Evo has Neo Hybrid Leatherette, which is stronger and thus may maintain up longer, too.
Two different minor variations are value weighing earlier than deciding between the 2 fashions. Although the Lite has the 4D armrests that may twist left and proper, they don’t seem to be modular. The usual Titan Evo has magnetic armrest covers that may be upgraded to higher-quality reminiscence foam or “technogel” covers (principally reminiscence foam with cooling gel). Swapping the armrests on the Titan Evo prices $79-$89, so it is a dear add-on–but one you do not have the choice to get with the Lite. That mentioned, the default armrests are just about an identical between the 2. They include agency reminiscence foam and are wrapped in PU leather-based. The armrests themselves have absolutely metallic frames on the unique, together with the lever that raises/lowers the peak, whereas the Lite is made largely of aluminum. This does not actually have an effect on efficiency, although it is attainable the metallic armrests will maintain up longer.
Each Titan Evo fashions have magnetic headrests, however the Lite does not include the cooling gel reminiscence foam pillow; it’s a must to purchase it individually for $49. With the way in which Secretlab chairs are formed, a head pillow is optionally available, not important. It is good to have if you wish to use the chair as a recliner for enjoyable, however at your desk, your head in all probability will not contact the headrest all that always. Plus, the backrest gives sufficient help already. The official pillow is admittedly fairly nice (and really costly), however any neck pillow you personal must be a good substitute in a pinch.
Save for the lumbar stress dials and the modular armrests, the adjustable parts within the chairs are basically the identical. There is a tilt lever that permits you to easily rock forwards and backwards. A deal with to the best of the seat base prompts the recline operate. It is able to reclining and locking at any spot as much as a 165-degree angle. The chair maintains its sturdiness with the backrest all the way in which down. Lastly, there is a lever that adjusts seat peak, and it too works easily with out a hitch.
Together with the 2 completely different types of upholstery, the Titan Evo Lite has two completely different sizes and quite a few shade variants. Common dimension is mostly meant for customers 5’7″ to six’2″ and below 220 kilos, whereas the XL mannequin is for these 5’11” to six’9″ who weigh between 175 and 395 kilos. The unique Titan Evo, however not the Lite, can be accessible in a small dimension for these below 5’6″. Prime 2.0 Leatherette upholstery is accessible in black and Stealth (black and grey sample), and the SoftWeave upholstery is available in black, Cookie and Cream, and Charcoal Blue. Should you go for the common Titan Evo, you’ll be able to decide from a number of extra types, together with particular editions such because the Cyberpunk 2077-themed mannequin.
Total, Secretlab’s Titan Evo Lite is a implausible gaming chair at its worth level. Although the unique Titan Evo has a bit extra versatility, the Lite provides most of the most impactful options whereas sustaining a premium construct. I would suggest studying GameSpot’s full Secretlab Titan Evo evaluation earlier than shopping for both of them, because it goes in-depth on what makes the Titan Evo (and now Evo Lite) an excellent alternative should you’re keen to drop this type of money on a chair. Should you’re at your desk for a lot of the day, investing in an ergonomic chair for gaming (and work) is de facto value it. For the worth, the Titan Evo Lite is difficult to beat.
Disclosure: Secretlab offered the Titan Evo Lite to GameSpot for testing.