The Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 has been holding the gaming chair world hostage for the past two years. If I'm not getting Facebook ads telling me that even Hans Zimmer has one, I'm probably seeing a rival brand trying to emulate its every breath. It's been a while since we saw any new gaming chairs from the brand though, but that's (sort of) about to change.
Secretlab has finally announced a new gaming chair for 2024, but it's very familiar. The Secretlab Titan Evo Lite is a more wallet-friendly version of the Titan Evo from 2022, but it'd be basically impossible to tell the two models apart. In our eyes, the Titan Evo was the best gaming chair on the market until late last year when we reviewed the Boulies Ninja Pro.
Part of the reason Boulies supplanted Secretlab was due to value. The original Secretlab Titan Evo will set you back $549 / £469, while Boulies offers its premium seat for well under that. However, for this new Lite variant, Secretlab will charge a more affordable $449/£389.
The Titan Evo Lite is available in the classic Secretlab colorways - Stealth, Black, Cookies and Cream, Charcoal Blue, and Softweave Black. In terms of upholstery, the Lite model is available in Secretlab's PRIME 2.0 Leatherette and its SoftWeave Fabric.
But what are the differences between the OG Titan Evo and the new Lite model? Well, we've gone into specifics in the table below, but essentially the 2024 version has all the same features, just made with slightly more affordable materials or spins.
| Feature | Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 | Secretlab Titan Evo Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Available Sizes | S, R, XL | R, XL |
| Upholstery | Secretlab NEO Hybrid Leatherette, Secretlab SoftWeave Plus Fabric | Secretlab PRIME 2.0 Leatherette, Secretlab SoftWeave Fabric |
| Magnetic Memory Foam Head Pillow with Cooling Gel | Included | Compatible, but sold separately |
| Armrest | Full-metal 4D armrests with CloudSwap Technology | Adjustable 4D armrests |
| Lumbar Support | 4-way L-ADAPT Lumbar Support System | Integrated lumbar curve |
| Wheelbase | ADC #12 Aluminium | Nylon (Regular) ADC #12 Aluminium (XL) |
Other than that, both models will share Secretlab's patent-pending cold-cure foam in the seat cushion, the proprietary pebble-shaped seat base, multi-tilt mechanism, steel frame, and 5-year warranty.
At present, it would seem that all those fancy officially licensed designs that arguably set this brand apart will only be available for the full-fat Titan Evo. In fairness, these bespoke designs always hike the price up anyway, so the classic Secretlab hues are where you tend to see the most value. The good news is that Secretlab's chair "skins" are compatible with the Evo Lite, meaning there are ways to change your chair's looks without going for a custom design.
Ian Ang, Co-founder and CEO of Secretlab compared the two Titan Evo models to BMW cars, saying: "Think of it like a BMW 3 series versus 5 series. One has slightly more bells and whistles than the other, but both are still premium cars and still deliver a fantastic, similar experience."
On the face of it, it sure seems as though this new Titan Evo Lite is designed to combat emerging brands like Boulies that offer extremely comparable seats for much cheaper, as Ang noted:
"Many fans have asked us for a cheaper version of a Secretlab chair. To be honest, it would have been easy for us to do that. Put together a chair with the cheapest materials, forgo durability, and pay no attention to how the design, features, and overall experience all come together.
"These compromises are also what you would find in knockoffs posing to provide ergonomic comfort and support. But we were very clear that we would not compromise on the Secretlab experience that fans love Secretlab for", he concluded.
The Titan Evo Lite is available online from today via the Secretlab store. For other gaming chairs, check out our price comparison widget down below.
For more on gaming chairs, check out the best console gaming chairs, and the best pink gaming chairs.
