Out of the chairs I've reviewed so far, I've found that different chairs excel in different areas, but I've yet to come across something that truly does it all, with great support, high-quality build materials, and supreme comfort. I thought maybe that was too much to ask, until I tried out Secretlab's Titan chair, which comes extremely close.
Features & Specs
- Recommended height: 195 cm / 6 foot 5 inches
- Recommended weight: 130 kg / 286 lbs
- Floor clearance: 14.5 inches (36 cm) to 18 inches (45.7cm)
- Seat base width: 54 cm / 21.2 inches
- PU leather upholstery / memory foam
- Adjustable backrest recline
- Adjustable arm rests
- Internal lumbar adjustment system
- Lockable tilt mechanism
- Hydraulic height adjustments
- Steel frame
- Base price: $490.00
When it comes to features, on paper, Secretlab's Titan Stealth chair knocks it out of the park. Roomy design, large feature set, and premium, sturdy materials make up the $490 base price point. But do you get what you pay for?
The Secretlab Titan Stealth chair comes with various ways to adjust your seating experience. It comes with many of the standard functions, including height adjustments with a hydraulic gas lift, tilt control, wheels for moving around, and a full-size recliner backrest. What has set this chair apart, for me, is the quality of all these features and functions.
Careful attention has been paid to things as simple as the levers and hinges, which unlike some other chairs I've used, have a really smooth, gentle action, as opposed to aggressive spring-loaded systems. The recliner glides gently backward and forwards, locking into place reassuringly. The casters on the wheels are larger and stronger than usual too, ensuring there's no loss of maneuverability under load.
On the underneath of the chair, there's a lock for tilt control, height, and also a dial that controls the tension. You can angle the seat upwards by unlocking the tilt mechanism and moving the seat until it's in the desired position. The motion also has some smooth, reassuring resistance too, making it easy to find that perfect position.
When I first saw pictures of Secretlab's Titan Stealth chair I was impressed with the visual design, but a little concerned about the angular configuration of the central leg, with regards to balance. However, it's this hinge that gives the chair its tilt action, and in practice, it feels solid and sturdy, despite the fact I'm pushing the chair's weight limit.
In addition to the tilt and recline controls, the Titan Stealth chair also gives you control over the positioning of the armrests, which can be raised, lowered, angled, and slid laterally as well.
Given the huge amounts of customizability with this chair and the ease of making adjustments, you can pretty much guarantee that all your seating needs will be met. But at the end of the day, it only truly matters how comfortable it is.
Comfort and design
The Titan Stealth chair utilizes steel tubes for its frame, a top generous amount of cold cut memory foam and "premium" PU leather, and frankly, it just feels great.
Whether you're reclining back to watch a movie or play a casual game, or seated forward for intense FPS action or long word processing sessions, the chair can be adjusted to fit your needs as they change. It's not really a good idea to stay sitting in a single position for any length of time, which is why it's great how easily the Titan Stealth can be adjusted on the fly.
The PU leather used certainly appears to be at the high-end, with tight red stitching that looks as sleek as it feels. The seat also sports carbon fiber-style accents along the backrest and the seat, which look stylish and match weapon skin styles often found in first-person shooters. It's a subtle, but nice touch.
Another subtlety in the chair's configuration is the hidden lumbar system, which is inside the backrest itself. A dial on the right side of the chair can extend the protrusion distance at the lower half of the backrest, giving your lower back some additional support. It's a nice touch, but only if your lower back matches up with the positioning. Other gaming chairs tend to use a floating lumbar option attached with straps, allowing you to move it up and down depending on your needs. Sure, that solution looks clunky, but it works. Sadly the lumbar rest on the Titan was too low down for me personally, it would've been nice to have the option of moving it upwards somehow. It's just something to keep in mind if you're a fan of lumbar pillows.
The Titan Stealth chair also comes with a neck rest pillow, which is attached with straps — a nice little bonus for reclining.
Through and through, the Titan Stealth chair is a heavenly seating experience that is truly hard to fault. The armrests are coated with a soft layer of PU leather and foam, adding additional comfort on top of their 4-dimensions worth of adjustability. The wheels have great action even under heavy load, and the thick aluminum base is reinforced with additional gussets for maximum durability. At $490, you do get the quality you pay for.
Final thoughts
The Titan Stealth chair from Secretlab approaches that level of premium affordability that is rarely seen in the seating world, with an attention to detail that reminds me of Microsoft's Surface line, but in chair form.
It feels as though almost every aspect of the seat has been tweaked to improve the experience, from the reassuring resistances added to the seat adjustments, to the smooth action on all the levers, switches, and wheels. The materials are nice, the comfort is top-rated, and the price point is fair.
Pros:
- Ergonomic, comfortable design.
- Highly adjustable.
- Premium feel throughout.
- Easy assembly.
Cons:
- Lumbar system only supports one vertical position.
- Base price might be prohibitive for many.
While the lumbar feature missed the mark for me, that wouldn't be true for many, most likely. The real beauty is in the adjustability, tilting back on the sturdy hinge compensated for my need for dedicated lumbar support, and the ability to rock and change on the fly makes longer seating sessions more comfortable.
This is one of the best chairs I've ever used, and it will be for you too — regardless of your needs.
The Secretlab Titan Stealth chair is available direct from Secretlab for $490, currently discounted to $359.
