Secretlab is practically synonymous with the words ‘gaming chair’, with its flagship Titan Evo line the preferred choice of many esports athletes, professional streamers, and practically anyone looking for one of the best gaming chairs on the market. But the company doesn’t want to stop at gaming — and its new Atlas chair is its first step in a different direction.
The Atlas is the company’s first dedicated task chair, a product that looks like spearheading a more aggressive expansion into the home office market where it will butt heads with the likes of Boulies and Herman Miller.
So, how will it make this transition? And how was the Atlas developed? Back in April I flew out to Secretab’s Singapore HQ for a very early hands-on, and to learn more about the development of some of its biggest features.
Built for just the right level of support
One thing that’s always defined the Titan Evo is how nice it is to sit in. Our original reviewer called it “the most comfortable chair” they’ve ever used, lavishing praise on the high level of ergonomic support that it offers, and having tested countless gaming chairs over the years, it’s the model that I most consistently recommend.
Whether you pick the fabric or leatherette finish, I know first hand that the quality of the materials on offer is excellent, too — and that the brand provides one of the most consistently smooth and approachable assembly processes on the market.
Throw in included extras like a comfortable magnetic neck pillow, plus the availability of optional accessories that range all the way from upgraded armrests to a full-on recliner, and it’s not hard to see why they’re so popular.
All of that helped the Titan Evo become a top home office pick, too. So how did the company approach the development of the Atlas?
According to head of product development and industrial design Vincent Sin the Atlas’ backrest was crafted using data from ergonomic studies and features a combination of the brand’s proprietary cold-cure foam and integrated springs that help it subtly adapt to your natural curve as you sit.
When I first sat in the Atlas I discovered that, much like the Titan Evo 2022, it feels quite firm at first — especially compared to super soft seats like the Corsair TC100 Relaxed — and noticed that it doesn’t press up against your lower back quite as aggressively as other chairs.
“People don’t know that having too much lumbar support is also a bad thing,” Sin explained, revealing that it can lead to hypertension and cause strain over time. Crafting the shape of the Atlas involved plenty of iteration, with pressure mapping used to identify where extra support was needed. The Secretlab Atlas doesn’t offer any dedicated lumbar adjustment controls, with all the fine-tuning occurring by itself as you sit.
“What we found is that often than not, with task chairs that have a lot of adjustments, it’s very confusing and people often will get it wrong,” Sin said. “And I would say that’s worse than having something that automatically adjusts for you.”
That’s not to say that the Atlas doesn’t offer plenty of other ways to tailor the seating experience. The chair’s height can be raised or lowered of course, the armrests can be pulled up or rotated, and even seat depth can be adjusted to cater to a range of leg lengths.
Business-ready colors
Secretlab has always opted for a more understated aesthetic than other gaming chair makers and that approach carries through to the Atlas. It definitely echoes the shape of the Titan Evo, giving it a distinct look compared to most office furniture, but it’s not overly flashy or garish.
The standard version of the Atlas starts at $499 / £399 and comes in either Hybrid Leatherette or SoftWeave Plus Fabric finishes in a selection of suitably business-appropriate colors. Those buying the leatherette can choose Classic Black or Moon (which is white with black accents). On the fabric side there’s a standard Black, grey Cookies & Cream, and the sandy Dune.
There’s also the option to upgrade to the premium Secretlab Atlas with Nanofoam Composite starting at $699 / £599. This adds a layer of microfoam for an even more supportive and, having sat on both side by side, noticeably softer experience and swaps the black armrests, hydraulic mechanic, and wheel based to color matched variants.
There are two NanoGen Edition models (which use Secretlab’s latest super plush finish) on offer here, Pure White+ and Black+, in addition to the less flashy fabric Dune+ and Pure Black+.
The Secretlab Atlas is available now via the Secretlab website.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
