The Secretlab Atlas is a top office chair but terrible for gaming

When gaming chair maker Secretlab announced the release of its very first home office chair, I wasn’t shocked.

There’s been a gradual trend with office chair makers like Herman Miller teaming up with Logitech to create a gamer-focused version of the Embody, alongside brands like FlexiSpot and Eureka Ergonomic launching its own line of gaming chairs.

On the flips-side, companies like Boulies, which has a long gaming heritage with its Master series, have branched out into office chairs (I still think the EP200 is the best value all-rounder, after over a year of constant use). With the rise of hybrid and remote working, it seemed like just a matter of time before Secretlab got in on the action.

The anti-gaming silhouette

I’m obsessed with gaming chairs that look right at home in an office. I’ve covered stealth gaming and office chairs for years. Those understated seats that don’t draw attention on a Zoom call with the boss, but are perfect for late-night play sessions (the Corsair TC100 Relaxed is a good budget example).

On that score, the Secretlab Atlas is a total success. Now, it’s not a gaming chair. But you can see it’s taken inspiration from the Titan Evo. Sit them side by side and it’s clear they share the same brand heritage, with those cleanly carved and subtle contours.

However, the design skips on two aggressive elements you’ll find on pretty much every gaming chair: the racing-style bucket seat bolsters and the shoulder wings. Both are designed to lock you into position that’s perfect for precision play on controller or M+K.

But an office worker needs that unrestricted extra space, allowing upper body movement. Fingers flying over the keyboard, constantly sweeping the mouse, and pivoting at the desk.

So, instead, it’s got a sleek look – Secretlab calls it “our lightest silhouette yet”, and I totally agree here. Because of that style, I find it works very well in the home office, even smaller ones. I carted it downstairs so my wife could use it in the dining room when she was working from home.

The Atlas blended in so well, feeling more like home furniture than any bulky leatherette bucket chair ever could. Weirdly, despite the higher backrest, it’s far less noticeable than her office-engineered Boulies OP180 was.

Secretlab Atlas in cookies and cream on a white background

Professionally styled in Dune, Cookies & Cream, and Black³, the base model Secretlab Atlas features a SoftWeave Plus Fabric covering over cold-cure foam for a firm, ergonomic fit. It’s available in Regular and Large to accommodate your height and weight class.

Built for typing, not chilling

All the best office chairs my team and I have reviewed have one thing in common: adjustability.

Given Secretlab’s experience, it’s no surprise that the Atlas has plenty to help tailor the sit. That includes mechanisms for tweaking the seat depth, backrest, and armrests, as well as synchronous tilt.

What this means in practice is that you can lean back with your feet on the ground, and the backrest and seat move as one for continued support. Effectively, it’s designed to keep your hips open to relieve pressure on your lower back.

It’s a world away from the traditional gaming setup, where the backrest tilts and reclines independently. It’s absolutely perfect for laying back, playing games, watching movies. But this mechanism also sends you into a horizontal slouch – one of the main reasons why so many modern chairs come with built-in footrests.

However, it’s not as adjustable as many of the office chairs I’ve tested out. When our gaming editor Dash Wood spoke to Vincent Sin, the company’s head of product development and industrial design, he explained: “What we found is that more often than not, with task chairs that have a lot of adjustments, it’s very confusing and people often will get it wrong. And I would say that’s worse than having something that automatically adjusts for you.”

But this brings me to the one adjustable element I actually would change. The chair does feel low to the ground – a view echoed in our Secretlab Atlas review.

The Large model does offer slightly more height over the Regular version, but I still think extra height range would’ve stripped away the only real complaint I have here. As an average man of average height, it’s not a deal-breaker for me. But it’s definitely something I’ve noticed during my time with it compared to other office chairs.

The Secretlab Atlas in a home office

(Image credit: Future)

The lumbar support gamble

Also missing is the adjustable or dynamic lumbar support I tend to see on more premium office and gaming chairs. The Titan Evo famously uses the 4-Way L-Adapt Lumbar Support System, giving you control over the lower back support.

Instead, the Atlas uses a simplified Re-Curve backrest. Again, Sin said this design choice was intentional. “People don’t know that having too much lumbar support is also a bad thing.” Instead, the company pressure-mapped sitters to figure out where back support is needed and where it isn’t.

Now, I’m not entirely convinced by that. I still think adjustable support is essential, especially for those who need lower back pain relief. I suspect economics and aesthetics are playing a bigger role here than anyone is prepared to admit.

For a chair costing over $500 / £400, I was a little concerned when I first parked myself into the Secretlab Atlas.

The results, though, surprised me. Maybe Secretlab are right: we are over-engineering modern office chairs.

Why firmness wins for the workday

So far, so gaming and office chair. But there’s one major change with the Secretlab Atlas that I think makes it an ideal task chair, but absolutely useless for gaming.

It’s firm.

I think a lot of people expect office chairs to feel like a well-worn armchair or a couch. Soft, cushiony, like sinking into a foamy cloud.

That squishiness feels good for an hour or two while working. And it’s perfect for gaming – you want to feel snug, even during the sweatiest of battles. But it’s not recommended for an 8-hour workday, 5 days a week where you’re upright, typing away, maintaining your posture.

Now, I’m not saying you need to sit on a concrete slab at your desk. And the Atlas definitely doesn’t feel that way. I appreciate support it has as I work, and actually look forward to sitting on it.

I’m not the only one convinced by it.

My pregnant wife is suffering chronic back pain during her pregnancy. She’s hijacked the Secretlab Atlas because her softer office chair just made the pain worse. The Atlas eased the pressure. Her verdict (politely sanitized for this family-friendly publication: “It’s ridiculously comfortable.”

The Atlas is basically designed for a very different sitting profile. You’ll immediately notice the difference coming from a Titan Evo or similar. So, it’s not the best gaming chair, but it was never meant to be.