Singapore’s Secretlab has long provided its users young and old with the choice of two extremes when it comes to the material for its TITAN Evo gaming chairs. There’s the Neo Hybrid Leatherette for those who want the conventional smooth leather-like feel, and the SoftWeave Plus Fabric option for those desiring a softer and more cushioned alternative.
It seems that someone at the company probably raised the question, “Why not both?”, as Secretlab has unveiled its latest stab at technological innovation, combining the best of both worlds with the TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition.
At first glance, the chair seems identical to the excellent 2022 iteration of the TITAN Evo series, which we reviewed previously, with the only notable difference in design being a lack of the usual size and version indication patch on the sides of the backrest. Everything else, from its full-metal 4D armrest, to its built-in L-ADAPT 4-way lumber support system remains unchanged, which is a smart decision considering the TITAN Evo’s already strong foundations.
But let’s focus on what we’re all here for – the new Nanogen Hybrid Leatherette. On paper, it’s a love-child of two Secretlab staples, and while the combo sounds weird, the actual feeling of touching it presents a balanced middle ground, combining the smooth, firm nature of leatherette with the cushioning and suppleness akin to that of its fabric brethren.
From the moment your posterior meets the seat, the difference is immediately noticeable, presenting a drastic improvement in terms of softness when compared to the base Neo leatherette, although not quite to the extent of the SoftWeave fabric, which is understandable considering that this is still a leather material after all.
Secretlab has certainly worked some engineering magic here with their NanoFoam Composite, which consists of their trademark cold-cure foam topped with a soft-cushion microfoam layer, allowing the seat base to retain its weight distribution properties while enhancing it with a softer, cushioned feel, resulting in an almost memory-foam like quality. This is arguably the most comfortable Secretlab leather chair to date, and while admittedly we were sceptical of its claims at first, it promptly blew our expectations away.
Another stark difference comes with its hand feel, which is much smoother and more supple than the previous generation leatherette, perfect for comfortable napping when paired with the chair’s 165-degree recline (definitely not during office hours, of course!). Integrating dense nanofibers into both the chair’s surface and inner layers, the new material is built to be more durable than before, making it feel sturdy enough to handle all sorts of sitting postures, from cross-legged to having one foot up like a coffeeshop uncle.
It remains to be seen if the material can withstand the peeling effect that affects PU material in this humid weather, but the company is aware of the issue, and this looks like an attempt to correct things.
The TITAN Evo NanoGen comes in two simple colour options – Pure Black or Pure White, the latter of which we opted for. Secretlab certainly wasn’t kidding with their naming convention as the final product is almost entirely white, down to its armrest covers and even its wheelbase. Its jarring appearance might seem unnerving at first, looking almost like a prototype and not an actual consumer product, but its uniformly striking aesthetic does allow it to stand out in any setting, and fits well for those who enjoy the minimalistic style.
Of course, when presented with a surface as clean and bright as this, staining is a rather prominent concern, and to this end the company claims that the NanoGen was engineered for enhanced stain and UV resistance, undergoing multiple tests to ensure it doesn’t yellow over time. Self-proclaimed features must be taken with a pinch of salt, and the two weeks we had with the chair were not nearly enough to see any long-term use effects. From personal testing, however, the chair did come out spotless after multiple days of desk lunches and intermittent snacking, but it’s still a safer bet to be more careful when using the chair or opt for the Pure Black option to avoid the risk entirely.
Moving on to accessories, Secretlab’s magnetic CloudSwap replacement system, a staple since its 2022 iteration, sees a return with a twist: The NanoGen edition comes packaged with its premium variation, the PlushCell Memory Foam armrest, in silver for the pure white variation and black for the other.
In terms of an upgrade, the PlushCell is a rather substantial one too, with its soft, almost suede-esque feel being leagues more comfortable than the regular version, to the point where it almost feels like a pillow, allowing the smooth gliding of elbows across its surface without any feelings of discomfort due to friction.
One minor disadvantage of having such material is how easy it can be to stain or dirty, requiring users to once again express caution and handle it with care. The grey colour of the armrest top also, unfortunately, breaks the overall colour uniformity of the chair, although its included Magnetic Memory Foam Head Pillow comes in a matching grey to balance out the discrepancy.
It is also to be noted that the NanoGen comes in only two sizes – the regular (for users between 170 to 189cm tall) or XL (181 to 205cm), forgoing the usual Small (169cm and below) option provided by Secretlab’s other offerings, so more petite users, or those with space restrictions in their rooms might need to do some measurements to check if they can fit the chairs minimum 56cm width and 49cm depth.
Starting from S$949 for the regular variant, compared to the S$644 regular-sized standard TITAN Evo, the Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition is a premium and what happens when a company successfully goes against the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. It retains the technologies that made the original Evo 2022 Series great while also drastically improving the level of comfort with its Nanogen Hybrid Leatherette.
If you were previously undecided on which of the two materials to go for when considering a Secretlab gaming chair, this middle ground might be your best bet. Just remember to take extra caution when snacking, as an unsightly stain or spill in a sea of white would be unfortunate indeed.
GEEK REVIEW SCORE
Summary
Presenting the next evolution in Secretlab’s gaming chair technologies, the TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition adds game-changing levels of comfort to its already excellent flagship.
Overall
9.3/10
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Aesthetics - 9.5/10
9.5/10
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Build Quality - 9/10
9/10
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Performance - 9/10
9/10
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Value - 9/10
9/10
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Geek Satisfaction - 10/10
10/10
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Si Jia
