It’s no secret that the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 Series gaming chairs have been well received; much like the company’s previous chairs, the Evo 2022 series improves upon previous iterations while offering new features that gamers are sure to love. While other reviews have focused on impressions left by adults, I chose to go a different way, working with my 10-year-old daughter to review the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 in the company’s smallest of sizes.
I’m aware that many people won’t choose to spend over $500 on a gaming chair for their 10-year-old. However, hear me out, with a 5-year-warranty, excellent features, and a killer aesthetic, it’s worth considering if you can stomach the price for your child’s next gaming chair.
Let’s dive into the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 Series review by first taking a look at the chairs packaging and incredibly simple assembly process. I completed the unpacking and assembly while my daughter provided her feedback for the actual chair review.
Secretlab Quality Packaging Goes a Long Way
I recently reviews the XXL Chair with my 7-year-old, and I noted that Secretlab chairs are very obvious based on their packaging. The thick cardboard is secure, and I’ve never had one of their chairs arrive damaged; however, they are also an easy target for theft. I highly recommend that you are either home for delivery or that you have someone who can watch out for this very large box to arrive.
The box arrived very well taped and with no noticeable damage. I feel like shipping companies know when they are dealing with an expensive item it is treated with a gentler touch.
Just like every other Secretlab chair, the inside of the box features an insert with the product name. This serves as a great branding opportunity for Secretlab and ensures that all of the included hardware remains firmly in place.
Pictured above is the chair’s pneumatic piston, levers for seat and backrest adjustments, the chair’s magnetic side covers, and all five wheels. Every Secretlab chair from the Titan XXS to the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 XL ships with thick styrofoam surrounding all of its major components.
Packed on the top right side of the image above are all of the tools and screws you’ll need to complete the assembly process. Anyone who has purchased a Secretlab chair understands how helpful these tools are.
As an added bonus, the Allen key and hex tool can be used for other projects around your home in the future. The handle is comfortable, and the included bit features the same high quality we’ve come to expect for the company’s chairs.
It shouldn’t take you more than 15-20 minutes to assemble a Secretlab chair. The chair has a large photo-illustrated assembly guide and requires only a few components to be placed together.
I fully assembled the chair by myself; however, I will note that I’ve installed numerous Secretlab TITAN Evo chairs, and it’s basically second nature at this point. In any case, you can see from the info above that this is easily a one-person job with very few steps to follow.
The chair immediately feels solid after installation, and it’s ready to go in less time than it takes to watch an episode of your favorite sitcom.
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Review (Small Size)
My daughter has used my 2020 Titan (large size) numerous times. That chair is too big for her 4′ 6′ frame, leaving a lot of room between the back of the chair and where she needs to sit on the front of the chair to remain comfortable while keeping her feet planted firmly on the floor.
She immediately noticed that the small version of the TITAN Evo 2022 fits her better. The narrower seat base, her ability to keep the chair closer to the ground, and a more form-fitting seat base (which is smaller), all make for a perfect package. At 5’10” and 190 pounds, I sat in the chair and found it a bit on the small size, which is a fair assessment considering the chair is meant for people 5’6″ and smaller and under 200 pounds.
My 10-year-old says the “chair fits me really well, and I like that there’s still room for me to fit even better when I grow more.” She admits there is still a lot of space she doesn’t fit into with the chair, but she says it’s more comfortable for her than my large-sized 2020 Titan.
My daughter’s favorite part of this chair is by far the recline option which can reach up to 165 degrees. Since the depth of the seat base is still pretty small for her size, she sits upright in the chair when doing school work or gaming. However, she’s also a bookworm and loves reading in the chair. She says the reclining option allows her to lay back with her favorite books and read comfortably. She also likes to recline in the chair when watching videos on her PC.
Like many kids her age, my daughter often sits with her legs folded underneath herself or crisscrossed , and she says those sitting positions are very comfortable in her new Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 chair. She also says the chair’s minimum height fits her “perfectly” at her regular-sized desk, allowing her to easily navigate her mouse and keyboard during intense PvP games and when doing schoolwork.
My 10-year-old says the magnetic pillow is a no-go. The pillow places her posture in a weird position, pushing her body forward in the chair, which she says is “annoying and not at all comfortable.”
In all fairness to Secretlab, she’s still on the small size, and the pillows placement may become more comfortable for her later on. I personally can’t imagine using my Secretlab chair without the memory foam pill.
Keep in mind that the small version has a backrest that’s just 32.3″ in height compared to the XL version, which extends to 35″ at its highest point. That means it shouldn’t take her as long to “grow into” her smaller version of the chair. If you’re on the shorter side but tall enough to take advantage of the memory foam pillow, the small version may be just right for your needs.
While my daughter doesn’t appreciate the magnetic pillow because of size issues, I also noticed that the magnet doesn’t appear to be very strong. Barely bumping the chair or pillow cause it to fall off its magnetic mount. She quite literally knocked the pillow off twice in the first 10 minutes she had the chair and now it’s sitting on a shelf next to her desk.
For anyone looking for a smaller chair, my son has the Titan XXL with the leatherette option, and this is how it compares in size.
The Extra Extras Small chair is, unfortunately, lacking a bunch of the features that other Secretlab chairs offer; you can read the review I did with my son for that chair HERE.
My daughter says another big part of her comfort is due to the fabric of the chair. She received the Secretlab SoftWeave™ Plus Fabric option, the same fabric I have always chosen for my chairs which has withstood the test of time so far.
She likes that the fabric maintains a consistent temperature in our house. She also likes the firmness of the chair, which she said is “solid but not like sitting on a bench.” I concur with her assessment. If you’ve never sat in a Secretlab chair, it might shock you at first how solid the feel is. After you get used to the chair’s firmness, you’ll never want to go back to other chair surfaces.
If you’re curious, her chair is the “Cookies and Cream” option.
The Evo 2022 gaming chair features the ability to have the chair move with your movements, but my daughter prefers to lock herself in place. Maybe it’s her youthful energy, but when unlocked, the chair is very unstable, causing her to lose focus on the tasks at hand. She told me she “has no plans to unlock the chair, especially since my feet barely reach the ground, so it makes me rock back and forth too much.
Still, while she may not use all the features, she is able to operate the entire chair on her own. She says the recline works great and that even at just 65 pounds, she’s able to move the chair up and down on the unit’s pneumatic piston without any issues.
With all of its chairs, except for the XXS, Secretlab also includes a lumbar support option. Since my daughter doesn’t fit well all the way back in the seat, she doesn’t use this feature. We did test it out but she never had enough back support to gain any advantage.
A better option for your child may be to purchase one of the Secretlab Lumbar support pillows, but they will run you around $60 each.
In terms of the armrests, my daughter found that turning in the armrests in a little bit and adjusting them to a middle height level is the most comfortable for her. The best part about Secretlab armrests is that they are very easy to adjust with plenty of options. She received the standard arm rests but Secretlab is also now offering Cloudswap technology, which makes changing the armrest surface very easy. I can see some Secretlab PlushCell™ Memory Foam Armrest Tops in her future.
Overall, my daughter is very happy with her Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 chair in the small size and gives it a solid 9.6 out of 10 stars. She does schoolwork, plays games, and even spends hours reading in her chair. With its 5-year warranty, excellent comfort, and cool design, she says she’ll happily be using her chair for many years to come.
You can learn more about the chair at Secretlab.co.
