it looks as good as it feels

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Secretlab gaming chairs appeal to more than just the gamers in the back. Its Titan Evo range has topped our best gaming chair guide since it was first announced in 2021. This new model is yet another version of that award-winning chair, but comes with new material and padding, plus a color exclusive.

The Sectretlab Titan Evo NanoGen has been specially designed to provide both comfort and durability. This it claims to have achieved by using a new synthetic leather hybrid fabric and a special NanoFoam. While I liked it more affordable Secretlab Titan Evo Lite chair earlier this year, I found it a bit heavy. NanoGen has a solution to make sitting for long gaming sessions – or team work sessions – much more comfortable.

The T3 got early access to the seat before launch and I’ve been putting it to work for the past few weeks. Not only is this a great seat that most of the team is trying to steal, but it feels great to sit in. Could this be another winner?

How much does Titan Evo NanoGen cost?

This new NanoGen edition is available from Secretlab website and it comes in two colors, a pure black and a pure white. The regular size model is priced at £669 / $799 and the extra large is £719 / $849. That’s a jump from the £469 / $549 (£539 / $549 for the XL) standard Neo Leatherette finish that the Titan Evo comes in, though still considerably cheaper than the £819 / $999 Nappa leather option it’s compared to this finish.

If you’re already looking at special editions like Game of Thrones, League of Legends, or DC chairs, it’s less of a bump, but still a significant one. Secretlab chairs have never been about a budget option – and this one is designed to be a premium edition. There’s always the Titan Evo Lite if you’re looking for something more affordable, but be sure you’re not just paying for a name here. This is an extremely well built chair.

What’s new on Titan Evo NanoGen?

So what makes Titan Evo NanoGen so special? First let’s look at the hybrid leather finish. This is designed to be 14 times more durable than regular polyurethane leather or leather. Offers advanced UV resistance to keep its color even in direct sunlight, improved stain resistance and greater strength and abrasion resistance so it won’t easily tear or follow loose zippers on clothing .

Despite all this hardness, the material feels incredibly soft. It looks much more like a leather finish than other leather fabrics I’ve tried. Like Nappa leather, it has a very tactile nature, both to the touch and to sit on.

NanoFoam gives the chair its comfort. This is a proprietary blend of medium-firm, cold-cured foam with a soft, lightweight microfoam surface. Like a memory foam mattress, this two-layer approach is designed to give you the feeling of softness as you move, but the harder foam for support.

For added comfort, this NanoGen model uses PlushCell memory foam on the top of the armrests. While this is now an extra on all Titan Evo seats (for £65), it comes as standard on this model. It also comes with the Secretlab memory foam head pillow that attaches magnetically to the seat.

As with the other Titan Evo models, the wheelbase is made from an aluminum alloy for added durability and there is a Class 4 gas hydraulic piston to adjust the height. There is a built-in four-way wooden support, four-way armrests (forward/back, in/out) and recline from 85 to 165 degrees to ensure the most comfortable sitting position.

Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen is also compatible with the new Supplement for ergonomic recliner accessory to create a fully supported reclining chair.

Installation

It can always seem a little daunting to build your own gaming chair, but Secretlab makes the process incredibly clear and easy. In the box you will find a huge instruction sheet with large pictures describing how the chair fits together and all the tools are also in the box.

It even comes with a protective mat to place on your floor to protect your floor from scratches during installation. Essentially, the chair has four main parts and it takes less than 15 minutes to assemble them. The backrest snaps into the seat of the chair, the tilt mechanism attaches to the bottom of the seat, the wheels and piston fit into the base of the wheels, and the rest of the seat easily sits on top.

The different elements are quite heavy, so it can be handy to have someone help you position the different parts. However, I put this one together and had no problem getting the screws to hold it in place and then lifting the seat.

The finished chair weighs almost 35kg (76lbs), so you’ll want to put it together somewhere close to where you plan to use it – or at least be able to swivel it into position. This is not a chair you will want to carry up and down stairs.

Using Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen

Having sat at home on a Secretlab chair for the past few years, I knew what to expect in terms of construction and comfort. However, there are some key differences with this NanoGen edition.

First is how it looks. The Pure White edition is completely white – unlike the previous white Secretlab chairs, which still have a black base and arms. Every section of this chair is finished in white, even down to the recline mechanism underneath, the adjustment handles and dials, and even the wheels.

The memory foam head pillow and arms are actually a light gray, but those are areas that are more likely to show dirt, so it’s probably for the best. The overall effect of this pure white chair is quite stunning. It gives it a real edge that makes this chair feel more like a luxury piece of furniture than a gaming accessory.

It’s the kind of chair you’d happily have in a modern office or open-plan living room. I suspect the Pure Black edition commands an equally elegant effect, although this white model feels a little more special.

Then there is the comfort. I found some of the newer leather finishes on the Secretlab seats (like the Evo Lite) to feel a little rough. Although once you’ve sat on them for a while they’re comfortable and supportive, the first time you threw them on it felt a bit jarring.

Not the case with the NanoGen edition. Dual-layer foam and hybrid leather are incredibly soft from the moment your back hits the material. Does it feel soft like leather? Maybe not really, but it sure is a great alternative.

Personally, I still find the SoftWeave finishes to be the most comfortable on the Titan Evo seats – they feel more comfortable, especially in winter or on bare skin. However, as skins go, NanoGen is as good as it gets.

Should I Buy Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen?

Secretlab has found the perfect way to make a leather chair a premium option. The Titan Evo NanoGen not only looks amazing, it’s incredibly comfortable and feels every bit the luxury gaming chair.

It almost feels reductive to call this a gaming chair because it’s so much more than that. So if you’re looking for a great, high-quality, supportive chair for your home office or man cave, the Titan Evo NanoGen is a great choice.

It’s perfect for someone who wants their setup to look as good as it feels. Think total color coordination and matching accessories. Although even in a messy setup like my home office, it stands out as something special.

Also consider

If you’re not into leather, the Titan Evo SoftWeave Plus fabric seats are worth a look. Priced from just £499 / $569, it comes in eight colours, including an all-black and a white version.

The more affordable Titan Evo Lite chair also comes in Softweave Fabric for £419 / $469. Aside from the plastic base (nylon with glass) as opposed to aluminum and the reduced lumbar support, it’s a very similar seat to the regular Evo models – if more solid to sit on.