Saturday, October 24, 2020
One of the best gaming chairs of all time got a Warcraft makeover.
As someone who used to work in IT provision for offices and businesses, I've seen and built many dozens of PC chairs in my time. As working from home becomes ever more popular in the pandemic era, many companies are asking themselves whether or not they should just go permanently work from home-style.
To that end, having quality furniture and the right ergonomics is important for the "work from home" lifestyle, especially if, like me, you're probably working and gaming from the same office environment, with long stints at a desk.
I've been using SecretLab's chairs as my seat-of-choice for many years at this point. And the seats they offer have undergone a few iterations to improve the overall user experience in ways that other manufacturers simply don't. SecretLab is rapidly solidifying itself as the de-facto best office-style chair provisioner as a result, opening up some truly epic licensing partnerships for fans of all sorts of games. This is their latest, a World of Warcraft Edition line with designs for both Horde, and Alliance players.
As a guy who has been playing World of Warcraft for 16 years at this point, I think it's safe to say I don't want to own any other chair ever again. This is easily one of the best gaming chairs money can buy.
Simply the best
SecretLab Titan (2020 Series Warcraft Edition)
Bottom line: Simply put, SecretLab is one of the few chair manufacturers who seem to want to build products that actually last. Slap a Horde logo on the best chair in the world, and it's something special.
Pros:
- Highly configurable
- Top-tier comfort and ergonomics
- Authentic design with premium materials
- Clear instructions with lots of safety advice
Cons:
- Very pricey
- Lumbar support only has one vertical position
SecretLab Titan Design and materials
I've used a few SecretLab chairs at this point, but never any of their licensed products that follow the iconography of a third-party. They've done a few in recent years, including the famed Cyberpunk 2077 edition, and a range for eSports teams. As a hardcore World of Warcraft player, this particular design really resonated with me, as you might expect.
Every angle of this seat simply bleeds premium quality.
This is some truly next-level design work, that I'd sooner assume had come from Blizzard Entertainment itself, rather than a third-party. There's a level of authenticity that is simply rare to see in licensed products, from the shape of the Horde insignia to the draped battle standard which paints the back of the seat. The symbols are embroidered with immaculate and intricate embroidered thorns, that take me right back to the Razorfen days, or perhaps more recently, the War of the Thorns, where the Horde did some much-needed tree surgery.
The seat uses a combination of high-grade PU synthetic leather, with suede accents for some added flair. Indeed, every angle of this seat simply bleeds premium quality. The meticulous attention to detail makes this chair feel more like artisan craftwork rather than something that came off an assembly line, which is, of course, reflected in its price.
SecretLab Titan Comfort and features
The Secret Lab 2020 Series Titan has had a range of improvements since the last Titan I used, from SecretLab's 2017 series.
You may find yourself wanting to sleep in the SecretLab Titan. It's that comfortable.
The unboxing experience is something YouTubers often oversell, but when it comes to self-assembly furniture, it's actually pretty important. Rather than dump all of the components in a bag and ask the user to find them out, SecretLab includes them in a handy box, separated out for easy construction. SecretLab includes a screwdriver and a hex key too, saving you from having to bring your own tools.
As someone who assembled dozens upon dozens of chairs in a previous job, one of my favorite things about the SecretLab Titan 2020 Series is the guiding rail that helps you lineup the backrest correctly. Attaching the backrest of a chair to a reclining seat solo can be a pretty frustrating job, but SecretLab made it vastly easier, which is appreciated. The box also comes with numerous safety warnings, as well as a safety screw to keep the powerful reclining bracket in place while you position the backrest. Without weight on it, the force of that reclining mechanism could probably cause some injury, so it's nice to see SecretLab take some precautions there.
There's also an Alliance version for the misguided among us.
When it comes to positioning, the SecretLab enjoys a large range of adjustable aspects to tailor your experience for your exact preferred posture. You can adjust the width between the armrests using the hex key. There's a generous amount of height, angle, and position adjustments you can do with the armrest and seat as well, for users of all shapes and sizes. You can tilt the seat forwards or backward, or set the recline to do the same. You can also adjust the amount of flex or rigidity in the pivot underneath by turning another dial.
The backrest also has a lumbar adjustment dial, so you can choose how much the seat protrudes into your lower back. Therein lies my only real gripe with the chair. The curvature of my back desires the lumbar support be a tad higher, and there's no way to adjust the vertical position of the lumbar protrusion, but it's a minor gripe. I imagine for the vast majority of people it won't be an issue.
It might take a while before you're completely satisfied with the seating position, but once you get to grips with all of the capabilities of this chair, you may find yourself wanting to sleep in the SecretLab Titan. It's that comfortable.
Will the SecretLab Titan last over time?
Three years later, my previous SecretLab Titan is practically in a "like new" condition.
Chairs are an investment for someone like me, who works and plays at the same desk, most days of the year. Many of the cheaper chairs I've purchased over the years fell apart over time, with arm rests falling off or breaking, or wheels degrading, joints failing, and so on.
Usually when I review products, there's simply no way to tell without having a time machine handy how long a product will last. With the SecretLab Titan, I finally do have a frame of reference in my other chair, which I reviewed all the way back in 2017.
I can safely say that my previous Titan saw truly tremendous amounts of abuse over the years. I adjust the seats a lot too, based on where I'm sitting or what I'm doing in my office. I might sit forward while using the PC, or angle the tilt backward while watching TV or playing a game. Three years later, my previous SecretLab Titan is practically in a "like new" condition, which is something I simply cannot say often about products I reviewed on Windows Central. This is an investment that will last you for years, and your back will thank you for it.
Should you buy the SecretLab Titan?
Herein lies the kicker. The SecretLab chairs are not cheap. That being said, it's hard to argue with the quality on offer. In my previous job, we purchased "executive"-grade office chairs for higher-up staff that were twice as expensive, but half as good as the SecretLab Titan range.
Like I noted earlier, a chair is ultimately an investment for your spine, especially when you're getting a bit older like me (crying emoji). And if you are someone who spends a lot of time at a desk, the SecretLab Titan range is quite honestly among the best investments you'll make for your professional life, and your gaming life. These things are built to last. And if you, like me, plan to carry on playing World of Warcraft for another 16-years, this is practically the best piece of furniture you can possibly own.
On the flip side, if you don't spend tooooooooo much time at your desk, you may find there are better ways to spend $490 dollars. If I was only at my desk for an hour or two a day, I'm not sure I could stomach the bill. As it stands (or sits), I'm at my desk roughly 8-12 hours a day, making the SecretLab Titan absolutely essential. The intricate Horde iconography is just a delicious cherry on a very ergonomic cake.
For the Horde!
SecretLab Titan (2020 Series)
For the Horde, and your spine!
The SecretLab Titan (2020 Series) is widely regarded as one of the best gaming chairs you can possibly own, and with a dash of Warcrafty-goodness, the deal only gets sweeter.
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