Secretlab Atlas assessment – an aesthetic new tackle the gaming chair

The world of gaming chairs has, for a very long time, been dominated by cumbersome, garish choices with automobile racing seat-inspired designs, and Secretlab has been no stranger to this. Its Titan Evo gaming chair is superb and is on the market in some refined colour choices, nevertheless it’s a giant chair with principally fairly daring design choices. The brand new Secretlab Atlas, then – the corporate’s first new chair design in 4 years – is one thing a little bit completely different.

The Atlas is Secretlab’s first task-focused chair, versus being explicitly a gaming chair. What does that truly imply? Effectively, as I clarify within the FAQ of our greatest gaming chair information, it is a bit of a grey space. However, primarily, gaming chairs are typically targeted on these options talked about above, with a sure look, but additionally a versatility which means they’ll work properly for laid again lounging, sitting up on whereas cross legged, or for taking a nap on – the Recliner Add-on for the Titan Evo transforms it into the last word napping gaming chair. In the meantime, a process chair is extra of a standard workplace chair, with a stripped-back design and a give attention to all-day, principally upright sitting consolation, with occasional semi-reclined sitting. It is right here that the Secretlab Atlas excels.

Specs

Meeting, design, and construct high quality

The Secretlab Atlas arrives in a single, giant field that weighs in at round 35kg (77lbs). That is rather a lot to manhandle by yourself, so a helper for meeting may be a good suggestion, nevertheless it’s notably much less heavy than the Secretlab Titan Evo, which is round 10kg heavier.

Meeting could be very simple. Like most related chairs, and in contrast to the much more complicated Hbada X7, it is available in seven important elements, consisting of the five-legged base, 5 castors, the gasoline elevate strut, the lean mechanism for the seat base, the seat base itself, the seat again, and the 2 armrests. The castors merely press into the bottom legs, the gasoline elevate drops into its middle, the lean mechanism sits on prime of that, after which the seat base, again, and armrests all bolt along with equivalent Allen/hex head bolts.

Somewhat instrument equipment is included that has an Allen key and a mini screwdriver, the latter of which wasn’t truly wanted for assembling this chair. The entire unboxing and meeting course of took me beneath 20 minutes.

As for construct high quality, it is glorious. As I discovered in my Titan Evo assessment, Secretlab’s first chair may need appeared quite a bit like many different gaming chairs, nevertheless it was significantly better designed and in-built a bunch of refined methods. That spotlight to element continues with the Atlas.

For a begin, there’s the truth that each single element on this chair is color-matched. Even the gasoline elevate strut and the entire seen elements of the lean mechanism match up. Not all variations of the chair have this – the entry degree Atlas has black {hardware}, whereas the Atlas “with NanoFoam Composite” has this totally color-matched look – however on people who do, it appears to be like unbelievable.

Certainly, styling is on the forefront of the aim of this chair. It is squarely geared toward these wanting a sleeker, slimmer, and altogether classier, extra office-appropriate look than with the Titan Evo or most different gaming chairs. To this finish, the again and base put off the thick, automobile racing seat bolstered look and as an alternative they’ve a comparatively slim contoured form.

The corporate hasn’t gone the entire hog and made a short-backed workplace chair with an non-compulsory/separate headrest, although. It is nonetheless a mono-back design with a headrest cushion that magnetically attaches to it.

As for the colour selection, this monochrome look is on the market within the sandy Dune colour being reviewed right here, together with white and black variations, in each fake leather-based and cloth. In the meantime, the non-color-matched fashions have white and black and grey and black (cookies and cream) choices once more in leatherette or cloth.

The Dune colour I am utilizing appears to be like unbelievable. It is a really perfect steadiness of sensible, mild, and warming, making it perfect for a minimalist workplace house or a gaming house the place RGB lighting and black all the things aren’t the one choices. Nonetheless, I by no means stopped feeling paranoid about making a multitude of this factor. It is neither totally wipe-clean like a leatherette end, nor does it have the dirt-hiding means of a darker or extra mottled colour. And, certain sufficient, a thriller brown smudge in some way appeared on the headrest cushion after solely per week’s use. The material could be rigorously washed, however grubbiness is an element to remember.

Elsewhere, the general match and end is simply prime notch, with all of the elements piecing collectively simply, with no sharp edges left uncovered, and all of the adjustable elements feeling very robustly constructed.

Options

That is fairly a easy chair. In stark distinction to many process chairs which are filled with dozens of adjustable elements, Secretlab has caught with only a handful of the necessities. So, you clearly get top adjustment, with this chair having a 10cm decrease total seat top than the Titan Evo, plus you possibly can alter the depth of the seat base.

Twist the left adjustment knob and you may slide the seat ahead or again to fit your leg size, with the perfect place being to have only a 5cm hole between the again of your knees and the seat base, to reduce stress on the underside of your legs.

The seat base and again may also tilt, with the 2 shifting in tandem. The again can lock at angles of 100°, 107°, 113°, and 120°, with the bottom tilting at half that price for every place. That is a lot much less recline than with the Titan Evo. That chair can tilt virtually flat – which is why it is so good for a nap – however the Atlas is simply actually meant for taking shorter breaks the place you simply wish to alter your posture for a second.

Apart from the headrest cushion, which could be positioned proper on the prime of the chair all the way in which down to only above the horizontal line within the centre of the seat again, the one different adjustment on this chair is its armrests. These increase up and down, and the pads can rotate out and in and slide ahead and again.

Adjustability and luxury

Secretlab’s hope with this chair is that its core design compensates for its lack of adjustability. The seat base cushioning, the seat again form, the headrest pillow, and the armrest place ought to all simply fall into place for many sitters.

To this finish, the corporate provides the chair in two sizes. There’s the massive one I am reviewing right here, which is designed for these between 178-195cm (5’10”-6’5″) tall and as much as 120kg (265lbs) in weight, plus a daily one meant for these beneath 178cm (5’10”) and beneath 100kg (220lbs).

For my 6’2″ body and 95kg weight, the massive chair does certainly match me very properly. There’s sufficient seat size adjustment, sufficient headrest cushion vary, and the armrests could be set to my choice too.

In truth, the armrests are one of many extra standout triumphs of this chair, no less than for me. I typically take away the armrests from gaming and desk chairs fully, or no less than drop them very low, as I discover they both do not enable for the chair to be introduced shut sufficient to the desk for my liking with out the armrest upright hitting the desk, or the pads sit too excessive as soon as they’re introduced excessive sufficient to come back up over the desk. With the Atlas, although, the armrest pads are slim sufficient and the armrest uprights far sufficient again that I can totally pull the chair in to my desk and get good arm help.

The opposite motive I typically take away the armrests is that they get in the way in which once I’m taking part in guitar, and that is one take a look at this chair does not excel at. They do not drop so low as to be fully out of the way in which (ideally under the tops of my thighs), and for those who do take away them, there are ugly mounting factors left seen – the Titan Evo and a number of other different gaming chairs have mounting factors which are hidden beneath the chair.

Except for this area of interest criticism, although, the armrests are nice, though they’re set fairly huge on this massive model of the chair. So, if like me, you are tall and slim, the shortage of armrest width adjustment might catch you out.

Again to by far the most important consideration for many sitters, although, the seat and again on this chair do really feel superb. Secretlab informed us that its assessments have definitively proven that the much-coveted mesh cushions utilized by many workplace chairs truly do not present as even help as foam, and that is one thing borne out on this chair.

The preliminary impression of the seat and again cushioning is that it is fairly slim and agency, which could not initially really feel as interesting as some chairs. Nonetheless, for long-term sitting, this agency however even help is efficient at decreasing stress factors and the related fidgeting and want to shift sitting positions. In flip, this implies much less temptation to sit down in ways in which promote poor posture.

One issue to contemplate is that I am testing the premium NanoFoam Composite model of this chair, which comes with an additional layer of reminiscence foam-like padding on the seat and again cushions, together with the color-matched look talked about earlier. This has a barely softer preliminary really feel than the usual model, however having beforehand tried the conventional model, I can attest to its foam nonetheless providing a really related agency however supportive really feel.

Serving to with this one-size-fits-all strategy is that the curve of the again does provide respectable help regardless of its lack of adjustability. Whether or not sitting upright or tilting again, it simply works.

Much less of a complete hit is the headrest cushion. Whereas its magnetic attachment and positioning work brilliantly, and it is a very gentle and comfortable-feeling cushion, it sits only a bit far ahead for my liking. If it had been an inch shallower – it is practically 4 inches deep – or the angle of the pinnacle help part of the seat again had been a level or two shallower (in order that it sits an inch additional again), it will be sensible. As it’s, I considerably commonly ended up eradicating it.

Value

The Secretlab Atlas begins at an affordable $499 for the usual model, rising to $699 for the premium NanoFoam Composite model with the totally color-matched elements. That makes it a barely difficult chair to guage for worth, as the usual model seems like respectable worth for the standard you are getting. In the meantime, the $699 choice feels a contact costly, contemplating the modest variety of changes obtainable on this chair.

Its worth is especially shocking given the Titan Evo begins at $579 (with its premium Nanogen choices beginning at $799), however that is a bigger chair with extra changes, swappable armrests, and non-compulsory add-ons just like the recliner footrest. The Atlas actually is not unhealthy worth, however is not a standout discount.

Alternate options

Secretlab Titan Evo

The Secretlab Titan Evo continues to be our go-to gaming chair advice for many patrons because it properly balances consolation, upgradability, and flexibility, all whereas being obtainable in an enormous vary of designs and sizes. The Atlas is a better option for a house workplace house or a hybrid workplace/gaming house purely meant for at-desk gaming. Nonetheless, the Titan Evo is best as a do-everything chair for lounging, napping, and console gaming, in addition to at-desk use.

Learn our full Secretlab Titan Evo assessment for extra element.

Fractal Refine

A extra direct different to the Atlas is Fractal’s Refine. This can be a very related model of chair, with a slim, simplistic model and a spotlight purely on at-desk consolation. It is obtainable in mesh or cloth and features a extra curved seat base design, a non-removable however slideable headrest cushion, and adjustable lumbar help. It is a contact costlier and is simply obtainable in a single measurement – I discovered it proper on the restrict of being too small for me – however is a really respectable different total.

Learn our full Fractal Refine assessment for extra info.

Verdict

The Secretlab Atlas is a superb addition to the corporate’s chair lineup, providing a slimmed-down, extra desk-focused design that is higher suited to sensible dwelling workplaces and gaming areas than the Titan Evo whereas offering glorious all-day sitting consolation.

It might look and certainly be fairly simplistic in comparison with some extremely adjustable workplace chairs, however its total form, construct high quality, and its handful of changes are sufficient to make it much more snug than many of those alternate options. With the choice of two completely different sizes, this then supplies sufficient variation for a lot of patrons to discover a chair that fits them.

The place it falls wanting its bigger, heftier sibling, although is in customization. You possibly can’t take away the arms with out making the chair look bizarre, you possibly can’t add a footrest, and you may’t swap the armrest pads. If the lumbar help is not fairly to your liking, you additionally have no technique of adjusting it right here.

This all implies that the Atlas is undoubtedly among the best workplace/process/gaming chair choices round, and a straightforward advice, but when I am being nitpicky, it is not fairly a slam dunk in the case of worth, particularly in the case of the color-matched model I am reviewing right here.