Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition
design
If you’ve seen a TITAN Evo, you’ve seen the Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition. This isn’t a redesign, it’s an upgraded spec, it’s the exact same chair with upgraded materials, and Secretlab makes no attempt to pretend otherwise. The silhouette, the proportions, the adjustment mechanisms, the magnetic headrest pillow, it’s all the same as the standard model I reviewed previously. Even the assembly process remains unchanged, thankfully, because it’s still one of the most straightforward in the business at around 15 minutes from box to seat.
What has changed is the upholstery, and it’s immediately apparent the moment you touch it. Secretlab’s NanoGen Hybrid Leatherette is, without exaggeration, the best synthetic leather I’ve felt on any chair. Come to think of it, it’s probably the best faux leather I’ve felt on any product. It’s soft and supple in a way that others simply aren’t, it’s completely lacking that plasticky sheen and rubber squeakiness you tolerate with lesser materials. Where the standard Neo Hybrid Leatherette felt premium, the NanoGen feels luxurious. It’s a bigger difference and a bigger deal than I expected.
The TITAN Evo NanoGen is available in just two colourways: Pure White and Pure Black. That’s it. No funky options or designs from one of Secretlab’s 30+ brand IP collaborations. This is a grown-up chair for grown-ups, apparently. If you’re drawn to Secretlab specifically for its (admittedly excellent) licensed designs, then the NanoGen simply isn’t for you. The limited palette feels like a missed opportunity, I don’t need the full selection of designs but a little more choice would have been nice to see.
The Pure White I’ve been testing is striking, there’s no denying it. Everything from the upholstery to the plastic side covers to the wheelbase is colour-matched in a clean, bright white that passes the glance test beautifully. There’s only a very small amount of texture to the leatherette and it makes a huge difference. Compared to cheaper PU leather chairs that all share the same cracked eggshell effect, it’s considerably more premium to run your hand over and looks far sleeker too.
Getting technical about fabric for a moment, Secretlab says it has engineered the NanoGen material with enhanced UV and stain resistance specifically because, well, white shows everything. It’s still early in its life with me but after a couple of weeks of daily use I certainly haven’t noticed any marks or discolouration. That said, I’m definitely more conscious of it than I’ve been with darker chairs or even the light grey SoftWeave fabric of my standard TITAN Evo. If you’re the nervous type when it comes to bumps, marks, or things not staying as pristine as they once were, maybe go for the black.
performance
The standard TITAN Evo has been pretty universally praised, critically and by users, as one of the best premium chairs going around. There’s always been one shared note though, it’s a far firmer sit than most. That’s by design, and Secretlab will go out of their way to convince you of the science and testing behind it, but that can still catch people out. The TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition addresses this with its NanoFoam Composite base cushion – a multi-material construction that adds a small layer of softer microfoam on top of the firm cold-cure the standard TITAN Evo uses. In theory, this should lead to a softer experience while maintaining the support the firm seat was designed to offer in the first place.
In practice? Sitting down on my brand new Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition for the first time, and coming directly from a well-worn standard TITAN Evo, I honestly couldn’t tell much difference. Make no mistake, this is still a firm chair compared to most of the market. The “proprietary sculpted pebble seat base” philosophy is still here and this isn’t suddenly a plush, sink-into-it experience.
I expect that to change though. I recently visited Secretlab’s HQ in Singapore and sat on a NanoGen that had obviously had considerably more use than my box-fresh unit. The difference in that chair was noticeable. It had softened up in a way that mine hasn’t yet, and yours won’t initially either, suggesting the NanoFoam Composite benefits from a break-in period to really deliver the benefits of that new microfoam layer. This is still a comfortable chair though, as the original was. That firmness exists for a reason and while it might take some adjusting if you’re coming from a squidgy, open-foam cushion, the benefits are worthwhile.
Everything else performs exactly as you’d expect from a TITAN Evo. The four-way lumbar adjustment lets you dial in both the height and depth of support with decent precision. I’ve never been one for aggressive lumbar systems, I tend to minimise their impact rather than lean into them, but the setup here works well for that approach and I imagine it would satisfy those who want more active support too.
The armrests get an upgrade here too, though you’ll get differing levels of value depending on where you are in the world. In all regions the armrests are bumped up to the Heavy Duty Edition, with an all-metal construction and 50% more adjustment range. They remain some of the best I’ve tested with good security and a general feeling of robustness, despite being reasonably slimline. The tops are where things start to split though and it’s bad news if you’re in the UK.
In most regions, the TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition also ships with Secretlab’s PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Tops as standard, that’s a nice included upgrade that adds a little extra value to the package and a little extra luxury to the experience. For whatever reason, UK buyers don’t get that. That CloudSwap armrest topper option isn’t available in the UK, even as a standalone purchase. Instead, in the UK the NanoGen Edition ships with the same standard armrest tops as the regular TITAN Evo, with the option to upgrade to TechnoGel pads for an additional £65. There’s obviously a logistical reason for it but it’s a hard one to overlook without feeling somewhat short-changed.
summed up
The Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition is an excellent gaming or office chair. The upholstery upgrade alone justifies that statement, it’s a material you have to feel to properly appreciate, and it genuinely elevates the tactile experience of using the chair. The foam improvements in the seat cushion are subtler, particularly with a new unit, but there’s evidence to suggest they reveal themselves more over time.
So the question isn’t whether the NanoGen Edition is good, it is. The question is whether it’s £200 better than the standard TITAN Evo. For UK buyers specifically, that’s a harder sell than it might be elsewhere. Without the PlushCell armrests included, you’re paying a significant premium for upgraded leatherette and a marginally softer seat. Both are definite improvements, but certainly incremental ones.
If you’re buying your first Secretlab chair, have the budget, aren’t in the UK, and prioritise material quality above all else, the Secretlab TITAN Evo NanoGen Edition won’t disappoint. It’s the best version of an already excellent chair. But if you’re wondering whether to upgrade from an existing TITAN Evo, or if you’re weighing that £200 against other setup improvements, the standard model probably remains the smarter buy for most people.
