When gaming chair maker Secretlab announced the release of its first-ever home office chair, I wasn’t shocked.
There has been a gradual trend with office chair makers like Herman Miller teaming up with Logitech to create a gamer-focused version of the Embody, alongside brands like FlexiSpot and Eureka Ergonomic launching their own line of gaming chairs.
On the other hand, companies like Boulies, which has a long gaming heritage with its Master series, have branched out into office chairs (I still think the EP200 is the most cost-effective all-around model, after over a year of constant use). With the rise of hybrid and remote work, it was only a matter of time before Secretlab got in on the action.
I’ve been using mine for over a month now and, as the resident office furniture expert here at TechRadar ProI think the company has succeeded. It’s a world away from the masterful Titan Evo, and I suspect Evo fans might not appreciate what the Atlas does here. But it’s one of the best office chairs I’ve used, precisely because it’s a truly terrible gaming chair.
The anti-gambling silhouette
I’m obsessed with gaming chairs that are perfect for an office. I’ve been covering stealth games and office chairs for years. These understated seats that don’t draw attention during a Zoom call with the boss, but are perfect for late-night gaming sessions (the Corsair TC100 Relaxed is a good budget example).
From this point of view, the Atlas Secretlab is a total success. It’s not a gaming chair. But you can see it’s inspired by the Titan Evo. Sit them side by side and it’s clear they share the same brand heritage, with those subtle, perfectly sculpted contours.
However, the design ignores two aggressive elements you’ll find on almost every gaming chair: racing-style bucket seat bolsters and shoulder wings. Both are designed to lock you in a perfect position for precision controller or M+K gaming.
But an office worker needs that extra unrestricted space, allowing for upper body movement. Fingers hover over the keyboard, constantly swipe, and swivel at the desk.
Instead, it has a sleek look — Secretlab calls it “our lightest silhouette yet,” and I couldn’t agree more here. Because of this style, I find it works great in even small home offices. I carried it downstairs so my wife could use it in the dining room when she was working from home.
The Atlas fit in so well, looking more like a piece of home furniture than any bulky faux leather bucket chair. Oddly, despite the higher back, it is much less visible than was its Boulies OP180 designed by the office.
Professionally styled in Dune, Cookies & Cream and Black³, the Secretlab Atlas base model features SoftWeave Plus fabric covering over cold-curing foam for a firm, ergonomic fit. It is available in Regular and Large to suit your height and weight category.
Designed for typing, not relaxing
All of the best office chairs my team and I reviewed have one thing in common: adjustability.
Given Secretlab’s experience, it’s no surprise that the Atlas has plenty of tools for customizing the seat. This includes mechanisms to adjust the seat depth, backrest and armrests, as well as synchronous tilt.
In practice, this means you can lean back with your feet on the floor, and the back and seat move as a unit for continuous support. This is because it is designed to keep your hips open to relieve pressure on your lower back.
It’s a world away from the traditional gaming setup, where the backrest tilts and tilts independently. It’s absolutely perfect for relaxing, playing games, watching movies. But this mechanism also sends you into a horizontal position – one of the main reasons why so many modern chairs come with built-in footrests.
However, it’s not as adjustable as most office chairs I’ve tested. When our games editor Dash Wood spoke to Vincent Sin, the company’s head of product development and industrial design, he explained: “What we’ve found is that more often than not, with task chairs that have a lot of adjustments, it’s very confusing and people often get it wrong. And I would say it’s worse than having something that automatically adjusts for you. »
But that brings me to the one adjustable item I would actually change. The chair appears low to the ground – a view echoed in our Secretlab Atlas review.
The Large model offers a bit more height than the Regular version, but I still think an additional height range would have removed the only real complaint I have here. As an average man of average height, this is not a problem for me. But it’s definitely something I’ve noticed during my use compared to other office chairs.
The challenge of lumbar support
It also lacks the adjustable or dynamic lumbar support that I tend to see on more premium office and gaming chairs. The Titan Evo uses the 4-Way L-Adapt lumbar support system, putting you in control of lower back support.
Instead, the Atlas uses a simplified Re-Curve folder. Again, Sin said this design choice was intentional. “People don’t know that having too much lumbar support is also a bad thing.” Instead, the company has put pressure on goalkeepers to determine where back support is needed and where it is not.
Now, I’m not entirely convinced by this. I still think an adjustable support is essential, especially for those who need relief from lower back pain. I suspect that economics and aesthetics play a bigger role here than anyone is willing to admit.
For a chair costing over $500/£400, I was a little worried when I first pulled into the Secretlab Atlas.
The results surprised me, however. Maybe Secretlab is right: we over-design modern office chairs.
Why toughness wins for the workday
So far, so gaming and office chair. But there is one major change with the Secretlab Atlas that, in my opinion, makes it an ideal work chair, but absolutely useless for gaming.
It’s firm.
I think many people expect office chairs to look like a worn armchair or sofa. Soft, fluffy, like sinking into a foamy cloud.
This squishy character feels good for an hour or two while working. And it’s perfect for gaming: you want to feel good, even during the sweatiest battles. But it’s not recommended for an 8-hour workday, 5 days a week, where you’re standing, typing, maintaining your posture.
Now, I’m not saying you have to sit on a concrete slab at your desk. And the Atlas certainly doesn’t feel that way. I appreciate the support it has while I work and I really look forward to sitting in it.
I’m not the only one who is convinced of this.
My pregnant wife suffers from chronic back pain during her pregnancy. She turned away from the Secretlab Atlas because its softer office chair only made the pain worse. The Atlas released the pressure. His verdict (politely sanitized for this family publication: “It’s ridiculously comfortable.”
The Atlas is essentially designed for a very different seating profile. You will immediately notice the difference with a Titan Evo or similar. So it’s not the best gaming chair, but it was never meant to be.
