Secretlab currently has three different materials to choose from: their NEO Hybrid Leatherette, SoftWeave Plus Fabric, and NAPA Leather. There's no true "best" option when it comes to Secretlab's materials, as each can be considered the best based on individual needs and circumstances. Depending on the climate, how much the chair is used, as well as how often things spill on the chair will determine the best Secretlab gaming chair material.
The TITAN Evo 2022 series currently stands as Secretlab's main offering, though it's long been known as the best overall Secretlab gaming chair available. The chairs feature updated versions of the NEO Hybrid Leatherette and SoftWeave Plus Fabric, providing players with extra durability, softer finishes, and even more unique designs from popular franchises.
Secretlab NEO™ Hybrid Leatherette
The Secretlab NEO Hybrid Leatherette features a soft and supple feel just like genuine leather, without the pores to create their most durable gaming chair material.
The Secretlab NEO Hybrid Leatherette is the best gaming chair material for anyone who spends a lot of time sitting at their machine. If players want to really put the mileage in on their gaming chairs, using it for both work and play, the leatherette covering is a great option. It looks and feels like genuine leather but doesn't come with any added cost.
When it comes to durability, other upholstery options can't hold a candle to the NEO Hybrid Leatherette. Secretlab claims it offers 12x the durability of standard PU leather, the most commonly used faux leather for gaming chairs. Whether the goal is getting through a long workday in an office or simply staying up all night grinding levels in Destiny 2, players can expect to get a lot of use out of this gaming chair. With the durability of this Secretlab chair, the upholstery won't peel or tear even after years of work and play.
This leatherette material doesn't contain natural pores like NAPA leather, making it more resistant to stains and signs of wear than the more expensive NAPA. Morning coffee spills can be quickly wiped away with a damp microfiber cloth. While it's recommended to clean up any spill as quickly as possible, the fact is that the leatherette has a dependable barrier against liquid spills. Traditional leather with pores can wick liquid spills into the chair, rather than repelling them like leatherette.
This is still a "leather" option, so it may not be the most suitable for those who tend to find themselves sticking to leather chairs or getting sweaty because of the material. If you live in a hot or humid climate, you may not find this sitting experience as enjoyable as a fabric chair designed for breathability. At the same time, the Neo Hybrid Leatherette is Secretlab's most customizable upholstery, offering most of their special edition designs from fan favorites like Jujutsu Kaisen and League of Legends.
Secretlab SoftWeave™ Plus Fabric TITAN Evo 2022
Secretlab's SoftWeave Plus Fabric gives the breathability gamers need in hotter climates while still maintaining a comfort level like no other.
For those who do live in a hot or humid climate, Secretlab's SoftWeave Plus Fabric offers a fairly luxurious feel. The knitted texture and soft fabric come together to bring a good combination of both durability and breathability, keeping players cool and dry. Those tiny openings in the knit give enough space for your skin to breathe while you sit back and enjoy your gaming experience.
SoftWeave Plus Fabric is a step up from Secretlab's previous generation, SoftWeave Fabric, which was one of the three materials to choose from in their classic Titan and Omega 2020 series. Secretlab claims it's 3.5x more durable than the previous generation, which can lead to a much more sustainable and comfortable sitting experience. Both the current and previous fabric generations hold up against scratches and tears – such as those from pets' nails – better than leather or leatherette options.
The look of their fabric gaming chairs gives a more homely vibe thanks to the knitted colorways, making players want to sink into them and experience the comfort. Thanks to Secretlab's chairs leaning range of 165°, it is quite nice to lean your chair back and have a little rest in between matches or on your lunch break. Though there are fewer design choices with the fabric upholstery from Secretlab, this option does present some of the only pastel gaming chair colors available on the market overall. Naturally, there are black and white options for those who would prefer to keep their gaming space more muted in color, but for those who love vibrant setups, there are four pastel colors to choose from: soda purple, plush pink, frost blue, and mint green.
Now, with a more breathable gaming chair comes greater responsibility. The more porous a material is, the easier it'll hold onto stains. In the event you spill something on a SoftWeave Plus Fabric gaming chair, players should blot, not rub, the spill immediately, as letting it sit or rubbing it in can cause the stain to set relatively fast. While it may be the more comfortable option for those in warmer climates, it may not be the best option overall for players in very compact spaces or those with young children.
Secretlab NAPA Leather TITAN Evo 2022
Secretlab's NAPA Leather gaming chair brings together the soft and supple feel of leather with more breathability thanks to natural pores.
Thankfully, there's an option where users can have the soft, smooth feel of the leatherette and get the coolness that comes from the fabric: the NAPA Leather option. This gaming chair material holds up for the long run and has natural pores in it, which gives it a more breathable sitting experience.
NAPA leather, being a top-of-the-line leather, means it has extremely high durability but still not as high as the NEO Hybrid Leatherette option. This is mostly thanks to the fact that this leather option has natural pores. These tiny little holes do mean it's slightly more susceptible to both tearing and stains compared to the hybrid leatherette. However, these holes also contribute to a cooler seat, facilitating air circulation throughout the chair.
The other thing you'll need to keep in mind is that this "best of both worlds" option will come with a higher price tag compared to either the NEO Hybrid Leatherette or the SoftWeave Plus Fabric option, as it is genuine leather. Although genuine leather is extremely svelte and offers one of the softest textures available among all types of upholstery, it also comes with a much more reflective surface. This does change the look of the chair slightly compared to the leatherette option, making it look much more like an office chair than a gaming chair. Those going for a more traditional or natural look may realize that real leather is the way to go. However, others will prefer the cheaper, more "gamer" looking styles.
Honorable Mentions
There are older versions of the Secretlab materials out there available for the Titan and Omega 2020 series. These materials are still fantastic options, but they're limited in quantity, and it is unclear whether they will ever be revived, despite some users swearing by them. Because these materials are on older models, they are only available on discounted (and likely soon-to-be discontinued) Titan Evo 2022 series chairs.
Secretlab SoftWeave Fabric
The SoftWeave Fabric was the first iteration where increased durability met a breathable fabric from Secretlab. This fabric has many of the same features as SoftWeave Plus Fabric in terms of keeping its form and still making it easy to hold up against pets, just not to the same extent. The older fabric also looks more like a typical office chair, compared to the knit, cozy patterns of the newer options.
Secretlab PRIME 2.0 PU Leather
PRIME 2.0 PU leather was the previous generation of "leather" options from Secretlab. Unlike the newer NEO Hybrid Leatherette, this was an actual leather material offered alongside NAPA leather. It's still a more durable option compared to either of the fabric options out there but not as much as the leatherette options.
FAQ
Q: How do I choose a Secretlab chair?
To choose the best Secretlab gaming chair for you, you'll need to take into consideration a list of items, including:
- Budget
- Body dimensions
- Climate
- Usage
- Collaborations
The TITAN Evo 2022 series of gaming chairs tends to have an option for everyone, regardless of what you answer to those questions. Making it the best overall Secretlab gaming chair to choose from.
Q: What are Secretlab chairs made out of?
Secretlab SoftWeave™ Plus Fabric is made with a stitch pattern out of interlacing loops of yarn fibers. Whereas Secretlab NEO™ Hybrid Leatherette still has a PU leather base, but is combined with a resin top layer to mimic the higher quality NAPA leather feel. This top layer of resin also closes off any pores and creates an extra layer of protection against spills and tears.