Secretlab's launching a slightly cheaper version of the excellent Titan Evo, starting at $449

If you're in the market for a new gaming chair then you may have timed it well. Secretlab, the maker of our favourite gaming chair, the Secretlab Titan Evo, is launching a cheaper model that shares many characteristics with the best gaming chair—it's called the Titan Evo Lite.

From looks alone, you might not be able to spot many differences between the Titan Evo and Titan Evo Lite. Both share the same multi-tilt recline, seat base design, foam construction, and style; though there are a few key differences to note.

For starters, the Evo Lite only comes in medium and large sizes. Smaller chairs are only available with the more premium model. The upholstery is also a little different when you get down to it. The Lite comes with Prime 2.0 Leatherette and SoftWeave Fabric options, whereas the Titan comes with updated versions of both. From our experience with older Secretlab chairs pre-Titan Evo, I still have high hopes for the longevity of the cheaper materials, though time will tell.

The lumbar support is less flexible on the Lite than the Evo, and right the way down to the wheelbase you'll find a nylon construction on the medium Lite model, rather than the aluminium base on the Evo. That said, the large Lite comes with an aluminium base as well, which might make that chair the more desirable option.

Most of the magnetic features I've come to enjoy with the Titan Evo aren't present on the Titan Lite, such as the magnetic swappable armrests or magnetic head pillow. However, you can still use a magnetic head pillow on the Titan Lite if you buy one separately, and I'd definitely want to do that if I picked up the Lite. Though therein lies a bit of an issue with the Lite, it's not quite cheap enough to be considered budget, and definitely not if you're adding a $49 magnetic headrest into the cart as well.

Starting at $449 in the US, in its cheapest form, the Titan Lite launches for the same price the Titan Evo launched at back in 2021. It's still the price I reference in my Titan Evo review from way back then. Rising costs and inflation have led to the Titan Evo coming in at $549 nowadays, $100 more than the Lite. 

Secretlab Titan Lite prices worldwide:

• US: Starts at $449
• CA: Starts at $579
• EU: Starts at €459
• UK: Starts at £389
• AU: Starts at $649 
• NZ: Starts at $789
• SG: Starts at $519
• MY: Starts at RM1,799

Personally, I'd still be tempted by a good deal on the Evo—one that brings down the price of that chair to around the $510–520 mark, which happened on various occasions late last year. That's loosely the price of the Lite + the magnetic head cushion, anyways. 

Similarly, the Lite doesn't appear to be priced to pull away customers from the more budget end of the chair market. Anyone looking for a budget gaming chair will likely want to consider cheaper options such as Corsair's TC100 Relaxed at around $250 or less. It's dropped down to $190 during major sales events, too. The Lite, on the other hand, is still a pretty premium offering judging by its positioning in the market.

The Lite isn't available just yet, though it's coming. It'll be available in a few regions at launch or thereabouts: United States, Singapore, Europe, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia. 

Since I haven't rested my weary butt in this chair, I can't talk about its finer points versus the competition. Neither can I confidently say whether it's worth buying instead of its bigger sibling, which I'm sitting in as I write this. I'm certainly keen to find out, however. If it can live up to the Evo where it counts, it's certainly an interesting proposition, but a mighty investment all the same.