Secretlab Recliner review: "No small price to pay for an add-on"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Pros+Plush cushioning+Makes Secretlab chairs more versatile+Easy installation+Premium look and feel Plush cushioning Makes Secretlab chairs more versatile Easy installation Premium look and feel Cons-Worsens the ergonomics of Secretlab’s flagship chair-Doesn’t cater to longer legs-Limited recline for the money-Pricey Worsens the ergonomics of Secretlab’s flagship chair Doesn’t cater to longer legs Limited recline for the money Pricey Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. I’ve been testing the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On for the last few months. Like all of this brand’s products, it’s easy to see there’s been a lot of care taken during its creation. After all, it can’t be easy designing an accessory for not only your flagship chair, but also for older models, and products that might be released in the future. I have to be honest. When it comes to thebest gaming chairs, I don’t usually go for options with a folding-out recliner attached to them. These chairs are fairly easy to find, but I’ve never seen their appeal. When I’m using a gaming chair, I want to make the most of its ergonomic posture support, and I rarely want to kick back and be further away from my mouse, keypad, or indeed my display. On the other hand, I’m a big supporter of any brand that wants to supply its consumers with more options, and thus more ways to use its products. I just hope those consumers who do like the sound of a reclining desk chair are happy to pay for it on top of what is already one of the priciest seats on the market. $199/£159 is no small price to pay for an add-on, and I’m not sure I’d be willing to fork out for it. Design & Features (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) As is the case for any Secretlab product, practicality was a strong point of reference during the creation of the recliner. Assembly is very easy, and not just because the clear instructions included in the box make it so. This is an add-on that’s been lovingly crafted to sing in harmony with theSecretlab Titan Evo, or indeed the newer Titan Evo Lite. At the same time, 2020’sTitan Omegacan join the song too, and it doesn’t matter what type of upholstery or colorway you own. To install, you need only tip your gaming chair onto its back and remove the adjustability levers on either side. For the Titan Evo, you then have to apply some rubberized guards over the Steel frame on the bottom of the chair and hook the Recliner’s legs onto them. Then lock the safety levers down, and attach all your levers again. If you’re using an older chair, you may need to move your armrests out to a wider position, but it really is a quick and easy installation. The cushion of the Recliner add-on uses the brand’s PlushCell Memory Foam, covered in a velvety soft material. The reclining angle goes from 0° to 80° and, unlike the Titan Evo’s armrests, it has free reign to slide into any position along that spectrum, it doesn’t lock into fixed positions along the way. Performance (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) As I said at the beginning of this review, I’m not the sort of person who would choose an office or gaming chair with a recliner, so take my negative criticism with that in mind. Even so, there are a few reasons that really make me hesitant to recommend this particular recliner. Firstly, I’m a fan of plush cushioning in gaming chairs, hence why I’m such a fan of the now-discontinuedBoulies Ninja Pro. The Titan Evo, rather famously, has much firmer cushioning both in its seat, and its backrest. This much is known, and its creators proudly stand behind that thanks to the ergonomic studies they have done. Regardless of studies, I think ergonomics changes from person to person, and no one chair will be perfect for all preferences and somatotypes. For me, the Titan Evo is just a little bit too firm to be my top pick, and the folks at Secretlab and I happily disagree on that with no bad blood (they really are a lovely bunch of people). When I use the recliner, which has that beautifully soft PlushCell Memory Foam inside it, it only exaggerates to me just how firm the rest of the chair feels. Not only that but any numb feelings I get in my tailbone when sitting on the Titan Evo after a few hours working at my desk are amplified when my legs aren’t securing me to the ground. Having the anchor point of your feet on the ground when sitting in a gaming chair is really important because you’re distributing weight. Pick your feet off the ground, and you’ll put more pressure on your lower back, and more weight onto your rear end. (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) Don’t get me wrong, it can be nice to have the option to kick my feet up when I’m playing a first-person shooter on PC. Having another position to switch to if you spend countless hours at a desk is nice, and I’m sure Secretlab’s clever designs will have a more comforting impact on other people. PlushCell cushioning does mean that there’s no pressure or pain put on your lower legs, and it really is a very comfortable add-on. There’s another problem I found, however. Depending on what clothes you wear and what material your Secretlab chair is made of, the Recliner can sometimes mean that you start to slide down into a deeper sitting position as a pull is created on your lower legs. This is fine if you want to relax a bit more, but what isn’t okay is that you’re being pulled out of the optimum ergonomic position. Lumbar support won’t be helping you in the same way, and if you sit like this for too long, you may end up with more aches and pains. This was a problem I brought up to the team at Secretlab, and they took my feedback on board, even going so far as to supply me with an extra lumbar cushion to try and counter the issue. That didn’t work, sadly, and in some instances actually made things worse. It’s one reason I really began to love theFractal Refine, which has a seat base that can slide forward when you want to adopt a deeper sitting position. Should you buy the Secretlab Recliner Add-On? (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) The Recliner Add-On isn’t really for me. It isn’t what I’d choose for ergonomic reasons, but then again, I probably wouldn’t choose one anyway. I can still appreciate that Secretlab is trying to make its suite of products more versatile for its customers. Giving people more options to sit comfortably during work and play is a great thing, and the premium build quality and easy assembly are a testament to that. I do think the price of $199/£159 is a bit steep for an add-on though. I’m a big supporter of this brand’s premium feel, great build quality, and easy assembly processes, and I understand that those things don’t come cheap. That said, there are much more affordable options in the gaming chair space, many of which have caught up to Secretlab’s caliber. In fact, you can buy full gaming chairs with recliners pre-attached for less than the cost of this Recliner Add-On. If you have the budget, and you want more from your current Secretlab chair, the Recliner is a nice option. Unfortunately, it’s not really one I’d choose. Today’s best Secretlab Titan Evo dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Secretlab Titan Evo dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Secretlab Titan Evo deals No price informationCheck Amazon No price informationCheck Amazon No price informationCheck Amazon No price informationCheck Amazon No price information No price information We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices How I tested the Secretlab Recliner Add-On I was offered the chance to be a beta tester for Secretlab’s latest add-on, the Ergonomic Recliner. That means that before this review, I’d been using the Recliner on a Secretlab Titan Evo for around two months. During that time, I had access to a pre-launch model, which I got my girlfriend to install on the chair to test just how easy it would be for people without a lot of gaming chair assembly experience. I also tested the final product which I installed on the seat myself. I used the Recliner in many different positions, hoisting my legs up at a slew of angles to find potential comfort and pain points. For more onhow we test gaming chairs, check out the fullGamesRadar+ Hardware Policy. Still shopping around for gaming furniture? Check out thebest pink gaming chairs, thebest console gaming chairs, and thebest gaming desks. 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in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an 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Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”