When it comes to gaming chairs, Secretlab is (usually) the first brand that comes to mind. They’re sort of like the Ferrari of gaming chairs — only the gamer-iest gamer will have them (gaming chair diff, anyone?). I’m sure some will disagree. Ergonomic chairs are getting more and more popular in the market but that’s a discussion for another day.

I’m not really the best gamer around but I love collecting anything and everything that screams gamer. Back in 2020 when the pandemic started, like everyone else, I found myself sitting in my gaming room a lot more than usual.

I worked there and played video games there and was basically on my butt a lot so it made sense for me to upgrade from the old dinky office chair to a gaming chair and what better way than to get myself a Secretlab Omega 2020 Series Dva Edition. 

My two-year-old Secretlab x Overwatch chair still holds up great!

It’s been two years since and while I’m quite a hyper gamer (I will literally bounce in my chair as I game), the chair has held up pretty well. 

This year, a brand new version of the Secretlab chair has been released and it comes with some great quality of life upgrades which we didn’t see in the previous versions of the chair. What’s even better is that even the older chairs got a makeover with the upgrades. 

So now, for those who already own a Secretlab chair, is it worth the upgrade? Let’s compare.

Setting up

You don’t have to worry about living with grayed out arm rests now as it is easier than ever to replace

I remember the moment back in 2020 when my first ever gaming chair arrived. It felt like a coming-of-age (in gaming) moment. Now, note that I’m a 5’2″ girl with absolutely no muscle, living a sedentary lifestyle. My fingers are the only part of my body that gets a workout day in and out. 

Setting up the chair back then felt pretty awful without help. It was heavy, the screws had to be manually put in as I held the chair up. I remembered crying because my fingers hurt (haha). 

Now what about the SoftWeave Plus? This is where it gets interesting. The chair is still as heavy as it was before but it felt a lot easier to put together (did I get stronger?). Parts of the chair are now magnetic which removes the need to hold up the chair and screw on parts at the same time. 

Sliding the base of the chair with the back is also a lot more convenient thanks to the brackets. 

So yeah, you don’t need a plus one (or a crying session) to set up your chair. Overall, it only took me about 30 minutes to put the whole thing together compared to my previous chair which took me about two hours (yes, I will factor in the time I spent crying).

What’s different

While I absolutely loved the loud and pink look and feel of the Secretlab x Overwatch chair, this time around, I opted for the Secretlab SoftWeave Plush Pink chair (which fits in more with my pink and white setup if I do say so myself). Regardless, the latest versions of the Secretlab x Overwatch chairs also got an overhaul with the new designs.

The differences aren’t super stark but are definitely noticeable. The base of the chair is now flat instead of having raised sides which I absolutely love because there’s no more gap between the raised sides of the chair and the cushion. It was an absolute nightmare getting crumbs out of there to clean it. 

Magnetic memory foam pillow makes the chair look more sleek

On top of that, I noticed that over time, the main cushion and the raised sides of the chair started to widen, leaving a noticeable gap in the back and under the chair (likely from me sitting cross legged on my chair and bouncing around). Also, because of the wider seats, sitting cross legged on the chair is now comfier than ever!

Better neck rest pillow

The removable neck rest pillow is now magnetic instead of secured by a stretchy band which I also love. The previous band around the neck pillow of my previous chair was starting to stretch out and loosen.

In addition, the pillow’s shape is a lot more comfy as well. My only wish is that I’m able to put the pillow lower as it’s placed a little too high up for someone of my height (similar issue with the previous chair which I ended up removing the pillow altogether).

The gap in my previous Secretlab chair’s raised sides got noticeable as time went by.

Instead of a memory foam pillow for your back, the Secretlab SoftWeave now comes with lumbar support. You can’t really see it on the chair itself but you’ll find a knob on the right side of the chair to control it. It isn’t necessarily the widest in terms of the lumbar size range but it’s acceptable. You’ll definitely feel the back of the chair curve into your back as you twist the knob. I wish that it can curve a lot more forward to provide support to a wider range of users. However, I do prefer this a lot better than the memory foam pillow. That kept slipping down and needed to be adjusted multiple times a day. 

Easier to replace parts

The knobs that control lumbar support.

Remember I mentioned how some parts are now magnetic? This includes the armrests. I noticed that after around a year, my Secretlab Dva chair’s arm rests turned a cloudy gray which can’t be cleaned off. With the upgrade to magnetic armrests, this allows for the replacement of parts to be easier. 

The wheels also have been adjusted for better stability and weight balance. Personally, I didn’t notice too much of a difference in regards to that (likely due to my small frame and weight) but I did notice that the wheel glide feels smoother compared to before (I mean, it was already pretty smooth, how are they doing this?). 

SoftWeave Plus fabric

A closer look at the material.

Now, let’s talk about one of the most interesting selling points of the chair: the brand new SoftWeave Plus fabric. According to the website, the fabric is inspired by “performance footwear”. It definitely isn’t something I’d think about having on a chair but it is interesting regardless. 

The site mentions that the chair is “as soft as your favorite t-shirt and with a rich texture that feels incredible under your skin”. While I disagree about it being as soft as your favourite t-shirt, the texture  is definitely very, very comfortable. It’s reminiscent of my Nike Flyknit’s texture — a lot more comfortable than the previous version of the chair. 

My previous Secretlab chair’s neck pillow that’s stretched over time.

The breathable fabric does exactly as what it says on the tin. With the heatwave hitting Malaysia, my back usually feels very sticky after a while when I sit in my chair, even in an airconditioned room. Now, I don’t have that issue anymore. 

This time around, the Secretlab SoftWeave Plus gaming chairs also come in a variety of colours from the basic black and white to gray, pink, mint and blue which will definitely fit any gaming or productive setup’s aesthetic 

The verdict

If you’re running on the 2020 version of Secretlab gaming chairs and thinking of upgrading, I say get it. You get so many quality of life upgrade. And these are in the same price range as before with better longevity for your chair as well. 

It’s comfier with better support and a sleeker look. I really can’t think of any other gaming chair that both looks and feels great. 

Understandably, the pricing for a Secretlab chair can be pretty steep which is why this purchase is definitely an investment. Regardless, the 6.6 sale is coming very soon for Secretlab. So, go ahead out there and grab one while they’re on discount! You can check out Secretlab’s brand new designs on their official website.

Secretlab 6.6 sale:

1. Up to 25% OFF select Secretlab chairs
2. FREE Upholstery Wipes worth ₱1,190 with every chair purchase
3. FREE Shipping with every chair purchase
4. From as low as ₱3,315/month for up to 12 months

Buy Secretlab in the Philippines: Shopee | Lazada