Gaming

Are the new Secretlab Gaming Chairs worth replacing your old ones?

Lovin’ that loud, pink look

Published

May 27, 2022

Tashbunny

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:

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

Buy Secretlab in the Philippines: Shopee | Lazada

Related Topics:Secretlab Secretlab Omega 2020 Series Dva Edition

Gaming

Now Playing: Elden Ring Tarnished Edition

Is the Switch 2 port worth the price?

Published

September 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

How do you review one of the greatest games of all time?

Elden Ring is one of those games that needs no introduction. Launched in 2022, the difficult fantasy RPG rapidly skyrocketed into the year’s top spot. Then, it got even better with 2024’s Shadow of the Erdtree, a sizable DLC that packed in a new map with new challenges. Now, I’ve reviewed both and found them well worth the price of admission. So, what else is there to say?

Well, late last month, Elden Ring launched its much-awaited port for the Switch 2 through a Tarnished Edition, a bundle that conveniently pairs the base game with the DLC in one package. In an instant, there are now two new things to talk about: How well does the game perform on a Switch 2? What does the Tarnished Edition add?

Is Elden Ring worth getting for the Switch 2?

Compared to the original Switch, the second Switch features a way better processor. Games aren’t locked to the limitations of yesteryear: 720p resolution, 30fps. However, the Switch 2 still isn’t the best console for chasing performance. Personally, I’ve been using it almost exclusively for first-party Nintendo games and older (and smaller) titles.

That said, Nintendo has grandiose dreams for its latest console. Starting with Cyberpunk 2077, the console wants to be a home for modern games, too, and Elden Ring is the perfect candidate for that.

Naturally, a Switch 2 port can fill fans with consternation especially after they’ve experienced the legendary game on more powerful consoles. Is the Switch 2 a good match?

Yes, if you don’t mind playing at 30fps. Unfortunately, Elden Ring is locked to only 30fps on the console. Though a good chunk of the population is clearly fine with the framerate, it’s a bit of a struggle for me especially in handheld mode.

Maybe it’s my aging eyes, but having a game so close to my face but locked at 30fps doesn’t make for a good time. I got dizzy pretty quickly. It also didn’t help that the handheld mode had several stutters.

As with other games on the platform, docked mode had significant improvements. Sure, it’s still locked at 30fps, but a consistent framerate is much better than a stuttering one. Despite the downgrade, the Switch 2 can handle the game well.

Is the Tarnished Edition worth getting?

Most FromSoftware games will get a complete edition eventually. All of the Dark Souls titles got one, and Elden Ring is no exception.

The biggest difference here is that the Tarnished Edition is technically exclusive to the Switch 2. It’s the only package available for the console. It includes the base game, the expansion pack, two new starting classes, new skins for Torrent, and new armors. It’s the most comprehensive way to play the entirety of Elden Ring, excepting Nightreign.

If you’re on another platform, the Tarnished Edition updates — the new classes, skins, and armors — are available only through a Tarnished Pack purchased separately. Is it worth the price?

The most exciting part of the update is the addition of two new classes: Heavy Knight and Idus Knight. For me, I prefer the Heavy Knight, a hardy class focused on heavy armor, endurance, and strength. It’s a very straightforward class for those who prefer direct damage. Idus Knight, on the other hand, focuses on dexterity and faith, if you prefer playing with quicker attacks and miracles.

The rest, in my opinion, is just cherry on top. The new armor and customization options are nice to have, but I don’t have a strong feeling that it’s worth the price of an extra DLC.

Is Elden Ring Tarnished Edition your PlayMatch?

As I said, it’s hard to review the special edition or a port of a universally acclaimed game. Focusing on the minutiae of performance and slight upgrades doesn’t feel like it does Elden Ring justice. The game earned 2022’s Game of the Year for a reason.

That said, I can’t recommend Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree enough. If you haven’t played it yet and only have a Switch 2, the Tarnished Edition gets a Swipe Right and a Super Swipe.

However, if you’ve already finished the game and have no intention of playing it elsewhere (especially on a potentially weaker platform), this gets a Swipe Left. You can shell out a few bucks for the Tarnished Pack, though, if you really want to support the game.

Gaming

The original PlayStation gets the LEGO treatment

The original PlayStation is now a LEGO set.

Published

September 4, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Remember the original PlayStation? The gray box that introduced an entire generation to 3D gaming is now getting rebuilt — one LEGO brick at a time.

LEGO and PlayStation have revealed the LEGO PlayStation, a 1,911-piece set that recreates the original console and its controller in near 1:1 scale.

The set celebrates more than 30 years of PlayStation history. Once built, the console measures over 6cm high, 26cm wide, and 19cm deep.

It isn’t just a static display piece, either. You can press the Power and Open buttons, while the included original-style controller can plug into the front of the console.

And if that wasn’t nostalgic enough, there’s more hiding inside.

There are two games inside

Opening the LEGO PlayStation reveals two miniature dioramas inspired by classic games from the original PlayStation era.

The first pays tribute to Gran Turismo, which debuted on PlayStation in 1997. It recreates a miniature racing scene with tiny cars and customizable elements.

The second takes inspiration from Ape Escape, which launched in 1999. Its island-themed diorama includes the game’s iconic monkey helmet, complete with a swappable blue or red light.

Both dioramas can be removed from the console and displayed separately.

LEGO also opted for the original PlayStation controller instead of the later DualShock. That makes sense for a set centered on the hardware that launched the PlayStation brand in 1994.

Coming this October

The LEGO PlayStation carries product number 72306 and is designed for builders aged 18 and up.

LEGO Insiders get early access starting October 1, 2026. Everyone else can pick it up beginning October 4 through LEGO.com, LEGO Stores, and select retailers.

The set costs $179.99 in the US, €159.99 in Europe, and £139.99 in the UK.

PlayStation will also sell it through PlayStation Direct starting October 1 in select markets, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

At nearly 1:1 scale, with working buttons, a plug-in controller, and two games hiding inside, the LEGO PlayStation is more than another piece of gaming memorabilia.

It’s basically a tiny reminder of where PlayStation started — just don’t expect it to play your old discs.

Gaming

NBA 2K’s MyCAREER needs to play the long game

The next level of NBA 2K27’s MyCAREER?

Published

September 4, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Six or seven hours into NBA 2K27’s MyCAREER, I found myself thinking about what happens next.

Not just the next chapter of Fire & Concrete. I mean what happens after I make it to the NBA. What kind of career can my player actually have?

That question kept getting louder the more I played.

NBA 2K has spent years refining the fantasy of building your own player. We’ve had different stories, progression systems, and ways to get into the league. Now, MyCAREER Eras lets us drop that player into some of the most iconic periods in NBA history.

But I think there’s a bigger idea hiding in there.

What if MyCAREER actually let me live a career?

I don’t mean making the mode longer for the sake of it. Give the basketball enough room to tell the story.

I don’t want less basketball. I want the basketball itself to become the RPG.

Fire & Concrete has a good foundation

I’m still making my way through Fire & Concrete, but the fact that I was itching to get back to it tells me something.

It’s nothing too new or major, but it’s engaging enough. There’s more basketball this time, too. For the most part, you’re watching cutscenes or playing basketball.

I get why 2K has gone in that direction. Most NBA 2K players probably want to spend more time hooping than walking around doing side activities.

Still, there is room for more.

I’d love for the story to stretch into the NBA portion of MyCAREER instead of ending once you make it there. Give me choices that actually shape my career.

Even the little things could use more personality. I miss the days of Freq and Prez. Calling everyone MP for years just doesn’t have the same personality.

Give me less SGA and more Great Barrier Thief.

Let me earn my way into the NBA

The Draft could also be a much bigger part of the fantasy.

I haven’t reached it in my own playthrough yet, but I’ve seen that you can choose where you play anyway. That’s convenient, but I’d rather have more of a process.

Give me target teams. Let teams express interest. Put me through workouts and interviews, then let my performances influence where I land.

Maybe I dominate a workout and move up a team’s board. Maybe I struggle and fall to the second round. And maybe I don’t get drafted and have to fight through the G League.

Multiple paths would make each MyCAREER feel different.

More importantly, my path to the NBA should affect the career that follows.

Make the basketball part of the RPG

I don’t want NBA 2K to become a giant RPG where I’m spending hours managing menus and relationships instead of playing basketball.

The basketball itself should be the RPG.

Start me somewhere. Maybe I’m a fringe rotation player or a second-round pick. Perhaps I’m a highly touted lottery selection.

Then let me play my way forward.

Year one could be about earning a rotation spot. Year two might mean becoming a starter. By year three, perhaps I’m an All-Star. Later seasons can bring bigger expectations, roster changes, injuries, championships, and the question of what kind of player I want to become.

That’s progression that means something beyond XP and VC.

Running Mate shows the potential

The Running Mate system gave me a glimpse of what this could look like.

At first, I found the objectives with Trace Miller annoying. Then I realized they were forcing me to be more deliberate and play better team basketball.

That’s a pretty neat tutorial for someone like me, especially since I built an Athletic Iso Savant who would rather create his own shot.

The co-op MyCAREER concept points in the same direction. I didn’t get enough time with a second player to properly judge it, but even the early objectives made me think about being a better teammate.

Imagine if those relationships evolved over several seasons. Your Running Mate could become a lifelong teammate, get traded, or force you to adjust your game as the roster changes.

The career itself can create the drama.

Let the progression breathe

The starting rating of 60 is rough. If you don’t want to spend extra, you can grind activities like Casual Corner to reach the 73–75 range, where your player starts feeling like an actual NBA prospect.

But I’m not convinced the answer is simply starting everyone higher.

A 60 rating can make sense. The bigger issue is balancing progression for different kinds of players.

Some people have time to grind every game. Others don’t. Some will spend to speed things up. Others won’t.

NBA 2K27 already has Key Games, which lets you move through a season faster. The tradeoff is slower progression if you only play those.

I think that can work.

Want to become a Rookie MVP? Put in the work. Play more games. Perform better.

Want a more realistic career? Take your time and build your role naturally over several seasons.

That’s where MyCAREER Eras could really shine.

MyCAREER Eras is the Hail Mary

Introducing MyCAREER Eras showed me a potential time-travel, player-locked sandbox that’s waiting to be expanded upon.

I look at those historical eras and immediately think:

How else am I gonna help Allen Iverson get a ring?

That’s the kind of fantasy I want from NBA 2K.

The problem is that I can’t simply take my leveled-up build and jump into another era without having to level that build again through grinding or buying VC.

That’s the part that really rubbed me the wrong way.

If MyCAREER Eras is supposed to be an offline historical sandbox, it feels like the perfect place to take some of the live-service friction away.

Let me pick an era. Let me pick a year. And then let me bring in my player at the rating I’ve already earned.

Then let me play.

The City can remain the online, competitive side of NBA 2K. That’s clearly what a lot of players want, and that’s fine. It’s just not really my thing.

Give me an offline MyCAREER Eras sandbox focused on playing basketball and building a career.

And make it long.

What if I could stay for five years?

This is probably the biggest change I’d want.

Let me play a full five-year NBA career with my player. Not because 2K needs to artificially stretch the mode, but because the career itself should evolve.

Maybe I start as a nobody and finish as a franchise player. Perhaps I get drafted by the wrong team and have to fight for a bigger role. Maybe I never become a superstar and instead become a sixth man who wins a championship.

Maybe I become D-Rose’s Running Mate to a championship or two.

That’s where the fantasy becomes personal.

My suggested tweaks still need work. I’m not pretending I’ve figured out the perfect version of MyCAREER.

But MyCAREER Eras showed me something bigger than the feature itself: 2K has the beginnings of a time-travel, player-locked sandbox just waiting to be expanded.