Bottom Line
Once again, Secretlab pulls out all the stops with the Omega.
Supremely comfort alongside quality materials and craftsmanship – the Omega is among the best gaming chairs out there.
The mid-range entry in the Secretlab arsenal of gaming chairs, the Omega represents a happy medium between the great budget Throne and the comfort of the oversized Titan.
By specializing in three products rather than stretching itself thin with a dizzying array of products – a pitfall many companies fall into that inevitably leads to lots of subpar chairs rather than a few exceptional models – Secretlab is onto something special. The Omega follows in that rich tradition.
For our review, we had the pleasure of testing out the 2018 model of the Omega, which takes all the positives from previous iterations and adds in a few choice changes.
So, how does the Omega fare? Here’s our review of the Secretlab Omega gaming chair.
Style | Office/Gaming, Bucket Seat |
Seat Dimensions | 55 cm x 50 cm |
Backrest Dimensions | 82 cm x 53 cm |
Max Capacity | 110 kg |
Colors | Stealth, Classic, Black with Suede, Amber, Royal, Ash, Cookies & Cream, Charcoal Blue, Wine Red/Cream Napa, Navy Blue/Black Suede, and a variety of special editions. |
Build Materials | Steel, PRIME PU Leather, SoftWeave, NAPA Leather, Cold Cure Foam, Reinforced Aluminum |
Price Range | Mid-level |
Table of ContentsShow
Design
Most chairs feel sturdy enough when first sitting in them, but within an hour or two reveal their true colors be it a veiled flimsiness or a build designed for longevity. After sitting in the Omega for a month, there’s no doubt Secretlab has built it for the long haul.
Bolstered by a robust steel frame and a reinforced aluminum base, allied with quality parts such as a heavy-duty Class 4 hydraulic gas piston supporting the seat base and a set of 6 cm PU rubber wheeled casters, the Omega oozes quality craftsmanship.
The overall design resembles the classic racing shape. Still, it is more subtle in appearance with a less pronounced bucket while maintaining an ergonomic fit that wraps around the user effortlessly.
The Omega employs a single piece of high-density cold-cured foam that, instead of being cut as is standard practice for similar chairs, is molded for a better fit around the frame of the bucket and backrest.
In terms of materials adorning the foam, the Omega is available in three different cuts. Regardless of which one you opt for, the materials are chosen and manufactured for their quality in keeping with Secretlab touting the Omega as long term companion for all your gaming endeavors.
The first is the Secretlab proprietary PRIME PU leather found on the Throne gaming chair, whose quality is a cut above the PU leather found on competitor chairs with increased durability while being equally supple and pleasant to the touch.
The PU leather edition is available in Stealth, Classic, Black with Suede, Amber, Royal, and Ash color schemes with a few special editions such as a team issue Cloud9 version or a deadmau5 inspired model.
Next, we have the slightly more expensive SoftWeave made of a dense 350 GSM short-yarn blend of fabrics that feels almost fluff-like to touch and is altogether as durable as the PU, but far more comfortable in our opinion. The SoftWeave edition is available in Cookies & Cream and Charcoal Blue.
Finally, Secretlab offers a NAPA leather addition, which for all intents and purposes, is the premium luxury option usually found on Rodeo Drive-bound leather goods.
According to Secretlab, NAPA leather is the most comfortable of the three options and the most pleasant to touch due to its pronounced smooth texture.
The NAPA leather is offered in either a Wine Red/Cream Napa or Navy Blue/Black Suede scheme.
Before wrapping up the design section, we have to mention the plush lumbar support cushion. We were enamored with the lumbar pillow included with the Throne, and as the Omega consists of an improved and bigger version, we were equally over the moon.
The surface is made of soft stretch velvet velour covering a cut of memory foam with a perfectly designed contour and size that fits snugly between the backrest and lower back.
We love this pillow not only because of the ergonomic benefits but for the sheer comfort on offer.
Comfort
The Omega is adjusted for users measuring anywhere from 160 to 180 cm, rocking a maximum weight of 110 kg. If you fall towards the upper percentile of the requirements, the fit is close-fitting, but altogether comfortably pleasant rather than oppressive or constricting.
We won’t lie: the cold cured foam is firmer than other chairs, but this is a tradeoff that allows the chair to withstand the strains of repeated and prolonged usage over time.
The firmness isn’t uncomfortable, though. On the contrary, we grew to appreciate the extra support with the added benefit of not even the slightest sign of the frame cutting through and prodding the thighs or back. You won’t sink into the Omega or feel that the foam collapses over time.
As above, the lumbar support pillow is exceptional, and this extends to the removable headrest that is also covered in velvet.
We are tempted to say that these additions are among the best support accessories we’ve come across in the gaming chair market.
Functionality
We were particularly taken with the 4D armrests sporting a concave PU surface that was both comfortable even after multiple hours and fully adjustable in every direction imaginable – including height, sideways, frontward, backward, and on the angles.
The multi-functional tilt mechanism is responsive and allows you to lock the suspension mechanism at an angle that suits you while being able to release it to recline the backrest from 85 to 165 degrees.
As with the upright position, the reclined position is just as comfortable, especially when using the headrest and lumbar support pillow.
As is standard for gaming chairs, the seat base is adjustable with a range of 46 cm to 55 cm from the floor.
The Omega also moves – or should we say glides – effortlessly across all the surfaces we tested it on.
This can be particularly useful if the user is prone to jumping between workstations or fancies role-playing as a marooned sailor attempting to escape a desert island as they grab a snack from the kitchen.
Assembly
Assembly is a matter of 30 to 45 minutes and is supported by a large, quality color infographic that details every step in glistening simplicity.
We also like that Secretlab has invested some time and money into the packaging. It protects every component but also makes unpacking less of a cumbersome experience for the user due to the smart positioning of the parts in the box.
As with the Throne, the assembly is best tackled as a two-person team if only to ensure screw alignments are a little easier to handle. A single person is, however, capable of building the Omega without too much trouble.
Support
Sticking to the tried and tested model of sourcing customers directly by cutting out retailers and distributors, Secretlab support is unsurprisingly on point and not just in the cost-cutting reflected in the affordability of its chairs.
Not only does the Omega ship will a reasonably comprehensive two-year warranty, but Secretlab also offers an excellent request form support system with easy claim and refund procedures.
The company also distributes the Omega internationally with speedy shipping times, typically two to four working days in most cases.
We are always wary of companies that don’t offer a phone number for questions and queries, but in this case, the short response times and the quality of the help did much to assuage our concerns almost immediately.
Verdict
After sampling the cushy delights of the Secretlab Omega, it’s hard not to qualify it as one of the best gaming chairs available today, if only for how comfortable it is. The durable design and quality of the parts help with this overall impression as well.
The only real negative is the restrictive user size requirements that means the Omega is better suited to a medium height/weight user. Still, with both the Throne and Titan catering for smaller and larger users respectively, Secretlab has all the bases covered.
Overall, the Secretlab Omega gets a definite thumbs up from us here at Gaming Scan.