Herman Miller Embody vs Secretlab Titan Evo: Which to Buy
Buy the Embody if you can pay well over twice as much at Herman Miller. Its seat depth adjusts (adjustability is not listed for the Titan Evo), its 300 lb weight capacity sits above the Regular Titan Evo’s 285 lb maximum load (Secretlab separates maximum load from body-weight support, and the Embody’s figure is not labeled as either), and its warranty outlasts even Secretlab’s extended cover. Buy the Titan Evo for a recline range listed at 85 to 165 degrees, with a tilt lock, a lumbar you set by hand and an included head pillow, or the XL if you are 5’11” or taller and weigh between 300 and 395 lb.
| Spec | Herman Miller Embody | Secretlab Titan Evo (Regular) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$2,395 at Herman Miller (default configuration, regular price) Configure the Embody at Herman Miller |
Regular size on Amazon Secretlab Titan Evo on Amazon (~$669) |
| Sizes | Not listed | Small, Regular, XL (figures are Regular unless marked XL) |
| Stated fit | Not listed | Regular: 5’7″ to 6’2″, under 220 lb. XL: 5’11” to 6’9″ |
| Weight capacity | 300 lb weight capacity (load or body-weight basis not listed) | 285 lb maximum load (Regular); XL body-weight support 395 lb |
| Seat height | 16 to 20.5 in | 17.7 to 20.5 in |
| Seat depth | Adjustable, 15 to 18 in | 19.3 in (adjustability not listed) |
| Seat width | Not listed | 18.5 in (22.0 in including the sides) |
| Tilt and recline | Standard tilt limiter and tension knob; recline angle not listed | Multi-tilt with tilt lock, 85 to 165 degrees |
| Arms | Fully Adjustable Arms option: 6.5 to 11.5 in above the seat, 12 to 21 in apart | 4-directional, full metal, replaceable CloudSwap tops; 26.0 to 29.1 in armrest to armrest |
| Lumbar support | BackFit back adjustment; lumbar adjustment not listed | Built-in 4-way L-ADAPT (height and depth) |
| Head support | Not listed | Magnetic memory foam head pillow with cooling gel, included |
| Back | Narrow back, central spine with flexible ribs | 33.5 in long, 21.0 in wide |
| Seat build | Four-layer seat, elastic suspension, independent support coils | Cold Cure Foam on a steel frame |
| Upholstery | Medley or Sync fabric (100% polyester) | NEO Hybrid Leatherette, SoftWeave Plus Fabric, Microsuede, NAPA Leather |
| Warranty | 12 years, through Herman Miller and authorized resellers | 3 years, extendable to 5 through Secretlab’s Extended Warranty Program |
| SeatedLab rating | 4.5 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 |
Fit Comes First
The Embody’s seat slides from 15 to 18 inches, so a shorter thigh can sit back against the backrest with the front edge clear of the knees. Secretlab lists the Regular Titan Evo’s seat depth at 19.3 inches without saying whether it adjusts, and that figure is longer than the Embody’s deepest setting. Short thighs point to the Embody; very long ones may find the Titan’s pan closer to their length.
At its lowest, the Embody’s seat sits 1.7 inches lower, at 16 inches against 17.7, which helps if your feet barely reach the floor on many chairs.
Your height and weight decide which Titan Evo size applies. The Regular’s stated fit is 5’7″ to 6’2″ and under 220 lb, its body-weight support figure, while its maximum load is 285 lb. The XL’s stated fit is 5’11” to 6’9″, with body-weight support up to 395 lb, and its seat dimensions are not listed. A buyer between 220 and 285 lb who is under 5’11” falls outside both sizes’ stated fit, and the Embody’s 300 lb weight capacity covers that band, although which of Secretlab’s two kinds of figure it matches is not listed. Price the XL if you are 5’11” or taller and weigh between 300 and 395 lb; buyers over 300 lb and under 5’11” fall outside both sizes’ stated fit. Secretlab also sells a Small, with body-weight support up to 200 lb.
Leaning Back Versus Sitting Up
The Titan Evo’s multi-tilt mechanism has a tilt lock, and its recline range is listed. On the Embody, a standard tilt limiter and a tension knob set where the back stops and how hard it pushes against you, but the number of limiter positions, the tilt range and the recline angle are not listed, so the two chairs cannot be matched degree for degree.
You set the Titan Evo’s L-ADAPT lumbar by hand for height and depth, and a magnetic head pillow comes with the chair. The Embody takes a different route through BackFit, which Herman Miller says “lets you fine-tune the chair specifically to your spine, and then adapts to your movement”, with Pixelated Support in the seat and back; a separate lumbar adjustment is not listed for it.
Arms and Upholstery
All Embody arm figures here are for the Fully Adjustable Arms option, which places the arms 6.5 to 11.5 inches above the seat and 12 to 21 inches apart. On the Titan Evo the 4-directional arms span 26.0 to 29.1 inches armrest to armrest, and their per-axis travel is not listed. The two figures are not stated on the same basis (the Embody’s is the gap between the arms, the Titan Evo’s is armrest to armrest), so they do not line up as a like-for-like comparison.
Leather appears on the Titan Evo’s upholstery list and not on the Embody’s, which names two polyester fabrics.
Warranty and Where to Buy
The Embody’s 12-year warranty compares with 3 years on the Titan Evo, or 5 with Secretlab’s Extended Warranty Program. That cover holds through Herman Miller and its authorized resellers, which is the reason to configure the Embody at Herman Miller.
Keep Reading
- Herman Miller Embody Review. The Embody’s back, seat and arm options in full, before you configure one
- Secretlab Titan Evo Review. Sizing, upholstery and the full spec sheet before you order
- Is the Secretlab Titan Evo Worth It? Whether its price holds up against task chairs at all
- Titan Evo vs Aeron. If the Herman Miller you are weighing is the Aeron instead
- Embody vs Leap. If you want an Embody alternative that can be bought remanufactured
- Aeron vs Gesture vs Titan Evo vs Embody. If the Aeron and the Gesture are still on your list too
- Office Chair vs Gaming Chair. If the real question is which kind of chair to buy