In today’s gamer-centric landscape, there is a “gamer” version of everything. Some of these products are extremely unique and useful. Some, it would be hard to make the same case for.
Gaming desks are in a unique situation because they do solve some common issues, but at the end of the day, it’s still just a desk.
So, let’s get into the details and answer the titular question: Are gaming desks worth it?
What Makes a Desk a Gaming Desk
Let’s start with the basics. If we want to know whether or not a gaming desk is worth it, first we have to understand what makes a desk a gaming desk. Once we’ve narrowed this down a bit, and come up with an average price range, then we can work on if this makes a gaming desk worth it or not.
So, what makes a desk a gaming desk? Most often, a gaming desk is a desk that has undergone a specific ergonomic design process to make your gaming experience more natural or comfortable. Some of the most common features on gaming desks are:
- Adjustable height
- Magnetic strips for storage/management
- Extra desktop space for multiple keyboards/monitors
- Custom LEDs or interfaces
These features, along with many others present in gaming desks, are there to make your long gaming sessions more comfortable and help you keep your battle station looking as wonderful as possible.
Of course, nothing is stopping a brand from simply hammering the “gaming” prefix onto one of its items. When looking for anything you may want to purchase, do not let titles like “Gaming”, “Elite”, or “Pro” cloud your judgment.
When researching any product you should do your own research beforehand. Make sure you know the product you’re getting, and you’re confident in its quality. It is impossible to say whether every gaming desk is worth it or not, but we can give you information to make the best decision for your situation.
How Much Should You Expect to Pay
Now that we’ve more clearly defined what makes a gaming desk, let’s discuss money. Because of the aspect of price, it is hard to say something is definitively worth it. Due to everyone’s individual financial situation, what may be pocket change to some, may end up being most of an entire paycheck to someone else.
Since this is the case, we are going to try and keep our observations strictly related to the features offered in comparison to the price. Of course, if we say something is worth it or not, and you believe the opposite, it does not mean we think you’re wrong!
Before we dive into specific desks though, let’s talk about price in a general sense. As a rule of thumb, we would expect to pay somewhere between two hundred and five hundred dollars, depending on what you want. Any lower and you are risking the quality for a few dollars saved, any higher and we find it hard to justify the price tag, regardless of features.
Once again, we would like to reaffirm that if you have the affluence and desire to buy a $1,500 gaming desk, then by all means. This will be more aimed to give a general idea of what prices and features are prominent, so you can make an informed decision for yourself and your situation. Without further ado, let’s take a look at a selection of gaming desks, and whether or not we think they are worth it!
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Know What Features You Want
The absolute most important part when picking out your new desk should be what features you are looking for. Stuff like cupholders, keyboard trays, cable management accessories, and overall surface area.
What kind of desk you get can change greatly based on factors outside of your budget. How many monitors do you have? What size keyboard do you use? Do you eat/drink at your desk? These are all important questions to consider when picking a desk that may not seem apparent at first.
Once you have a solid idea of what features you are looking for, and what you can/want to spend, then it’s time to start looking at desks. If you search by feature, instead of brand, it can make it easier to find the perfect desk for you.
Gaming Desks Worth Considering
We are sure that there are as many desks on the internet as there are stars in the sky. This can make the prospect of trying to find the right one for you rather daunting. However, there’s no need to worry, as we have spent our time compiling some of what we think are great choices.
We tried to keep a range of budgets in mind, and as such, you should be able to use this list as a wonderful starting point. Before we get into specifics on each model, let’s take a quick look at the desks and their price points;
- Secretlab’s Magnus – starts at $499
- Arozzi Arena – starts at $449.99
- Thermaltake Level 20 GT – starts at $399.99
- Eureka L60L-B – starts at $289.99
- Respawn 3010 – starts at $279.99
There is a desk, technically two, that we’d like to discuss at the end, but let’s keep them a surprise for now. Don’t worry, these are the hardest desks for us to recommend anyone actually purchase, so you’re not missing anything by not seeing them yet.
As you can see, the “top end” on what we consider worth it caps out around five hundred dollars. This is not because we think more expensive desks are a scam, but more so because they do not work with our budget. Let’s take a look at some of these selections, and what sets them apart from the rest.
Secretlab’s Magnus Metal Desk
Let’s start with the Magnus. In our opinion one of the coolest design ideas on this list. With a modular magnetic eco-system and some unique features for cable management, this really does feel like a desk built with a PC enthusiast in mind.
The Secretlab Magnus, which starts at a base price of $499, has a lot to go over. This fully metal desk, sitting at 59.1” L x 27.6” W, and designed to support up to 220 pounds, comes with a whole host of nifty features and extra accessories.
Let’s start with the desk itself. We’ve already touched on the full metal design, which we think is great. We also really like the offset back gap and cable management tray, which allows you to place your desk flush against the wall and hide all of your cables coming off of peripherals. Unfortunately, if you only have the $500 for the desk, that’s where the fun ends.
The MAGPAD desk mat, diffused RGB strip, magnetic cable management accessories, and magnetic headphone hanger are all going to cost extra. If you want to get the Magnus plus all of the bells and whistles, it’s going to cost you $660 ($700 if you don’t order the desk and desk mat at the same time).
If you want a more custom approach, here is the price of each accessory/bundle individually:
- Secretlab Cable Management Bundle – $49
- Set of three magnetic cable anchors – $25
- Set of ten cable fastening straps – $13
- Set of two magnetic cable sheaths – $35
- MAGRGB™ Diffused RGB Strip – $59
- Set of four Secretlab Magnetic Bumpers – $19
- Secretlab magnetic headphone hanger – TBD
As you can see, the price starts to jump up quickly as you add features. For us and our budget, this means that the Magnus is cool, but will probably remain a thought. If you can afford it, this desk does seem to warrant its price quite well, and we would consider it a deal if most or at least some of the extras were included in the base price.
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The Arozzi Arena
Another desk that we were actually aware of prior to researching this topic, the Arena is a desk we have a hard time getting over the price tag on. Sitting at a size of 5’3” in length by 2’8.25” wide, this desk is truly massive.
All this surface area is covered by an interchangeable microfiber desk mat. This means no mousepad is necessary, and if needed the whole mat can be removed for cleaning. The mat is also water-resistant, making cleanup quite easy.
Furthermore, the Arena also comes in a selection of six different styles. It may not offer the same range of personalization as the Magnus, but at least it is better than nothing, right? The main difference between all of these will be the color of the frame and the removable mouse pad.
The Arena also comes with three cutouts along the surface that reveal a hidden mesh basket for cable management. These holes can be used for mounting monitors as well, adding to the already extremely functional design of the desk.
In all honesty, the only real issue we could find with the Arena was the price tag. Although $449.99 may be a lot to some, if you can reasonably spend that on a desk, then we would say spend some time looking at the Arozzi Arena.
Sure the Arena may not have the same fancy features, and buckets of addons that the Magnus has, but if you’re looking for a high quality, aesthetically pleasing desk on the high end of the budget, then this seems to be worth it.
Thermaltake Level 20 GT
Another desk that came up quite a bit during research was the Level 20 by Thermaltake. This adjustable desk comes in two different models, with about eight hundred dollars separating the two.
The less expensive of the two, the Thermaltake Level 20 GT BattleStation, comes in at just around four hundred dollars USD, before tax. This is a far cry from the $1,199.99USD for the larger, LED-infused Level 20 BattleStation RGB.
The lights aren’t the only thing that makes the RGB variant shine a little brighter. Although both come with an adjustable height between 70cm and 110cm, the RGB variant also comes with a mechanical motor! This means all of the lowering and raising can be done automatically and on the fly.
Next, let’s talk surface area. Not only does the RGB variant of the Level 20 have more extra features, but it is also a larger desk! The base Level 20 has a surface desktop area of 70x150cm, whereas the RGB boasts an area of 75x165cm. It may not be a ton, but a little extra space can go a long way in decluttering your desk.
Our bottom line on the Thermaltake Level 20 BattleStation is that the standard version is absolutely worth the price. It is a nice, quality design with a ton of useful features. The RGB variant does seem marginally nicer and comes with some awesome LED features, but the price breaks it.
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Eureka L60L-B
The only L-shaped desk on this list, the L60L-B is also one of the least uniquely named desks on this list. However, L-shaped desks are on the rise in popularity. Though the shape may not seem like much, the extra space it provides can be life-changing.
Designed with carbon steel support, the frame is able to hold up to 150KG (330Lbs). This means you can safely store your rig, along with all of its peripherals, without worrying about the weight.
Another wonderful feature of the L60L-B is the built-in cable management. Though these types of trays or systems are becoming more and more common on computer and gaming desks, it is still always an appreciated touch.
On top of that, Eureka’s premiere L-shaped desk comes with a free 60x80CM mousepad. Designed in-house and coming in at just over 2.5 feet long, it’s a great bonus since you’re buying the desk already.
All of this comes in at just under a fairly modest three hundred dollars. At the time of writing, the L60L-B is going for 289.99USD on Eureka’s website, linked above. This is around what we would call a nice average to expect for any desk of decent quality that boasts as many features as the L60.
If you’re looking for a nice mix of cost and quality, then the Eureka L60L-B may be the perfect fit for you.
Respawn 3010
When respawn designed its namesake 3010 desks, it did so with gamers at heart. The Respawn 3010 is made to hold as many accessories as possible, without sacrificing surface area.
Being on a pneumatic lift makes adjusting the height a breeze and with back-mounted spaces for cups, speakers, and headphones, you don’t have to worry about cluttering up your gaming area. Even Better, the Respawn comes with raised monitor shelf, so you can keep your monitors in front of you, without impeding on your space.
With a surface area of 28.75×8.625 inches, this is one of the smaller desks on the list, but this is due to the fact that you are not expected to keep your rig, or really anything other than your mouse and keyboard on the actual desktop.
However, this is also the least expensive option on this list, coming in ten dollars under the Eureka L60 at 279.99. At the time of writing, this is shown as a markdown of the original price of 359.99, which can be seen at the link above.
This is another desk that we would consider very worth it, in the sense that the pricepoint stacks up very well against all of the features it offers. Again, it may not come LED-ready and be fully customizable, but in today’s ecosystem, aftermarket RGB strips are a dime a dozen for decent quality.
Although this desk did not make our shortlist, we just don’t need all of the accessory space. We will say that if you’re someone who constantly finds yourself running out of room on your desk due to peripherals getting in the way, this seems like an excellent fix.
Mystery Picks
Now, it’s time for the surprise we mentioned earlier! These two desks are pretty much impossible for us to recommend to the average person, but they really highlight the whole “the sky’s the limit” philosophy.
The DK-04F and DK-05F, designed by Lian Li. These two desks are designed to hold either one or two, full rigs. That’s right, the Lian Li DK-05F is designed to fit two entire E-ATX motherboards, as well as all accompanying internals. The smaller 04F model only holds one.
Now, these are not only hard to recommend because of the outrageous $2,000 price tag on the larger model ($1,500 for the 04F), but because they also expect you to build a custom pc inside of the desk.
PC building can be an intimidating process for many, especially starting enthusiasts. That, on top of the already high price, means the barrier for entry with the DK systems is extremely high.
However, if you are an experienced enthusiast who has the extra money, this can really increase the aesthetic value of your build. We are not going to touch too much on the specifics of the DK-04F and 05F, but let’s take a look at some of the key features.
- Tempered glass top that can switch between transparent and opaque modes.
- Motorized height adjustment with four customizable presets.
- Massive internal space for system building.
- Plenty of fan and radiator locations for comprehensive water cooling support.
There are plenty more, but if that piques your interest, we suggest going and looking through the official website, once again linked at the start of the section.
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So, Are Gaming Desks Worth It?
We’ve taken a look at a few desks that we think are worth it, and a few that we think are not, depending on where you’re at financially. But, have we come to a decision on whether or not gaming desks are worth it as a whole?
Well, we are sure you saw this coming, but the answer to that question is a little more nuanced than yes or no. First, you have to consider what you can reasonably spend. After all, there’s no point buying a desk if you’ll have to sell your car or won’t have a PC to use it with.
Next, you have to consider what you need the desk for. What will you be doing at it? We assume if you’re reading this article, the answer to that question is gaming, but think about it a little more. What kind of games, do you work from home also, do you prefer to sit or stand? All important to consider.
Once you’ve considered all of these things, then it’s up to you to decide if any specific desk is worth it or not. We have tried to provide a solid baseline to use if you get stuck but always refer to your best judgment when making decisions that only affect yourself.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that it will vary from case to case. If you want our personal opinion, most gaming desks are not worth it. They will charge exorbitant prices just because they changed minimal features and added “gaming” to the package.
However, if you wade through the piles of fancy packages and empty promises, you will find companies making unique products for gamers. We do not consider every product on this list worth it in a broad sense. Despite this, we would purchase any of these desks for ourselves if the money were not an issue.
In that sense, you can see that just because something is high quality or a cool product, that doesn’t have any inherent value. You must consider what it does for you and if you can reasonably accommodate getting it. If the answer to those two questions is “a lot” and “yes” then that’s a good place to start.
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