Gaming furniture
The right gaming furniture and decorative elements for your gaming corner + DIY ideas to make yourself.
Gaming desk
Gaming desk or office desk? The 5 most important features of a good gamer desk
Séverine Dergham
The desk is the heart of your gaming room,
after all, it's where everything happens. But can a gaming desk make a difference when it comes to gaming? In this article, we'll uncover the differences between any table and a gaming desk, and explain the 5 most important features you should look for when buying one.
Gaming desk, ideas and inspirations
Before we dive into analyzing a desk for gaming, let's take a look at several battle stations from around the web.
As we can see, the ideas for a gaming table are unlimited. But not everything that shines brings more frags, as we all know. That's why we're going to take a closer look at what makes a good gaming desk.
Gaming desk vs home office desk - what's the difference?
Computer desk, office desk, home office desk and gaming desk - aren't they all the same thing? Where is the distinction made here? A good desk should give you comfort and not get in the way of your health, i.e. be ergonomic. Computer desks and corner desks are first and foremost used to store documents and create more space and order. They include drawers and compartments and come in many different materials, shapes and colors. Ideally, a PC gaming desk fulfills two important requirements:
- To support you while gaming, especially in terms of ergonomics and comfort. For this reason, table manufacturers bring height-adjustable desks and tables with special tabletop shapes to the market.
- To perfectly fit your gaming setup. Gamer desks also stand out from the average office desk, often in terms of design and color choice. Ideally, there are several options to choose from for customization.
Of course, there are also ergonomic home office tables. Here, however, office furniture manufacturers either compromise on the quality and functionality of the tables or charge high prices. This is because they are aimed at offices or companies with a corresponding budget.
Are you currently building your gaming room?
Take a look at our comprehensive guide "How to furnish your gaming room" with many tips and ideas.
The 5 most important factors in gaming desk selection
Gaming desks can vary greatly. We have listed which of the 5 most important criteria to consider.
1. Design
First and foremost is the appearance of the gamer desk. A table takes up a lot of space in a room, so you should not compromise here. You have to decide for yourself if you want to make a statement - that is, if you want your table to look eye-catching and "scream gaming" - or if you are more minimalist. Do you have your own gaming room or corner? Then maybe an extravagant model will fit in. Is the table in the living room or home office? Then rather something more discreet.
Black or white desk?
Think carefully about the color of your desk. Again, take your cue from where you want your desk to be. White gaming desks are less noticeable, while black gaming desks stand out a bit more. Surrounded by black furniture or in contrast with white furniture, black desks can also look very modern without standing out too much.
Important note: Black desks, or furniture in general, magically attract fingerprints. Unless an anti-fingerprint coating is offered, you should keep that in mind as well.
Tabletop: With or without cutout?
The shape of the tabletop is also often an important element that makes a PC gaming desk stand out. Some models feature a cutout at the edge of the seat - this is to allow you to sit closer to the monitor and feel like you're part of the game. However, caution is advised here: Depending on the type of cutout, it is no longer possible to rest your forearms on the table. In addition, some space is lost, of course.
Corner gaming desk, square or rectangular?
There are several forms of gaming desks: rectangular, square or corner. The most common shape is a rectangular table. You usually won't go wrong with this shape, as in most cases there is enough space for several screens and your PC. A square table is usually more compressed and doesn't give you the opportunity to spread out on your desk. Depending on the room layout, a corner gaming desk could also be an option. This way, you can make full use of your room space and save room. It's just more difficult to find a good, ergonomic model.
2. Size
How much space do you need on your desk? Is one monitor enough or do you use three? A gaming desk shouldn't be too small, because computers, monitors and your pro-gamer mouse pad can take up a lot of space.
Small gaming desk
Gaming desks with 140 cm or 120 cm are classified as small. Here usually only a monitor fits on it, possibly also a small PC, - otherwise this must stand on the floor. The depth is also important here. Gaming monitors often have large feet that require a lot of space. If the table is less than 70 cm deep, you might be limited in the optimal keyboard and mouse placement.
You can also save space by using certain accessories, such as a PC mount or monitor arm.
Large gaming desk
When a gaming desk is big is of course subjective. In our eyes, a gaming desk is considered large from 160 cm. Two larger monitors and, depending on the size, a PC can be placed there without any problems. With three monitors or a streaming setup, it should already be a gaming desk from 180 cm.
3. Height adjustability
A height-adjustable gaming desk can definitely be an option to better adapt the desk to one's needs and do something for health and ergonomics while gaming. As we all know, if you stay healthy longer, you play better longer.
The proper desk posture at a gaming desk
Your seat height is a crucial factor for comfort and ergonomics. The optimal table height depends on your own body size as well as your seating preferences when gaming. Most office desks correspond to a standard height of 72 centimeters and are therefore only suitable to a limited extent. For example, if you are 173 cm tall, an ideal desk height of 68 cm is recommended. You can find more recommendations in our article "Optimal desk height".
Occasional standing helps
For health reasons, there are many factors that speak in favor of changing the seat height more often or standing occasionally when gaming and working. This helps avoid neck and back pain, which can negatively affect gaming enjoyment and concentration. Standing not only stimulates the circulation and thus concentration, but also burns an average of 30% more calories than sitting. Of course, for many it is a change to stand at a table, but numerous studies prove the advantages of standing. So when farming or playing less hectic games, standing can be more beneficial than detrimental to you.
Differences in height-adjustable gaming desks
Many desks can now be adjusted in height, but caution is advised here as well. Height adjustable desks have legs that consist of either two or three segments. Desks with only two segments can be lowered to a maximum of 71 cm and raised to 121 cm. So if you have certain sitting or standing preferences or are relatively short or tall, this could already be a knockout criterion for you.
Lastly, make sure that the height-adjustable gaming desk can lift enough load and is stable - a thick tower, monitors and other accessories can make a desk very heavy and wobbly.
Get a height-adjustable gaming desk at a discount or for free?
👉 We'll show you how that works here.
4. Material
Desks for gaming can be made of different materials. But which material is best for a gamer desk?
Tabletop
In principle, it is important that the top is a durable material, such as solid plastic, or better yet, wood. For gaming desks made of wood, it would be necessary to distinguish whether the table top is made of chipboard or fiberwood. The latter is far more stable than chipboard in the "MDF" (Medium Density Fiberboard) version.Glass desks are nice to look at, but they are not practical. They are not very stable and will not forgive you many ragequits.Last but not least, you can also find some models in carbon look. This, in most cases, is a particle board top that comes with a carbon look plastic trim.
Table Frame
There are several types of frames, all of which have their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Pro | Con | |
|---|---|---|
2 legs |
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4 legs |
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Z-Frame |
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X-Frame | More stable than Z-frame... |
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Need help choosing a gaming chair?
Check out our comprehensive guide "Buying a Gaming Chair" - there we show you what to look for when buying.
5. Accessories
You can always upgrade your gaming PC desk, of course. Some accessories help you keep order on your gaming desk, some are for lifestyle and others are more bad than good.
LED / RGB
Gaming desks with LED can complement the already existing RGB setup with PC, keyboard etc. or create a good ambience on their own. Make sure that the LEDs on the table are arranged in such a way that they do not disturb you while playing or working. Ideally, the table can also be linked to established software solutions for controlling RGB hardware.
Cable management
Cable management systems are important to keep your room tidy. Cable clutter not only gives your gaming setup an unprofessional appearance, but can sometimes be annoying and distracting. There are several variations of gaming desks with cable management systems, such as cable trays or cable hoses or a combination thereof. Make sure they are large enough to accommodate entire power strips.
👉 Check out our cable management guide here.
PC holder
A PC mount is very helpful if you don't want to put your computer on a table or on the floor. The computer is then hung under the desk top and is protected from dirt, dust and damage. Too much dust can block your fan and cause your PC to overheat. There are PC mounts in various sizes and designs. Make sure that the mount can carry a lot of weight - gaming PCs are usually quite heavy!
Monitor arm
A monitor mount or monitor arm helps you to adjust your screen to the perfect height for you. The most important feature is the swivel arm with its height adjustability. Monitor arms help you maintain a healthy posture while gaming and adjust the screen distance depending on the game. Another advantage is that you create more space on the table, because the feet are omitted!
Drawers
Gaming desks with drawers are less common. Especially keyboard drawers are a no-go for gamers, as they don't have a stable hold and offer no way to rest your hands and arms. It's generally more advisable to opt for a table without built-in drawers and then prefer to purchase and attach them later if needed.
Cup holder
Some models also come with a cup holder. Here, it is important to ensure that the holder can hold as many different sizes of bottles or cups stably as possible. Also, drink holders often look cheap and can therefore pull down the look & feel of your setup.
Headset holder
Headset mounts are available either for on the table or as hooks for under the table. Some monitor models also have a fold-out mount. We don't have a recommendation here, as neither variant has any particular advantages or disadvantages.
Conclusion - Found the perfect desk?
The perfect table for gaming should not only have a cool design, but also be robust, resilient and ergonomic. The design, in turn, is a matter of taste and also strongly depends on how the rest of your setup and your room looks. For a tidy gaming setup, the use of various accessories and a well thought-out cable management is recommended.
