Ideal desk height

A desk height that is ideal for you

can have a positive effect on your performance in the long term - whether you're working or gaming. If you don't adjust it correctly, you may experience hand, neck or shoulder pain sooner or later. In this article we explain why changing the height of your chair is not enough and what else you need to pay attention to.

The right desk height - a myth?

The most common height of a desk is 72 cm. This height is set as a standard nowadays, but it only serves as an ideal size for people who are around 180 cm tall. However, if you are shorter or taller than 180 cm, then this type of desk height is not a suitable option.

In our blog articles, we generally talk about an "optimal" desk height and not a "correct" desk height. The idea that a single correct desk height exists is inherently outdated. While in theory there is a "perfect" sitting posture that most effectively relieves your body, any posture that you stay in for too long is inherently bad.

You can find more on this topic in our blog article "Proper desk posture for gaming and working"

Calculating the ideal desk height

As mentioned earlier, there is no right or wrong standing or sitting position at the desk. It is only important to change your position more often. This is also known as "dynamic sitting" or standing. And for every position the following applies: You should feel comfortable! Ergonomically speaking, it's all about getting your body into an optimal position so that your muscles don't have to do much work. In e-sports, there are three main categories to consider:

1. The setting of your monitor
2. The choice of your peripherals
3. The selection of components for optimal body support.

In the ergonomically ideal sitting position, the top of the screen is at eye level and the tabletop is at about your belly button height. Your arms and shoulders are lowered and fall relaxed on the desk.  You can calculate the ideal desk heights for you by using the table as a guide:

The proper desk height is crucial for an ergonomic sitting position

How can I adjust my desk height?

To be able to adjust your desk height properly, you have the following options:

1. You put, for example, wooden blocks or books under the legs of the desk to raise the desk.
2. You use a normal table attachment or a height-adjustable desk attachment. However, we advise gamers not to use these, as they are not very stable and your setup could wobble.
3. You use a height-adjustable desk. You can choose between a manually or electrically adjustable desk.

Even without advanced DIY skills or a large budget, you can enjoy the perfect desk height for both your office work and gaming sessions, all while supporting your back.

Contrary to what many might expect, electric height-adjustable desks are available at affordable prices. Take the LeetDesk Entry, for example. Starting at just €229.95, it offers all the ergonomic benefits of a pro model!

Monitor setup

Many people overlook the importance of monitor adjustment when setting their desk. Your desk height also affects your viewing angle. For example, the monitor should only be placed at a height where your eyes are in perfect contact with the display. Your eyes should not be strained. Ideally, the monitor should be placed so that your eyes are on the top quarter of the monitor and 1 arm's length (± 1 hand's length) away.

The monitor should also be tilted slightly backwards. Of course, the ideal position of your monitor also depends on your gaming genre. For FPS titles, gamers tend to have the monitor as close as possible in order to be able to recognize opponents more quickly and thus react faster. For strategy games, on the other hand, the overview of the entire monitor is preferred in order to better assess the situation and plan tactics.

A monitor mount can help here to find the perfect monitor height for oneself or to change it depending on the game or work.

What happens if your desk is set too high?

1. You'll be pushing your shoulders up to reach the desk height.
2. Sitting for hours in this position can cause spinal problems in the long run. Your arms will be pushed up, affecting the blood supply there - Among other things, this leads to slower arm movements and thus poorer aiming.
3. Your neck and muscles surrounding the neck area tense, which can lead to poor concentration and headaches.

What happens when your desk is set too low?

1. Your spine is forced to hunch over. A hunched posture for extended periods of time tightens your shoulders a lot - not very conducive to shoulder problems.
2. Your forearms don't rest fully on the tabletop. Not only can this cause long-term pain, but it also leads to less control when aiming due to the added tension

TL;DR - What is the optimal desk height?

In general, it can be said that there is no "right desk height". It is healthy to change your sitting posture often and feel comfortable in your position. You can use a desk height calculator to calculate several ideal desk heights and use them as a guide. However, it's important to remember that monitor height, armrest height and chair height also play an important role in healthy sitting.

If you are thinking about buying a new gaming desk, make sure that the height of the desk corresponds to your body measurements. Ideally, the desk should be height-adjustable so that you can not only set it to the perfect height for you, but also vary the height more often. The gaming desk should also provide enough space for you to comply with the 1-arm rule for monitor distance. Find out what else a gaming desk should be able to do in our gaming desk guide.