Ah, the standing desk. For some, a part of a resolution. For others, a way of life. For me, just a way of fighting the post-lunch slouch. If you've been debating getting a motorized desk for yourself, today saw two big shakeups in our best gaming desk roundup.
First, the Flexispot E1, a long-reigning budget desk pick, has been dethroned by the Autonomous Smart Desk 5. In his review, our Jacob found this all white desk to be not only very affordable but super easy to build, and clean thanks to built-in cable management. At 48 by 24 inches, it's not the largest desk, but it's certainly not small, and the single motor packs a surprising punch, holding the table up. With a weight limit of just shy of 80 kg, we wouldn't advise cramming multiple rigs and a monitor on it, though you'd struggle to find the space anyway.
The Smart Desk 5 is, most importantly, very affordable and offers a strong build quality while it's at it. It managed to beat out the Flexispot E1, which is a bit more expensive at MSRP and doesn't look quite as nice, though it does have a slighter higher weight limit.
We found our model took a bit of damage in shipping, which can be attributed to poor packaging, but we've built multiple PCs on top of this desk and it has yet to receive a scratch. It's a super solid build, even if the packaging could do with an upgrade.
That's not the only shakeup to the best gaming desk list this week, in our approximation. We have now also added in the Corsair Platform:4 as the best compact choice. Both this and its older, bigger brother, the Corsair Platform:6, are quite expensive for a gaming desk. However, since monitoring it, we have found the Platform:4 to regularly shave a few hundred dollars off that asking price. In fact, as of the time of writing, it is $350 off. Unfortunately, it's only the Birch and Light Pine Stain model that's currently on sale. Fortunately, that's our favorite one.
This desk is not only compact at 47 x 30 inches, making it perfect for a small space, but it's also super sturdy, and even comes with a new monitor arm on the back of the desk. Given there's limited counterspace, being able to mount a monitor leaves more room for a keyboard, mouse, and even a rig.
Despite these changes, one thing simply cannot be moved: The Secretlab Magnus Pro XL. It not only remains unmoved because it's an excellent and rather huge but also because it's nearly unshakable. Over $900 is a whole lot of cash to throw down on a gaming desk, but you can't say you don't get a whole lot of desk in return. You can see our full picks for the best gaming desks below.
The quick list
The best gaming desks
The best overall
Vast and sturdy, this one comes with great cable management solutions and some nifty accessories to boot. It may be hefty and cost a little extra for accessories, but the Magnus Pro XL is the best desk we've tested.
The best budget
If you just want a massive gaming desk for a not-massive price, then Ikea's Utespelare is by far the best one to get. The cable management system is a classy touch, too.
The best midrange
This desk is vast, with a waterproof mouse pad surface for serious gaming chops. The Arena's looks might not be to everyone's taste, but the price for all that real estate certainly will be.
The best L-shape
If you have an awkward corner for your gaming setup or home office, the Flexispot E7L offers the best way to make use of it effectively. For a desk with a motorized sit/stand function, it's surprisingly affordable.
The best budget motorized
Affordable and well-featured, this automatic Autonomous desk is easy to assemble, with great cable management, even though a fairly limited weight limit means you should probably be careful with how much you load onto it.
The best compact
Outside of the off-discount price, the Corsair Platform:4 does practically everything you'd want a compact desk to do, and looks good while it does so.
The best convertible
This is the best convertible desk we've tested, and it means you don't have to buy a whole new desk to get the benefit of standing. It's not ideal for large mouse pads, but there's something to be said for the lack of assembly required.
