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Summary: If hours of gaming have your back and neck hurting, it is time to consider an upgrade to your set up. We have rounded up the best gaming desks so you can find the perfect fit for your style and space.
The Best Gaming Desks
It's time to get your game on! You've got your gaming rig, mechanical keyboard, controller, headphones, and everything else you need to play. But what is your gaming gear sitting on?
The tech is just one part of the equation when it comes to building a great gaming setup. You will likely spend a significant amount of time gaming, so your setup, including desk and chair, needs to be comfortable and functional.
What's the best gaming desk for your specific gaming style?
Best Overall
A flashy gaming desk for PC and console games. Its smooth desktop and blue LED lighting provide a refreshing look to your gaming setup.
Best Full Size Desk
Made for the advanced gamer with its expansive, 14-square foot surface and 176-pound load capacity, which can hold up to three monitors simultaneously.
Best for Cable Management
Innovative use of multiple gaming style elements, let every gamer get the best gaming experience.
Best Standing Desk
Top-of-the-line height-adjustable desk, you can effortlessly achieve the perfect sit/stand balance throughout your entire workday.
Best Organization
Update your home office or study with this modern and sleek corner computer desk. Crafted from durable steel with a powder-coated finish and thick, tempered safety glass.
Best Value
Vitesse multifunction desk the best way to ensure a fluid gaming experience is having an organized station.
Best Compact Desk
Most Versatile Setup
Enjoy space for your monitors, keyboard, and mouse or use the lower tier for your laptop.
Best for Durability
It is packed with incredible benefits of some of nature’s most potent “super-greens” into our tasty paleo and vegan formula.
Most Versatility
GreenForest black L shaped gaming computer desk offers a sleek modern design crafted with durable steel .
What to Look for in a Gaming Desk
It might seem like all gaming desks are fairly similar, but there are a few key differences between choosing the best gaming desk and just another table to set things on.
Desktop Space
A good gaming desk will provide ample space for your display and PC set up. You can find desks anywhere from under 40 inches long to well over 60 inches - the size you need depends on the space you have available.
Display arms can help hold multiple displays, but you want to make sure you have enough room to move freely with your keyboard and mouse.
Material & Structure
Carbon fiber steel and real woods are undeniably strong materials and quality construction signs that will provide a sturdy gaming surface. Watch out for steel-coated tubing and aluminum frames, which may not be up to the job of supporting a lot of weight.
Also, consider the lifespan of carbon fiber or wood surfaces compared to a veneered particle board surface. The latter simply will not hold up as long over time.
Desk Layout & Adjustability
Depending on your preference and the space available, you can choose between a regular rectangle-shaped desk, an L-shaped desk, or an adjustable desk.
L-shaped desks provide the most comfortable extended workspace as the shape fits naturally with how we use our arms. But not everyone has room for an L-shaped desk.
Accessories
The best gaming desks offer features that enhance the gaming experience. A handy hook to hold a headset or a cup holder for your soda are like a cherry on top when it comes to finding a good gaming desk.
Not all of the gaming desks include these extra accessories, and some that only offer flimsy plastic accessories that won't hold up. Consider both the inclusion and quality of additional accessories before deciding if they benefit the desk.
In addition to your PC and display screens, consider where your keyboard, mouse, speakers, and other peripherals will go. If you like the look of everything on one level, a standard desktop is a good choice for you.
Construction
No one knows how their setup will evolve over time. Don't limit yourself by buying a desk that doesn't play well with accessories. Look to see if you can mount aftermarket monitor arms easily or if the desk includes any optional upgrade accessories.
For example, one desk on our list easily converts from an L-shape to a U-shape by purchasing two desks. Another one on our list is a tabletop unit that converts any desktop to a standing desk.
Generally speaking, most gaming desks lack real storage space. This is because you don't need to keep paper files, and not including drawers keeps the design more simplistic. If you want to add a CPU stand or printer, consider if the desk will work well with these accessories.
Assembly
The nicest looking desks can be all for nothing if the task of putting them together is beyond your skill level. Some desks come with good instructions, plenty of hardware, and short prep time.
Other desks require a great deal of mechanical skill and a significant time commitment to build.
One is not necessarily better than the other if it matches your abilities; just know what you are getting yourself into. The worst outcome could be that you spend a lot of money on a gaming desk only to ruin it during assembly.
(Use our quick navigator below to find the best gaming desks that best suites your needs)
For a compact design with a stylish Z-shape design and LED lighting, the Eureka Ergonomic Gaming Desk offers just the right setup. The sleek but sturdy carbon fiber desktop is 44.5 inches long.
It supports up to a 40-inch monitor without taking up a lot of space. Plus, the materials and Z-shaped design provide stability and sturdiness that is often hard to find at the lower end of the price range.
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If you are looking for a bit more room, the Arozzi Arena Gaming Desk has space for up to three large monitors.
The desk is height-adjustable, so gamers can find the perfect position and cable management features to keep your space tidy.
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The gaming desk options just keep getting bigger. If you prefer an L-shaped design, Desino has a great option for you.
It is equipped with accessories like a headphone hook and monitor stand to maximize your gameplay space and organization.
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If flexibility between sitting and standing is important, the Flexispot Adjustable gaming desk makes it easy to go back and forth.
With an electric height adjustment and position memory, you can easily find a comfortable position for hours of comfortable gameplay.
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Walker Edison offers a sleek, black glass top gaming desk with an L-shape style. There is plenty of space with a universal CPU stand and room for a multi-display setup.
The keyboard tray opens up more desk space in front of you.
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Vitesse offers an extra-large, 55-inch desktop that provides maximum space without switching to an L-shape desk.
A steel coated frame and premium fiberboard provide a durable gaming station. And it is complemented with accessories like a headset hook and cup holder.
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On the other end of the spectrum, Tangkula offers a compact gaming desk option under 40 inches in length.
Despite the small size, it doesn't give up any features - fully equipped with a cup holder, headphone hook, and cable management system.
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VariDesk offers a totally unique approach to space-saving design. This desk has multiple tiers that hold monitors and keyboards at different levels to improve economics and space use.
It includes a heavy, weighted base for maximum stability. It is important to note that this fits onto a regular flat desk to convert it to a standing desk.
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The Mr. Ironstone is an extra-large, 63-inch gaming desktop with an easy-to-clean and water-resistant PVC cover.
It is easy to assemble and easy to adjust so that you can find your perfect position for hours of gaming.
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GreenForest offers a large, L-shaped gaming desk designed from eco-friendly materials like P2 particleboard. P2 is a furniture grade particleboard made from sawdust and millings.
The flexible design comes as an L-shape but easily converts to a U-shape by purchasing two desks.
Pros
Cons
Different Types of Gaming Desks
There are a few different options for gaming desks on the market. Space limitations and personal preference tend to influence most buying decisions and have created the need for a range of options between extra-large U- and L-shaped desks and compact tabletop desks.
Compact Gaming Desks
These desks are designed to take up the least amount of space and typically looks like a small table and measures 40 inches in length or less.
Standard Gaming Desks
Standard gaming desks range in size between 40 and 60 inches in length and look similar to a traditional desk. Most designs offer a curved front to improve user comfort while sitting or standing and rounded edges to prevent accidental injury.
Corner Desks
Unlike L-shaped desks, a corner desk fits nicely in a room's corner while taking up minimal space. Some versions of corner desks are similar to a standard gaming desk with just a little nub of extra space on the right or left-hand side.
L-Shaped (Or U-Shaped) Desks
L- and U-shaped desks have an additional surface or two extending the standard desktop for more usable space. These desks are the most comfortable for users who like to spread out, but they also take up the most space.
FAQ’s
Here are clear answers to the most common questions about gaming desks.
While you can purchase gaming desks for as little as $100 - $200, decent quality desks will run between $500 - $600. Gaming desks at the lower end of the budget are typically particleboard and a PVC veneer.
Mid-range desks could be made from either a very dense particle board or solid wood or carbon fiber steel. Suffice it to say that as the quality of materials goes up, the price tag increases relative to the quality.
No, the L-shape is totally a preference for some. There are several options on our list of the best gaming desks that offer more than ample space for three monitors without being an L-shaped design.
Some gamers might think so, but that depends on how you define necessary. At their basic level, each of these gaming desks is really just a computer desk.
As long as you find something with the size and shape you want, it doesn't have to be a gaming desk.
With that in mind, gaming desks tend to include additional features like cool LED lighting, cup holders, and headset racks that make them preferable over a plain desk.
Getting a desk with a proper height is important for ergonomics. You will likely spend hours gaming and don't want to suffer physically because your desk is too short - or too tall. The perfect height depends somewhat on your height.
Most desks are 30 inches for average height gamers, with shorter gamers preferring 28 inches and taller gamers going upwards to 33 inches.
We are a fan of durable materials like carbon fiber steel and real wood (not veneered). Stay away from particleboard, fiberboard, or anything that mentions a steel-coating as these are surefire signs that the core is a cheaper material.
Final Thoughts
While a gaming desk is not required to have an enjoyable experience, we recommend the investment due to the sheer volume of time you will spend in front of your gaming computer.
Good ergonomics are important to prevent short term fatigue and long-term damage like carpal tunnel and poor posture-related muscular injuries. Gaming desks make sitting in front of your computer as comfortable as possible.
They provide the right height, easy adjustments, ample space, and convenient features that improve your gaming experience. Whether you have room for a dedicated gaming desk or not, you should at least consider the benefits that a gaming desk can provide over a regular desktop.
Not only will a gaming desk make your experience more comfortable, but it adds style to your space. Almost every model on our list of best gaming desks features a modern design in a discreet black color. Many also have scratch-resistant and water-resistant materials.
In the end, you want a desk that provides sufficient utility and a comfortable space. Every gaming desk on our list checks those boxes, but some hold up over prolonged use better than others. Take a look at our list and find one that fits your space.
Our top pick: Eureka Ergonomic Gaming Desk
A flashy gaming desk for PC and console games. Its smooth desktop and blue LED lighting provide a refreshing look to your gaming setup.
I like VariDesk Pro Plus desk design. Thanks for sharing.
Walker Edison Gamer Desk looks fine for my home as i want to setup two work stations at corner. Thanks for this wonderful article.
Being a Youtuber i think Mr. Ironstone Gaming Desk will work good. Thanks for sharing the list.