Think outside the box. Whether you’re a gamer or not, you’ll find what you want and more in a gaming desk.
Standard Desks vs. Gaming Desks
- Exceptional design.
- Convenience.
- Affordability.
- Long-lasting value.
- Ample space.
- Amenities and extra features.
… All things we prioritize when looking for a new desk. And finding the Right Desk for You, one that will check every box, might on the surface appear simple enough—Search for desk. Here is desk. Desk good enough. Desk purchased. End.
Not so fast. More time and analysis go into this process than you might think.
Whether you intend to use it as a work desk, a study desk, a creative desk, a hybrid of some kind, or something else altogether, you’re going to have your own inpidual requirements for your new desk. Here’s the thing, though: Compared to gaming desks, commercial desks tend to come rather “barebones”—cheaply made for what’s being offered, not fully optimized, no additional features or conveniences. Gaming desks, on the other hand, not only consistently display higher quality design and materials but also come fully equipped with an arsenal of added features and amenities… as a rule.
Their single-minded focus on ergonomics, amenities, aesthetics, and cost elevates gaming desks from “alternative” option status to superior option status. Even if you’re not a gamer, have zero interest in gaming to speak of, you’ll find benefit in reading on.
If one thing’s true—gaming desks offer you so much more bang for your buck, you’d be remiss to not give it some thought.
Emphasis on Ergonomics & Convenience
More than anything, gaming desks honor the principle of convenience. That’s their mission—to be the most convenient, the most comfortable, and the most practical for a gaming experience. This works to their advantage because most of the qualities that make gaming experiences awesome happen to be qualities that anybody can appreciate—from the inclusion of cupholders and headset hooks to smooth height-adjustability technology, durable materials, and more. The conveniences of gaming desks are various and sundry whether or not you just logged on to play, and range from desks big enough to support colossal setups to desks whose size, height, utility, and positioning can be modified at the drop of a hat.
We’re talking about gaming desks that, like the AED 72” Studio Gaming Desk (which you could argue is more of a studio desk than a gaming desk), regularly feature adjustable keyboard trays and cupholders that are either rotatable or can be affixed to any part of the desk. The centralized, angled shape of the AED 72” Studio Gaming Desk further showcases the producer’s keenness for making a desk that allows the user to keep all the essentials within arm’s reach. Standard, rank-and-file desks rarely bother with incorporating added features into their designs—and in the event that they do, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for it.
Many gaming desks also possess standing desk capabilities, boasting height adjustability as a main feature. This owes to a) height adjustability figuring commonly into gaming desk design and b) gamers liking to customize their positioning. The great thing? Everybody likes to customize their positioning.
Gaming desks are tasked with carrying a lot of weight—think computers, consoles, multiple monitors, speakers, microphone stands, gaming accessories. Due to this alone, sturdier builds than your average desk are required. The natural result: higher overall quality. Go figure. The AED 72” STUDIO DESK Studio Gaming Desk—with its broad size, unique but utilitarian design, extra features, its sleek look, the whole nine yards for under $360—stands as testament to that. I invite you to scour the internet for a mainstream desk that offers all this at a comparable price. Doesn’t exist.
Unique design demands necessitate that gaming desks be composed of higher-grade materials. This prevents warping, decline of function, etc. Normal desks don’t exercise the same obligation to convenience and ergonomic, though. Because of that, industry standard for normal desks remains: cheaper builds, no extra stuff.
Some people address this problem by modifying their standard desk DIY-style (attaching monitor arms, more shelves, additional panels, etc.). Other people address the issue the makeshift way, using items such as a table, or a combination of a table and other furniture, to structure their personal work or play area. Better routes lie ahead.
The truth is, with a gaming desk, you don’t have to worry about going to all the trouble of retrofitting your setup. You can merely buy a gaming desk, which comes with all the things you want, and pay far less for it than you would if you were to buy a normal desk and then hit Home Depot to see how you can Frankenstein it into something serviceable.
Extra Amenities & Features
Touched on before, but—complimentary pieces such as headset hooks, cupholders, socket holders, monitor arms, etc., frequently show up in gaming desk listings… But only every now and then are such simple amenities included with similarly priced mainstream desks. If you want simple amenities in a mainstream desk, you’ll likely either have to pay much more than you’re willing or go the DIY route (assuming you have the time, craftsmanship, and resources to invest).
You’re concerned about size & shape, storage space, surface space, adjustability, additional features, how much weight the desk can bear, the look, the cost, the design & organization, whether it’s made from sustainable long-lasting materials or not. Gaming desks have got you covered there. Luckily, someone had the bright idea of making a desk for gaming, and now we’re seeing just how much that idea has altered the desk world since, for producers and consumers. In recent years, gaming desks have opened up a corner of the desk market that predisposes itself to providing not just the core essentials but plenty of bells and whistles. This development should pique everyone’s interest and hold wide appeal, not just to people holding controllers.
In many ways, extra amenities and singular features define gaming desks. These signature flourishes have become synonymous with the entire gaming desk phenomenon. If you ask me, that’s a point in their favor. How many companies that make normal desks do you see tripping over themselves to provide you with more cool stuff? Providing more cool stuff is, quite literally, a major selling point of gaming desks, one that standard mainstream desks don’t subscribe to.
Gamers attract electronics like bees to honey. With the natural build-up of tangled cords and cables, added organizational perks become necessary. Gaming desks are commonly designed with built-in cable management and extra storage to keep your area clear and house everything neatly. Standard desks tend to possess only a few drawers, maybe an extra feature or two (usually rudimentary, like a pull-out surface, a cable grommet). To your dismay, you’ll find cheaply made standard desks priced consistently higher than good-quality gaming desks. You start to get a lay of the land.
For a gaming desk, the incorporation of a keyboard tray, height adjustment capability, rotatable cupholder, and things of that nature is commonplace. But for a normal desk? Not so. Consumers can usually tell how much thought went into making a desk more ergonomic and more convenient for user. According to that line of logic, gaming desks emerge as the obvious frontrunner.
Abundance of Unique Looks & Styles
While normal desks are content to be plain-looking, gaming desks pride themselves on their boldness and fluidity to look however they want. Some gaming desks will definitely announce themselves—bright colors, sleek finishes, gaming accessories—but gaming desks that can transition between looks have begun to gain in popularity, for obvious reason. The AED 72” Studio Gaming Desk, while gesturing at being a studio desk, looks like it could be any number of things: a work desk, a desk for illustrating, a streaming desk, a desk for software development, a podcasting station. Gaming desks embrace fluidity of style in ways that normal desks simply don’t allow themselves to unless they can slap an enormous price tag on it.
Available in as many colors and finishes as you can think of, some gaming desks boast RGB lighting for extra bizazz. Some RGB lighting is actually fiber optic, which looks awesome and further speaks to the willingness of the producers to invest in the quality of their product.
Let’s be fair—normal desks come in a range of sizes, looks, shapes, and colors, too. Gaming desks merely exercise more freedom, it’s innate—why wouldn’t that draw you in?
To be sure, the creativity of their designs continues to be a big reason why people flock to gaming desks. They vary, but they also have a finger on the pulse of what gamers (and non-gamers) want in a desk. Because gaming desks’ primary function demands certain accommodations, they’re often designed to best fit against walls or in corners. But numerous uniquely shaped models exist, as well, as exemplified in the AED 72” Studio Gaming Desk.
Whether you characterize your tastes as picky or eclectic, you’re bound to find a gaming desk (or studio desk, as the case may be) that matches checks all your boxes.
Epilogue to the Normal Desk
Gaming desks present a new frontier for the desk world. Mainstream desks get downgraded for not investing as much in ergonomics, convenience, and aesthetic versatility. Producers of normal desks remain just fine providing the bare minimum, whereas producers of gaming desks make their desks with consumer interests in mind—consumer interests which transcend just the gaming community.
There should be standard desks out there with all the things you need—but for the right price? At decent quality? And are you sure it’s got all the stuff you need?
Why ask all these questions, other than the obvious? Because we out it to gaming desks, who make a point of setting themselves apart from the mainstream desk world in more ways than just the obvious (aesthetics, more cable management, the occasional RGB feature). By stressing their well-rounded, multipurpose utility, gaming desks broadcast to a potentially wider consumer base that they have more to give than their basic cousins of yesteryear do.
Built-in storage space, solid builds, visual flair, features you can’t find anywhere else—enjoy them all with a gaming desk. Doesn’t matter if you’re a gamer. Only thing that matters is if you want bang for your buck, are tired of the blandness of normal desks, and want something that’ll last you a long time.
Letting your eye stray to the gaming desk section might do you some favors while weighing important questions. Manufacturing standards, materials, adjustability range, things you hadn’t considered before—these all emerge as matters to seriously consider before making your purchase. They also emerge as huge indictments of mainstream desk industry standards.
Winnowing your choices down to desks in the gaming desk category can be quite eye-opening.
At the end of the day, you know your needs and yourself the best. You’ll make the decision that’s right for you. You may want an office desk, a standing desk, a gaming desk, a studio desk.
Or all in one, depending on how you look at it. It’s not dreaming big.
Check out Eureka Ergonomic's selection of gaming desks, with unique and patented designs you won't find anywhere else.