If you're looking for a new foundation for your ultimate gaming space, the best gaming desks will transform your setup in an instant. But what makes one gaming desk better than the others?
In short, there are multiple ways a desk can be the best for your gaming setup. Whether you need plenty of desktop space, a mouse-friendly surface, or storage solutions for all your gaming accessories, we've put in the work to find some of the best options out there for various needs.
Our current overall favorite, the Secretlab Magnus Pro, is a prime example of a quality gaming desk that's useful in a wide range of applications. It's spacious, height-adjustable, and packed with cable management hardware for keeping your setup sleek.
To learn more about how the Magnus Pro and our other picks are a cut above the rest, read on for a look at each desk's most admirable qualities.
The best gaming desks you can buy right now
Secretlab's Magnus Pro presents the ultimate balance between simplicity and functionality. It's a standing desk with just shy of 24 inches of vertical variation, and it has one of the tidiest cable management systems we've seen on a gaming desk.
With a starting price of $799 for the smaller version of this desk, the Secretlab Magnus Pro is definitely a top-shelf buy. However, its full-length, built-in cable management tray, integrated power system and excellent build quality help justify its higher price.
This desk can also hold up to 256 pounds, which means you don't have to fret about hurting it when you pile on your mountainous custom setup. Better yet, if you invest in the XL size, you'll have plenty of room to store your gear for both your gaming time and your workday. After all, this isn't just a quality gaming desk — it's an exceptional standing desk that can blend seamlessly into even the most professional workspaces.
The Arozzi Arena Gaming desk is one of the best gaming desks you can buy, thanks in no small part to its big, outstanding design. The desk is 63 inches wide, giving you plenty of room for your equipment, and since it's 31 inches deep, you don't need to sit too close to your screen while you play.
Arozzi's desk is extremely sturdy and it has a custom mouse pad finish, so you can use your mouse without additional pads. And since it comes in five colors, you can get an Arozzi desk that looks nice in any room of the house.
If you prefer an adjustable-height desk with a built-in motor, the ApexDesk Elite series of gaming desks is a good choice. It's a simple, sturdy rectangular desk with enough room for multiple monitors, and it includes a built-in cable tray to help you keep your gaming rig's cabling neatly organized.
But the big selling point here is the fact that the height is adjustable: with the push of a button, you can set the height wherever you like, as long as what you like is somewhere between 29 to 49 inches off the ground.
The desk has a respectable load capacity of 235 pounds and it can be configured with up to four programmable height presets, ensuring you can customize a few different height profiles for switching between sitting and standing, or between multiple users of different heights. With an MSRP of around $720, the price isn't too outrageous either.
Walker Edison sells an outstanding gaming desk option if you're someone who needs a corner desk. And while it's not the biggest (it's 51 inches wide), it's ideal if you have a smaller space you want to have a gaming desk in, and you like the idea of being able to interact with your monitor on one side and write on the other.
The desk itself comes in a variety of colors, including black and silver, and you can also opt for a glass version if you so choose. Best of all, it comes with a universal desktop stand and a keyboard tray, which should make playing games and handling your accessories a bit easier.
If you want to squeeze a decent gaming desk into a small space, the Designa 31-inch Gaming Desk is a great choice. It's the smallest desk on this list but it still sports that slick, matte black carbon look that's so popular among makers of gaming PC gear, as well as neat attachments like a controller stand, cup holder, and headphone hook.
Not only is it small, but it's also comparatively light (35 pounds) and inexpensive, meaning it'll be easier on your back and wallet than most desks on this list. However, we've seen scattered reviews that suggest it might be tricky to assemble, and some owners have complained of receiving it in the mail with cosmetic damage and broken parts. So if you do invest in one, make sure to purchase it with a credit card and try to buy from a retailer with a good return policy.
How to choose the best gaming desk for you
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Of course, choosing the best gaming desk for you is an individual decision based on what you're hoping to achieve. But there are some things you want to keep in mind:
Desktop Space: For one, you want to consider how big of a space you have for a desk, and whether the desk you're considering buying is the right size for the space. Luckily, these days we do a lot of shopping online, where it's easy to look up the dimensions of a desk and compare them against the space you're hoping to fill. If you end up shopping for a new desk in person, be sure to bring that tape measure!
Extra Storage: One of the issues with gaming desks is that they don't often come with storage, so you'll want to be aware of that limitation and be sure you have other places in your home to store files and other deskbound ephemera before you opt for a gaming desk.
Luckily, most gaming desks aren't overwhelmingly expensive. Sure, they'll set you back a couple of hundred dollars, but that's far cheaper than what you could spend on other desks.
