The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Stylish and Practical Gaming Desk

While building a gaming PC, one of the most neglected components might be the gaming desk. Having a reliable desk sure does make a great difference as you will be spending most of your gaming hours with one.

If your regular computer desk isn’t as practical as you thought, we think it’s time you considered a desk that is not only stylish but also gives you more optimised desktop space. And better ergonomics suited for gaming to reduce fatigue.

In this guide, we will cover useful tips for choosing a stylish and practical gaming desk.

What is a Gaming Desk?

It is a uniquely designed desk that’s compatible with gaming. Some gaming tables may look like lavish computer desks but they’ve got special features that cater to the needs of gamers. These desks are advanced and equipped with a wide variety of features, such as:

• RGB lighting
• Adjustable height settings
• Built-in storage designs
• Cable management solutions
• And built-in USB outlet to mention a few

What’s truly unique about these desks when compared to traditional computer tables is their weight-bearing capacity. Most can support loads ranging from 100 to 400+ pounds depending on the design.

Buy Gaming Desk Online

You can find a wide variety of stylish and practical desks for gaming online. You will come across a variety of different gaming table setups. From cheap and affordable options to pre-packaged ready-to-assemble standing desk setups.

But the thing is, there are some key features that you need to take into consideration when buying online. This way, you will end up buying a gaming table that meets your specific gaming requirements.

Size

The most important feature for most gamers is the size before anything else. The desk must be large enough to hold all your gaming gear, including your computer, monitors, mouse, and keyboard among other things.

Similarly, you have to consider the size of your gaming area. You will probably be okay buying a 47-inch desk for a small area and a 63-inch table for a large area. You may have to reduce your gear if your gaming area is too small to accommodate a large desk.

Sturdy & Steady

A sturdy and stable desk is important to ensure that your gear doesn’t shake or move around while you are gaming. So, choose a table that utilizes an ultra-sturdy leg design that can stand up to serious gaming demands. It should have a reliable load-bearing capacity, preferably 400 pounds or more. In addition, tables with adjustable leg pads tend to have a sturdy construction that will not interfere with your gaming experience when set up on uneven ground.

Shapes

You have to consider shape if you are looking for something stylish and practical. The shape of the table not only determines its surface area but also its ergonomics and overall look. The two most popular shapes on the market today are rectangular and L-shaped desk setups.

Rectangular tables are ideal for setting up a centralised gaming station. They are suitable for gaming consoles like Xbox One, PlayStation, and gaming PCs. They are usually a good fit for small gaming rooms and setups. But they are quite basic in terms of style and practicality.

If you want a more stylish and practical design, then settle for an L-shaped desk. These desks come with all kinds of features and they are large enough to accommodate multiple monitors. However, L-shaped desks are best suited for corner setups.

Cable Management

It is important to find a desk that has space for neat cable management. It is even better if the table has built-in cable management solutions. This will help keep your cords organised and out of the way.

Ease of Assembly

Do you want to build the desk by yourself from different parts or would you rather have a complete kit that’s ready to use out of the box? Desk assembling isn’t the hardest thing to do but you need to have a few important skills. So, keep that in mind before you order online.

How to Build a Computer Desk for Gaming

Building a computer desk for gaming from scratch is a rewarding and fun experience. It isn’t as hard as you might have thought. You just need a little help using our expert tips.

What You Need

This do-it-yourself (DIY) project requires you to have the following tools and materials.

Tools

• Clamps
• Pencil or marker
• Paintbrush
• Level
• Measuring tape
• Drill
• Electric sander/sanding block
• Screwdriver
• Table saw / circular saw
• Safety gear

Materials

• Frame and legs – wooden boards
• Tabletop – MDF board or plywood
• Sandpaper
• Wood glue
• Screws and other accessories you may need

Steps to Follow

You should be able to build your custom computer desk for gaming with the help of the following steps.

Choose a Suitable Desk Design

The most popular designs are rectangular and L-shaped desks. As we mentioned earlier, a rectangular desk is convenient for a centralised setup. It is also one of the easiest to build. The L-shaped design is a little bit advanced, ideal for a corner setup, and may take more effort and time to build.

Determine the Size of the Desk

The size of your desk will depend on the available gaming space in your room. A functional and reliable table should be around 140 centimetres long and 80 centimetres wide. But you can adjust these dimensions with respect to the size of your room. As for the height, determine it after you have built the tabletop or desktop.

Build the Desktop or Tabletop

You can buy lumber, such as knotty alder, and then mill it down to dimensional sizes. Alternatively, you can buy dimensional lumber for this project. Glue up all the edges of your dimensional lumber pieces to create the desktop. Next, build drawers if you want your desk to have some.

Decide on the Desk Legs

You have two options – standard desk legs or adjustable desk legs. Standard desk legs are not height adjustable. So, you have to determine your ideal desk height (such as 28-inch or 30-inch) before ordering these legs. On the other hand, adjustable desk legs have either a manual or motorized height adjustment system.

Assemble Your Desk

Once you have built the desktop and have the appropriate legs ready, you can go ahead and assemble the desk. Assembling the legs would probably be the most challenging part of this step because it involves drilling and levelling.

Finishing Up

You can remove any imperfections on the desktop through sanding. After sanding and wiping off dust, you can consider painting the desktop to your liking. You can also opt to add cable management solutions, monitor mounts, and a keyboard tray.

Conclusion

Choosing a stylish and practical gaming desk is an art that you have to master. You have to know what to look for, such as size, shape, sturdiness, cable management, and ease of assembly. But, if you cannot find what you are looking for on the market, you can opt to build a custom computer desk for gaming with the right tools and materials.