In pursuit of the perfect computer desk

[Dannar26]

I imagine this topic has been discussed before. I haven’t found it with the search tool. Anyway…

I recently became a homeowner (yaaay!). Now that I have the space and the permanence, I figure it now makes sense to acquire my gaming throne. Before now I’ve been using whatever cheapo target or staples desk has been on sale, and it’s always been an underwhelming experience. Particle board everywhere. No place for a full sized tower to go. Cramped multi-monitor space and set ups. Awful slide out trays.

Enough is enough!

I’ve been looking around on the interwebs for awhile now, and to my dismay, there is no “obvious” choice for a somewhere between casual and super serious PC “gamer.” According to desk manufacturers, everybody apparently uses 13” mac books, or at most, a slim line micro desktop with a single 20” monitor. It seems like the only way to do this, and do it right, is to build my own.
To further complicate things, my wife needs a similar amount of space. She is no gamer, but a professional photographer, so she has just as many monitors and a rig just as big (which I may have had a hand in building).

What desks have you guys purchased? Have you gone DIY and have pictures to show? I’m trying to tap the AT community here to see what inspiration I can draw.

 

[Burpo]

https://www.google.com/search?q=gam...hyi1YEfrOhAI6qwXW&q=gaming pc setup with desk

 

[JackMDS]

As for the computing unit you have a clear two choices here.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2459195

Then choose whatever LED Monitor fits your eye and your Desk.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_763mhqdjxm_b

😎

P.S. perfect is a word in the Dictionary , in real life there is No real perfect, at best there is a Subjective Perfect.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've got several, what I consider "good" computer desks. They're made out of Danish pressboard, with a laminate on top. Has a nice cubby-hole for the PC in the front on the right, with a hole in the back for the cords to reach to the monitor. It also has a shelf underneath the desk, for a UPS. Finally, it has a decent wide keyboard shelf (not tray, it's just flat). I think that they were around $300 ea.

I like them well enough (compared to the cheap card tables that I was using before that were bowing under the weight of my PCs and monitors), that I haven't even thought about replacing them.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Here is the one I use, Link

Love it!

 

[Dannar26]

P.S. perfect is a word in the Dictionary , in real life there is No real perfect, at best there is a Subjective Perfect.

QFT

A few things that I want to accomplish:

- A negative decline tray for keyboards. This is better for your wrists. I've seen additions that you can purchase off of amazon for this. I imagine few, if any, desks include this.

- A specific place to put my rig. I don't want to put it on the floor, nor to I really want it just sitting on the desk where it can be knocked down or stuff can be spilled on it (let's face it, we usually end up eating at our computer desks). I'm thinking like some kind of shelf/cage aspect. It should be breathable, visible (for all the cool LEDs we don't put in our systems), and close enough to easily turn on/plug or unplug items. We're talking a full tower here.

- A surface that can withstand spilled beverages.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I took a shoe rack and placed my Full tower on it. Works perfectly. I think they have additions to the desk I'm using. Maybe even a keyboard tray. This thing is massive. 72", Bowed front, etc. My brother liked it so much he bought one for himself. I also have a nice corner destk. It has lots of real-estate too. Bought it from Big Lots for super cheap.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Today's slim monitors, SFF PCs, and low-profile-everything really don't need the massive desks that were common in the '90s. I remember the New Yankee Workshop show doing an episode where they built a computer desk, for a CRT display, minitower in a cubby hole, printer in another drawer - it was crazy-huge.

I've got wall-mounted speakers, a wall-mounted monitor, and an ITX PC. My "desk" is basically a glorified keyboard tray with knee room. I built it myself - you could call it "shaker style furniture" if you were feeling generous - for a measly $100, and it'll outlast any computer I put on it.

 

[Ranulf]

I've been leaning towards going with ikea desks/tables myself as my cheap staples L desk is wobly and wearing out after about 5 years.

Good idea thread here:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1847016