Best Gaming Desk 2023: Create the Ultimate PC Battlestation With These Gaming Desks
Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
The best gaming desks offer a perfect marriage of space, functionality, and style. The Cooler Master GD160, our top pick, does all that and more thanks to its durability, ergonomics, full surface mouse pad, cable management, and bargain price. But should you be looking for something a little different, we’ve found nine other excellent gaming desks, so one is bound to work for you – and find them in the UK.
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Detailed looks at the best gaming desksWhat to look for in a gaming desk
TL;DR – These are the Best Gaming Desks:
Cooler Master GD160 – The Best Overall Gaming Desk to Buy Right NowIkea UtespelareMojo Standing Desk Gamer ProThermaltake ToughDesk 500L RGB BattlestationUplift V2 4-Leg Standing DeskFlexiSpot Pro Plus Standing Desk E7Secretlab Magnus ProCougar E-MarsLian Li DK-05FFlexiSpot EC1 Adjustable Standing Desk
Not every gaming desk is suitable for every gamer. If you’re looking to combine work and play, you might want something with height adjustability to ensure you’re not sitting for extensive periods. Not fussed about ergonomics? Save money and skip the standing functionality or RGB lighting and charging ports. Maybe money is no object, and you want an innovative option like the Corsair Platform:6? No matter your needs, below, you’ll find great gaming desks ready to take your gaming PC battle station to the next level.
Pair your new desk with one of the best gaming chairs you can buy today.
10 Best Gaming Desks
1. Cooler Master GD160
Best Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 63″ x 29″ x 28-31.1″ | Max Load: 220.5 pounds | Height Adjustable: 28″ to 31.1.”
It’s hard to find a gaming desk that is robust, large, and also affordable, but Cooler Master has managed that with the GD160, ensuring you can save up for a great gaming PC deal. For about $300, this is a solid gaming desk delivers a sturdy frame ready to hold up to 220.5 pounds that remains stable even when you get overly excited during a game. That frame rests a massive desktop on it, which can easily house a multiple monitor setup.
The Cooler Master GD160 may not have as many frills as other desks on this list, like RGB lighting or standing functionality, but you do get a cable management tray to hide away pesky wires. The entire desktop surface is even covered in a water-resistant mouse pad, ensuring your gaming mouse glides around with ease while also improving tracking precision. And though you can’t get this desk all the way up to standing, there is some slight adjustability for sitting, letting it go between three different heights from 28 and 31.1 inches.
2. Ikea Utespelare
Best Budget Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 63″ x 31.5″ x 26.75-30.75″ | Max Load: 110 pounds | Height Adjustable: 26.75” to 30.75”
The ready-to-assemble furniture retailer Ikea may not be your first thought when it comes to quality gaming furniture, but its Utespelare gaming desk is a solid, affordable option. It was even made in collaboration with ROG (Republic of Gamers), so you can rest assured that a lot of thought went into the design. Unlike most of the other desks on this list, you aren’t going to find any motor to let you stand up or electrical component, but for under $300, it doesn’t need to.
Don’t worry, the Utespelare is ready to support a gaming PC and a few gaming monitors with its large surface area and hefty max load. If you’re packing it to the brim with electronics, you’ll appreciate the metal mesh at the back for ventilation and a cable management net. The tabletop is also ergonomically shaped on one side and can be reversed, while the desk height can go between 27 and 30 inches for the perfect seated position.
3. Mojo Standing Desk Gamer Pro
Best Modular Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 48-72″ x 30″ x 26.75-30.75″ | Max Load: 300 pounds | Height Adjustable: 24″ to 50.25″
What’s not to love about the Mojo Standing Desk Gamer Pro? Well, maybe the $1,000 price tag, but with it comes the signature standing desk and vital accessories (a cable management system, monitor arm, and a CPU tower hanger) that are all so brilliant it’s hard to find fault. The robust frame won’t wobble, while a simple-to-use control panel and quiet dual motors let you raise and lower the desk.
Now, standing is cool sometimes, but we all probably prefer to sit down most of the time when gaming, so thoughtful details, like a water-and-scratch-proof tabletop with a matte lux finish for smooth mouse gliding and precision tracking is very welcome. You also get an easy-to-install magnetic cable management system with a spacious cable tray, a cable chain, and a power bar that lets you load up on peripherals while keeping everything organized. A c-clamp monitor arm and CPU hanger (that can also hold consoles) also mean you can open up more desk space for other accessories—maybe some with RGB lighting since there is none on the desk.
4. Thermaltake ToughDesk 500L RGB Battlestation
Best L-Shaped PC Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 62.99″ x 31.49″ x 23.62″ | Max Load: 330 pounds | Height Adjustable: 27.5″ to 43.3″
Built like a tank, the L-shaped ToughDesk 500L truly is a battle station, as it can hold up a full-sized adult thanks to its steel frame and massive desktop surface. Its L-shape means you get an extra side desk to play around with, while that large surface area is still no match for the three motors to easily bring the desk from sitting to standing. And that’s done literally with just the push of a button, as the controller can store up to four height settings.
Beyond its impressive surface area, the ToughDesk 500L is built with gamers in mind, from more useful features like cable management to fun ones like built-in RGB lighting (which can sync with Razer Chroma and TT RGB Plus). One especially handy addition is the incorporation of a mouse pad, and it’s big, covering the surface area of both the main and side desks. Just be prepared to shell out about $1,500 for all this capability.
5. Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk
Best High-Performance PC Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 60-80” x 30″ x 25.3-50.9″ | Max Load: 535 pounds | Height Adjustable: 25.3″ to 50.9″
Uplift’s desks are extremely customizable from the start, and we’re not just talking about add-ons here. More specifically, you’ll have a wealth of choices for desktop material, color, size and style, frame color and type, keypad, and even grommet covers, meaning you can make it your own before you hit buy. However, if you’re looking for something specifically for gaming, you need Uplift’s V2 4-Leg Standing Desk, offering all those customizations and additions while bringing a few other features crucial to gamers.
For starters, the V2 4-Leg Standing Desk includes a whopping 535-pound maximum load for the most robust setup full of monitors of peripherals. Unlike the other gaming desks on this list, it’ll never break a sweat when lifting everything thanks to its 4-leg system with a motor for each leg, providing stability and speedy height adjustments between 25.3 inches to 50.9 inches. There’s even anti-collision technology built in that detects resistance to prevent injury or damage.
6. FlexiSpot Pro Plus Standing Desk E7
Best Standing Desk for Gaming
Dimensions: 48″ x 24″ x 48.4″ | Max Load: 355 pounds | Height Adjustable: 22.8″ – 48.4″
Starting at under $600, the FlexiSpot Pro Plus Standing Desk E7 offers a dual electric motor capable of raising a hefty 355 pounds smoothly and efficiently between 22.8 and 48.4 inches for major flexibility. Using up and down arrows on an LCD display, the table glides to whatever position you please, and you can even see the exact height of the table and store four height settings in its memory. That display also features a USB port to charge accessories and a child-lock feature for added safety.
Beyond its impressive standing desk capability, the FlexiSpot Pro Plus Standing Desk E7 offers a sizable desk surface that measures 48 inches wide and 24 inches deep, providing ample space for your PC setup. If that doesn’t seem like enough surface space, there’s a variety of other desktop-size choices along with material options, like laminate, bamboo, or wood. Assembly is simple, as the sturdy and thick T-style legs are easy-to-attach, but it may be a two-person job to stand the completed desk upright.
7. Secretlab Magnus Pro
Best RGB Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 59.1″ x 27.6″ x 25.6-49.2″ | Max Load: 265 pounds | Height Adjustable: 25.6” to 49.2”
Secretlab’s Magnus Pro gaming desk is a souped up model of the Magnus. It continues the tradition being undeniably unique thanks to its use of a magnetic ecosystem in the design, making it simple to add extras like cable management solutions, desk mats, and RGB lighting. That RGB lighting, though it does cost extra, is easy to install and attaches right onto a dedicated spot at the top of the desk, right before the cable tray. From there, this Nanoleaf-powered strip shines, offering tons of custom lighting effects and can be synced up with other Nanoleaf accessories and controlled using several smart home systems.
Beyond flashy RGB lighting, the metal desk surface is ultra-durable, while a steel chassis ensures it can hold even the heftiest gaming setups—we’re talking up 265 pounds. With just the tap of a button on the built-in control panel, the desk’s height adjusts, letting a motor do the work to find your ideal position, whether sitting or standing. And to make your life even easier is an integrated power supply in the left leg of the desk and a socket, letting you power your devices while keeping cable clutter to a minimum.
8. Cougar E-Mars
Best Connected Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 60.35” x 30.32” x 27.56-45.28” | Max Load: 220 pounds | Height Adjustable: 27.56” to 45.28”
The Cougar E-Mars gaming desk is more than just a sturdy surface to rest your battle station, as it packs a hub of ample connectivity options to make hooking up components a breeze. To start, you get a USB-C and a Type-C cable for monitor extension. There are also two USB-A ports, along with audio and mic jacks, keeping things organized and easy to reach.
It doesn’t stop with connectivity, as the Cougar E-Mars is also ergonomically inclined with the desktop’s curved edges and rounded corners, as well as dual electric motors for height adjustments from sitting to standing. You can even store up to four height adjustments in memory. Finally, the E-Mars wouldn’t be complete without a bit of customizable, dual-sided RGB lighting, which is compatible with certain motherboards’ 5V connections for some synchronized lighting.
9. Lian Li DK-05F
Best Gaming PC Desk
Dimensions: 55.1″ x 30.7″ x 27.1-46.3″ | Max Load: 176 pounds | Height Adjustable: 27.1″ to 46.3″
How about a desk and PC in one? The Lian Li DK-05 looks like a traditional desk, but tucked inside are essentially two computer cases capable of storing two E-ATX-sized motherboards and all the components you need for a worthy battle station. You get four removable drive trays, a removable fan/radiator bracket, and water-cooling support, while trays housing the motherboards are also removable for easy swapping of components.
Now, the Lian Li DK-05 isn’t just your basic desk that happens to house a PC, as a motor lets you adjust its height from 27 to 46 inches for a comfortable position sitting or standing. Beyond changing desk height, that control panel offers physical buttons on the desk for power, fan settings, and RGB settings—with seven modes to cycle through—along with all the ports you could want on a computer. There’s even a button for the tempered glass table top to change it from opaque to transparent, letting you show off your PC’s epic internals.
10. FlexiSpot EC1 Adjustable Height Desk
Best Compact Gaming Desk
Dimensions: 40″ x 24″ x 28-47.6″ | Max Load: 154 pounds | Height Adjustable: 28″ to 47.6″
When you’re tight on space, a smaller option, like the FlexiSpot EC1 Adjustable Height Desk can help minimize your footprint while providing ample surface area for work and play. Its 40 by 24-inch model can easily hold a monitor along with all your other peripherals. And the desk remains durable and stable for such a petite size, thanks to its steel frame and solid chipboard desktop that support up to 154 pounds.
Sure, the FlexiSpot EC1 Adjustable Height Desk is much more stripped down than other options on the list, so you won’t find any RGB lighting or fancy cable management solutions. But considering that it will set you back just $200, it offers quite a lot for what you’re paying. You even get adjustability, as using a basic controller, motors will raise and lower the desk between 48 inches to 28 inches, so you can find an ergonomic position whether you’re sitting in your gaming chair or standing.
Where to Get the Best Gaming Desks in the UK
There’s nothing better than sitting at a nice desk and feeling comfortable while you game. A dedicated gaming desk is perfect for anyone who’s looking to find the right space to kick back, relax, and play some amazing video games. Unfortunately, not all of the desks available in the US can also be purchased in the UK, but there are still a few to choose from.
What to Look For in a Gaming Desk
If you haven’t owned a gaming desk before and this is your first time buying, don’t worry. It shouldn’t be hard to find the ideal one for you. There are a lot of options out there, starting with our recommendations above, and choosing one should be easy as long as you know what you want out of yours.
That’s the first step here. Know what it is you want to get out of your gaming desk. After all, different models tend to offer different features. A handful of them are built to carry heavy loads, a few come with ports and cable organization solutions, and others go for the back-to-basics approach. So, once you know what it is you need, that will narrow down your choices considerably. After all, a 150-pound-max-load desk with RGB lighting and extra ports won’t do you any good if you have an intricate setup that altogether weighs more than 300 pounds.
Just bear in mind that even then, there are still things to consider. How much surface area do you need and how much room do you have? Do you want something with an adjustable height or are you happy with a one-height-fits-all setup? Are you hoping to expand your setup and need a modular desk with accessories on offer that you can purchase later on.
Think about the quality of materials as well. If you’re buying a glass top one, make sure that it won’t collapse under the weight of your rig after a one- or two-year stint. If you want to minimize your carbon footprint, you should be able to find one that is carbon neutral.
Overall, you’re not just looking for build, price, and features here. You want to pay close attention to the size, height, materials, ergonomics, and expandability as well. When you do, you’re guaranteed to take home the perfect desk for you.
Gaming Desk FAQ
Are Standing Desks Worth It For Gaming?
Standing desks have plenty of potential health benefits like improving your posture, relieving shoulder and back pain, promoting more movement to increase circulation—sitting too long puts you at risk for blood clots—and even helping with focus. But when you’re gaming, things get a little tricky.
Finding a sturdy standing desk to hold your PC setup is essential. Then you need to worry about positioning your peripherals for enjoyable gameplay and the prevention of accidents. You’ll also often feel fatigued much quicker standing than when resting in a chair—distracting from the action. That said, it’s not like we haven’t gamed standing up before. Look at all those classic arcade cabinets. And these days, most standing desks have powerful motors that’ll safely lift or lower your battle station with the push of a button.
A standing desk probably won’t improve your gameplay, but if you’d like to try standing while you game—even just occasionally—you might as well grab one. Luckily, many of the best gaming desks on our list offer simple height adjustability, and worse comes to worse, you’ll never use that functionality. However, for those certain they won’t ever be standing while gaming, you can usually save a couple of bucks by going for a standard desk.
Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.
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