<p class=”body-dropcap”>A good desk is hard to find, and it’s the difference between getting a good night’s sleep and waking up with cramped hands and a crooked neck. Please do yourself a favor and buy a desk worthy of your rig…or at least get a <a href=”https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a43738587/hypervolt-vs-theragun/” target=”_blank”>massage gun</a> to deal with those aches and pains. </p><p>But we like our gaming stuff to pull double duty. <a href=”https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/g44900532/best-gaming-chairs/” target=”_blank”>Our gaming chairs need to look good</a>, and our desks need to be <a href=”https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/g33806651/best-work-from-home-desks/” target=”_blank”>work-from-home stations</a>, too. Brands we love, like Herman Miller, make flexible desks meant to withstand years of daily wear and tear. Secretlab produces some of the best desks around, regardless of your needs. From these brands and more come the best gaming desks we’ve found.</p>”/>
Skip to Content
Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.
courtesy of brand
Best Overall Desk for Gaming
Secretlab Magnus Pro Desk
Pros
Extra sturdy
Helps with cable management
Magpad and other accessories are game changers
Cons
Accessories come at a premium, and some are borderline essential
Check any list of gaming desks and you’ll find that the cream rises to the top. The cream, in this case, is Secretlab’s Magnus Pro, an adjustable steel desk with some killer accessories you can buy for upgrades down the line. The best of these is the Magpad, which you can place atop your desk to turn the entire surface into a mouse pad. Now, that’s just genius in our opinion.
Even on its own, though, this desk still rocks. It is a stronger, heavier version of the original Magnus, and if you want a larger size, you can choose the Magnus XL. But we found the Pro to be plenty big for our needs, easily fitting a mouse, a keyboard, and all the drinks and snacks we needed for our latest Apex session.
Desktop Size
59.1″ x 27.6″
Supported Weight
Up to 265 lbs
Material
Steel, MDF, High Pressure Laminate Bamboo with Steel
Best Gaming Desk Upgrade
Herman Miller Nevi Sit-to-Stand Desk
Pros
Won’t have to get another one
Easy to go from standing to sitting
Cons
More than $1,000 for a desk
If you want something that will last, consider Herman Miller. The American design giant is known for its legendary office chairs, and the gaming desks are no slouch (pause for chair-related laughter…), either. We found the Nevi desk to be perfectly load-bearing and easy to adjust. It may be expensive, but it’s also a long-term investment—and it looks inconspicuous enough that it’ll fit any home design. This is a desk that’s going to last you at least ten years.
It’s simple, it’s flexible, and it allows for easy cable storage and concealment. Notably, while many gaming desks skew black or a darker color, this is one of the only white desks that is also great for video gaming.
Desktop Size
58″ x 29″
Supported Weight
Up to 165 lbs
Material
Aluminum, Laminate Top with Thermoplastic Edge
Best Standing Desk for Gaming
FlexiSpot Adjustable Height Electric Standing Desk
Pros
Budget-friendly
Wood is more eye catching than steel
Cons
No space for cable management
The FlexiSpot line of adjustable electric desks takes the manual labor out of the sitting-to-standing pipeline. And no, you don’t have to pay more than $500 just to get a desk with an automated electric raising mechanism. Instead, this economical option is as high-tech as anything you could get from the big names on this list. If you are concerned about aesthetics—which all of you nerds should be—this is the desk for you. It actually looks quite nice. The engineered wood finish is easy to care for, giving off a slightly more natural feel.
In terms of size, it should be enough for most monitor and keyboard setups. The big downside is that there’s no cable management with this one. Cop a cable organizer or revel in the chaos. Either way, this FlexiSpot desk is still a great choice for the price.
Desktop Size
48″ x 24″
Supported Weight
Up to 154 lbs
Material
Engineered Wood, Alloy Steel
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best L-Shaped Gaming Desk
Eureka Ergonomic L Shaped Gaming Desk
Pros
All that glorious space
Feel the ergonomic difference
Cons
A pain to assemble
L-shaped is all the rage in sofas, and it works just as well for a desk. Seriously, though, the Eureka Ergonomic offers an almost deceptive amount of space.
If you need to use multiple screens for either working or gaming, this desk is perfect. The L extension gives you plenty of room to keep your gamer gear on hand. It’s great for setting up a laptop or other computer for when you need one for streaming and another for gaming. Worst comes to worst, you can simply rest your tired arm on it for comfort. With this much space, there is no wrong way to use it.
There is one issue, though. That scorpion logo and faux carbon-fiber print are a bit much. For us, it feels a little try-hard, but if you don’t mind, go for it.
Desk Size
60″ x 43″
Supported Weight
Up to 170 lbs
Material
Carbon Steel
Best Ultrawide Gaming Desk
Arozzi Arena Gaming Desk
Pros
Perfect for ultrawide and curved monitors
Basically a giant mouse pad
Cons
Mouse pad easily damaged by cleaning products
If your desk is purely for getting the best and most immersive gaming experience possible out of your PC, then the Arozzi Arena is your new best friend. It’s ultrawide and curved to account for the most cutting-edge monitors on the market. It’s large enough for a two- (or three-?) monitor setup, but the Arena really shines with one ultrawide or curved monitor. It also comes equipped with a glossy, hydrophobic mouse pad that covers the whole desk, which we found quite convenient.
Desk Size
63″ x 32″
Supported Weight
Up to 176 lbs
Material
Metal, Engineered Wood (Hydrophobic Coating)
Best Budget Gaming Desk
GTRacing 55 Inch Gaming Desk
Pros
Ultra affordable
Monitor stand to help your posture
Cons
Material is not the highest quality
Hey, we see that PC, keyboard, and monitor setup at your dining-room table. We’re not going to judge, but we will offer an alternative. We will just slowly slide a piece of paper with the name GTRacing and the price written in red your way. If you need a gaming desk this very instant, the 55-inch model is as close to free as it gets.
The faux carbon fiber isn’t the nicest material, and the look of this can be slightly garish when you turn on those LEDs. Still, for a little more than $100, the desk has a built-in power strip and monitor stand.
Desk Size
55″ x 23.6″
Supported Weight
Up to 220 lbs
Material
Carbon Fiber
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
What to Look for When Buying a Gaming Desk
When choosing a new gaming desk (with the purpose of grinding Valorant), we were looking for a few things. We’ve listed our criteria below.
Size and capacity: First, figure out if the desk’s dimensions fit the room you are going to keep it in, simple as that. Just as important is determining how much weight you need it to carry. Make sure it will be able to safely hold your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and whatever the fuck else you have up there.
Material: There are benefits and drawbacks to the various materials you can make a desk out of. Decide if steel, wood, or gamer-bait faux carbon fiber is right for you.
Extra features: Ask yourself which features are most important to you. Do you require a monitor stand to help with your lazy posture? Are you notoriously untidy and need a desk that conceals cables? Do you want something with a built-in power strip and USB ports? There are a lot more options than you might think. Desks aren’t just pieces of wood or metal anymore, so choose carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a desk a gaming desk?
Expand your mind. There’s nothing special about a gaming desk. It is, quite simply, just a table.
A good desk for gaming, though, will have space and carry a solid amount of weight. Anything else is just a cherry on top.
Why get an L-shaped desk?
An L-shaped desk is a popular option because it gives you a bunch of extra real estate and you can find many solid options for the same price as a regular desk. The extra arm provides space while keeping all your documents and electronics close. If you are streaming your games, this helps quite a bit when you are using one computer to play and another to manage your chat.
Why Trust Esquire?
We’ve been poking, prodding, and stress-testing products for years, allowing us to recommend the best tech to spend your hard-earned money on. We know which gaming gadgets are actually worth it and which ones are bullshit.
We compile our guides by doing heavy research and testing, ensuring that we vouch for the gadgets and gifts we would buy for ourselves or a family member. From desks to monitors to shoe racks, we only pick the best of the best.