Good desks

[Agazed]

Hello! I am looking for a new computer desk and I don't know where to start. Heres what I need

 

• Matte black
• Wide enough for 2x 24 inch monitors
• Can fit computer on desk
• Look cool
• Ergonomic

My budget is $300

 

 

[Toxicable]

Ikea and paint it Matte Black

[Goodman2265]

go to an Ikea, but if you live upstate like me, you know there is like no ikea's

[Agazed]

I live about 10 miles away from an IKEA, not a problem

[johnt]

Hello! I am looking for a new computer desk and I don't know where to start. Heres what I need

 

• Matte black
• Wide enough for 2x 24 inch monitors
• Can fit computer on desk
• Look cool
• Ergonomic

My budget is $300

 

Sadly the last time I purchased a desk was nearly 15 years ago from Circuit City. It was in the in-store catalog and it cost $400 in ~2000 money! Google might provide some helpful websites.

 

Ikea is a good idea, but the best thing to do is buy a desk surface and four legs. You will be out the door for under $75 USD. They have surfaces in white, black, red, faux wood, and I'm sure a few others. Most of the finishes are glossy, which is not really going to be a good surface for painting if you decide to paint it. You will need to roughen the surface so that the paint can be applied. Also... stay away from spray paint. A good paint spray job but an amateur is never going to come out very good. In fact, it's most likely going to look awful and inconsistent. Use a latex paint with built in primer and a roller to apply it.

 

Search google and youtube for painting tips.

 

Heck! Even my local Home Depot and Lowe's sell the components to build desks at home. You pick the desk length, width, legs, trim, color. But at the end of the day it might cost more than Ikea because it's real wood.

[Aleks]

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S19022790/#/S49022798

 

The desk I own. Huge and great quality. Matte black is an option.

[johnt]

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S19022790/#/S49022798

 

The desk I own. Huge and great quality. Matte black is an option.

 

Geez that is outrageously overpriced 

[Agazed]

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S19022790/#/S49022798

 

The desk I own. Huge and great quality. Matte black is an option.

 

$200 for a sheet of plastic? Odd from IKEA...

[Aleks]

$200 for a sheet of plastic? Odd from IKEA...

 

 

Geez that is outrageously overpriced 

Yes it is expensive. Go to IKEA and take a look for yourself. The table top although not real wood it is very hard and is very good quality. Overall the metal frames and adjustable legs make for a very sturdy desk. The BEKANT line is basically the new version of the GALANT desks. You said you budget is $300. This is the desk I recommend and I'm sure anybody with it or a GALANT desk will recommend it as well. 

[johnt]

Go for gold (save your pennies in this case)

 

Desk surface: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50251350/#/10251352

Max load: 110 lbs for $34, that ought to be enough for two monitors, speakers, peripherals, and case, but there should be enough room on the floor for the case

 

Standard desk legs: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70217973/

Standard height, EACH leg is guaranteed for 110 lbs, and don't forget that you need four, all together $16 ($4 each)

 

Fancy desk legs: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/40237840/

Standard height, you also need four, all together $60 ($15 each)

 

So there it is. A standard desk for $50 or a fancy desk for $94. If you don't feel 110 lbs is enough, add a fifth leg in the rear center of the desk. Pre drill holes first so you don't crack the wood. But if you put the case or heavy speakers toward the corners of the desk, for example, directly on top of the desk legs, then you technically aren't loading the piece of wood. Any items placed closer to the legs is transferring more of its weight to the legs instead of the wood. Anyways, in my professional opinion, 110 lbs is pretty frickin good enough.

 

This is easy. If you're looking for a high quality desk, prepare to shell out $1,000 or more. Real wood is not cheap. If you're looking for something to get the job done and last for 5 to 10 years, check out the links above.

[johnt]

Yes it is expensive. Go to IKEA and take a look for yourself. The table top although not real wood it is very hard and is very good quality. Overall the metal frames and adjustable legs make for a very sturdy desk. The BEKANT line is basically the new version of the GALANT desks. You said you budget is $300. This is the desk I recommend and I'm sure anybody with it or a GALANT desk will recommend it as well. 

 

A bulk of the $300 is for the adjustable legs... which is better suited for people who can't adjust their seats (think wheelchairs). $300 for a basic desk is rather steep. Just because his budget is $300 doesn't mean he needs to waste $200.

[Aleks]

Go for gold (save your pennies in this case)

 

Desk surface: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50251350/#/10251352

Max load: 110 lbs for $34, that ought to be enough for two monitors, speakers, peripherals, and case, but there should be enough room on the floor for the case

 

Standard desk legs: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70217973/

Standard height, EACH leg is guaranteed for 110 lbs, and don't forget that you need four, all together $16 ($4 each)

 

Fancy desk legs: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/40237840/

Standard height, you also need four, all together $60 ($15 each)

 

So there it is. A standard desk for $50 or a fancy desk for $94. If you don't feel 110 lbs is enough, add a fifth leg in the rear center of the desk. Pre drill holes first so you don't crack the wood. But if you put the case or heavy speakers toward the corners of the desk, for example, directly on top of the desk legs, then you technically aren't loading the piece of wood. Any items placed closer to the legs is transferring more of its weight to the legs instead of the wood. Anyways, in my professional opinion, 110 lbs is pretty frickin good enough.

 

This is easy. If you're looking for a high quality desk, prepare to shell out $1,000 or more. Real wood is not cheap. If you're looking for something to get the job done and last for 5 to 10 years, check out the links above.

I am going to disagree based on past experience. This was the desk I owned before the BEKANT I own now. Honestly the desk was garbage in my opinion. It wobbled, chipped and scratched easily, and overall felt very cheap. I understand you are paying a low price for something that can serve as a good table top but it just wasn't worth it in my opinion. The desk is EXTREMELY narrow which makes for your eyes being a total of maybe 7-15 inches your monitors. Even worse scenario if you have a surround display setup. If you are looking for something to serve as a cheap table top to hold you monitors up then yes this desk is fine. If you are looking for a over-sized surface that even with 3+ screen you have plenty of space left over than I would advise against it. 

[Aleks]

A bulk of the $300 is for the adjustable legs... which is better suited for people who can't adjust their seats (think wheelchairs). $300 for a basic desk is rather steep. Just because his budget is $300 doesn't mean he needs to waste $200.

It is more or less $200 for a higher quality material and much larger surface area. I understand if you don't need it don't bother with it. But for people with surround setups these are the only desks that are really around unless you make your own. JayzTwoCents for instance owns two of these desks except they are the GALANT version. Check his video out @Agazed if you want some more information on it. 

 

The thing with IKEA is there low-end products are very "low-end". When I owned the table top you mentioned in your post, I decided I was going to drill a hole to serve as a cable path. I was upset to find the desk itself was just a honeycomb mesh of cardboard with a plastic shell. Basically what I'm trying to say is the $200 desk is overpriced. But it does what it's meant to do and it does what enthusiast with multiple monitors need it to do. The others simply don't.

[johnt]

I am going to disagree based on past experience. This was the desk I owned before the BEKANT I own now. Honestly the desk was garbage in my opinion. It wobbled, chipped and scratched easily, and overall felt very cheap. I understand you are paying a low price for something that can serve as a good table top but it just wasn't worth it in my opinion. The desk is EXTREMELY narrow which makes for your eyes being a total of maybe 7-15 inches your monitors. Even worse scenario if you have a surround display setup. If you are looking for something to serve as a cheap table top to hold you monitors up then yes this desk is fine. If you are looking for a over-sized surface that even with 3+ screen you have plenty of space left over than I would advise against it. 

 

The cheap surface I recommended is 4 inches shorter in length and only 2 inches shorter in width. I don't know what you're on about.

[Aleks]

The cheap surface I recommended is 4 inches shorter in length and only 2 inches shorter in width. I don't know what you're on about.

Oh, perhaps I was mistaking it for this one. http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80251358/ 

[johnt]

It is more or less $200 for a higher quality material and much larger surface area. I understand if you don't need it don't bother with it. But for people with surround setups these are the only desks that are really around unless you make your own. JayzTwoCents for instance owns two of these desks except they are the GALANT version. Check his video out @Agazed if you want some more information on it. 

 

The thing with IKEA is there low-end products are very "low-end". When I owned the table top you mentioned in your post, I decided I was going to drill a hole to serve as a cable path. I was upset to find the desk itself was just a honeycomb mesh of cardboard with a plastic shell. Basically what I'm trying to say is the $200 desk is overpriced. But it does what it's meant to do and it does what enthusiast with multiple monitors need it to do. The others simply don't.

 

I fail to see how four inches is the answer to surround setups. I have three monitors on my desk and it's only 59 inches long. Yes, both 24 inch monitors hang off the side by quite a lot. I fail to see how four more inches is going to help. The monitor stands are going to fit on a 59 inch desk and a 63 inch desk.

[johnt]

Oh, perhaps I was mistaking it for this one. http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80251358/ 

 

Oh yeeeah.... I'd never recommend this table to anyone lol

 

23 inches is ridiculous for a desk. That's shorter than standard cabinet widths in America.

[stconquest]

Drawers!

 

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/S99932696/#/S29047257

[Aleks]

I fail to see how four inches is the answer to surround setups. I have three monitors on my desk and it's only 59 inches long. Yes, both 24 inch monitors hang off the side by quite a lot. I fail to see how four more inches is going to help. The monitor stands are going to fit on a 59 inch desk and a 63 inch desk.

I have experience with the longer, narrower desk. I was making my argument based off of the experience I had with that one. I am not here to tell OP what to buy just simply here to give my opinion. From my experience I was unable to fit my PC on the desk I had as well as three monitors, your experience was clearly different because you had a different desk. 

 

Your evidence clearly backs up your argument so you have all the right to push your opinion on @Agazed, but I will stand by my opinion.

[johnt]

I have experience with the longer, narrower desk. I was making my argument based off of the experience I had with that one. I am not here to tell OP what to buy just simply here to give my opinion. From my experience I was unable to fit my PC on the desk I had as well as three monitors, your experience was clearly different because you had a different desk. 

 

Yeah. It's good for all of us to provide different opinions. It's pretty clear the desk you're suggesting is quite a bit more solid since it can support about twice the load than the one I suggested. But that table top with standard legs would be better suited for most people. Adjustable height legs are quite expensive.

 

I think you and I can provide one similar feedback: don't bother buying a desk less than 29 inches deep and 60ish inches long.

[grayperview]

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/50219044/?query=fredde

 

this is the desk i have, it will fit 2x 24 inch monitors, i myself have 3x 23 inch monitors on it