We all know how important a quality gaming PC desk can be, and if you want to take the step of building a PC in a desk then you have to know that there are a lot of elements to take into account when designing your new gaming war machine.
In this article, we don’t want to talk about the hardware that will go inside of desk PCs as this is highly subjective for each particular case. What we will do instead is focus on ergonomics, as well as setup looks.
In the context of gaming desk PCs, ergonomics means how do we interact with the final build and how comfort and health come into play when building your ideal gaming battle station.
Everyone’s taste is different and, in the end, there is no ideal way to put together your gaming desk, but we are going to cover some of the most important aspects for you to consider when designing your desk.
When building your PC in a desk, the central piece of your setup is, as you might have guessed it, the desk itself where your PC components will live. When choosing the new home where your gaming PC will live you have to think about the surface area, the available space inside of the desk, construction material, ergonomics, and of course aesthetics.
Surface Area and The Available Space Inside of the Desk
Let’s talk about the outside of the desk first. A glass surface area is the most common choice for desk PCs and although it might look nice, you have to think about what will go over it. If you go this route then you have to think about the weight you will be putting on the surface, such as how heavy your monitors or monitors’ arms will be to be sure that the surface is sturdy enough to handle the weight. You can get some tips about how to design your gaming desk PC from Linus Tech Tips.
Another popular choice is not to have the entire desk PC covered by glass, only the side from where you can see the PC components. This is a great way to do it in our opinion,
The space inside of the desk is another important factor you have to consider as your PC’s components must sit comfortably inside. It must be generous, properly ventilated to avoid overheating, and of course wide enough for big components and proper cooling solutions, such as radiators for water cooling or big graphics cards.
Desk PCs Room Placement
Space, where your new desk PC will be placed, is very important, and you have to decide from the beginning because you don’t want to keep moving your desk from one place to another.
If you have a small space to work with you might want to consider a minimalistic setup, with a smaller desk, and with a smaller desk the proper components that will fit without issues inside it.
If you have a bigger room, then the possibilities are basically infinite.
Of course, you still have to take into consideration where you will place the desk in the first place but since you have more room to play with, then you can take bolder design decisions. Do take in mind though that once you have chosen a place for your desk PC, make sure it is final, as a giant PC case that is also a desk will be harder to move than a normal desktop PC.
Desk PCs Cable Management and Ergonomics
One of the most important features to consider when thinking about a desk PC is cable management. Proper routing for all the cables in your new setup is a must as you will want a clean setup and not a mash everything inside the desk. That is simply a no go.
There are a huge selection of cable routing and management options that you can take advantage of so a simple online search can give you a lot of ideas on how to properly do it.
Confort (ergonomics) should also be a priority. At the end that is why you are building a computer inside a desk in the first place. If you are going to spend a lot of time at your computer then you might consider adding some extra things to your desk, such as a way to transform your desk into a standing desk PC.
Sitting all day is very hard on your body so having the possibility to stand up whenever you want will help a lot. Here is a complete guide from YetAnotherTechChannel on exactly how to build one from scratch.
Going the Already Built Desk PC Route
No one will blame you if you want to get an already built desk for your components. There are some very good manufacturers such as Lian-Li and Hydra Desk that offer such desks, and they look amazing.
Going this route though is much more expensive than building it yourself. One of these desks can cost up to $2500 so you really have to have deep pockets to afford one of these. Of course, not all of them are this expensive, but they will increase your project’s budget significantly.
The main advantage of going this route is that every design aspect you can think of has been already implemented, they look amazing, and all you have to do is get your gaming PC’s components inside, mount a proper cooling solution and you are off to the races.
Is There a Perfect Setup?
We can’t really tell you what your perfect gaming desk PC will be, that is entirely up to you, but what we can say is that your setup should be functional, comfortable, and designed for your needs, and your needs only. Combining all these elements does not have to be expensive, complicated or out of reach, they just need to be representative of you and suitable for your daily needs.
With this said, we hope you’ll have a great adventure assembling your new gaming desk PC, and when your quest is done, share it with the rest of us. We’d love to see your masterpiece.