The video game industry has steadily become one of the biggest in the globe.
With more than $100 billion in revenue each year, there are millions of gamers out there with different gaming desk setup needs.
So, it is little wonder that a variety of standing desk manufacturers are trying to find their niche within the industry through what are known as “gaming desks.” These are standing desks with a little more pizzazz or they have speakers built right in.
The question becomes whether or not gamers need to have a standing desk.
When it comes to their overall long-term health, the answer is a definitive yes.
All of those hours sitting in front of a PC can be just as harmful as all the hours that office workers spend sitting in their cubicles.
While all the talk about standing or sitting tends to be focused on the office area, the same discussion can happen in the world of gaming.
Several health benefits come with standing for long periods, which means that gamers everywhere should be utilizing height-adjustable desks in the same way that office workers do.
That said, there are major differences on the mental spectrum when it comes to work and gaming. Work can be described as nothing other than work.
Gaming, on the other hand, is meant to be recreational. Gamers might not want to make the move because they feel as if they are sacrificing their comfort.
Ask most of the gamers out there and they won’t even consider a standing desk.
Of course, most people want to be healthier and lead longer healthier lives. But few want to have to sacrifice the quality of their free time to achieve those results.
For gamers, though, there could be reasons to make the switch beyond the reduction in the chance of disease and all the potential health benefits that come with the territory.
It won’t necessarily feel like sacrificing your time but improving it on the whole.
Standing While Playing Improves Health
The simplest and most realistic explanation for why gamers should be switching to a standing desk.
Too much of anything, including sitting or lying down, can be bad over a prolonged period.
It comes down to simple math. If you spend most of your day sitting -- eating, commuting, leisure time, office hours -- then you can easily surpass 10 hours.
Sitting for that long each day can have major negative health impacts.
For a lot of people, the switch from a traditional desk to what is known as an “active workstation” can be beneficial.
This includes not only standing desks but treadmill desks as well.
For those who can’t get a standing desk while they work, converting their gaming desk into a standing desk can help to cut a few hours off of that sitting total.
Moreover, sitting has several proven benefits to the body that can’t be disputed.
It can help reduce neck, shoulder, and back pain, increase energy expenditure, improve blood circulation, and improve posture.
All this helps keep gamers feeling happier and healthier while they partake in the activity that they enjoy most.
Read More >> Do Standing Desks Help Posture?
Standing While Gaming Can Improve Focus
Focus is a vital part of gaming in just about any sense. For those who play on a more competitive basis, that focus can mean the difference between winning and losing.
Ask any gamer who stands while they are doing so, and they will tell you the same thing: they felt engaged and present as they played.
Simply making the shift from sitting to standing can help gamers feel more connected to what is happening on the screen and more focused on whatever tasks are part of the game.
Not only that but being more alert can help to improve gaming performance for those who are into the kind of competitive games where quick reaction and focus are vital.
That said, several dexterity requirements are part of the gaming experience. This means that, at least at first, you might feel a little out of your element when you make the move to standing gaming.
For gamers, any minor change can throw gamers out of their element. Making the move from sitting regularly to standing can be that kind of change.
For that reason, it helps to start with games that aren’t too demanding in terms of reaction. Turn-based games are perfect for making the transition.
This allows for greater acclimation before moving into those fast-response games. Playing online chess would be a great way to start the transition from a standard desk to a standing desk or treadmill desk.
That can all differ from person to person, however. There are not a lot of studies out there that are looking at video game performance relative to sitting or standing.
Most of the studies did, however, show that there were no significant differences in terms of reaction time from either of those positions.
Any claims stating that standing desks can help to provide a huge impact on performance are premature.
It feels good to go from sitting to standing even while gaming, though, which should be a great argument for some gamers.
If nothing else, consider this. Gamers can burn nearly 17% more calories while standing than they would sit.
All of those seemingly small actions that your body makes can add up. Even things such as shifting from one leg to another can have a big impact on the number of calories burned.
The Ergonomics
Whenever planning a gaming desk, wireless headsets are ideal.
Even while standing there are a lot of smaller physical adjustments, like shifting in the standing position or even celebrating a win.
When this happens, the last thing any gamer wants is to get tangled up in their headset cord. Having a wireless headset can take care of the issue without worry.
There are a few other changes that traditional gamers will have to make if they are going to make the move from sitting to standing regularly.
Feet can start to hurt a bit after standing for a while or at the very least, they will leave a dent if you are standing on carpeting.
To help the problem, there are anti-fatigue mats out there that can make standing for hours on end a little more palpable.
Should you need more space for your desk or at least beneath it, then there are CPU holders that can free that space up. Just make sure that you have a desk that is capable of supporting up to 30 pounds.
There is also the matter of monitor position. While having it closer to your face can make you feel more connected to what is happening in the game, it can also have negative impacts on your eyes.
Taking time away when your eyes start to feel fatigued is ideal, but you can help that by getting a flexible monitor arm. This allows for greater control in terms of height, tilt, and distance of the screen relative to you.
Distance and height of the monitor in particular are vital to consider when it comes to the ergonomic factors of a standing desk.
The last thing that you want to do is to strain your neck because you are looking down at a laptop screen.
Make sure to invest in a proper mount and monitor, one with adjustable features, so that you can alter the distance based on your current position and posture.
Read More >> Top 5 Best Laptop Standing Desks? (2022 Review)
Another accessory worth noting is the keyboard tray. For standing desks, they can make for a great addition as they can allow you to rest on a desk that is fully standing.
It can be tricky to mount one as most adjustable desks have a crossbar on them. But if you can find one that works, it can add to the ergonomic comfort of your standing desk.
Having a keyboard tray can help to keep your wrists at a neutral position and ensure that your shoulders remain level.
If you can figure out the crossbar, the installation is a lot easier than you may come to realize.
Choosing the Right Standing Gaming Desk
Should you decide that you are at least ready to try a standing gaming desk, then there are a few factors worth considering. Here are the various considerations that one should take into account when choosing a standing gaming desk.
Transit speed:
Being able to go from sitting to standing and back is necessary for those who like to play in longer gaming sessions.
It can seem like a minor detail, but it can be enough to frustrate any gamer. Having to wait for your desk to change positions can mean leaving your character sitting idly by.
Having a quiet motor is ideal but that is because you should want to keep the noise around your desk at a minimum if at all possible.
This isn’t the worst thing in the world, but a noisy desk can become a major annoyance before long.
Stability:
The simple fact of the matter is that no gamer wants to feel shakiness when they are pounding away at their keyboard.
When the keyboard is at its highest point, lesser standing desks can wobble and even shake, which takes the focus away from gamers.
This is why gamers require a greater level of stability than most office workers.
When you have a shaky desk, it can be highly detrimental to your overall performance. It is perhaps the most important quality that some of the cheaper standing desks out there can’t quite match.
For those players who are a little taller, make sure that you get a standing desk that is at the right height.
Make sure that it is stable enough to support your height and weight to not disrupt gaming performance.
Sizable work surface:
While it may kind of go without saying, having the right size for your space is important.
Most of the standing desks you will find out there don’t have the same storage capacity that traditional desks do.
You can combat this with storage space beneath your desk, but that is an additional feature.
Consider how much desk space you will need to play comfortably. For most gamers, a multi-monitor setup is preferable, which requires more space.
Make sure that your standing gaming desk can accommodate that desktop space requirement.
Spell resistance:
Like it or not, gamers have a bit of a reputation for being messy.
Not only that, but they also have a reputation for eating or drinking at their desks for optimal efficiency and the least amount of time away from their setup.
Don’t go with a desk that will look stained and weird after a little bit of use. Make sure that you pick a material that isn’t prone to warping from liquid damage and is easily cleanable.
Even if you don’t entertain often, there is a sense of pride in having a desk that doesn’t look like a disaster.
What You Can Expect to Spend
So, what kind of budget will you be looking at with an electric desk that can shift heights?
The cheaper options are in the $300 to $500 range but they aren’t great if you are looking for a sturdy gaming setup with multiple monitors.
Those desks tend to have lower weight ratings and a higher rate of electronics failure.
There are also standing desk converters out there. But given the size of gaming rigs these days, especially compared to office setups, it means that your converter may not be large enough to do the job.
But if you are looking for a decent standing desk, then something in the $700 range is a good place to start.
It will ensure that you don’t have to replace your desk before you have to replace your current desktop.
