Computer Desks

[kureshii]

How come they're charging so much for this? It's like couple pieces of wood and standards and that's it ...

It's not made from the same cheap fibreboard that graces their line of cheap tables (VIKA, EXPEDIT, MIKAEL etc). This is solid wood, and there's a metal frame below the table to which the legs attach.

I just got a GALANT table too (a couple of months ago), after realising that there's no way I can attach a keyboard tray to my old EXPEDIT table without ruining it. The GALANT still ended up being slightly over twice the price of the EXPEDIT table (which used a matching bookshelf for support on one side), but feels much more solid (and I got a slightly longer table too).

If you're going to put 2 monitors on a table, that table had better not be a cheap Ikea table. Nothing against Ikea (cheap Swedish furniture <3), but the cheap fibreboard they use on budget tables is not for serious computing use at all. My old table was sagging from the weight of one laptop and a 24" Dell Ultrasharp. Get at least the GALANT, or one of their more solid tables.

[Tatsujin]

How come they're charging so much for this? It's like couple pieces of wood and standards and that's it ...

It's not made from the same cheap fibreboard that graces their line of cheap tables (VIKA, EXPEDIT, MIKAEL etc). This is solid wood, and there's a metal frame below the table to which the legs attach.

I just got a GALANT table too (a couple of months ago), after realising that there's no way I can attach a keyboard tray to my old EXPEDIT table without ruining it. The GALANT still ended up being slightly over twice the price of the EXPEDIT table (which used a matching bookshelf for support on one side), but feels much more solid (and I got a slightly longer table too).

Trust me, if you're going to put 2 monitors on a table, that table had better not be a cheap Ikea table. Nothing against Ikea (cheap Swedish furniture <3), but the cheap fibreboard they use on budget tables is not for serious computing use at all. My old table was sagging from the weight of one laptop and a 24" Dell Ultrasharp. Get at least the GALANT, or one of their more solid tables.

I see, Plasma TV would be too much for it probably. a 50" since those things are very heavy. I'll take few pics and show you guys my room and set up, don't mind the dirt ... you'll know why I want a table like that when you see it:















So you can see how messy the way my set up is. The HDTV is awkward like that. I want it to be like straight but in a corner not blocking the window.

[Natheria]

lol, i have the same exact computer desk in my room (that i got off the side of the road), that's awesome!  

Your room's not really that bad. you just need to move all those cables out of the way and dust... heavily.

I'm curious as to which corner you would use since your closet is on one side and your window is on the other.

[vuzedome]

Wow.... look at the dust!! That's not a good thing you know.

[kyanwan]

3 monitors is stupid.

2 monitors AND an HDTV. NOW we're talking. (Seriously, wtf is the use of a 3rd monitor unless you want to display a random app like a widget on a mac) I don't care that a 26 inch mon has a higher resolution. My viewing experience is increased on a 40 inch TV!

Nothing wrong with 3 monitors - except -

IF I were going to set up multi display, I would want my displays to match *exactly*.   Sure, I've got monitors all over the place - I have 2 sitting unused behind me.  ( Pretty big ones too - 20", 19" ) --- but --- they're 2 different brands, 2 different styles - and completely un-matching to anything else I have on any of the desks here.   So, they sit there ... off.

I don't know - maybe a perfectly homogeneous display with perfectly matched displays is something that's ... kinda important to what I use the PC for.

And to tell you the truth - seeing Naru's setup with those three monitors ... really shocks me a bit.   If you know what makes up the guts of that setup, you'll wonder "WHY?" as well.  It doesn't make any sense! 

Match your screens man.   

[Mikan]

You Dont Want to see how messy the office at this house is o.<

Everything wires & soda is mine lol

[Rozzly]

You Dont Want to see how messy the office at this house is o.<

Everything wires & soda is mine lol

Aww its not that bad. I think I spy a shelf up there at the top? Just pile it there. :3

[Mikan]

You Dont Want to see how messy the office at this house is o.<

Everything wires & soda is mine lol

Aww its not that bad. I think I spy a shelf up there at the top? Just pile it there. :3

All my music, game cases and random stuff i dont want in my room is up there 

[Tatsujin]

You Dont Want to see how messy the office at this house is o.<

Everything wires & soda is mine lol

Epic, I think. Messier than mine x.x

Yes, the dust in my room is not good. Thus I want to get that big table so I can eliminate all that. I hate reaching for parts I don't want to reach for. I clean up once every 1 month to 2 or 3 months.

[Rozzly]

Hmmmmm... Then I can see how that might be a problem. I would call it time for a bigger desk!

Speaking of which. While surfing CList for some local postings, I came across a semi-nice desk for $100.
Think its worth it?

[fohfoh]

You Dont Want to see how messy the office at this house is o.<

Everything wires & soda is mine lol

I've seen worse from myself. My table (not desk) looks like that even without the laptop and screen on it. I had to basically slide the screen to the corner of the table and then place the laptop on a TV tray thing on the side which is why I was making the comment about the 3 monitors. Because a laptop and a monitor are very different, the movement of head from one screen to another is annoying. Not so with 2 matched monitors.

The argument about 2 computers is an interesting one. But Tatsu can deal with that issue. It's his setup after all.


However, regarding desks and weight.

Any desk that has a table top less than 1/4 inch thick is no good. Unless it's a solid hardwood it's not going to work. Softwood will warp and cannot take on that strain unless it's designed well. Unless you've got some heavy wood like Oak or something, less than 1/4 inch is not going to support everything you want unless there's some sort of reinforcement or "leg" underneath that can diffuse the weight to the ground.

3/4 inch fibrewood isn't bad at all and will not warp. Warning though, that shit is heavy. (I have a desk that's like that. Just the top "table space" piece is about a good 40 pounds or more) I have no qualms in putting over 200 lbs on any part of my desk, but the corner desk in the family room which is constructed from about 1/4 inch thick (I think) fibre board... I have to strategically place the monitor over the place where the leg is. The printer is on the floor because it sags the "middle side" section of the desk. (The damn thing is only like 7 pounds!) The movable "side expansion" piece that was actually capable of sustaining weight is too far from the centre. It was also beveled in a semi circle which made it awkward to place large objects on (but was safe for children who run into corners) Looking at Jaru's pic, it looks like his desk is about the same thickness as the one in my family room but also, his fibre board is reinforced better than mine. The only other difference is that there are cupboards and shelves underneath which are great at diffusing weight to the floor. Mine just has a little slice of fibre board here and there and a metal leg thingy in the centre.

I don't know if you think the shelves on the bottom part are in the way and/or cumbersome, but seriously. Find a good desk that has that stuff because it makes the desk less willing to bend. It might be "in the way" but for sure it makes it less likely that you get a purchase that is "fuck, this thing sucks and doesn't meet my needs!"

[shabutie]

I should take a pic of my brothers room..

Mattress on the floor, Mac on the floor facing the mattress...  piles and piles of cloths, boxes, random disks, garbage, and dishes. XD

[Klocknov]

I keep my room clean for a reason, though when I unroll my futon mattress (the frame is sitting in the garage) it gets to look a bit messy since I have blankets sprawled accross my room. I have been wanting to take a picture of my current setup, but to no avail I don't got a camera...

[bloody000]

Cheap particleboard folding tables FTW.

[Jarudin]

How come they're charging so much for this? It's like couple pieces of wood and standards and that's it ...

It's not made from the same cheap fibreboard that graces their line of cheap tables (VIKA, EXPEDIT, MIKAEL etc). This is solid wood, and there's a metal frame below the table to which the legs attach.

It does seem the American prices are EUROx2. I think my desk was around 200-300 EUR, well worth it I can tell you. And the are 'cheap' compared to other Office-quality solutions I've seen.
The wood is high quality wood, treated with an anti-scratch layer, very smooth and easy to clean surface. I eat my breakfast in front of my PC daily and the wood is barely scratched from all the times I banged my bowl of cereal on the surface.
I got this desk because I was fed up with low quality wooden desks. The frame is made from metal so it's a lot more compact that anything you can do with wood, and no problems with sagging which I used to have to (that Mother-off-all-plasma's of yours wont work though I think ..).

Another advantage of a system like this is the you can expand it with extensions at any given time and you've got a uniform surface. Depending on which side of the angle-board you extend you either get a depth of 80cm or 60cm. I totally went for 80cm (most desks are 60cm) because then you finally have room enough for your monitor(s).
I should add that I tend to like minimalistic design, no frills. From the pictures I see that your furniture has lots of frills.

I chose to put my desk in front of the window because other solutions would either make the light come from the side or from the back and that can leave a nasty glint.
I have a luxaflex system so I can very easily tone the amount of light that gets into my room.

On a side note, IKEA also sells cable gutters that you can screw into the bottom of your desk to work away all the cables, or at least prevent you from accidentally stepping on/pulling a cable with your feet.

--Jarudin--

[Tatsujin]

How come they're charging so much for this? It's like couple pieces of wood and standards and that's it ...

It's not made from the same cheap fibreboard that graces their line of cheap tables (VIKA, EXPEDIT, MIKAEL etc). This is solid wood, and there's a metal frame below the table to which the legs attach.

It does seem the American prices are EUROx2. I think my desk was around 200-300 EUR, well worth it I can tell you. And the are 'cheap' compared to other Office-quality solutions I've seen.
The wood is high quality wood, treated with an anti-scratch layer, very smooth and easy to clean surface. I eat my breakfast in front of my PC daily and the wood is barely scratched from all the times I banged my bowl of cereal on the surface.
I got this desk because I was fed up with low quality wooden desks. The frame is made from metal so it's a lot more compact that anything you can do with wood, and no problems with sagging which I used to have to (that Mother-off-all-plasma's of yours wont work though I think ..).

Another advantage of a system like this is the you can expand it with extensions at any given time and you've got a uniform surface. Depending on which side of the angle-board you extend you either get a depth of 80cm or 60cm. I totally went for 80cm (most desks are 60cm) because then you finally have room enough for your monitor(s).
I should add that I tend to like minimalistic design, no frills. From the pictures I see that your furniture has lots of frills.

I chose to put my desk in front of the window because other solutions would either make the light come from the side or from the back and that can leave a nasty glint.
I have a luxaflex system so I can very easily tone the amount of light that gets into my room.

On a side note, IKEA also sells cable gutters that you can screw into the bottom of your desk to work away all the cables, or at least prevent you from accidentally stepping on/pulling a cable with your feet.

--Jarudin--

Yea, yes. the cable part is killing me. I shoved them all in one side which is somewhat bad but I insured to not put anything there. I couldn't find any solutions until I saw your desk and, you know ... 1st sight fall in love >_>;; So I want something like yours.

Your saying plasma TV, which should weight about 100 pounds, would be a bit too much? If so I may need to keep that desk you see with my HDTV for it. Believe it or not, I have moved my room around about 4 times in total! And I have placed this computer desk against the window twice. So far this is the best setup for me until I get something like yours then I'll have the long edge against the window with my monitors placed against it and the smaller edge will have the plasma TV. I may honestly just get a one piece edge and use that shorter desk with the HDTV on it as a stand for my plasma ... and PS3 of course, it's a 60g one -laughs evilly-

Alright thanks.

[kureshii]

I've got one of them cable-management thingums from Ikea, just look under my table in the pic I posted above ^_~
Works like a charm, and is quite easy to set up too.

As solid as the GALANT feels, I don't think it's going to hold up well in the long-term supporting a 100-pound plasma (it's not designed for the purpose anyway). IIRC Ikea rates it for up to a weight of 30kg, which means the plasma is a no-go.

If there's cheap furniture where you are, I think a short TV cabinet would be more appropriately built for the task.

In all honesty though, 3x 22" monitors is a LOT of head turning. That's like, what? 5 feet 6 inches of monitors? Or did I fail maths?

Actually I have been thinking about a third monitor (not so soon though); 2 side by side, and 1 higher up, in a sort of Triforce of Power arrangement. Bottom 2 will be held up by dual LCD arms, the top one will be mounted on an LCD-mounting pole.

Sounds like overkill, but I have been in quite a few circumstances where I felt a 3rd monitor would be useful; when running simulations or renders that take hours to complete, or hashing files in AOM/re-encoding lossless audio, I like to put them aside to monitor them, but often run out of space on the 24". At the same time throw in a multi-tabbed browsing session and some documents, and that is already enough to fill 2 monitors (a 24" can practically only fit 4 browser windows, any more than that and it becomes uncomfortable to read). This is where monitor #3 would be really handy. It doesn't need to be a 24", even a small 15" would be just fine, and I won't need it to have jaw-dropping image quality either so any old TFT LCD would be good enough.

Why do I need so many browser windows open simultaneously? Until the day I can quickly extract relevant information from 2 different websites/applications and put them side-by-side on the same screen with a few hand gestures, I'll stick to the multi-window approach. (Thank god for Chrome's separate process implementation that allows easy splitting of windows. I know Firefox can do it as well, it's just not as fast or seamless.)

Of course, such dreams must wait until I have the budget for it... and I'll probably need a sturdier table too xD

[Tatsujin]

I've got one of them cable-management thingums from Ikea, just look under my table in the pic I posted above ^_~
Works like a charm, and is quite easy to set up too.

As solid as the GALANT feels, I don't think it's going to hold up well in the long-term supporting a 100-pound plasma (it's not designed for the purpose anyway). IIRC Ikea rates it for up to a weight of 30kg, which means the plasma is a no-go.

If there's cheap furniture where you are, I think a short TV cabinet would be more appropriately built for the task.

In all honesty though, 3x 22" monitors is a LOT of head turning. That's like, what? 5 feet 6 inches of monitors? Or did I fail maths?

Actually I have been thinking about a third monitor (not so soon though); 2 side by side, and 1 higher up, in a sort of Triforce of Power arrangement. Bottom 2 will be held up by dual LCD arms, the top one will be mounted on an LCD-mounting pole.

Sounds like overkill, but I have been in quite a few circumstances where I felt a 3rd monitor would be useful; when running simulations or renders that take hours to complete, or hashing files in AOM/re-encoding lossless audio, I like to put them aside to monitor them, but often run out of space on the 24". At the same time throw in a multi-tabbed browsing session and some documents, and that is already enough to fill 2 monitors (a 24" can practically only fit 4 browser windows, any more than that and it becomes uncomfortable to read). This is where monitor #3 would be really handy. It doesn't need to be a 24", even a small 15" would be just fine, and I won't need it to have jaw-dropping image quality either so any old TFT LCD would be good enough.

Why do I need so many browser windows open simultaneously? Until the day I can quickly extract relevant information from 2 different websites/applications and put them side-by-side on the same screen with a few hand gestures, I'll stick to the multi-window approach. (Thank god for Chrome's separate process implementation that allows easy splitting of windows. I know Firefox can do it as well, it's just not as fast or seamless.)

Of course, such dreams must wait until I have the budget for it... and I'll probably need a sturdier table too xD

I really thought two monitors would do me. Even with my 22" and 37" I still need a third one. Might as well get 3x 24" 1920x1080 for what I am doing. Of course it is show off, but rather it is for what I'm doing and like what you said Kureshii, browsing from two different websites. Tho' I do encoding, web designing, graphics with photoshop and what not so it would actually help to have more monitors on ground. Besides, they don't suck so much power like HDTV's do, or even Plasmas!

I'll look into that wire-thing you and Jarudin have been discussing while I'm at work and see how it is. I'm more than likely to purchase it to elminate all the wires thats around my computer.

[Jarudin]

My old table was sagging

Ahah XD best docking station mount ever

I like that Dell monitor (the hole in the pivot for cables), Dell makes good hardware lately.

--Jarudin--

[vuzedome]

My old table was sagging

Ahah XD best docking station mount ever

I like that Dell monitor (the hole in the pivot for cables), Dell makes good hardware lately.

--Jarudin--

This is a good idea.