Endgame Desk

Posted 2023-10-24

Recently, I have finally figured out my endgame working ergonomics. It was a long way to find what I needed, but I ended up with what I was always afraid of: Herman Miller. I generally don't like "luxurious" things, but HM turned out to be the practical choice for me.

TLDR: I recommend the Motia Gaming Desk from Herman Miller

I have tested a lot of options for a workspace, from cheap IKEA (that you can destroy by simply slamming your fist into them) to good local options in different markets. The cheap Ikea tables are very flimsy. While you generally won't care much about the table, sturdiness is what you really feel during the coding. A dining table would work well for you, but eventually, I realized that a fixed-height table wouldn't work well since you occasionally need minor adjustments.

That's how I ended up looking at adjustable tables. There are local options in every market - you can get some Chinese frame, slap a nice tabletop on it, and sell it. They usually have a decent, but as with most handcrafted furniture, they are not designed well. To be a good table, one needs to have a good design. It shouldn't be too thick: it would be too heavy and look bulky, and sometimes, it could be too thick to stretch your legs forward. It shouldn't be too thin - this would feel like you are sitting on a cheap table. It shouldn't be too wide, and it should have optimal depth. This list goes and goes, and you will not see that kind of thinking from the average local manufacturer. You can try to look at some woodworking subreddits on how people try to reproduce iconic furniture without even trying to match dimensions. Most of them just look horrible.

The cheapest standing desk is about $500 in IKEA, but getting a decent one would land you at $900. Local manufacturers would cost about the same but would be a little bit better.

The Herman Miller one cost about $1300, which I don't think is that much of a stretch of a price. You can find executive tables for up to $10,000.

Unlike IKEA, Herman Miller has very pleasant electronics: it is smooth, and the button is flexible, meaning you will not get injured. There are no programs, but I don't need them anyway.

The tabletop is a commercial grade, unlike most of the tabletops offered for home use: there are virtually no scratches after months of usage. It is also quite soft to feel, and it is comfortable to sit behind this desk daily at any temperature and without a mat.