Tips for Purchasing a New Computer Desk
Moving in to a new place and need a better desk for your computer and work area? Or maybe you already have an old desk that is falling apart and you are considering an upgrade. Whatever your situation may be, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Here are some tips for buying a new computer desk:
Space – One of the most important aspects of a new computer desk is how much space it will have. Is there a lot of leg room? Is there room for lots and lots of cabling? There will be tons of wires and power strips lying all over the place and they may get in the way. They might also look bad. If you can, try going to a store that sells office furniture and sit at the desks they have out on display. Be sure to fully test it by moving around as much as you can. You’ll be spending many hours on this desk, so make sure you can move your legs around, lounge back, spin around, move side to side, etc. Some desks are designed so that you can put cables and power cords in areas that won’t block your feet. It’s not a good thing to have your feet in the way of cables since you might accidentally pull one loose or get yourself shocked or electrocuted! Ouch!
Airflow – Make sure there is enough space for air circulation around your computer’s tower. It shouldn’t be surrounded on three sides by areas of the desk. You don’t want your computer overheating and possibly destroying expensive equipment or creating errors/problems that only create more hassle. There are also some desks out there that are designed for optimal airflow and have plenty of open space to move around and have space for equipment on the floor.
Width – A wide desk can be a major advantage or disadvantage. Remember that you may want to use your desk for writing on or spreading out documents, not just and area for a keyboard, mouse and monitor. Although this solution will work just fine for some people, if you do spend a lot of time at your desk, consider what kind of work area you want. Do you want room for a printer? How about food, drink, pencils, paper, pictures, stapler, pencil sharper, and everything you might want within reach? If you have the time, try to plan out how you want your work area to be setup before making a final decision. Get a desk according to your lifestyle, not the other way around.
Keyboard slide out tray – Some desks have them and some don’t. Decide if you want to have your keyboard on top of the desk, or on a tray that slides in and out. The advantage of these is that they can provide more room and be ergonomic for those with posture issues or wrist problems. The disadvantage is that they sometimes can break easily and/or be very annoying and distracting. I don’t think I’ve ever used a desk with a sliding hutch that was smooth enough to just slide in and out without a good tug or two. However, you can sometimes you can use these sliding out hutches for storing more stuff if you are the personality type with a cluttered lifestyle!
Big and small – Some desks have many drawers, sections and areas for storing different aspects of your work environment. Decide if you really want this or not. You may just need a flat surface to throw everything on. You also may be very organized and need to store certain things in cabinets or hide them from view. Desks can be more expensive than you want them to be if they have more features than you want.
Shape – A corner desk may fit better into areas that other stuff might not fit into. L-shape desks may also work better for those who are left handed or need to rotate themselves side to side a lot. This provides for a more 180 degree-like work area as opposed to sliding side to side to grab things on either end of the desk.
Make sure you shop around before making a final purchase; you may find better deals at different stores. There’s always the option of shopping online, but the shipping and handling prices may not be worth the convenience. A good suggestion would be to shop online for information and do your research, then physically go to the store itself and buy it there and save money. Just make sure you sit at the desk and try it out before making the final decision.
Good luck and happy desk hunting!
