The day gaming desks were renamed battle stations, I knew that marketing to my demographic would always be bullshit. Now you can get desks complete with RGB lighting, standing desks, desks that are actually a bed, and much more. While this is undeniably chilly, it’s not always what a lot of gamers are looking for in a desk. In fact, I would argue that many of us just want something that will hold our stuff while still looking elegant and not uncomfortable to sit on at a reasonable price.
IKEA’s Utespelare gaming desk absolutely meets these requirements, but adds a few extra features that I think are more battle-worthy than the built-in rave.
Utespelare is available in two colors: all-black, which is very chic for gamers, or a more airy gray with a airy wood-effect top. Other than that, they are both identical, so I chose the lighter color to match my setup. Not surprisingly, it arrived as a flat-packed box, ready for you to complete your relationship with its assembly.
Because the table top is largely one-piece, it is quite a immense, bulky box and requires some space to set up. This included turning the desk around after installing the top, which was a huge effort, but that was to be expected for a desk of this size.
Outdoor Gaming Desk Specifications
Maximum load: 50 kg
Width: 160cm
Depth: 80cm
Height: 68-78cm
Characteristics: Cable management hammock, metal mesh part
Price: $270 | 129 pounds | 199 Australian dollars
That’s the first thing that struck me about the Utespelare gaming desk – it’s actually quite immense. In the case of standing desks, the working space of 160 cm by 80 cm is really huge.
You can easily fit a full-size PC, multiple monitors, routers, mug printing equipment, and that elderly iMac you pulled out of the trash and have been working on for a long time so you can easily start working for fun. Plus, there’s a decent amount of room for more stuff underneath, thanks to the relatively miniature space taken up by the legs.
The official website states that the maximum tolerance is 50 kg, but this number is a mystery to me and I sat on it for research purposes, feeling quite unthreatening. I can even lie on it if I’m curled up a bit. I could probably pull the curtains down and rent them in this dystopia.
There is plenty of room for activities on this flat surface.
There are a few choices you need to make when assembling your desk. One is how high you want your desk to be – which is determined by the height of the legs. It can be adjusted from 66 cm to 78 cm, which is an essential ergonomic feature.
You’ll want to choose your height quickly, though, because adjusting it once everything is ready isn’t that straightforward. It’s a little weird if you’ve switched to the flexibility of a sit-stand setup, but with all the space on this desk, it would be perfect for one of those desktop lifts added later.
Another choice is where to place the metal mesh in the countertop and its relationship to the cutout in the wooden element. After studying historic Swedish hieroglyphs, I decided to cut a washer into the metal, which gave me a really neat way to hide the cables when combined with the included hammock solution.
This is one of the easier-to-use cable management options I’ve seen built into a desk because I can store a power strip there that’s straightforward to access for replacing things while still hiding all the clutter.
Buy if…
✅You have a narrow budget: The favorable price makes the sturdiness and practicality even more impressive.
✅You want a good, immense desk: With a 160 x 80 cm top, dedicated cable management and plenty of space underneath, there’s plenty of room on this desk.
✅You have lights: I know there’s a chilly RGB-lit battle station out there, but maybe it would be better if you included your own Northern Lights.
Don’t buy if…
❌ You’re running out of space: This desk surprised me with its dimensions when it appeared in reality, so you should take careful measurements before deciding on this desk.
While helping to organize cables, the metal part of the desktop is also perfect for all my heated gaming stuff. This is a great place where you can put your computer knowing that it will have access to all the airflow it wants. I also used it as a place to attach things like routers and other heated electronics. This is great because they don’t get in the way at the back of my deep desk, but I don’t worry about them getting overheated or covered in dust.
Although the Utespelare is advertised as a gaming desk, it seems to be a much more sensible product made with gamers in mind than a regular device. It’s basic, sharp, solid and spotless. When I walk by it, sometimes I just look at it and smile, thinking what a decent $199 desk it is and how useful it is while also looking pretty good in my house.
I know this means I’m getting elderly, but it’s also a pretty clear sign that IKEA has lived up to this hidden battle station.
