Secretlab MAGNUS Metal Desk Review 

Your gaming space is your sanctuary. It’s a place where you can sit back, relax and have fun with your favorite computer games. Whether you’re a hardcore professional gamer or a part-time hobbyist, getting the right equipment to keep you comfortable while adding some pizzaz to the room will only enhance the gaming experience. 

A gaming desk is designed with ample space to hold all the equipment you need, such as monitors, keyboards, headphones, speakers, and more. Also, it usually features a sleek and minimalistic design that matches other gaming products. Among the vast market of gaming desks online, Secretlab Magnus Metal Desk has been a one that has gained tremendous popularity. 

We’ll cover everything you need to know, including their features, specifications, and whether it’s worth your money or not. Let’s begin! 

About Secretlab

Founded in 2014, Secretlab is a Singaporean furniture brand established by Ian Ang and Alaric Choo. It all started when the founders had dreamt of a lofty ambition to produce higher quality and more aesthetic gaming chairs for everyone to enjoy. 

With over 500,000 chairs sold as of 2020 and $350 million in revenue as of 2021, Secretlab has become one of the world’s most recognized gaming furniture brands. They’ve partnered with some of the biggest esports and entertainment brands, such as Riot Games, World of Warcraft, Cyberpunk, Blizzard, Overwatch, Pokemon, and many more. Secretlab has become a staple for many professional gamers and streamers who choose Secretlab products as their choice for gaming equipment.  

Currently, the Secretlab offers the Secretlab Titan Evo as their core product, along with the Secretlab Magnus Metal Desk. Additionally, they allow users to customize and include add-ons such as chair pillows and upholstery upgrades. Over the years, they’ve received high praise from the top review sites and publications. For example, they’ve received many “Best Gaming Chair” and “Editor’s Choice Awards” from publications like PC Gamer, CNET, GamesRadar, Tom’s Hardware, IGN, and others. 

Secretlab MAGNUS Highlights:

Don’t have time to read the full review? Scroll through our highlights to see the notable features and what we like and don’t like about the Magnus metal desk! 

What We Liked

• The cable tray and cable management system keep your desk organized from cable clutter 
• Super slim profile to enhance the interior design of your gaming space 
• Secretlab offers a generous five-year warranty on the product 

What We Didn’t Like

•  The cost is a little high compared to other gaming desks on the market 
•  Not height-adjustable 
•  Doesn’t offer any shelves for additional storage space 

Secretlab MAGNUS Review: Specifications & Features

• A full-length cable tray spans the length of the desk, allowing you to hide cables and strips from chargers, speakers, monitors, and more. 
• A magnetic leatherette desk mat keeps your desk smooth, clean and provides an upscale look 
• Constructed from ultra-durable metal chassis that supports up to 220 pounds 
• Available add-ons such as RGB strips, magnetic bumpers, and headphone hangers 
• Six available design options to choose from, such as Cloud9, Dark Knight, and other cool designs 

Dimensions	59” (L) x 27.5” (W) x 29” (H)
Product Weight	220 lbs / 100kg
Material	Metal
Weight Capacity	92.6lbs or 42kg

Secretlab MAGNUS Review: Our Insights

If you want to learn all about its features, build quality, design, and other important aspects of the Magnus desk, read on to find out what it has to offer. 

Design

Secretlab’s Magnus desk offers a minimalistic look with a similar tabletop and desk design. Despite its simplicity, the desk looks very upscale, sleek, and luxurious. That’s because it uses a super slim profile, ultra-high-quality steel construction, and has a smooth leatherette desk mat. 

Furthermore, Secretlab lets users customize their desks to fit their needs. For example, the RGB light strip offers seven different colors, and four unique lighting presets. And, of course, you can choose your desired leatherette mat as well. While there’s only color and size option for the desk, the chair design is quite versatile and will elevate any gaming space. 

Materials and Build Quality

Build quality is a vital aspect of any desk. Cheap materials usually result in low weight capacities and a short lifespan. The Magnus Desk uses dense steel for its legs and frame, while the tabletop is made from an MDF core along with a steel coating over it. 

Secretlab designers strategically used a lot of steel in the core, which allows any type of magnet to stick onto the desk. The only downside to using the steel is that the desk is quite heavy, meaning it can be difficult to move around. However, steel adds an element of luxury and an upscale feel to the desk.

Also, it has a high weight capacity of 220 pounds and will last a really long time. Another benefit of the steel construction is that the desk won’t wobble or shake when you’re fiercely typing away on your keyboard or performing any other task on the desk. Less heavy materials tend to feel wobbly and unsturdy when using them. 

Just like every other Secretlab product, they are meticulously about quality assurance. The Magnus desk is rigorously tested for durability. They’ve put the desk through rigorous simulations and tests by internally recognized authorities like ISO, BIFMA, A*STAR, BSI, and more. This means they are checking for the build quality of all of its components and materials. 

Features

Gamers suffer from a very big problem. They use a lot of equipment such as monitors, speakers, microphones, recording devices, and other gear. That means you’ll have cable tangling everywhere under your feet up to your desk. This can be chaotic and even leave your desk cluttered. 

By far, the highlight of the Magnus desk is its cable management solution. While it may look off-putting to have a gap that runs along the width of the table between the main tabletop and the back bar hinge, the gap is a genius design done by the designers at Secretlab. 

Right under the gap is a cable management tray to hold all of your cables in one place. As a result, you can easily route your cables left or right and keep your cords organized. The tray is large enough that you can even place multiple power strips in it. Not to mention, the gap closes with a cover, thus concealing all of your cords.  

Additionally, Secretlab offers nifty add-ons like table leg sheaths, cable anchors, and fastening straps. The cable anchors are particularly useful because they keep each cord separate from one another. No more spending time trying to undo all the tangling of wires to find the right cord for your device. 

The Magnus desk also comes with other unique features like a proprietary magnetic system that allows users to stick certain times on the desk. Customers receive a magnetic leatherette desk mat that spans the exact dimensions of the tabletop. The leatherette material is high-quality and smooth to the touch. Not to mention, it serves as an anchor for all the other magnetic products that Secretlab sells. 

Dimensions

With the Magnus Metal Desk, you’re getting a relatively standard-size desk length at 59 inches and 27.6 inches in width. It’s longer than most standard office desks, which allows you to place monitors and other devices on your desk, but it’s not overly large where it’ll take up a lot of space in your room either. 

It’s important to note that the desk height starts at 29 inches and can extend up by 0.8 inches by adjusting the screws on the legs. However, you aren’t able to adjust the height much and won’t be able to lower it. Therefore, it’s imperative that you have the right height-adjustable gaming chair to allow you to sit ergonomically while using this desk. 

Desk Weight and Weight Capacity

Due to the large usage of steel material, it’s natural that the desk will weigh a little heavy. In fact, the Magnus desk weighs exactly 92.6 pounds. However, using strong and durable materials also means it has a higher weight capacity. The tabletop has an impressive weight capacity of 220 pounds, and the rear cover has a weight capacity of 55 pounds. As a result, you can place all kinds of equipment on your desk without worrying that it’ll wobble when using it.  

Available Accessories

The Magnus desk also features a proprietary magnetic ecosystem where customers can place magnetic products to stick on the desk. For example, Secretlab sells desk mats, magnetic cable anchors, cable bumpers, headphone hangers, and even RGB strips. All of their accessories are magnetic, allowing these items to stick onto the desk without worrying they’ll fall over. For example, the lights easily stick onto the desk without tape, and the headphone hangers keep your headphones propped up without falling over. 

One of the best available accessories that Secretlab has to offer is its cable management bundle. They are small little square pieces that tunnel your cords so they stay in place and do not tangle with other wires. The bundle even comes with rectangular cable sheaths where you place it over the table legs to hide the cables that run down your leg. 

While you’ll receive a leatherette desk mat with your standard purchase, you can choose to add on a desk mat with a unique design. They come in designs like Team Liquid, Dark Knight, Cloud9, Team Secret, and others. The mats feature thick metal bars on the side of the mat to hold them down to prevent the mats from shifting out of place. 

For every gamer, RGB lights are a must-have. They create the perfect ambiance and vibrance in the room, which match with most other gaming products. With a built-in magnetic base, these lights seamlessly integrate with your desk to provide a brilliant lighting effect. Or you can choose to place them discretely to provide a nice underglow. 

Secretlab also offers little magnetic bumpers to place on the rear legs of the desk, which help to cushion your desk against walls to prevent scratches. 

Value

For many people, it can be hard to justify paying top dollar for a desk. But gaming desks are a staple item within your room. The desk should feel sturdy and stay around for a long time. At the same time, it should be wide enough to fit all of your monitor screens and other tech devices. And, what if you can hide your cables, so you don’t trip over them or prevent the stress that comes from a cluttered desk? 

While the Magnus may seem expensive, the features are incredibly valuable, which justifies its cost. Remember, you’re also paying for the policies, brand, design, and quality assurance that comes with the desk. The desk has been rigorously tested and provides users with a very generous warranty policy. Before you scoff at the price, consider what you want in a gaming desk and whether or not the Magnus fits what you’re looking for. 

Secretlab MAGNUS Review: Policies and Additional Info

Now that you know about the features, design, and the primary elements that make up the Magnus desk, you’ll want to know about Secretlab’s policies, such as shipping, assembly, warranty, and return policies. There’s nothing worse than buying something online only to learn that you can’t return it or it’s difficult to get approved for a warranty. 

Shipping

All products are shipped from Tennessee or Utah, and customers can expect the desk to ship out within three working days by FedEx or UPS. Once the order has been placed, expect one working day for the order to be processed. You’ll receive a shipping confirmation email and tracking number immediately so that you can track your package as it makes its way to your home. Since it’ll come in a bigger box, it’s recommended to be at home during the time of delivery. 

Assembly

Gaming furniture can be complicated to assemble. There’s nothing worse than buying a chair or desk only to struggle to assemble it. While Secretlab has partnered with TaskRabbit, where people can help you assemble the desk for you, the Magnus desk is fairly easy to put together. 

According to Secretlab, the desk only takes 15 minutes to assemble. However, it’s recommended to have two people set up the desk, so if you’re doing it by yourself, it might take longer. The desk arrives in a large box with all the necessary parts, tools, and instructions needed for proper assembly. 

First, you’ll start off by assembling the table legs, followed by the supporting bars. Next, you’ll set up the cable management tray and hinge covers, and lastly, finish off with the leatherette desk mat. Overall, the process is quite simple and should be hassle-free. Secretlab does have a step-by-step instruction video to help you install their desk, so you can follow along as you go and visually see what it’s supposed to look like. 

Warranty

Warranty is a big deal, especially since there’s always a chance that things can go wrong. Perhaps the desk breaks down due to no fault of your own, or the parts are defective when they arrive due to mishandling from shipping. 

Secretlab promises that the product matches the description on their website and the product is reasonably satisfactory. The Magnus desk comes with a generous five-year warranty, starting from you receive the product. Secretlab will repair or replace any defective part or product. And if they can’t fix the product, they will reimburse the entire price of your purchase. However, if you opt to keep the defective product, they do offer a partial refund as well. 

In terms of warranty, they easily have one of the best warranty policies in the market. Many other gaming chair brands only offer a mere one or two-year warranty. Often, warranty policies are tied to a company’s confidence in its product. Higher quality products tend to have longer and more detailed warranty policies to show their confidence in their products. 

Return Policy

It can be difficult to shop online, especially since you’re unable to physically try the product before making the purchase. However, credible brands usually offer some form of return policy, and that’s exactly what Secretlab does. They allow customers up to 49 days from when they received the product to try the product and see whether or not they like it. 

If they find that the desk isn’t for them, they can return it within the 49-day period. Unfortunately, customers do have to cover the shipping fees and costs, which can be quite expensive considering the weight of the item is about 92 pounds. 

The desk but returned in the original packaging and must be fully disassembled. A refund will be initiated 14 working days after their team has fully inspected and approved the desk. As a customer, it’s nice to know that you’re fully covered in case things don’t work out. While returning a desk can be a hassle, there isn’t much risk to at least testing whether the desk is right for you. 

Is the Secretlab MAGNUS Worth It?

The Secretlab Magnus isn’t the cheapest option out there, but it’s certainly worth the price. That’s because it’s made from premium materials like steel and leatherette. As a result, you’re getting a high-quality, sturdy, and long-lasting gaming desk that will serve you well. 

What really makes the chair worth it is the cable management solution and proprietary magnetic system. The cable solutions are quite extensive and keep your wires organized all in one place. A professional gamer is sure to have at least a dozen wires for their gaming needs. The tray fits multiple power strips and is hidden with a rear cover so that all wires are fully concealed. 

Buying cable anchors, cable sheathers, fastening straps, and even light strips can be expensive to purchase separately. Not to mention, they may not be compatible with your desk. Since the Magnus is made from steel, all of its accessories are magnetically attracted to the desk, thus sticking on with ease. Considering the durability, ergonomics, aesthetics, and functionality of the desk, we believe the Magnus is worth every penny that it costs. 

Secretlab MAGNUS Alternatives

While the Secretlab Magnus is certainly the gold standard for gaming desks, it’s not the only one you should consider. The Magnus is missing a few things like height adjustability, and it may be too expensive for some gamers. That’s why we’ve included different desks available and compared them to the Magnus. 

Secretlab MAGNUS vs Arozzi Arena

Arguably, the two most popular gaming chair desks on the market are the Secretlab Magnus and the Arozzi Arena. If adjustability is a big priority for you, then you may want to consider the Arozzi. 

The desk is much larger, with 63 inches in length and 32 inches in width. This makes a big difference, especially if you want to fit three monitors and other accessory items on the desk. The increased dimensions give gamers a wide field of play and vision for their mouse, keyboard, speakers, and monitors. Not to mention, the desk has height adjustability between 27.9 inches to 32 inches. Unlike the Magnus, the Arozzi Arena comes in five different colors: red, green, white, blue, and black. 

Now let’s take a look at why you would choose the Magnus over the Arozzi Arena. The Magnus has a big advantage when it comes to cable management. That’s because the Arena only offers three cut-outs for cables to pass through the table from the back. While it does prevent a huge wire mess, the tray from Magnus completely conceals the power strip and all cables. Furthermore, the tray simply holds more wires compared to three smaller holes. 

In terms of weight capacity, the Arena can only hold up to 176 pounds compared to the Magnus, which holds up to 220 pounds. That’s mostly because the Magnus is simply made from higher quality materials like steel, which makes it more sturdy as well. And unfortunately, the Arena only has a two-year warranty. 

Furthermore, the Magnus offers their unique magnetic ecosystem. Customers don’t have to worry about going elsewhere to find products that might not be compatible with the desk. Instead, customers can purchase their RGB lighting, magnetic bumpers, headphone holders, desk mats, and other accessories onto the desk. Since the desk itself is magnetic, you won’t worry about having expensive equipment falling off the table. 

Secretlab MAGNUS vs VITESSE Ergonomic Gaming Desk

Vitesse ergonomic gaming desk is another popular option that is geared towards budget gamers. There are a few reasons why you may consider the Vitesse. First off, it costs a fraction of the price. Many gamers want a full gaming setup, but that’ll cost thousands of dollars. The cost-saving could mean getting a gaming chair and gaming desk for the price of one Magnus. 

Additionally, the Vitesse has four color options and three sizing options. The colors available are carbon fiber black, pink, red, and black, while the sizes are 40 inches, 55 inches, and 63 inches. The Vitesse comes with many handy features as well. 

It offers a gaming handle rack along with four charging ports. This allows you to store devices like phones and controllers, and you can charge them. Also, the Vitesse desk comes with a convenient SmartPass cable management system where cables can be snaked through the little tray behind the desk. 

However, the one downside is that there’s only a limited number of tunnels that can be snaked through. While the Magnus tray is much larger and can hold more cables and power strips. The Vinesse features a handy headphone hanger and cup holder to keep your things within arms reach. 

If you want a more upscaling-looking desk, the Magnus is the way to go. With a premium leatherette mat with the design of your choosing, you get a minimalistic yet fashionable desk to enhance the design of your room. Also, the Secretlab offers a five-year warranty as opposed to the one-year warranty from the Vitesse brand. Since the Magnus has the built-in magnetic ecosystem, all of the upgrades like the lighting easily integrate onto your desk as well. 

Secretlab MAGNUS vs DESINO Gaming Desk

The Desino desk is another big name brand on the market, but does it compare to the Magnus? We don’t think the Desino comes close to the Magnus. The best reason for buying the Magnus is its low price point. Since it’s much cheaper than the Magnus, you can save that money for other things like buying the right gaming chair or speakers. 

On the bright side, the Desino does offer three color options: black, grey, and white. Additionally, users can choose between the 40-inch, 47-inch, or 55-inch desk. This means the desk is relatively compact and smaller than the Magnus. If you’re looking for a small desk, Desino could be a better pick. 

Also, the Desino does include a nice carbon fiber textured tabletop, which is smooth to touch and even eliminates the need for a mousepad. Not to mention, the texture makes it easy to clean, especially if you spill your drink on it. 

Unfortunately, Desino doesn’t offer any cable management solution. Thus, Magnus is better suited for gamers who want to use multiple devices and tech that requires a lot of wires. 

The Bottom Line

While office desks can work for your gaming needs, they aren’t specifically suited for gaming. In particular, gaming desks usually have a similar style to gaming chairs and are wider in length, thus can give you a wide vision for seeing multiple monitors. 

Not to mention, high-quality desks like the Magnus offer cable management solutions to keep all of your wires concealed and tangle-free. 

Now that you know about the Magnus Metal Desk, along with other gaming desks on the market, the choice is yours. Always do your research before buying, and we’ve hoped you’ve found a lot of value from our post!