Unboxing and First Impressions: A Premium Desk That Makes a Statement

Cramped desk got you feeling like a hamster on a wheel? Tired of hunched backs and sore neck muscles? Brace yourself, because the SecretLab Magnus Pro desk is about to redefine your workspace (and maybe your posture). 

This isn’t just a piece of furniture – it’s a portal to ergonomic bliss and peak productivity. So buckle up, gamers and grinders, as we dissect the Magnus Pro’s features, test its limits, and answer the burning question: is this standing desk truly the workspace your throne room deserves?

Note: While this isn’t a sponsored Secretlab post, I do use links from our Amazon affiliate account. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on one of these links, we may receive a commission. However, this has no impact on the price you pay for the item, and you’ll always see the lowest available price on Amazon.

Delivery

Seeing the desk delivered only two days after I ordered it was an unexpected surprise. The initial estimate was closer to a week, but Secretlab exceeded expectations with delivery time. 

The boxes were left in front of my garage. This is on the carrier, not Secretlab, but it’s important to note since the boxes were very heavy:

• Box 1 – Desk legs and accessories | 66.1 pounds | 31 x 22 x 7 inches
• Box 2 – Desk top and cable management tray | 116 pounds | 74 x 31 x 8 inches

The second box felt closer to 150 pounds. You’ll likely need two people to move the boxes into the house. 

Packaging

I’m a nerd for packaging, and Secretlab also delighted in this category. Both boxes had an expert packaging job, with everything partitioned nicely. 

There is a good use of foam to protect the boxes and ensure everything arrives undamaged. Each box had high-quality, sturdy inserts in the corners and between the individual boxes in the larger casing. The packaging engineers used a combination of cardboard, foam, and what appears to be high-density plastics to keep the parts safe.

Additionally, I like that the instructions are front and center when you open the box, so you don’t need to dig through cardboard. At the end of the assembly you’ll have a pile of materials to dispose of, so try to plan around trash day if you don’t have space to store pounds of cardboard.

Parts and Assembly

Assembly of the Magnus Pro is very straightforward. The instructions were easy to follow and had nice visuals to accompany each step.

Secretlab gives you all the tools required for assembly. The smaller hex screw felt a bit flimsy at times, particularly when I was tightening the flathead screws. I felt it begin to bend and was briefly concerned that it might snap, but it held strong through the assembly process.

I recommend placing the desktop on the included foam inserts to avoid getting the top dirty while you assemble. It also made things a little easier later in the process when I had to flip the desk over.

All the metal parts feel sturdy, keeping up with the marketing claims from Secretlab. I wish there were a click mechanic on the red wire for the left leg – like the yellow wires have – but this wasn’t a big deal. 

Initially, I was surprised at how pliable the cable tray was, especially after handling all the heavy-duty metal parts prior to step 4. I quickly realized that this piece doesn’t need to be as solid, and the metal will more than do its job for cable management. 

The Magnus Pro’s hinges have a stiffness to them on the rear cover so you don’t need to worry about it dropping by mistake when you want it lifted. I like the design of how the hinges slide into the desk comfortably. 

Unfortunately, this is the one area where I had trouble getting the screw to catch because of the limited space between the screw hole and the desk. It took me a few tries, which wasn’t terrible, but every other screw was noticeably simpler to fit into the respective screwhole. It may help to use pliers to line up the screws that are hard to reach.

If you get the optional magpad, be warned that there are metal strips in the middle of the cylinder. They fell onto the ground when I was unwrapping the magpad but were undamaged. 

After installing the magpad, I had trouble smoothing out a few bumps and creases. I removed it and reapplied it about four times before getting it aligned to a “good enough” position. 

The magnetic force to the desk is strong, so you can’t easily shift the magpad once it’s laid down. This is great for longevity but can be frustrating during the initial installation. Overall, it still looks very clean and borderline fancy. 

Also, getting the pad to align was a struggle. I didn’t set up the metal edges perfectly straight on my first pass. If the metal isn’t flush with the pad, you’ll have trouble getting the pad to align with the desk. 

The assembly took a little over an hour, including a few breaks and jotting down my notes. I could do everything myself, except for flipping the desk upright. Calibrating the desk was easy and only took a few seconds. The buttons on the panel are responsive, and the desk moves up and down smoothly.

One nice thing about the panel is that you can essentially put the buttons to sleep via ‘standby’ mode. This way, you don’t have to worry about adjusting the height of your desk if you or someone else bumps into the panel. It’s a small thing that likely wouldn’t cross your mind if it weren’t a feature, but I appreciate this attention to detail in designing the Magnus Pro.

My first impressions were great for this desk! Delivery was fast, the packaging was superb, the parts were high-quality, and assembly was straightforward.

Features and Functionality: A Deep Dive into the Magnus Pro’s Arsenal

The Secretlab Magnus Pro focus on several key features: 

• Precision electric height adjustment
• World’s first fully integrated power supply column
• Best-in-class cable management
• Exclusive desk accessories and add-ons
• Virtually endless desktop customization
• Ultra-durable steel chassis

I’ve owned the Secretlab Titan gaming chair for years now and have been blown away by the quality and comfort. I was drawn to the sleekness, durability, and cable management when I saw the desk. 

Matching my chair was the cherry on top, especially considering the pair have matching minimum heights. This means the armrests on the chair align perfectly with the desk without having to fiddle around with micro-adjustments on either piece of furniture.

I’m not as sold on the desk accessories or customization. I picked up the magnetic headphone holder at the recommendation of another reviewer, but everything else on the Secretlab site seemed like an overpriced supplement.

The headphone holder clips in easily on the front or side of the table. Its instruction manual states it is rated for 1.7 pounds, which should be suitable for any headset. I’m no magnets expert, but I pushed on the holder with a decent amount of force and it didn’t budget. I’m guessing it could hold a 2 pound headset if needed based on this very scientific approach.

I also purchased the magnetic cable management bundle, which includes cable anchors, fastening straps, and two cable sheaths. The design of each piece is chic and high-quality, as expected based on the rest of the desk.

For me, both accessories are nice-to-haves, but still add bonus points to the desirability of the Magnus Pro.

For example, the proprietary $80 Nanoleaf lighting can be replicated with an $18 light strip from Amazon. Similarly, you can replicate Secretlab’s cable management options with cheaper DIY kits online.

I also don’t buy into the “virtually endless” customization statement. This feels like prime marketing language where I was hoping for more game-specific options. Secretlab has a selection of games like Valorant and Assassin’s Creed, but I expected to see at least another 5-10 featured games on the list.

I’ll touch on other features throughout the post, but, for me, Secretlab only delivers on 4 out of their 6 claims.

Comfort and Ergonomics: Designed for Long Hours of Gaming and Work

The Magnus Pro has almost two feet of height adjustments! Users can set the desk height from as low as 25.6” and as high as 49.2”. 

I’m six feet tall and find the lowest setting to be perfect for keeping ergonomics suitable for hours of sitting. I still have a couple of inches of clearance between my legs and the desk at this height.

I really like that the height control panel is flush with the edge. Coming from a Fully desk where the panel sticks out from the edge even a small amount, the flush panel on the Magnus Pro is sleek and out of the way. It is more visually appealing than protruding panels and improves the overall user experience because I don’t have to worry about bumping into the panel.

You can have three custom presets for heights. I don’t fully understand this number even though it seems to be the norm for adjustable desks. I have a preset for sitting and standing, but haven’t found a need for the third preset.

The magpad adds a nice softness to the desktop surface, making it comfortable to rest my forearm for long stretches of time. Typing on it feels nice, there’s no impact on my mouse movement, and it may even be better for my wrist vs a harder surface.

Overall, the comfort and ergonomics of the Magnus Pro are exceptional, and I’ve had no issues with finding the sweet spot on heights.

Performance and Stability: Built to Handle Even the Most Intense Battles

I’ve noticed a wobbliness at all heights with my Fully desk. If I lean on the front of that desk a bit, the desktop will dip forward toward me. While this wasn’t a major factor in regular use, it happened enough at the standing height that I had to be conscious of not applying unnecessary force on the desk.

Thankfully, this isn’t nearly as noticeable with the Magnus Pro.

This thing is essentially a tank when it comes to stability. I need to apply considerable force to the edge of the desk to get it to budge, and even then, the dip is minor.

I have two monitors on my Magnus Pro XL: a 24” on its OEM base stand and a 22” on an aftermarket arm stand. The desk has enough room for both, with plenty of space on either side for my desktop and accessories.

The all-black legs and desktop make this desk appear as one solid piece, and it feels as such. I’ve upgraded from a laminate L-desk to my adjustable Fully, and this Magnus Pro is leagues above either in terms of stability. 

The Magnus Pro desk legs slide firmly into metal slots on the underside of the desk, then are tightened in with four screws on each leg. This combination of attachment points resembles what I would expect from legs that were welded to the desktop.

Final Verdict and Recommendations: Who Should Buy the SecretLab Magnus Pro?

The Secretlab Magnus Pro is a sturdy desk that’s easy to assemble, has supreme ergonomics, solid customization options, and enough space for any setup. Even though it’s marketed at gamers, it is one of the top adjustable desks on the market regardless of your use.

The one downside is the hefty price tag of the desk. For the XL option, you’re looking at spending over $1,100. Plenty of cheaper options are available, like this highly-rated $160 adjustable desk on Amazon, but I believe Secretlab has optimized for stability and sleekness. It features premium materials and optimized build quality, which should translate to extended longevity vs cheaper options.

The Magnus Pro makes cable management easy, with a built-in power source and a subtle cable management system. All of my cables rest nicely in the tray, where I’ve velcroed (with these ties from Amazon) them together to ensure they don’t pop out of the slit in the rear lid. The tray is spacious, with enough room to accommodate cables for a desktop, monitor, and gaming system.

If you want to go all out, you can pick up additional cable management add-ons for an even cleaner look. The magnetic attachments work as advertised and are surprisingly satisfying to use.

To level up the Magnus Pro, I hope Secretlab adds more customization options to appeal to gamers. Ideally, you could pay a premium to provide a design that you’d like on your magpad. At a minimum, they should add popular games like Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Overwatch.

If you want an adjustable desk that will last for years and evolve with your setup, the Secretlab Magnus Pro is a great pick. It’s easy to nitpick some of the assembly quirks, but it’s even easier for me to give this desk a great rating.

Rating: 5/5

Are you considering getting a Secretlab Magnus Pro desk? What features do you want added? Join the conversation in the comments section!