TechRadar Verdict
The Secretlab Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk is a gaming desk dream, offering incredible cable management and the kind of modularity that can meet just about any gaming rig. While you do have to pay extra for those add-ons, they and the desk itself are so well thought-out that the cost is more than worth it.
Pros
- +
Now a sit-to-stand desk
- +
Effortless two-person setup
- +
Spacious and modular
- +
Brilliant cable management
Cons
- -
Heavy
- -
Add-ons are not included
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Secretlab Magnus Pro XL: One-minute review
With the Secretlab Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk, the company has done it again. Taking the non-standing Magnus desk and building off that, the Pro XL does everything it sets out to and does it extremely well. From cable management and almost endless modularity to effortless height adjustment, there’s little to fault here.
Even those small quibbles such as the need to buy all the add-ons separately still doesn’t keep the Magnus Pro XL from rivaling the best options among both gaming desks and standing desks. The main factors that might keep someone away from this behemoth of a desk is its size, overwhelming amount of modularity and price, especially when factoring in those add-ons.
Secretlab Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? $949 (£829, AU$1,229)
- Where is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
Weight: 150 pounds
Dimensions: 70 x 31.5 x 25.6 ~ 49.2 inches (L x W x H)
Height adjustment: 23.6 inches
Max load capacity: 260 pounds
Price: $949 (£829, AU$1,229)
You can find the Secretlab Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk readily available in the US, UK and Australia. Unlike the Secretlab Magnus desk that came before it, it’s firmly in that premium price range, going for $949 (£829, AU$1,229). Like the Secretlab Magnus desk before it, that’s just the base price.
The Magnus Pro XL has a lot on offer and much of that comes in the form of modular add-ons such as desk mats that go for $89 (£79, AU$139), PC mounts that cost $89 (£79, AU$119) and dual monitor arms that will set you back $249 (£239, AU$279) just to name a few.
If you want to save a little money, you can always go for the smaller 59-inch Magnus Pro which sells for a little less at $799 (£729, AU$1,059). Of course, other premium options like the Mojo Gamer Pro will cost just as much while cheaper alternatives don’t offer nearly the same kind of functionality.
- Value: 4 / 5
Secretlab Magnus Pro XL: Setup
- Setup is surprisingly easy
- Assembly effortless with two people
Considering how large the Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk is, you might expect a long process with lots of little parts and confusing instructions. However, Secretlab has put in a lot of effort and engineering into making assembly as easy as possible. And, it shows. There’s no fiddling with a hundred little pieces and everything is made to fit in a certain way, eliminating the possibility of accidentally installing a table leg in the wrong direction.
Though the Pro XL is a standing desk and, therefore, a bit more complicated than the non-standing Magnus, it only requires two or three extra steps to put together. That’s quite a feat with all that’s going on under the hood.
Peripherals are just as easy to set up as the desk. From PC mounts, dual monitor arms and even headphone hangers, Secretlab has a whole slew of modular add-ons to make the most of the Magnus Pro XL. And, just like the desk itself, all those peripherals are made for easy installation. Some of them, like the headphone hanger and MagPad desk mat, use the power of magnetism to snap into and stay in place.
The only caveat with assembly is that it’s really a two-person job. While the author managed to assemble the original Magnus desk alone, it took a little bit of planning and a whole lot of effort to flip its nearly 100 pounds into an upright position. The Magnus Pro XL is a larger desk at 150 pounds so invite a friend over, as this author did, for at least the final step of getting the desk upright. With a little help, setting up and moving the desk is a snap.
- Setup: 4.5 / 5
Secretlab Magnus Pro XL: Design
- Sleek and deceptively simple looking desk
- Cable and power management are very thorough
At first glance, Secretlab Magnus Pro XL looks like a high quality and minimalist piece of matte black furniture consisting of two legs and a large table top. But, this metal desk has a lot more going on.
The control panel on the right side of the tabletop’s lip doesn’t stick out or call attention to itself ergonomically the way it does on other desks. In fact, where the control panel sits is barely any thicker than the rest of the tabletop. Yet, it’s easily accessible and comes with anti-collision detection.
Cable management was a selling point on the original non-standing metal desk and it’s even better on the Pro XL. Just like that metal desk, the Pro XL comes with a cable management tray that spans the length of the tabletop. And, it comes with a hinged cover that lets you easily place cables and power supplies into the tray without having to move the desk. The hinged cover even moves forward when opened so it doesn’t damage your wall while you’re trying to arrange your desk.
Along with the cable management, the desk has a power supply column built into it. We have our laptop, PC, monitor, and a number of peripherals plugged into a power strip that sits in the cable management tray. The power strip is then plugged into one of the desk’s legs which is then fed into the wall. What this does is not only keep all those power cables stowed away for a cleaner look but offers extra protection. The integrated power supply column also has multiple grounding points and a thermal circuit breaker so that if anything happens, all your gear is safe.
- Design: 5 / 5
Secretlab Magnus Pro XL: Performance
- Adjusting the height is easy and quiet
- Modularity is varied, robust, and highly customizable
As far as standing desks go, the Secretlab Magnus Pro XL performs beautifully. Adjusting the height via the control panel is effortless and relatively quiet. The buttons only require a light touch to activate. And, you can program three custom height presets for quick adjustments. Of course, the control panel and its LED display don’t power down automatically. You have to press the on/off button for that. But, that’s a very minor inconvenience.
As mentioned before, we also love the cable management that’s built into the desk. Not only do cables disappear quickly into the cable management tray, letting you plug everything into the wall with one outlet, you can even invest in some cable anchors, fastening straps, and sheaths for an even cleaner desk and tray.
That said, you will need a second wall outlet to power the control panel and motor for the standing desk functionality. Considering how well-built and durable this desk is – it can hold 260 pounds or 118kg – needing a second outlet to power the desk and all it may be carrying is a small price to pay.
Cable management isn’t the only star of the show. Modularity is just as big of a part of what makes Secretlab’s standing desks special. Both the Pro and Pro XL are compatible with the company’s lengthy list of add-ons including monitor arms, PC mounts, desk mats (there are a few themed options available), and even a Nanoleaf-powered RGB LED strip that fits inside the cable management tray for some extra RGB bling.
Thankfully, those add-ons are just as well thought-out as the desk itself, even if you do have to pay extra to get them. The monitor arms are not only easy to set up and brilliantly designed but are fully articulating. The dual variety we tested is able to swivel into portrait mode, tilt further down than we would ever need, and move the monitor to face a completely different direction. There’s also a latch that lets us remove the monitor without having to unscrew anything as well as cable management built into the arms so we don’t even see any cables.
The PC mount is just as impressive. Setup is very simple without too many parts yet it keeps our desktop in place and off the ground, allowing for less clutter as well as better circulation for the PC.
Even something as simple as a headphone hanger shows the amount of thought Secretlab has put into everything. As a magnetized piece, it simply attaches itself to the underside of the desk wherever we want it to sit and really stays in place, even when we accidentally bump it with a chair. Yet, we can apply some simple downward pressure to easily remove it if we need to.
- Performance: 5 / 5
Should I buy the Secretlab Magnus Pro XL?
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Secretlab Magnus Pro XL Metal Desk: Report card
| Value | While you can end up spending quite a bit with all the add-ons on Secretlab’s menu, the Magnus Pro XL does a lot for the price. | 4 / 5 |
| Design | It might be heavy but it’s very simple to set up. Just enlist a second person to help. | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | The Pro XL not only looks good but hides a lot of excellent functionality like cable management inside its chassis. | 5 / 5 |
| Total | From its effortless performance to its extremely varied modularity, the Magnus Pro XL can do just about anything you want it to. | 5 / 5 |
- First reviewed 2022
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