Secretlab Magnus Evo Hands-on — a trimmed-down version of its popular, premium sit-stand desk

Secretlab is one of the biggest names in premium gaming office hardware, and now the company is back with a new iteration of its popular sit-stand desk, the Magnus.

If you’re at all familiar with Secretlab’s product lineup, you might recall that back in the day, it had the fantastic 2020 Omega gaming chair and a heftier Titan that was larger and more premium. The company combined the two to create its excellent Titan Evo, my current absolute favorite gaming chair. Now, it has followed the same successful formula to create a brand new gaming desk, the Secretlab Magnus Evo.

Like its popular Magnus Pro, the new Secretlab Magnus Evo is a sit-stand desk with a rugged gaming aesthetic, fantastic cable management, and extremely durable build quality. It sits squarely between the cheaper Magnus (an all-sitting desk) and the more expensive Magnus Pro as a slightly more palatable option for those who want many of the Pro’s excellent features (and crucially sit-stand) without all of the cost. The Secretlab Magnus Evo is available in two sizes, 1.5 m and 1.77 m, and prices start at $749. For reference, the Magnus Pro starts at $988 before you add any bells and whistles.

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One of the biggest changes over the Magnus Pro is evident right out of the box. The Magnus Evo comes with a slightly more intensive setup process, owing to some of the changes the company has made. The variable size of the desk is now facilitated by the addition of two extension panels on either side of the main panel. I’m sure this is easier to manufacture and more flexible than the old system (just a giant metal slab), but it comes with a much more fiddly assembly process. Once put together, the desk has two noticeable joins where the panels meet the main body of the desk, and I have to say I’m not a huge fan.

One fantastic new addition is the fact that you can now swap which side of the desk the power supply sits on. In the Pro, this is set to the left leg, which is no good if your wall outlet for the desk is on the right, like mine. Now you can customize which side you want the wall plug to enter the desk, which is fantastic. This requires even more assembly, but it is a price worth paying in my opinion.

Once you’ve attached the legs and flipped the desk over, a few changes become immediately apparent. Secretlab has ditched the magnetic desk mat setup of the previous option for a smooth surface. It’s not magnetic like the Pro’s mats are, so this will limit your cable tidying and customization to the rear strip of reinforced steel at the back of the desk. It’s an interesting change, and while the surface is smooth and enticing, I’m a little worried about wear and tear compared to the previous one.

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The cable tray is completely different. Secretlab has jettisoned the Pro’s full-length tray and hinged lid in favor of a more traditional bottom-access tray. It’s a lot smaller than the Pro in terms of volume, so you won’t get as much in, but it is a lot handier for making adjustments to your setup, unlike the Pro’s tray, which can only really be accessed from the rear of the desk, requiring you to move it away from the wall every time.

There is much to be said for the excellent build quality and overall aesthetic of the Magnus Evo. While I’d need more time with it to give it a score, I have to say I’m impressed so far, and it serves a vital need for Secretlab purveyors who want a sit-stand desk without the frankly exorbitant cost of the Pro. Many of Secretlab’s existing accessories, notably its under-desk PC mount, monitor arms, and headphone stand, all work with this desk too.

Stephen is Tom's Hardware's News Editor with almost a decade of industry experience covering technology, having worked at TechRadar, iMore, and even Apple over the years. He has covered the world of consumer tech from nearly every angle, including supply chain rumors, patents, and litigation, and more. When he's not at work, he loves reading about history and playing video games.

2 Comments Comment from the forums

DonQuixoteIII

Obviously a paid-for product placement review. The Titan EVO bills itself as "ergonomic" then has armrests that cannot lower to an apropriate level, seat foam that is so hard that your derriere will go numb after a while and the same for the thigh bolsters. The back rest is the ONLY decent selling point of this chair, but it is indeed supurb..Oh - and never mind the recline feature. Unless you are over 100 kilos, it is just too stiff to recline.

Looking at this desk, and at the price, I'd recommend looking at IIkea... Or Lian-Li.
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Hadoukev

Secret Lab products are extremely overrated thanks to shilling from iNfLuEnCeRs and articles like this.

As Don points out, the Titan is complete rubbish from almost every standpoint. The seat is SO HARD I couldn't believe it sitting down for the first time. And no, it's not because of ergonomics. I was losing blood flow to my legs within minutes. The recline feature? You have to weigh at least 200 lbs. And one of the strangest aspects was the leg/wheel assembly - it doesn't secure to the chair, the chair just slides onto a shaft that comes up from the center of the leg assembly... so if you lift the chair up to move it over an obstacle or something the leg assembly shaft slides out of the chair bottom and comes crashing down onto your feet! Horrible design overall.

As for this desk? Why the shady pictures? Can't even see what the thing offers! $750 is the cheap version?? Maybe it's appropriate pricing for a standing desk, but after that Titan chair debacle I'd have to thoroughly test the desk out in person before purchasing to ensure there's no unexpected weirdness.
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