Desk & setup
Desks, chairs and setup
Your setup is more than a mouse and a monitor. Get your whole gaming setup in order, fix a wobbly desk, find a comfortable gaming chair, or pick a controller for the games that play better on a pad.
8 articles
Fix whatever bugs you during a session first. A new lamp won’t help a mouse pad that’s too small, and a new chair won’t stop a desk from rocking.
How to pick the rest of the setup
1
A desk that does not move
Wobble shows up in the crosshair. Width has to fit the monitor and the pad. Lighting that reflects in the panel is a monitor problem you created with a lamp. Route cables so a heel cannot yank the dongle.
2
A chair you can sit in for a session
Seat depth, armrest height and back support matter more than the brand. If you can, sit in the chair before you buy it.
3
Controller vs mouse is a game choice
An Xbox pad on PC and a DualSense on PlayStation are the usual named starting points on that page. Do not buy a pad to fix a mouse that does not fit.
Setup guides by topic
Best place to start
Desk
Tools and related pages
Common questions
What should I buy first for a gaming setup?
Start with a sturdy desk and a comfortable chair, then your mouse and monitor. Save RGB lighting for last. The setup page walks through the order.
Do I need an L-shaped desk for gaming?
Only if a corner is your best space and you'll use both sides. A straight 60-inch desk is plenty for one monitor and a large mouse pad.
What gaming chair should I buy?
Buy the chair that fits your body, with your feet flat and good lower back support. The chair guide has specific picks, and trying one in person helps a lot.
All desk & setup articles
Gear
Best gaming chair (2026): Titan Evo from $519, Embody Gaming at $2,395, and the fit test
A 2026 chair guide that names official Secretlab TITAN Evo and Herman Miller Embody Gaming prices.
October 19, 2026 · 6 min read
Gear
How to route cables on a desk
Keep power and signal cords off the mouse lane and off your knees. One surge-rated strip reaches the wall.
October 19, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
How to light a desk without glare
Put a shaded lamp beside the desk, below eye line, aimed at the keys. Bias light belongs on the wall behind the panel. A bulb behind you is the reflection.
October 19, 2026 · 11 min read
Gear
How to stop a desk from wobbling
Desk wobbling while you aim? Find what's moving, tighten or brace it, and get a steady mouse surface back in about 10 minutes.
October 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
Gaming controller (2026): Xbox pad for PC, DualSense for PlayStation, Hall sticks if you are replacing drift
A 2026 controller guide with official Xbox Wireless ($64.99), DualSense ($69.99), and Elite Series 2 prices, plus the PC vs console layout rule.
October 19, 2026 · 4 min read
Gear
How to buy a gaming keyboard and mouse
Buy a gaming keyboard and mouse as two choices that share a desk. Split the budget, then take a bundle only when it is cheaper than those two listings.
October 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
How to put a gaming setup together
A gaming setup is the desk, the chair, and the screen in that order. Match the height and the depth before you match the lights.
October 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Gear
L-shaped gaming desk (2026): is the corner worth it?
A 2026 L-desk guide with official IKEA BEKANT / IDÅSEN prices, Flexispot E7L specs, and a left-handed layout for two monitors and two mice.
October 19, 2026 · 6 min read