After having tested some productions of the brand Secret Lab of which its seat Titan Cookies & Cream, the brand proposed us to be interested in its MAGNUS.
Secret Lab MAGNUS : a “desk” at overclocking.com
The MAGNUS is what we call today a “gaming desk”, a thing that from the name has the merit to make us bristle considering the overexploitation of the term “gaming” to sell anything and everything (more expensive). But with the products we received from the brand, we could see that the seriousness of the design could also cohabit with a well-hyped marketing.
Find the unboxing and editing video also on Youtube [nextpage title=”General presentation”]If we look at what is being done, the gaming desk is so far a compressed wood product, with “massive” legs and a vaguely aggressive design to follow the trend. It seems to be the ultimate accessory that makes teenagers dream to equip their room when the school year starts… To our great surprise, Secret Lab didn’t follow these big tricks and it’s good.
The first word that comes to mind when contemplating this desk is “Sobriety”. Here, no compressed wood, no flashy colors but only metal everywhere and for almost all the pieces. The other observation is that this desk will suit even those who don’t care about gaming but who want a sober and uncluttered environment. The desk is sober, discreet and highly “configurable” (yes yes) to satisfy the fussy cable management lovers. As you can see, despite our preconceived ideas, the Magnus quickly reassured us and it will blend in just as well in a teenager’s bedroom as in a sleek office. Concerning the dimensions, we understand that Secret Lab did not try to make any compromise. It’s not a huge desk but it’s still a comfortable space that will also allow you to work.
Dimensions: 1500mm (W) x 700mm (D) / Another version is available in 1200mm (W) x 700mm (D) Height: 735mm (adjustable) Maximum load (table): 100kg
Now that the tension is gone when looking at the finished product, we will see if the assembly of this product does not give us the fever and if the observation of the finishing details allow us to validate the price of the beast (449€ anyway). [nextpage title=”Unboxing and installation ( Video )”] Before putting yourself in the shoes of the Sunday IKEA furniture assembler, you should know that the package that will arrive weighs at least 42 to 45Kg ( we’ll talk about “options” later ). We are therefore far from the compressed wood of the Swedish brand.
An ultra studied packaging
The desk comes from the European warehouses of the brand in Poland and here it is at home having undergone the agonies of transport that we all know. It must be said that it is often a subject of stress when you buy a product of this kind: “in what state will it arrive?
Well in this case, even if our package seems to have suffered externally, everything is in perfect condition. The main reason is obviously not the delicacy of our carrier but a particularly well studied packaging.
The assembly ( video )
The video is explicit enough to understand that the assembly of this Magnus does not pose any problem, including for our new 13 years old “videographer”. The merit is clearly due to the brand that follows the recipe used on these chairs.
A clever packaging, clear instructions and all the assembly tools allow to realize the assembly without stress. The different steps allow us to see that the desk is very qualitative, all the steel elements benefit from premium finishes.
At the level of some details, it is obvious that the brand went beyond the finishes by making choices on materials. This can be felt everywhere, including in the screws. It is therefore easy to understand why the MAGNUS comes with a 5-year warranty.
[nextpage title=”In use and conclusion”]
So you can see, this Magnus is an excellent surprise for us. It’s a high quality product that puts far behind all the “gaming” products that abound today between 250 and 400€. There is more than a world on the quality of materials but also on the design of the product.
An extremely well thought-out desktop
We won’t go back over the quality of the metal, but the gain doesn’t stop at the perception of the product. The other decisive argument of this desk is its cable management system and its magnetic accessories. Magnetic accessories are as simple as they are indispensable. Whether we are talking about the magnetic cable sheath, the magnetic cable anchors or the headset holder, they all add another dimension to the installation. Sheaths:
Even though the Magnus is large enough to accommodate your PC on the shelf, it was designed primarily with “bulky” PCs that you can only put on the floor in mind. And that’s where the MAGNUS’ magnetic sleeves come in handy. These are sleeves that rest on the legs of the desk and snap on magnetically. They allow the cables to run up or down the leg from the desk’s cable tray without being seen and in an orderly and discreet manner.
Magnetic “inks”:
With a metal tray, “magnetic” inking becomes an obvious choice. How could others not have thought of this before?
These small U-shaped metal blocks that allow cables to pass through them and magnetically attach to the MAGNUS wherever they are placed. This means you can use them to route cables across the surface of the desk, on its legs, on the side of the desk or even under the desk. These magnetic cable ties come in packs of three and are quickly becoming a must-have. You will have understood that they are offered as an option and that one pack of 3 is absolutely not enough if you get caught up in the game! The cable management tray: At the back of the desktop tray is the cable management hatch featuring a hinged cover. This is the place where everything that makes a PC installation ugly will be hidden. It’s obviously essential, efficient and and and and…You can add an RGB touch to it
Finally, in the obvious department, how can we not mention the “giant carpet” that covers the entire desktop. The MAGPAD allows you to customize your installation (several designs are available) and its finishes are in the image of the whole.
Conclusion : without competition
It’s hard to say anything else when faced with such a success in terms of design, quality and, dare we say it, marketing genius. We have said it many times, it is beautiful, it is solid, it is serious. But the options system is just magic. Magic because we want to dive in and not for bad reasons, but just because it is again judicious and well designed. So yes, the bill will get heavier and will probably exceed 500-550€ with the right options. But if you don’t want to spend your weekend cutting out a tray, mounting legs, and using tons of rislants to hide your cables, you have a finished, high quality product that will satisfy the teenager, the adult and the paying mom or dad. Is there an alternative? Sincerely no, the other products are just irrelevant. Even cheaper, the desks you will find on the right and on the left will seem abused because they suffer from the comparison. We started this test with reservations, we finish it with enthusiasm.