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Desk Size and setup for iMac

lucasfunkt said:
Thanks. Yeah I've been going through those threads but it's often hard to tell what desks are pictured and what size they are. Do you have an idea what desk you will go for?

Personally I think I'm still deciding between the two I linked in this thread.
Click to expand...

I went for the Vika 120 x 60. Went for drawers at one end and chrome legs at the other. Went for beach to tie in with other stuff. It's just a shame the iMac isn't on it yet! I'm not going for the 27" though as I think it will look to big for my room. When you see them in a big apple store they look cool, but sitting 60cm away doesn't feel right to me.
 
lucasfunkt said:
and

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S99903726/

Length: 150 cm (59inch)
Width: 75 cm (29.5inch)
Height: 74 cm (29inch)
Click to expand...


That's exactly the one I'm using right now, but in glossy white. Same legs. I have a 21.5" and its about 3/4ths the way back, and I find it a suitable distance. I love the desk so far. Plentiful space. However, the 27" has a higher PPI so everything will be smaller. I have 20/20, but personally I'd still want to push the 27" closer forward.
 
I have an Ikea Mikael corner desk. They no longer make it, but the set up is perfect. There's one on Ebay bidding for 99 pence. In the US, you can usually find one on craigs list for cheap. Mine has moved over 3,000 miles, been assembled and reassembled 3 times and still looks great. It's 40" deep and while sitting, I am about 36 inches from the screen. The space where the monitor sits can easily fit a 30" monitor if desired.

ikea-corner-desk.jpg
 
I'm currently using the Ikea Jonas desk (which I really enjoy) which isn't manufactured anymore/got modified into the Malm desk unit.

My fiancee is using the 150cm vika and she loves it. I will advise you to get one Alex drawer unit to stabilize one side of the table as the thin legs are prone to wobbliness. We also used the curved birch veneer legs instead.

Other than that the desk real estate is great and a relatively economical desk choice.

The Galant, if you can fit it, also looks amazing with an iMac on it.
 
lucasfunkt said:
After read you guys' comments I'm leaning towards the smaller 60cm depth desk do you think this would be a good purchase. My only worry is being overwhelmed by the 27" screen.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39903710/
Click to expand...


I've got the exact desk with the dark top with gray legs, and it looks great and fits an iMac and accessories comfortably (I'm running an older 20" but it has plenty of room for a 27").

If you don't tell your wife to stop putting random things on it, however, it does start to get a bit cramped :)
 
If you need more desk space and want to keep costs down do what I did, having just purchased an iMac and Macbook i needed desk space to accomodate that and give me enough distance from the screen that I wasn't damaging my eyesight, but also enough room to work comfortably on paper without having to rearrange the desk.

Most desks I found in ikea had a 100 - 120 range in length which wasn't good enough, and they were all quite flimsy (i'd previously been using an ikea desk, can't remember the name but it was one that you buy the top for then get those screw on aluminium legs for) and i never had enough depth on it (think it was 60 - 70)

So.. I bought a door from the hardware store, £20 for a heavy unfinished firedoor, £8 for some walnut wood varnish, £16 for two black sawhorse type legs from ikea and for £44 I have a desk that is as sturdy as a high priced one and as big too! Any desks I found around this size were insanely expensive!

You can also choose (at most good hardware stores) to have the door cut down in size for free, as long as you don't get a hollowcore door you'll be grand, but i kept mine at size 200 in length by 80 deep, and absolutely love it!

http://oi46.tinypic.com/14ebfpl.jpg

Still need to stain the legs on the chair to match the desk but you get the idea!
 
Looks good dave.


forty2j said:
Galant: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S99806947/

I'm currently using the left corner, with my 24" iMac on the corner and my 32" LED TV w/ Xbox on the long arm. There's plenty of room to swap out the 24" iMac for the 27" and still be in the corner.
Click to expand...

So you never feel like you're too close to your screen?

Would you recommend one of these Galant desks

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S19852113/#/S29806818
Length: 160 cm
Width: 80 cm


Or the smaller one?
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S89806740/
Length: 120 cm
Width: 60 cm
 
lucasfunkt said:
Looks good dave.




So you never feel like you're too close to your screen?

Would you recommend one of these Galant desks

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S19852113/#/S29806818
Length: 160 cm
Width: 80 cm


Or the smaller one?
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S89806740/
Length: 120 cm
Width: 60 cm
Click to expand...

I like the corner one specifically because it gives more depth. I don't think I could sit directly in front of the long edge (where the TV is) and feel comfortable using it as a computer screen.

Note that no matter what you do, there's an adoption period for getting used to that 27" screen.
 
forty2j said:
I like the corner one specifically because it gives more depth. I don't think I could sit directly in front of the long edge (where the TV is) and feel comfortable using it as a computer screen.

Note that no matter what you do, there's an adoption period for getting used to that 27" screen.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Yes I'm preparing myself for that and my only concern is if I get a desk that is only 60cm deep I'll never fully get past that adoption period.

If anyone wants to post up some photos that specifically display how their desktops work with desks around 60cm deep that would be great. Otherwise I think I'll have to go for a 75cm deep one that eats up a bit more space in the room.
 
nagareru said:
this is what i will be getting

http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?itemno=A564709951&frm3=V2
Click to expand...

dmorgan said:
This is what I bought. There isn't a whole lot of desk space with a computer on it but I don't need it anyway.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Small-Mission-Writing-Desk-Dark-Cherry/20565256

It's just sitting in my room right now with a pair of speakers on it, waiting for the '12 iMac refresh...
Click to expand...

Nice looking desks but both have a depth of less than 60cm, surely you'd be too close to the screen if you have a 27" iMac, (maybe even 21.5") is it good for you eyes to be that close?
 
I've come across this desk now which might fit the bill better. I'm starting to think a desk 75cm deep is too much and 60cm isn't enough so I'm looking for something in between but there isn't much I can find.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40111124/#/80115988
fredrik-desk__73000_PE189255_S4.jpg



What do you think?
The annoying thing is it's more than twice the price of the other two I was looking at not sure why.


(It also says "Holds up to a 19" monitor." not sure why it would say that, sure it can manage the 27" iMac.)
 
The "ergonomically correct" distance is about 21" (53cm) from eye to screen with the top of the screen at eye level. Just about any desk will do and the problem usually is adjusting the height since the iMac has no height adjustment.

I've got an Ikea Gallant system, with a 27" iMac and separate 20" 4:3 monitor. It's on a corner section but is not pushed back all the way.
picture.php
 
lucasfunkt said:
After read you guys' comments I'm leaning towards the smaller 60cm depth desk do you think this would be a good purchase. My only worry is being overwhelmed by the 27" screen.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39903710/
Click to expand...

That Vika Amon is what I used with a 15 MBP before I made the one I showed you earlier, even with the laptop I found I didn't have enough 'elbow room' to comfortably type at the desk for long periods of time.

I'd definitely look at something with a bit more depth!
 
iamdavekennedy said:
That Vika Amon is what I used with a 15 MBP before I made the one I showed you earlier, even with the laptop I found I didn't have enough 'elbow room' to comfortably type at the desk for long periods of time.

I'd definitely look at something with a bit more depth!
Click to expand...

Thank you, yes I'm almost decided now on going for the larger Vika Amon, 75cm of depth, do you think that is enough?

I'm still open to new suggestions though.
 
Mikey86uk said:
Ooops

Im rocking my 27" iMac on a desk with 44cm depth :eek:
Click to expand...

Is this what has happend to your eyes: :eek: Ha ha

No seriously if it works for you that's cool but do you find it the most comfortable setting you can find, or would you prefer a deeper desk if you could, if so how much?
 
lucasfunkt said:
Is this what has happend to your eyes: :eek: Ha ha

No seriously if it works for you that's cool but do you find it the most comfortable setting you can find, or would you prefer a deeper desk if you could, if so how much?
Click to expand...

my eyes seem fine :D

And yes, if i could fit a bigger desk then yes, i would prefer a deeper one.

Maybe around 70cm like your saying (for the 27" iMac atleast)

i may even clear some stuff out of my office now im off work for a week, and go down to Ikea and get myself one of these sexy desks :D and give myself some more space!
 
Icaras said:
That's exactly the one I'm using right now, but in glossy white. Same legs. I have a 21.5" and its about 3/4ths the way back, and I find it a suitable distance. I love the desk so far. Plentiful space. However, the 27" has a higher PPI so everything will be smaller. I have 20/20, but personally I'd still want to push the 27" closer forward.
Click to expand...

Would you mind posting a pic of your desk setup to give us an idea or how it looks with the iMac on and what kind of space it takes up?
 
lucasfunkt said:
Thank you, yes I'm almost decided now on going for the larger Vika Amon, 75cm of depth, do you think that is enough?

I'm still open to new suggestions though.
Click to expand...

Hey Lucas,

Yeah I'd go at least 75, my (door) desk is 75cm deep (and honestly if you have the room lengthwise it really is a better and cheaper option) but I'm using a 21.5" iMac and due to the base the furthest back it can go means that the screen sits around 20cm from the back of the desk and the wall. this means you have 55cm of arm room but.. honestly, I lean back a fair bit too as even with the smaller iMac size, it still strains my eyes a little being so close.

So if you are *set* on the 27" I would look at at LEAST 75cm in depth, I know that in work I use a 27" and it's on a corner desk but it's a design studio so our desks are around 90cm deep to allow room for working on a3 sketchpads etc too!

It's entirely down to what you are comfortable with, but if you take into account that with a 60cm depth you're looking at 40cm (or less, not sure if the 27" iMac has a deeper stand depth) between edge of desk and screen!

By the way, where are you based, if you're near London I have a white ikea Vika Amon desk (the one you initially looked at) that you can have for free if you can pick it up, that way you can take it and see how it works out for you, if it fits, great, if it's not deep enough then you've not wasted any money!

PM me if you're nearby and want it, couldn't find any info about your location from your profile on here!
 
iamdavekennedy said:
Hey Lucas,

Yeah I'd go at least 75, my (door) desk is 75cm deep (and honestly if you have the room lengthwise it really is a better and cheaper option) but I'm using a 21.5" iMac and due to the base the furthest back it can go means that the screen sits around 20cm from the back of the desk and the wall. this means you have 55cm of arm room but.. honestly, I lean back a fair bit too as even with the smaller iMac size, it still strains my eyes a little being so close.

So if you are *set* on the 27" I would look at at LEAST 75cm in depth, I know that in work I use a 27" and it's on a corner desk but it's a design studio so our desks are around 90cm deep to allow room for working on a3 sketchpads etc too!

It's entirely down to what you are comfortable with, but if you take into account that with a 60cm depth you're looking at 40cm (or less, not sure if the 27" iMac has a deeper stand depth) between edge of desk and screen!

By the way, where are you based, if you're near London I have a white ikea Vika Amon desk (the one you initially looked at) that you can have for free if you can pick it up, that way you can take it and see how it works out for you, if it fits, great, if it's not deep enough then you've not wasted any money!

PM me if you're nearby and want it, couldn't find any info about your location from your profile on here!
Click to expand...

Thank you Dave, well I think you have convinced me that 70cm depth is not too much and although it may not be huge, knowing that some people get away with much smaller desks makes me think this is the happiest medium I can probably find.

That's a very generous offer but I'm actually based in Cornwall at the moment so I can't take advantage of it unfortunately but thank you none the less.
 
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