Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Review
Working at your desk all day quickly becomes monotonous, especially when staying in the same seated position. I have been using the Autonomous Smart Desk 2 for a little over two weeks now and I have to say, so far I am loving it.
Initial Impressions
Assembling the desk was extremely easy. It mainly consisted of placing in a few screws and I was able to fully assemble it within an hour or so. Once everything was setup, it did take me a few days to get used to it. This variation of the desk has the ergonomic design with a cutout in the middle to help you work better while typing. I found that it did make a difference in terms of comfort, however just note that the ergonomic variation may be a problem for larger individuals due to the design.
Build Quality
While using the Autonomous SmartDesk 2 I had no problems with the quality of the actually desk. For starters the legs have a heavy-duty industrial grade steel structure and the table top I opted for was bamboo. Even with added weight there was no bending or flexing in the middle which is reassuring. The cutout and overall material has a great finish to it and there have been no scratches to the surface so far. One thing I would have liked to have seen was an integrated cable management box to make things easier for the customer. With that being said, Autonomous did include two pre-drilled cable management holes to thread wires through but apart from that, the average user most likely won’t take the time to properly organize their cables.
Sit & Stand
Having a sit and stand desk has some added health benefits too. When you suffer from back pain, you become increasingly aware of all the motions that require use of those muscles. A CDC report discovered that upper back and neck pain decreased by 54 percent with the adoption of standing desks. By separating your work flow and allocating time to work while standing, there are very clear health benefits that have been proven.
To control the height of the desk, the Autonomous SmartDesk has a “Smart Keypad” with 4 different presents. Personally, I think 2 presets is enough, but for those who share a desk with others, having those extra 2 may come in handy. Once you have programmed the heights, you simply tap on the preset number and the desk will automatically adjust. While moving up and down the desk does make a considerable amount of noise, but it’s nowhere near as loud as other sit and stand desks that I have tried before (not to mention the speed of the height adjustment is quick as well).
Pricing & Conclusion
The baseline version of the SmartDesk 2 will run you $300 which is significantly cheaper than what any other motorized desks company is asking. Of course, there are other options you can choose from such as different surfaces and design. You can opt for a 53″ x 30″ and go all the way up to the larger sized desks at 70″ x 30″ for $549. Overall the pricing is reasonable considering what you get and a good value if you take advantage of the Autonomous’ features.
After using the desk for a few weeks now I would definitely recommend it if you are on the search for a sit/stand desk. It has most everything you would need and is super easy to setup and use. If you have any thoughts on the SmartDesk 2 or other desks just like it, leave a comment below.