the begining of a new era? so within the next 20 years instead of seeing old pc's on the street corners ( in which the waste management will not take) I'll see these creations. I, not downing it, but im still a fan of customized pc's. I love a great desk/chair, but its a little wierd to change the desk simply if you want to swap a case.
For all of you complaining about the price, just check out the link at the end of the review, right before the link to the comments:
Find the lowest prices or Buy it from Monarch Computer Systems for $189.00
I can just go buy a used desk and drill a round hole in the back for the cords.
This desk did not seem very inventive or revolutionary. I have seen some nice desks with glass tops that looked nicer than this. For $3,000 you expect an LCD to rise up out of the back of the desk or maybe a flush mounted LCD that is part of the desktop. Yah it looks fairly nice, but it is just so bland looking.
Like the idea of the distributed components to use the alluminium as heatsinks. How about a copper one for 5K? That would be great in the colder areas such as Alaska where using a pentium D would create a built in handwarmer for those 'minus' days!
I don't like desks personally and I built a large unit on tha wall which has every thing behind doors except the box which is a pullout section underneath and the main screen area where the two screens are, I also took the trouble to create a large pullout that holds the intuos tablet to the right and the mouse pad to the left (made myself use mouse left handed from day 1) but still use mouse on right with 1P shooters. Doors were salvaged and CD racks were cheap and I refinished them. Also got room for phono deck to get all my old albums on to CD. Probably cost $200 and no problems where to fit it.
If the desk itself had some style about it it might be worth the money but as it looks like an anodised cladding sheet it's a bit much so I can't see CEO's takin' to it either.
Well, first things first; the review itself is very good. Nothing to pick about the actual review or reviewer, both are top notch.
Now, the reason why everyone is laughing at the price is because this desk has no real market IMHO. People that build-your-own are (almost)always looking for most-bang-for-the-buck. I mean who is going to get that Dell XPS for $3,000 when you can get a build--your-own that would be 2x faster right? Well, hence LianLi's problem. Their desk houses a case/system that is geared towards those who don't actually buy this kind of product.
From the opposite side I can somewhat understand the argument, but again it's self-contradicting. I used to build my own computers until about 3 years ago. Then, I started to work and didn't really have the time or energy to research and get best and greatest or keep up with the changes in CPUs , GPUs, etc. But, 1 thing did change and it was my income. Now I have more disposable income for "toys" and I just buy a Dell because it's easier, it may not be the fastest but it's reasonably fast, quiet and with decent service. So, now that I can afford more stuff and go out looking for a desk. I see it as furniture and try to match it to the rest of the furniture in the house, I see this LianLi F1 and decide to give it a try, wait... my Dell XPS (alienware, voodo, whatever you prefer) doesn't fit in there! So I just move on and never give it a second thought...
OK, first off, I have to say the review was quite good and extremely thorough. Good job to the reviewer.
Second, it's great desk, no doubt about it. And its nice to see people taking workstations seriously. I work in a Steelcase Cube...and I think this would be a solid competitor to that.
Third, the price is simply too much for the normal user. However, for a business this is not an outrageous price.
Hate to reply to myself...but with no edit option I must.
One BIG problem with this desk is that it would not pass Ergonomics standards at many large companies...and with good reason, the legs don't have enough ability to move up and down... I won't even go into the side table which looks like an elbow whacker to me.
If Lian Li was going to go to the trouble to build an aluminum computer desk, why not use the whole desk as a heat sink? With some creative placement and mounting of computer components right onto the aluminum parts of the desk, one could imagine a completely silent PC that is actually built into the desk. If you are going to put a multimedia port on the desktop, why not also a bay for an optical drive? You could mount the motherboard underneath the top of the desk or on the back panel and use heatpipes to cool the CPU, GPU, and North/Southbridges. This probably is not as crazy as it might sound -- I have to believe that a full size office desk has more heatsinking capacity than the http://www.zalmanusa.com/usa/product/view.asp?idx=...">Zalman TNN-500AF case.
Obviously I'm in the minority here, because I'm 32, married, and out of school. Trust me on this one: once you're older and looking at buying furniture for a house, $3000 for a nice desk is NOT uncommon. Does this desk qualify? It all depends on the person. My wife works as a salesperson at a furniture store, and many of their large wooden desks run up to $2000 with all the side tables and such. (One benefit of purchasing furniture from a nicer chain is that they'll deliver it to your house and set it up, which is something the Lian Li doesn't offer right now.)
Basically, if you wouldn't even think about spending $500 on a desk, let alone $3000, just shrug your shoulders and move on. The desk looks reasonably nice to me, and it certainly beats the crap out of my computer desk. My desk it too short and doesn't allow me to stretch my legs - that's rather annoying for someone who's 6'3". Also consider this: how long will a $3000 computer last? Five years if you're willing to really stretch it, but it's going to be a rather mediocre PC for the last year or two. How long will a NICE computer desk last? Potentially decades!
Those of you talking about the plastic shipping boxes with a large door over the top might think that's perfectly acceptable. Well, it *IS* among geeks. What would a girl think when she walks into your apartment? (Has a girl even been in there? Alpha geeks have issues with women sometimes....) Let's just make this clear: if you have a girlfriend that doesn't mind a pile of boxes with an old door serving as a computer desk, she's a very rare creature. Personally, I'd say you should find someone else that does give a damn, because I shudder to think about what type of children such a pairing would create. For what it's worth, two fashion-impaired/dumpster diver people are NOT the type of couple I'd want to have renting a home or apartment I owned.
quote: Those of you talking about the plastic shipping boxes with a large door over the top might think that's perfectly acceptable. Well, it *IS* among geeks.
It's also acceptable for college students, many of whom have to pay their own way. The fellow I was describing was going to college on a combination of merit scholarships and financial aid, was working at a supermarket to pay for rent/books/food/etc., and had minimal parental help. If he could save X-hundred dollars by going with a cheap desk, he was.
quote: What would a girl think when she walks into your apartment?
Considering the female apartments I've seen while at school, I didn't think his was too shabby.
quote: NOT the type of couple I'd want to have renting a home or apartment I owned.
Gee, I wonder why people don't like renting to undergrads.
Now onto the tangible arguments:
quote: How long will a NICE computer desk last? Potentially decades!
This desk may last decades, but would you like to have it around for that long? The case holder unit seems tailored to a specific case. Suppose Intel is successful in the transition to BTX? Suppose in ten years, tower-like cases go the way of the dodo? You are left with a desk that was designed for one thing, but that thing is no longer around.
If I was to spend $3000 on a desk, I'd go with a large, solid mahogany one with no keyboard trays, monitor stands, computer bays, cable holes, etc. Just a desk with drawers that will be sure to last because it isn't designed specifically to be a computer desk.
...if you have a girlfriend that doesn't mind a pile of boxes with an old door serving as a computer desk, she's a very rare creature. Personally, I'd say you should find someone else that does give a damn, because I shudder to think about what type of children such a pairing would create. For what it's worth, two fashion-impaired/dumpster diver people are NOT the type of couple I'd want to have renting a home or apartment I owned...
I do rather well for myself and have no issues with taste being raised against me, so your comment does'nt cover me -
that said :- that was the most snobby POS comment i have ever heard on AT! if someone is 'fashion impaired' you aren't going to rent our your home to them!?! W T F?!?! One would think that age, marraige and being out of school would impart a sliver of tact in a person...
/funny thing is i actually agreed with you uptil that //Crap like that gets a '4' ? - i'd rather be modded down!
I guess that came off worse than I wanted. There are so many comments ripping on the price that my main point is people have different priorities. It was sort of a slam on college and younger kids, but let me explain. It's not that ALL college people live in their own little bubble, but a lot of the "OMG LOOK HOW EXPENSIVE!!!" comments are obviously thinking *only* their view of the world could possibly be right. It's not, just as my comments are not the only interpretation of things either.
I'd edit out the last part if I could (what, no edit still!?), but the fact of life is that people *will* judge you by such petty things as fashion sense. Showing up to interviews in a tie is always a good idea, as is keeping your house clean. If you're using a piece of plywood on cinder blocks for a desk, does that make you a terrible renter? Does it make you a lousy person? Nope. However, don't be surprised if/when some people look at that and think, "this guy needs to get out more!" That's what I was trying to say.
The comments about girls were more from the perspective that I think a good relationship should broaden the horizons of both people. Marrying (or even dating)someone that's just like you doesn't do much for me. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry gets involved with a gal that's too much like him. If you can make such a relationship work, you're free to try, but *IMO* it's going to lead to a rather dull life.
Now, don't get me wrong: *I* would never buy such a desk as this. I'd probably be looking at $1000 tops, and as someone else mentioned the chair is at least as important as the desk in terms of comfort. A balance needs to be maintained, though, as neither a crappy desk with a great chair or a great desk with a crappy chair are likely to provide the same overall comfort as a good desk with a good chair. $1000 for a desk and $250 for a chair seems reasonable. $3000 for a desk and $500+ for a chair is also going to appeal to certain people. Cheap/free chairs and desks/tables/boxes/whatever can work in a pinch, but long term they suck. (I too was once a college student, and I had a $50 desk with a wooden kitchen chair. My butt and back still haven't forgiven me....)
Sorry if I overly offended someone. That wasn't the intent. I merely wanted to point out the contrary opinion and show that not *everyone* thinks $3000 for a desk is the end of the world. (I'm sure some are happy that my original post is locked at -1 now. Then again, few people are likely to actually notice this response in the first place.)
I like to think of this more from the perspective of something like.. "google's CEO needs a new desk.. what should he get?" or.. "how much desk can a geek get for $3,000?"
like I mentioned in the review.. there are plenty of people who might consider a $3,000 solid cherry desk.. but might be much more interested in something like this instead.. it's just that you probably won't see people like that posting comments here anyway..
Ya know, I could probably hire a craftsman/carpenter to custom build me a computer table of *similar* design/quality for about $800-900. Materials not included.
I too feel that it is an absurd price to pay but the end of the article reads:
"
We do not feel that it does this desk justice to try to evaluate whether or not it is worth the asking price by looking at it piece by piece because plenty of people out there will be perfectly happy with a forty-dollar plastic fold-up table for their desk. Instead, we feel as though this product fills a niche for the consumer who has already decided that they have a certain price range in mind or for the elitist who simply wants either "the best" or at least something totally new and different.
"
So you don't have any reason to be "shocked" at the review.
I have 2 computers, this thing won't work for me :) I am building my own desk that will have room for 3 computers I can access with the mere pivot of my chair, plus some workspace. Is it huge? yes, but it'll work great, and all for maybe $300 in nice materials.
Maybe the V1000 case for my 3rd computer, something I can mess with Linux on :)
you know, with the side desk attachment I actually think it's a fairly nice workstation for two or even three computers.. especially if you have a KVM switch or virtual control over all computers with a single keyboard and mouse.. you can fit three good sized monitors AND a laptop on it fairly comfortably..
WOW, I can think of ALOT more useful things to do with 3K than buy a desk. I am still using my particleboard computer desk I got 9 years ago and it is in top shape. Cost me about $200. The most important thing to have is a good chair. I spent about $500 on my chair about 3 years ago.
Totally agree. Many people forget to buy a good chair.
This desk is not even the latest state of the art in ergonomics. For 3K you'd expect them to consider ergonomics other than just have everything close at hand.
Yup, I bought a $500 Samsonite leather chair, and it is the most comfortable piece of furniture in my house. I spend more time in that chair than any other, so it should be the best you can afford. I had a cheapo chair for years, and all it did was hurt my neck and back. My desk is still the one I got for $125, 11 years ago, and it works fine with all my junk - lamp, scanner, tower, printer, speakers, joystick, keyboard, mouse, ZIP drive, card reader, headphones, and 2 19" CRT's. I couldn't tell for sure, but I didn't think this desk could house all of that.
For $3k you can a LOT nicer workstations that are more ergonomic, and IMO, look a lot sweeter. Check out Herman-Miller and other companies like that...
How come there aren't any pictures of the product completely assembled or in use?
A picture with the desk populated with a monitor, printer, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc would go along ways towards expressing the size/scale/proportions of this desk. Maybe even wheel a chair up to it and call it good. No need to drop yourself in there to ham it up for the photo. :)
I think most of you have the mindset that I did too at first.. but I don't think Lian Li was attempting to sell this to the masses.. I think it's aiming much moreso to target the people who are considering a solid oak desk for instance in the same basic price range.
The biggest problem I foresee with this though is simple marketing.. how will Lian Li ever get this thing out to that market? The main people who know about the company are more like you and me and are generally too cost concious to even consider buying something that much...
Personally, I've had a few computer desks and I keep enging up having to remove the side compartments and case holding so i can actually turn the entire frontal 90degrees without hitting my leg on something. I sat for a year facing NE because that was the only orientation that would fit =/
My current setup is not too unlike the milk crates + door, except maybe a bit less ghetto
Even though it's very expensive, I think this was a great item to review. The concept of building a desk to house a particular case is turly unique offering possibilities that couldn't be realized when the two are manufactured indepently of each other. I suspect more synergies will emerge in the future. IMHO, the desk doesn't provide enough value above other much less expensive options to be worth the $3K price tag, but the market will decide if there is demand for such a desk.
Regarding the writing, here are some things that should have been caught. For example, the second sentence states... "Since the title of this article has already given away the fact that this is about a computer desk,..." How would I know from the title, Lian Li F1, that this article is about a computer desk?
Also, there is no explicit description of the price. There is a sentence at the end of the article which states... "A better question then emerges; would the F1 / F2 drive someone who is looking for a very nice desk (but perhaps around the $1,000 price point and not the $3,000 one) to consider..." This is the only reference to price I could find so I guess the price of the Lian Li F1 is $3000. Is there another reference I missed?
I could go on but I'll stop here. If this were the blog of a college sophmore, I wouldn't care. But, this is professional journalism from one of the largest hardware review sites on the entire internet. It should be much tighter.
I think that for around $1,000 you can build yourself a very nice work space with that above. I have the corner and the shorter table to create an L shape and it's great. It has cable management rails and optional keyboard drawers. The finish is durable and very high quality.
I don't think we disagree on the price issue. As I stated in my original posting, I don't think the workstation brings enough additional value to the party to justify the 3K price tag. You'd have to ask Lian Li why they think it's worth 3K.
On the other hand, just becuase I think it has little "bang for the buck", doesn't mean I feel it shouldn't have been reviewed. It's a very interesting design concept (well, at least to me) that may or may not be adopted in the future by other manufacturers at probably much lower price points.
Regarding other less expensive options, The F1 is not competing against "do-it-yourselfers". My guess is that the F1 may be attractive to people who don't have the skill, time, or desire to build their own desk workstation but do have significant disposable income. 3K is not a lot of money to some people. Whether or not there are enough of those people for Lian Li to turn even a small profit on this desk has yet to be determined.
Perhaps more people would consider this if that case had 2 7800GTX in SLI, an Athlon X2 4800+, 2GB RAM, a Raptor, and an X-Fi.
Honestly though, $3000 for that desk is pretty rediculous. We custom built an oak desk that wraps around our 2 walls of our computer room, running around 24 feet and it only cost a few hundred dollars. That includes stands for each computer, and soon a stand for my multiple monitors. A much better value, and probably functionality.
I think this desk is a few years late and probably would have done well during the .com bubble paired with an Aeron from Herman Miller.
That is such a waste of money if you don't get a longer keyboard tray. The standard kwyboard tray is fine if you just do plain work on computer. But if you play games you need a long keyboard tray for huge mousepad, mouse and keyboard.
Personally you can get a better desk if you built one yourself. Home Depot, Lowes sell desk material in diffrent shapes and sizes you can make one yourself. Heck find a cabinet maker and he can make a nicer one for cheap but practical.
That Li desk is WAY overprices, let alone practical.
quote: Anyone who has ever used a computer long enough will surely attest to the difference that a nice desk makes.
I won't attest to that. Of all the desks I've used, I still prefer the good-old simple kind. One of the most useful desks I've seen was at a friend's house: two milk crates stacked on each side, and a door placed over them. That sucker was huge, had a nice hole to run the cables through, since it was so cheap, he didn't mind screwing power strips and other things to the underside of it, and guess what? IT WAS FREE: 4 milk crates he stole from the supermarket where he worked, and a solid door someone was throwing out. A little cleanup, and he had a pretty nice desk, albeit without the bells and whistles.
but seriously, the best "computer desk" for me personally is one that is wide and has only 4 legs. that way you have easy access to your case and cables. ironically, those simple old design desks are often really expensive. most computer desks come with those flimsy keyboard trays and special higher levels for the monitor which cause neck strains since you should be looking down on a monitor not up.
and exactly why do you need a special compartment for the computer case? what's it for? what's the idea? what am i missing? this is not the only desk i've seen this on.
If so I can't see many people buying it. It's a nice PC desk for $500, but $3000 is rediculous. I have been shopping around recently, and beleive me, there are many other desk's out there that have nice cable management and even better features for alot less money. They have no multimedia ports, but seriously, you can but a 12 in 1 reader like that for $30, the value added to have it mounted on your desk is just not worth the extra $2500 you pay LOL
another overpriced item from lian li...wonderful...
before i get flamed...i do admit that this is a pretty nifty product...just too damn expensive that is all.
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islandtechengineers - Saturday, August 20, 2005 - link
the begining of a new era? so within the next 20 years instead of seeing old pc's on the street corners ( in which the waste management will not take) I'll see these creations. I, not downing it, but im still a fan of customized pc's. I love a great desk/chair, but its a little wierd to change the desk simply if you want to swap a case.mongo lloyd - Thursday, August 11, 2005 - link
Sorry Lian Li but this product is too late... ION Storm Dallas is no more.rjn17960 - Tuesday, August 9, 2005 - link
For all of you complaining about the price, just check out the link at the end of the review, right before the link to the comments:Find the lowest prices or Buy it from Monarch Computer Systems for $189.00
Way to go Monarch!
blackmetalegg - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Since when is stealing milk crates from supermarket considered legal??Zirconium - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Who said anything about legal?yacoub - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
You know you're a computer geek when... 'd?yacoub - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
You know you're a computer geek when... 'd?piasabird - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Who wants a cheap metal desk?I can just go buy a used desk and drill a round hole in the back for the cords.
This desk did not seem very inventive or revolutionary. I have seen some nice desks with glass tops that looked nicer than this. For $3,000 you expect an LCD to rise up out of the back of the desk or maybe a flush mounted LCD that is part of the desktop. Yah it looks fairly nice, but it is just so bland looking.
TheGee - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Like the idea of the distributed components to use the alluminium as heatsinks. How about a copper one for 5K? That would be great in the colder areas such as Alaska where using a pentium D would create a built in handwarmer for those 'minus' days!I don't like desks personally and I built a large unit on tha wall which has every thing behind doors except the box which is a pullout section underneath and the main screen area where the two screens are, I also took the trouble to create a large pullout that holds the intuos tablet to the right and the mouse pad to the left (made myself use mouse left handed from day 1) but still use mouse on right with 1P shooters. Doors were salvaged and CD racks were cheap and I refinished them. Also got room for phono deck to get all my old albums on to CD. Probably cost $200 and no problems where to fit it.
If the desk itself had some style about it it might be worth the money but as it looks like an anodised cladding sheet it's a bit much so I can't see CEO's takin' to it either.
UltraWide - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Well, first things first; the review itself is very good. Nothing to pick about the actual review or reviewer, both are top notch.Now, the reason why everyone is laughing at the price is because this desk has no real market IMHO. People that build-your-own are (almost)always looking for most-bang-for-the-buck. I mean who is going to get that Dell XPS for $3,000 when you can get a build--your-own that would be 2x faster right? Well, hence LianLi's problem. Their desk houses a case/system that is geared towards those who don't actually buy this kind of product.
From the opposite side I can somewhat understand the argument, but again it's self-contradicting. I used to build my own computers until about 3 years ago. Then, I started to work and didn't really have the time or energy to research and get best and greatest or keep up with the changes in CPUs , GPUs, etc. But, 1 thing did change and it was my income. Now I have more disposable income for "toys" and I just buy a Dell because it's easier, it may not be the fastest but it's reasonably fast, quiet and with decent service. So, now that I can afford more stuff and go out looking for a desk. I see it as furniture and try to match it to the rest of the furniture in the house, I see this LianLi F1 and decide to give it a try, wait... my Dell XPS (alienware, voodo, whatever you prefer) doesn't fit in there! So I just move on and never give it a second thought...
Beenthere - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Sorry but it makes no sense to me. If it works for you great. You got a lot more time to waste than I have.tonyou - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
The idea of making an aluminum desk in which you can place a PC inside has already been done three years ago by Soldam:http://www3.soldam.co.jp/custom/prism/index.html">http://www3.soldam.co.jp/custom/prism/index.html
uffda - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
3 things...OK, first off, I have to say the review was quite good and extremely thorough. Good job to the reviewer.
Second, it's great desk, no doubt about it. And its nice to see people taking workstations seriously. I work in a Steelcase Cube...and I think this would be a solid competitor to that.
Third, the price is simply too much for the normal user. However, for a business this is not an outrageous price.
uffda - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Hate to reply to myself...but with no edit option I must.One BIG problem with this desk is that it would not pass Ergonomics standards at many large companies...and with good reason, the legs don't have enough ability to move up and down... I won't even go into the side table which looks like an elbow whacker to me.
wilburpan - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
If Lian Li was going to go to the trouble to build an aluminum computer desk, why not use the whole desk as a heat sink? With some creative placement and mounting of computer components right onto the aluminum parts of the desk, one could imagine a completely silent PC that is actually built into the desk. If you are going to put a multimedia port on the desktop, why not also a bay for an optical drive? You could mount the motherboard underneath the top of the desk or on the back panel and use heatpipes to cool the CPU, GPU, and North/Southbridges. This probably is not as crazy as it might sound -- I have to believe that a full size office desk has more heatsinking capacity than the http://www.zalmanusa.com/usa/product/view.asp?idx=...">Zalman TNN-500AF case.Now, that might be worth $3000.
tukkus - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
the review is fine, the only problem with it is the extra zero at the end of the price taglian li looks like he just wants to make more money off of his name because i can't see how anyone can justify the price for that desk
TrogdorJW - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Obviously I'm in the minority here, because I'm 32, married, and out of school. Trust me on this one: once you're older and looking at buying furniture for a house, $3000 for a nice desk is NOT uncommon. Does this desk qualify? It all depends on the person. My wife works as a salesperson at a furniture store, and many of their large wooden desks run up to $2000 with all the side tables and such. (One benefit of purchasing furniture from a nicer chain is that they'll deliver it to your house and set it up, which is something the Lian Li doesn't offer right now.)Basically, if you wouldn't even think about spending $500 on a desk, let alone $3000, just shrug your shoulders and move on. The desk looks reasonably nice to me, and it certainly beats the crap out of my computer desk. My desk it too short and doesn't allow me to stretch my legs - that's rather annoying for someone who's 6'3". Also consider this: how long will a $3000 computer last? Five years if you're willing to really stretch it, but it's going to be a rather mediocre PC for the last year or two. How long will a NICE computer desk last? Potentially decades!
Those of you talking about the plastic shipping boxes with a large door over the top might think that's perfectly acceptable. Well, it *IS* among geeks. What would a girl think when she walks into your apartment? (Has a girl even been in there? Alpha geeks have issues with women sometimes....) Let's just make this clear: if you have a girlfriend that doesn't mind a pile of boxes with an old door serving as a computer desk, she's a very rare creature. Personally, I'd say you should find someone else that does give a damn, because I shudder to think about what type of children such a pairing would create. For what it's worth, two fashion-impaired/dumpster diver people are NOT the type of couple I'd want to have renting a home or apartment I owned.
Zirconium - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
First, I'll address your ad-hominem attacks.It's also acceptable for college students, many of whom have to pay their own way. The fellow I was describing was going to college on a combination of merit scholarships and financial aid, was working at a supermarket to pay for rent/books/food/etc., and had minimal parental help. If he could save X-hundred dollars by going with a cheap desk, he was.
Considering the female apartments I've seen while at school, I didn't think his was too shabby.
Gee, I wonder why people don't like renting to undergrads.
Now onto the tangible arguments:
This desk may last decades, but would you like to have it around for that long? The case holder unit seems tailored to a specific case. Suppose Intel is successful in the transition to BTX? Suppose in ten years, tower-like cases go the way of the dodo? You are left with a desk that was designed for one thing, but that thing is no longer around.
If I was to spend $3000 on a desk, I'd go with a large, solid mahogany one with no keyboard trays, monitor stands, computer bays, cable holes, etc. Just a desk with drawers that will be sure to last because it isn't designed specifically to be a computer desk.
at80eighty - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
...if you have a girlfriend that doesn't mind a pile of boxes with an old door serving as a computer desk, she's a very rare creature. Personally, I'd say you should find someone else that does give a damn, because I shudder to think about what type of children such a pairing would create. For what it's worth, two fashion-impaired/dumpster diver people are NOT the type of couple I'd want to have renting a home or apartment I owned...I do rather well for myself and have no issues with taste being raised against me, so your comment does'nt cover me -
that said :- that was the most snobby POS comment i have ever heard on AT! if someone is 'fashion impaired' you aren't going to rent our your home to them!?! W T F?!?! One would think that age, marraige and being out of school would impart a sliver of tact in a person...
/funny thing is i actually agreed with you uptil that
//Crap like that gets a '4' ? - i'd rather be modded down!
TrogdorJW - Tuesday, August 9, 2005 - link
I guess that came off worse than I wanted. There are so many comments ripping on the price that my main point is people have different priorities. It was sort of a slam on college and younger kids, but let me explain. It's not that ALL college people live in their own little bubble, but a lot of the "OMG LOOK HOW EXPENSIVE!!!" comments are obviously thinking *only* their view of the world could possibly be right. It's not, just as my comments are not the only interpretation of things either.I'd edit out the last part if I could (what, no edit still!?), but the fact of life is that people *will* judge you by such petty things as fashion sense. Showing up to interviews in a tie is always a good idea, as is keeping your house clean. If you're using a piece of plywood on cinder blocks for a desk, does that make you a terrible renter? Does it make you a lousy person? Nope. However, don't be surprised if/when some people look at that and think, "this guy needs to get out more!" That's what I was trying to say.
The comments about girls were more from the perspective that I think a good relationship should broaden the horizons of both people. Marrying (or even dating)someone that's just like you doesn't do much for me. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry gets involved with a gal that's too much like him. If you can make such a relationship work, you're free to try, but *IMO* it's going to lead to a rather dull life.
Now, don't get me wrong: *I* would never buy such a desk as this. I'd probably be looking at $1000 tops, and as someone else mentioned the chair is at least as important as the desk in terms of comfort. A balance needs to be maintained, though, as neither a crappy desk with a great chair or a great desk with a crappy chair are likely to provide the same overall comfort as a good desk with a good chair. $1000 for a desk and $250 for a chair seems reasonable. $3000 for a desk and $500+ for a chair is also going to appeal to certain people. Cheap/free chairs and desks/tables/boxes/whatever can work in a pinch, but long term they suck. (I too was once a college student, and I had a $50 desk with a wooden kitchen chair. My butt and back still haven't forgiven me....)
Sorry if I overly offended someone. That wasn't the intent. I merely wanted to point out the contrary opinion and show that not *everyone* thinks $3000 for a desk is the end of the world. (I'm sure some are happy that my original post is locked at -1 now. Then again, few people are likely to actually notice this response in the first place.)
Tamale - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I couldn't of said it better myself..I like to think of this more from the perspective of something like.. "google's CEO needs a new desk.. what should he get?" or.. "how much desk can a geek get for $3,000?"
like I mentioned in the review.. there are plenty of people who might consider a $3,000 solid cherry desk.. but might be much more interested in something like this instead.. it's just that you probably won't see people like that posting comments here anyway..
WileCoyote - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
This desk is ridiculous. I haven't seen a product this year that was a bigger waste of money.PeteRoy - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
http://www.xpcgear.com/lib/extremepcgear/3dgameman...">Video of this deskuffda - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Saw the vid...interesting...but he over-rated it. 100%? Hardly. But it is quite good.LocutusX - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Ya know, I could probably hire a craftsman/carpenter to custom build me a computer table of *similar* design/quality for about $800-900. Materials not included.Locut0s - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I too feel that it is an absurd price to pay but the end of the article reads:"
We do not feel that it does this desk justice to try to evaluate whether or not it is worth the asking price by looking at it piece by piece because plenty of people out there will be perfectly happy with a forty-dollar plastic fold-up table for their desk. Instead, we feel as though this product fills a niche for the consumer who has already decided that they have a certain price range in mind or for the elitist who simply wants either "the best" or at least something totally new and different.
"
So you don't have any reason to be "shocked" at the review.
Sabresiberian - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I have 2 computers, this thing won't work for me :) I am building my own desk that will have room for 3 computers I can access with the mere pivot of my chair, plus some workspace. Is it huge? yes, but it'll work great, and all for maybe $300 in nice materials.Maybe the V1000 case for my 3rd computer, something I can mess with Linux on :)
Tamale - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
you know, with the side desk attachment I actually think it's a fairly nice workstation for two or even three computers.. especially if you have a KVM switch or virtual control over all computers with a single keyboard and mouse.. you can fit three good sized monitors AND a laptop on it fairly comfortably..Bonesdad - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
WOW, I can think of ALOT more useful things to do with 3K than buy a desk. I am still using my particleboard computer desk I got 9 years ago and it is in top shape. Cost me about $200. The most important thing to have is a good chair. I spent about $500 on my chair about 3 years ago.I can't imagine spending 3K on this...
ceefka - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Totally agree. Many people forget to buy a good chair.This desk is not even the latest state of the art in ergonomics. For 3K you'd expect them to consider ergonomics other than just have everything close at hand.
uffda - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
You are very right. Ergonomically this desk is not terribly good. And a chair is critical to good arm/back support.bldckstark - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Yup, I bought a $500 Samsonite leather chair, and it is the most comfortable piece of furniture in my house. I spend more time in that chair than any other, so it should be the best you can afford. I had a cheapo chair for years, and all it did was hurt my neck and back. My desk is still the one I got for $125, 11 years ago, and it works fine with all my junk - lamp, scanner, tower, printer, speakers, joystick, keyboard, mouse, ZIP drive, card reader, headphones, and 2 19" CRT's. I couldn't tell for sure, but I didn't think this desk could house all of that.Icehawk - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
For $3k you can a LOT nicer workstations that are more ergonomic, and IMO, look a lot sweeter. Check out Herman-Miller and other companies like that...How come there aren't any pictures of the product completely assembled or in use?
Tamale - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
mostly because of size constraints.the pictures at lian-li's site actually give the best idea how it looks completely assembled
as for in-use, what would you have in mind? I can't think of anything that wouldn't have looked cheesy...
Houdani - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
A picture with the desk populated with a monitor, printer, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc would go along ways towards expressing the size/scale/proportions of this desk. Maybe even wheel a chair up to it and call it good. No need to drop yourself in there to ham it up for the photo. :)JoshuaBuss - Monday, February 16, 2009 - link
here 'ya go:http://www.uic.edu/honors/jbuss2/cs527/setupBig.jp...">http://www.uic.edu/honors/jbuss2/cs527/setupBig.jp...
buttocks2k - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I enjoyed the article and thought it was well-written, but the price scares me away =Drentaknight - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I also enjoyed the article and thought it was well-written and agree that that price is scaryTamale - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I think most of you have the mindset that I did too at first.. but I don't think Lian Li was attempting to sell this to the masses.. I think it's aiming much moreso to target the people who are considering a solid oak desk for instance in the same basic price range.The biggest problem I foresee with this though is simple marketing.. how will Lian Li ever get this thing out to that market? The main people who know about the company are more like you and me and are generally too cost concious to even consider buying something that much...
karioskasra - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Personally, I've had a few computer desks and I keep enging up having to remove the side compartments and case holding so i can actually turn the entire frontal 90degrees without hitting my leg on something. I sat for a year facing NE because that was the only orientation that would fit =/My current setup is not too unlike the milk crates + door, except maybe a bit less ghetto
Kensei - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Even though it's very expensive, I think this was a great item to review. The concept of building a desk to house a particular case is turly unique offering possibilities that couldn't be realized when the two are manufactured indepently of each other. I suspect more synergies will emerge in the future. IMHO, the desk doesn't provide enough value above other much less expensive options to be worth the $3K price tag, but the market will decide if there is demand for such a desk.Regarding the writing, here are some things that should have been caught. For example, the second sentence states... "Since the title of this article has already given away the fact that this is about a computer desk,..." How would I know from the title, Lian Li F1, that this article is about a computer desk?
Also, there is no explicit description of the price. There is a sentence at the end of the article which states... "A better question then emerges; would the F1 / F2 drive someone who is looking for a very nice desk (but perhaps around the $1,000 price point and not the $3,000 one) to consider..." This is the only reference to price I could find so I guess the price of the Lian Li F1 is $3000. Is there another reference I missed?
I could go on but I'll stop here. If this were the blog of a college sophmore, I wouldn't care. But, this is professional journalism from one of the largest hardware review sites on the entire internet. It should be much tighter.
Kensei
UltraWide - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
It looks nice, but what makes it $3000? I don't see anything really special about it. I mean it doesn't even come with the computer case or anything.http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/microsite/f...">Modular furniture
I think that for around $1,000 you can build yourself a very nice work space with that above. I have the corner and the shorter table to create an L shape and it's great. It has cable management rails and optional keyboard drawers. The finish is durable and very high quality.
Kensei - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I don't think we disagree on the price issue. As I stated in my original posting, I don't think the workstation brings enough additional value to the party to justify the 3K price tag. You'd have to ask Lian Li why they think it's worth 3K.On the other hand, just becuase I think it has little "bang for the buck", doesn't mean I feel it shouldn't have been reviewed. It's a very interesting design concept (well, at least to me) that may or may not be adopted in the future by other manufacturers at probably much lower price points.
Regarding other less expensive options, The F1 is not competing against "do-it-yourselfers". My guess is that the F1 may be attractive to people who don't have the skill, time, or desire to build their own desk workstation but do have significant disposable income. 3K is not a lot of money to some people. Whether or not there are enough of those people for Lian Li to turn even a small profit on this desk has yet to be determined.
Kensei
Tamale - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
It does include a case. The PC-V1000 is included, which retails for right around $200 normally.Penth - Monday, August 8, 2005 - link
Perhaps more people would consider this if that case had 2 7800GTX in SLI, an Athlon X2 4800+, 2GB RAM, a Raptor, and an X-Fi.Honestly though, $3000 for that desk is pretty rediculous. We custom built an oak desk that wraps around our 2 walls of our computer room, running around 24 feet and it only cost a few hundred dollars. That includes stands for each computer, and soon a stand for my multiple monitors. A much better value, and probably functionality.
I think this desk is a few years late and probably would have done well during the .com bubble paired with an Aeron from Herman Miller.
imaheadcase - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
That is such a waste of money if you don't get a longer keyboard tray. The standard kwyboard tray is fine if you just do plain work on computer. But if you play games you need a long keyboard tray for huge mousepad, mouse and keyboard.Personally you can get a better desk if you built one yourself. Home Depot, Lowes sell desk material in diffrent shapes and sizes you can make one yourself. Heck find a cabinet maker and he can make a nicer one for cheap but practical.
That Li desk is WAY overprices, let alone practical.
Zirconium - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
I won't attest to that. Of all the desks I've used, I still prefer the good-old simple kind. One of the most useful desks I've seen was at a friend's house: two milk crates stacked on each side, and a door placed over them. That sucker was huge, had a nice hole to run the cables through, since it was so cheap, he didn't mind screwing power strips and other things to the underside of it, and guess what? IT WAS FREE: 4 milk crates he stole from the supermarket where he worked, and a solid door someone was throwing out. A little cleanup, and he had a pretty nice desk, albeit without the bells and whistles.
semo - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
now that's what a computer desk should be!but seriously, the best "computer desk" for me personally is one that is wide and has only 4 legs. that way you have easy access to your case and cables. ironically, those simple old design desks are often really expensive. most computer desks come with those flimsy keyboard trays and special higher levels for the monitor which cause neck strains since you should be looking down on a monitor not up.
and exactly why do you need a special compartment for the computer case? what's it for? what's the idea? what am i missing? this is not the only desk i've seen this on.
Hacp - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Theres a 5000 version out there isn't there?retrospooty - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
If so I can't see many people buying it. It's a nice PC desk for $500, but $3000 is rediculous. I have been shopping around recently, and beleive me, there are many other desk's out there that have nice cable management and even better features for alot less money. They have no multimedia ports, but seriously, you can but a 12 in 1 reader like that for $30, the value added to have it mounted on your desk is just not worth the extra $2500 you pay LOLretrospooty - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
Hey look.... http://www.coolerguys.com/840556060857.html">http://www.coolerguys.com/840556060857.htmlThe silver is $100 less. LOL
faboloso112 - Sunday, August 7, 2005 - link
another overpriced item from lian li...wonderful...before i get flamed...i do admit that this is a pretty nifty product...just too damn expensive that is all.