Converts to Standing Desk in 15 Seconds
It’s rare to find a product so simple and well built that does what it claims even at a budget price. That’s what the SmartDesk 2 – Home Office by Autonomous delivers — a motorized standing desk that raises or lowers at the touch of a button. It’s a regular desk that transforms into a standing desk within seconds.
Why Consider a Standing Desk?
Early studies on standing desks reported, “Spending more of your day standing could reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.” Others have proclaimed alleviation of back pain. However, more recent research pulls back on some of the loftiest claims. Regardless, experts seem to agree some combination of sitting and standing while working at a desk is better than sitting only. The key ergonomic factors ultimately fall back on a worker’s routine and posture. So whether sitting or standing it is recommended arms rest at 90-degrees to the table, while having a monitor placed slightly below eye level. And remember chair height plays a factor as well.
Whether or not you think you need a standing desk, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have the option. Fortunately, SmartDesk 2 is a very fine desk even if you never use it for standing. It’s rock solid (actually made of steel) and delivers a large smooth desktop with two rear holes for wire organization. The only tells that it’s an adjustable standing desk are the black buttons on the right side and a wire that plugs into the wall.
Unboxing
SmartDesk 2 arrives in two very large boxes. One is for the top and one is for the base. Setup without any power tools took me about 2 hours. However, an experienced craftsman could probably do it in 30 minutes, if they knew exactly what they were doing ahead of time. Nonetheless, the hardest part about construction is dealing with the weight. Each piece is very heavy. I was able to assemble it myself, but the company recommends using two people.
Assembly
The instructions are straightforward, and because the desk is symmetrical there’s little chance of mixing up parts. The desk is assembled upside down and the final steps involve connecting the control wires, flipping it over right side up, and plugging it into a wall power outlet. Once powered up, pressing both up and down buttons simultaneously initializes operations. That’s it! From there, there’s no need to lift another finger. The motor does all the work. Simply press and hold the up/down buttons to raise or lower the desk, and use the four memory presets to save your height preferences.
Adjustability
The desk raises from minimum (29.5″) to maximum height (48.4″) in 15 seconds. Height can be fine tuned to any tenth of an inch increment in between. Movement is fast, smooth and the motor is even quieter than expected, garnering a 45 dB noise level rating. Use the four memory preset buttons to return to your desired desk height at a touch of a button, so there is no need to hold down (or use) the up/down buttons.
Memory Presets
To activate the memory position presets, just hold the “M” button for about 5 seconds until the number readout starts flashing, then tap a number to save it. I’d suggest memorizing both the desired highest and lowest height settings. That leaves two extra memory presets if the desk is shared with a family member or co-worker or if you have special work needs.
Features
SmartDesk 2 is 53″x29″. That’s plenty of space for most home offices with a desktop PC or laptop, even with a large monitor or two. Two holes on the desktop organize cabling from desktop devices. The desk’s depth of 29 inches allows ample room for extra peripherals or supplies. For people that require a larger workspace, Autonomous offers a XL desktop that is 17.5-inches longer and 1-inch wider (70.5″x30″). Interestingly, the same base is used for either sized desk top should a customer decide to upgrade at a later date. The underneath support beam smartly expands to the size of the XL top. Either desk top size can support and lift up to 300 lbs.
Drawbacks
There certainly isn’t much to complain about. What’s missing may or may not even matter to you, but seems worth noting. There is no option for a slide-out keyboard tray. However, there is a swivel drawer ($39) option for small office supplies and a computer mouse. The desk’s black plastic feet are fixed so there’s no way to slightly adjust the level if your floors are uneven. Luckily I had no need for leveling, and specification wise the desk was level upon construction.
Cable concealment could be more thought out. All the wires are black, but white wiring could make them less noticeable, especially with a white desk. On the plus side, Autonomous does include cable ties to clip wires to the underside of the desk. However, a cable tray ($19) for further concealment costs extra. The cable tray seems like a necessity for an uncluttered office, because it can hold a surge protector and keep power wires from hanging to the floor.
Bamboo 
Walnut 
White Oak
Color Choices
The SmartDesk 2 comes in a five desktop colors, which can be mixed and matched to three base colors. There’s white, black or grey options for the base and white, black, walnut, white oak, or bamboo available for the top. All are priced the same, except bamboo is $50 more. However, bamboo doesn’t come in the XL size.
Premium Option
Besides offering two desk top sizes (classic or XL), there’s another option for greater range of desk heights. Somewhat confusingly, the company has named this desk the SmartDesk 2 – Premium. It currently costs $70 more and is essentially the same except it can sink 3-inches lower and rise 3-inches higher. It’s designed for people shorter than 5′ 4″ or taller than 6′ 5″, but if you’re near either height it’s probably the safer investment. A few other small differences are noted in the company’s video below.
SmartDesk 2 Home Office vs. Premium
High Quality
The surface of the desk arrived smooth and free of any defects. The frame is made of SPCC steel. The painted white base matched the top perfectly. The desktop never scuffed, spills cleaned easily, and the top stayed white during the two-week testing period. The finish appears to be high quality and should last a long time. Additionally, there’s a one year warranty for the top, plus a 5 year warranty for the frame (7 year warranty on Premium version). The warranty includes all metal and mechanical parts and components, including motors and electrical components.
Conclusion
Autonomous delivers on its promise, offering an adjustable desk at an affordable price. SmartDesk 2 – Home Office is a solidly built motorized desk that’s versatile for use in a seated or standing positions, and anywhere in between. Its sleek, minimal appearance, along with a variety of mix-and-match color and size options means there should be a desk to match any decor.
Special Offer
When you’re ready to buy SmartDesk 2 direct from autonomous.ai use our special referral link for an extra $25 off – making it just $354. XL pricing is $45 off! No code needed if you click the link, but you could also enter promo code R-bcf1b2 on the checkout page.
- SmartDesk 2 – Home Office:
$479$529 (One sale for$379$429) - SmartDesk 2 – Home Office XL: $619 (On sale for $519)
- SmartDesk 2 – Premium:
$599$649 (On sale for$449$499) - SmartDesk 2 – Premium XL : $739 (On sale for $569)
Pricing & Coupon Update
Since publishing our review, Autonomous has increased prices $50 on the non-XL motorized standing desks. Also, our discount promo code links are now offering $10 off orders under $500 and $25 off orders over $500. Prices adjusted above accordingly.
We’ll update this page if new promotions become available. Just add a comment below with your email address to be reminded of any price or coupon updates.
Disclaimer: Autonomous gifted a SmartDesk 2 – Home Office. ecoustics may earn a commission if you purchase items from Autonomous through links on this page.
