RGB lighting is almost synonymous with gaming. We have it in our keyboards, our mice, and our custom builds. But it doesn’t have to stop there.
Incorporating lighting into your desk set up can create a truly immersive and customizable experience.
When it comes to adding light to your gaming area you have plenty of options from gaming desks with built-in lights, to smart lights that can sync with your screen.
Before we take a closer look at these different options, let’s first look at how desk lighting can improve your gaming experience.
Atmosphere
The great thing about gaming is that you can disappear into a completely different world for a few hours. It’s a chance to escape the stresses and difficulties of our day to day lives.
While game developers put a lot of time and effort into making the games as immersive as possible, ultimately we are still sitting at a desk staring at a screen.
Lighting can help increase that field of immersion started by the game developers. It can transform the whole gaming area into a visually immersive zone by creating an atmosphere that mimics and reflects the events of the game.
Reducing Eye Strain
Eye strain can really ruin your gaming experience as well as cause damage to your eyes. It is an unfortunate side effect that comes with the gaming territory. After all, it’s fairly impossible to game without looking at a screen.
There are things that you can do to avoid eye strain. This includes taking breaks or using screen filters. However, it’s difficult to take breaks during a tournament or campaign and a screen filter can ruin the game visuals.
One thing you can do is that won’t ruin your experience, is to use soft lighting in your gaming room. You don’t want to be gaming in complete darkness as that is no good for your eyes either.
What you want to try and achieve is soft diffused light around your monitor. This light stops your eyes from having to dilate too much as they would in dim rooms, but also prevents your eyes from having to cope with high contrast lighting provided by standard overhead lights.
Desks with built-in lighting are great for creating lovely, soft lighting. The lights they use tend to be RGB strips that don’t cause massive amounts of glare.
The positioning of the lights is quite important. You don’t want something that is pointing directly into your eyes. Nor do you want lights shining directly on your monitor.
Gaming desks with lighting tend to have RGB strips along the edges of the desk. This is the perfect place for them as it creates a glow around the monitor and your set up rather than directing the light at one particular place.
Aesthetics
Sometimes you just want your gaming station to look cool. There’s nothing wrong with that! After all, comfortable surroundings improve our performance and productivity!
What’s great about desk lighting is that it can transform your gaming room or area without the need for painting or other permanent decorations. This is super useful for those who live in rented accommodation.
Lighting is also excellent for gamers who don’t have a designated room or area. If your desk is in the living room or bedroom, you might not have the option to decorate it as you’d wish. Other people have to use those rooms so you might find that you have to compromise.
In these cases, desk lighting can create a whole new color scheme and room design. The lights tend to be on the outer edges of the desk which means that the glow lands on the walls around the desk.
Quality lights will give those drab walls a futuristic makeover by simply shining on them! As many lights allow you to change or cycle through different colors, you have a nearly endless choice of decor options.
Space
Very few of us can afford unlimited gaming space. Even if we have a room dedicated to gaming, we are constrained by the area of our desk and the reach of our arms.
Light is necessary but having to sacrifice space for a lamp is a pain. That’s why desks with built-in lights are so much better.
The lighting strips are tucked into the edges of the desk so there’s no chance of accidentally knocking the lamp with your mouse.
Also, the wires tend to be tucked away neatly at the rear of the desk. I don’t know about you, but my biggest bugbear is the copious amounts of trailing wires that seem to come with gaming.
Built-in desk lighting removes the need for additional lamp wires. You’re not in danger of catching them by mistake or having to detangle them anytime you need to access another wire.
Price
Believe it or not, it is sometimes cheaper to buy a desk with lighting than it is to add lighting later.
A desk with lights tends to cost around $130. Some are more expensive depending on the size and the materials used.
However, a roll of RGB lights can cost you about 30 dollars. Then you have to factor in the cost of your desk and the time and effort it will take to create channels for these lights.
If you already have a desk, you can, of course just slap some RGB lighting on the edges, it won’t look particularly slick but it will do the job. Cutting grooves into the desk for the lights to sit in will give it a more polished look which is what we suggest you do.
What Options Do You Have?
There are plenty of desks with built-in lighting on Amazon and other retailers. When you’re looking for a new gaming desk you want to make sure you get one with enough space for your setup.
In terms of the lighting options, you’ll want to check what colours the strips can do to make sure it fits with your aesthetic. You’ll also want to look for lighting that can be dimmed when needed.
Some RGB lighting strips can cycle through different colors while others can do more advanced lighting displays. These displays can be distracting to some people so do think before you buy.
More expensive options will include smart or bias lighting.
Bias lighting is usually white lights placed behind your monitor to reduce the contrast between your screen and the background. Desks rarely have built-in bias lighting because it needs to be behind the monitor.
Some desks do have lighting strips along the back of the desk which can act as bias lighting.
Smart lighting doesn’t just mean turning the lights on and off with your voice. Smart lights can enhance your gaming experience by responding to the beats and pulses of your game.
Not only can you get desks with these lights but you can also get light panels and bulbs to kit out the rest of your room.
Final Thoughts
Lights might not be at the top of your improvement list. After all, console gaming seems to be a never-ending cycle of upgrades and new parts.
However, changing up your lighting can really improve your gaming experience. It’s not just about getting a slick and futuristic look.
In-built desk lighting can ease the strain on your eyes and give you more space to play with. It’s a great way to improve your overall performance and experience.
