Are you choosing between an Apexdesk and a Varidesk adjustable standing desk? Well, before you dive in, take a moment to see our comparison reviews. This will help you decide which one is the better option for your home office needs
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Apexdesk vs Vari
Apexdesk Is known for its affordable standing desks. The brand makes use of a China-made motor, TA Nikoda. One of the issues that we have encountered with the most adjustable electric standing desks from the brand is the wobbling issue. And we reckon the unknown China motor brand has a lot to do with it.
In addition, Apexdesk is known to be manufactured in a factory in China and sold directly in the US.
Varidesk now Vari is quite popular for manufacturing sturdy and reliable standing desks. Out of the midrange desk options, this brand seems to excel the most in terms of stability.
The thing is, If you search online, there’s no clear information as to where the brand manufactures their standing desks. You can only see info re where the standing desk converter of the brand is made. But most probably all of its products are made in China.
Elite Series vs ProDesk 60 standing desk
The above-mentioned units are the brands’ more popular adjustable electric standing desk units. Let’s compare them side by side to see what can suffice your needs more.
Which has the better warranty
As we have mentioned in our previous reviews, one of the gold standards when buying a standing desk is the warranty. This somewhat dictates if you’re getting the most value for your purchase. Sometimes, regardless of the price of the product, the warranty speaks for the desk.
Varidesk offers a 5-year warranty. The brand is also one of the pioneers in adjustable standing desks. And many customers are quite satisfied with how their customer service handled returns, concerns, and issues.
The Apexdesk, on the other hand, offers 2 years on the electronic parts and 5 years on the desktop surface. For motors that are not yet tested to be reliable, a 2-year warranty may not suffice.
The Varidesk offers a more acceptable warranty. EpsEspecially for an unknown China-made motor, you should have more coverage.
Which has a better design and build
The Prodesk 60 has a crossbar that runs across the two frame legs. We find the overall construction of this Varidesk table stable and sturdy. But we did not like the stable crossbeam. There are several issues with this parallel bar, and it’s also referred to as a knee crusher for a valid reason. If you bang your knee or shin against it, you’ll know.
This also gets in the way and decreases legroom. Especially If you have long legs, you might find this uncomfortable. That’s why a majority of known standing desk brands have removed this feature from their units. They instead replaced it with a stability bar that’s placed underneath the tabletop surface. And it did make the desk stable enough. So we wished the ProDesk also had the same.
The Apexdesk, on the other hand, is decently sturdy too. The steel material is sufficiently durable, it’s not heavy duty but it’s not flimsy either. And we love the fact that it doesn’t have a crossbeam that runs across the two-leg frames. This will give your legs more room to breathe.
Both desks have stable construction and built. But in terms of the design, the knee crusher of the Varidesk caused it to lose a bit of point.
Which is more stable
Varidesk is pretty stable. Also, it doesn’t shake at all heights. We haven’t experienced any wobbling.
Apexdesk, on the other hand, does have stability issues. Although the Elite Series is the brand’s more stable unit, there is still wobbling. You will start to feel a little bit of wobbling at 36 inches. It gets stronger by 39 inches. So by the time the desk reaches the max height of 48 inches, it can be annoying.
For stability, the clear winner is the Varidesk. The crossbeam and sturdy accounted for its stability.
Which can accommodate more users (Height adjustment range and desk width)
The Elite Series boasts of a larger desk, 71 inches. Though you can also get the desk in a smaller version, the 71-inch desk is such a treat. The larger workspace is coupled with an ergo-contoured front tabletop. So this makes the desk more ergonomic. It also makes the standing desk look more sophisticated.
The maximum height range of the Elite Series is 48 inches. So for this height range, it can accommodate taller people. But due to its wobbling issues, we only recommend it to be used max at 35-38 inches, so that’s fit for those with average height.
The Varidesk, on the other hand, has a 60-inch desk. The other desk size option is 48 inches. So in terms of space, you have more space with the Elite Series. The lowest height is 25 inches while the max height is 50 inches. So in terms of the height range Varidesk can accommodate taller users. And it will stay decently stable even at the highest setting.
Assembly
The Elite series took us 20-60 minutes to set it up. The desk has few parts and few accessories, which accounts for the quick assembly. For a large tabletop, it’s surprising how easy it was to assemble the unit. The instructions were also straightforward so we didn’t encounter any problems.
As for Varidesk, it also took us less than an hour to assemble the desk. The instruction manual is also easy to follow, which made the setup process rather easy. Though the brand claims that you will be able to set it up in 5-10 minutes, that one is a rather impossible feat.
It’s a tie. Both desks roughly took us the same amount of time for the setup. Both desks also have easy-to-follow instructions and all accessories and tools included in the package.
Other features of these stand up desks
Control panel
The Varidesk has 3 memory presets, the height interface is also easy to use. You can also use the up and down arrow button to change the height of the desk. It also transitions smoothly, fast, and quietly. So we are rather pleased in this category.
The Elite Series contains 4 memory presets and an up and down button. We did not like the material used in the control panel. It seems rather flimsy and cheap. And it does look cheap, you can instantly tell it at first glance.
Though the speed and transition are quite fast and it’s also not noisy.
Varidesk wins this round. Though it has 3 memory presets compared to the 4 preferred height settings of the Elite desk, it’s more responsive and made of high-quality materials. The control panel of the Elite desk is rather unresponsive.
Cord management system
Both desks have grommet holes and a cable management tray. So you can neatly tuck in the cords underneath the desk.
It’s a tie. The ProDesk and Elite desk makes up for a clutter-free workspace.
Table Top options
The Varidesk is available in more color options. You can also get a tabletop on a butcher block wood desk. That one is probably our favorite, it looks rustic and rather lovely. You can compare it to the more expensive wooden standing desks from afar.
The Elite Series, on the other hand, offers 2 color options, black, and white. And both have an ergo-contoured tabletop design. The desk is made of particleboard and laminate.
We had a hard time choosing between the two. The Elite series having a more ergonomic tabletop and the Varidesk with an option for a wooden finish. So we are going to give it to both desks.
Overall – Apexdesk Elite vs Varidesk ProDesk
1. The Varidesk can go low enough for children to use. And it can also go high enough for taller people. So it can accommodate a wider range of users. But the crossbeam is not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a love or hate relationship. Some clients do not seem to mind it while some seem to bang their knee or shins against it. The desk is quite stable at all heights and the 60-inch desk is quite wide and sufficient for an elaborate work setup. And we also love the more generous warranty of the brand. It is also easy to assemble.
- The most notable feature of the Elite desk is the ergo-contoured tabletop. It made the desk a more ergonomic workspace. But in terms of stability, it’s not stable at all heights. Thus average height users will find it decently stable, but taller users will not.
The overall construction is not that bad, it’s decently solid too. Though the Varidesk is more sturdy.
Conclusion
So overall, we find Varidesk a better option. Despite the crossbeam not being everyone’s favorite, it is rather stable and has a solid construction. And the longer warranty sealed the deal.
The Elite desk, on the other hand, can be a viable option. Both desks do have almost the same price range. But the Elite Series may not last longer compared to the Varidesk. But if you are after the ergo contoured 71-inch desk, then this is a viable choice.